I have unusual tastes when it comes to music. My favorite music genres are African music and Reggae. I also like Celtic music, New Age music, Andean music, Flamenco, and Jazz. The majority of the stuff I listen to isn't in English, which is unusual for an American!
I listen to quite a bit of Andean music. This beautiful music comes from the Andes mountains, which run through Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Chile, and Argentina, in South America. One of the numerous groups whose music I like is Markahuasi. I had the honor and pleasure of seeing them perform live at a festival in Denver a few years ago. Click here to learn more about them.
Inti-Illimani is a group from Chile. I have been listening to them for many, many years, and their music is beautiful! They have been together for over 30 years. They sing and perform traditional indigenous music. They also sing about social justice issues. For many years, they were exiled from their country, but they were finally able to return home. Their official site is in Spanish, but there is a site in English, as well.
One artist that I really like is Enya. She has a voice that is simply beautiful! Go to her site and be enchanted by her lovely voice!
Enya was once the lead singer for a group called Clannad. I like them, too. Check out their site!
The Chieftains are another cool group from Ireland. You can visit this site, or the official one.
I listen to a radio program called The Thistle and Shamrock. They play beautiful traditional and contemporary Celtic music from Scotland. They even have a newsletter for their listeners!
Another band that I like is The Afro Celt Sound System. They changed their name to Afro Celts. This group creates a musical fusion of music from Ireland and West Africa. I enjoy musical fusions of different cultures!
Speaking of musical fusions, another great artist is Ry Cooder. He has played with a number of international artists, including Ali Farka Toure. Here's a site devoted to him.
Tracy Chapman is another artist that I really enjoy. Her songs are very powerful. She really tells it like it is!
You have got to check out Sweet Honey in the Rock! They will set you on fire! Sweet Honey in the Rock is a Grammy award-winning group of six African American women who sing a cappella. The group has been around for 30 years. They sing songs about social justice issues in a beautiful down-home gospel style that brings audiences of all racial and ethnic backgrounds to their feet! I have had the honor of seeing them perform live twice, and I can't get enough of them!
Here is a link to a radio program called Echoes. They play Ambient music, Space music, and a lot of wonderful cultural fusion music. Most of this music would be classified as New Age music. Many of the artists whose music that they play are on the Windham Hill label. I listen to this program almost every day on KUNC, my local public radio station. You can listen to artists like Solas, Loreena McKennitt, Yo Yo Ma, The Medieval Babes, Rasa, Nightnoise, R.Carlos Nakai, Azam Ali, Joanne Shenandoah, Suzanne Ciani, Mary Youngblood, Dead Can Dance, Ancient Futures, Clannad, Ottmar Liebert, Peter Kater, Jesse Cook, Sheila Chandra, George Winston, and many others.
Hearts Of Space is another radio program that I listen to. They feature ambient and space music. Really great for when you just want to relax!
I grew up listening to a lot of classical music. My favorite classical artists are Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, and Strauss. Especially Strauss! There is a radio program called St. Paul Sunday that features live performances of the Masters' work by contemporary classical artists. It's a wondeful show!
The King of Reggae music was Bob Marley. Check out this site devoted to him.
One Reggae group that I really like is Burning Spear. I got to see them in concert in Denver, and in Philadelphia back in 1993. See their cool site!
Check out this Reggae group called Israel Vibration. They have been around for quite a while, and they're really good! Visit the site, and learn about them.
Lucky Dube is a Reggae artist from South Africa. Check out his site.
Another terrific Reggae artist is Alpha Blondy. He is from the Ivory Coast, which is in West Africa. He has performed with the Wailers, Bob Marley's original band, and his own band, The Solar System. Alpha Blondy sings in 6 different languages!
Morgan Heritage is the Royal Family of Reggae. They are a family that performs together. To say that they are good would be a vast understatement. Check out their amazing site, and be prepared to dance!
Here is a link to a place called Spinner. You can listen to all kinds of great music over the Internet. If there's any kind of music you can think of, it's there on Spinner for your listening enjoyment. It's where I go when I want to listen to some serious African music!
And, speaking of African music, one of my favorite artists is Johnny Clegg. He is a South African artist who sings mostly in Zulu. He performed here in Denver a few years ago and I had the honor of meeting him! Check out his site and read his story. It's a cool place.
I also like Ladysmith Black Mambazo, an a cappella group from South Africa. This Grammy award-winning group has performed with such artists as Paul Simon and would you believe, Dolly Parton!?! Check out their cool site.
Angelique Kidjo, from Benin, a country in West Africa, is another artist that I like. She sings in 4 languages and she's got some smooth, funky sounds. Here's a site devoted to her.
Other artists who are high on my list of favorites are Ali Farka Toure, Miriam Makeba, Babatunde Olatunji, Ayub Ogdala, King Sunny Ade, Femi Kuti, Youssou N'Dour, Samite, and Salif Keita.
Want to know more about African music, the artists, and the countries that they're from? Check out the African Music Encyclopedia.
I hope you liked the SoundZone. Keep coming back for more links and stuff. For now, return to The Living Room, or go back home and wander around the rest of my house.
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