The Whole Music Experience

Women Stand Up; Women Speak Up Women musicians from the West African country, Mali grabbed my attention in 2001 and I’m still enthralled by their personal power and musical talent.   In 2002, I received Tama’s recording Espace in the mail featuring the vocals of Mamani Keita sung over warm acoustic guitar, the Malian banjo, ngoni and percussion and I haven’t forgotten Keita’s vocals over the years. With her solo album, Kanou (World Village), Mamani Keita sings in a traditional voice about contemporary social issues, but mostly she sends an invitation out to women of the world to stand up against violence towards women and children as well as, keeping our world leaders on the same page as the people who voted for them.   Keita uses her powerful voice and musical gifts to bring transformation to the world acting as a messenger for all of us. Please note that this interview has been through three translations and lyrics weren’t included with the CD. ...

Harmonia Mundi/Jazz Village Bringing Back to the Classics: A Conversation with Catherine Russell The first time I heard Catherine Russell sing was when her 2010 Jazz Village CD, Inside This Heart of Mine arrived at my mailbox.   The songs, all thoughtfully chosen blues and jazz classics, delighted me and had my feet tapping while I reviewed the recording.   November hit the spot with its warm acoustic guitar, accordion, violin, and Russell’s soulful alto vocals wrapping around each word, like a winter scarf.   The send-ups All Cats Join In , We The People and Just Because You Can also had staying power. On the follow-up album, Strictly Romancin’ , again Russell treated her happy listeners to toe-tapping classics Wake Up and Live and Satchel Mouth Baby as well as, bluesy ballads Under the Spell of the Blues and Don’t Leave Me.   She sang romantic ballads too such as I’m in the Mood for Love.   Bring it Back , Russell’s la...

photo credit Mitch Tobias  Global Didgeridoo: In Conversation with Stephen Kent Since we live in a world surrounded by traditional instruments, some hailing back thousands of years, some misunderstood exploited by dominate cultures such as with indigenous instruments--didgeridoo comes to mind, we must grow more conscious of our relationship to these instruments. I explored this concept in my (now between publishers) book Whole Music, in the chapter about indigenous music. Recently, I wanted to include an article on didgeridoo or interview with a player on Whole Music Experience.  Through synchronicity and me spacing out, I came across Stephen Kent, or I could say I became reacquainted with his musical contributions to world and other types of music because I reviewed his CD, Oil and Water many years ago.  Quite accomplished as a player, musicians from various genres and countries have invited Kent to collaborate with them leading to some fascinating music ...