Results tagged “Music” from Intelligent Travel Blog

To conclude Hispanic Heritage Month on a literal high note, PBS aired the first two hours of its engrossing and fact-packed four-hour series Latin Music USA last week, and the second half will air this evening, October 19th. The first two episodes are up in both Spanish and English on PBS's website.

The site also features a slew of ways to learn even more about the genres and songs--bachata, bolera, ranchera, salsa, cumbia, boogaloo, mambo, Latin jazz, plena--explored in sound, image, and through first-person interviews on the show. You can dissect the genres, their multifaceted origins and histories by genealogy, by instrument, by rhythm, and, important for us at Traveler, by place.

New York City shines the brightest in the creation of this music of the Americas; melting pot, salad bowl or whichever imperfect metaphor it may be. The story of salsa blew my mind. I had no idea how young the genre is. Influenced by boogaloo, Latin Jazz, and mambo, voiced by Puerto Rican (Hector Lavoe), Cuban (Celia Cruz), Panamanian (Ruben Blades) immigrants, accompanied by first-generation, South Bronx-born trombonists (Willie Colón) and many others, it's a complex genre like no other with moving, real-life lyrics and a rhythm that energizes and animates.

The Palladium Ballroom on 53rd and Broadway figured large in New York's Latin music scene from its debut in 1948 until its closing in 1966. People of all ages and ethnicities flocked to the second-floor dance floor to listen to the nonstop music and groove to new, syncretic sounds. Of course now, it's an NYU dorm.

Does the music of a place influence your decision to travel there?

In conjunction with his upcoming book, Here Is Where: In Search of America's Great Forgotten History, we're following historian and Legacy Project founder Andrew Carroll as he drives, flies, walks, boats, buses, bikes, and hikes to seek out little-known historic sites in all 50 states. Bookmark all of his posts here.

Bob Marley was...here??

Reggae probably isn't the first thing that comes to people's minds when they think of the state of Delaware. But thanks to my extraordinary young assistant this summer, Dima Kislovskiy, I just passed through Newark, Delaware, to photograph sites related to Bob Marley, who's done more than any other artist to popularize reggae music.

Marley's mother had been living in Wilmington since 1963 when Bob moved there in 1966, hoping to earn enough money to start his own record label. Under the alias Donald Marley, he worked as a DuPont lab assistant and at the Chrysler assembly plant just across the street from the University of Delaware campus.

The facility was opened in 1951 to build U.S. Army tanks, and then six years later it began manufacturing cars until management shut the whole place down last year. While the massive buildings don't appear to have deteriorated much, weeds now peek through cracks in the abandoned, football field-size parking lots and the lawns and grounds are showing the first hint of neglect.

Bob Marley returned to Jamaica with enough money to launch Wail'n Soul'm, but he didn't forget his time in Delaware; two songs, "It's Alright" (from the 1970 album Soul Rebels) and "Night Shift" (from Rastaman Vibration, released in 1976) allude to his experiences in America's first state.

Next week: The Marias River, Montana

National Geographic Magazine Editorial Researcher Brad Scriber took a recent trip to Barcelona and filled us in on how he chose his trip soundtrack.

About the only time my music collection grows is when I travel. Now, I'd love to say that's because I spend my vacation nights in low-lit, smoky clubs discovering emerging talent in cities across the globe. Nope, I just hit the web shortly before I head to the airport.

A child of the 1980s, part of my brain is still wired for making mix tapes, those painstakingly crafted personal soundtracks of years gone by. Twenty years later, instead of spending hours combing through a ransacked pile of cassettes, CDs, and liner notes, I rummage through digital inventories with my keyboard.

In addition to the authentic local samplings that experts on world music can provide, I like a mix that includes a few puns, allusions, or inside jokes. The beauty of search engines on iTunes or Rhapsody is that wordplay can lead to new music and a great vacation playlist -- just plug in some destination related language and pick through the results.

Take the selections from my recent trip to Barcelona, for example:

In conjunction with his upcoming book, Here Is Where: In Search of America's Great Forgotten History, we're following historian and Legacy Project founder Andrew Carroll as he drives, flies, walks, boats, buses, bikes, and hikes to seek out little-known historic sites in all 50 states. Bookmark all of his posts here.

After leaving Palestine, Texas, to pursue an extraordinary story I'd heard concerning the Columbia Space Shuttle explosion in 2003, I needed to photograph a site in Dallas related to one of the nation's greatest Blues singers.

I told the hotel concierge where I wanted to go, and, after noticing my camera and video equipment, he warned me: "Be careful." Be careful? "The building you're going to is near a homeless shelter, and it's a pretty rough area."

I appreciated the head's up but wasn't terribly concerned. Yes, when I got there I definitely encountered some scowls as I began setting up my tripod in the middle of the street to photograph 508 Park Ave. By the time I looked up from the viewfinder there were about half a dozen guys around me.

"Hey man, what's going on?" one of them asked--not in a threatening way, but his tone wasn't entirely welcoming either.

"I'm traveling across the country to find little known historic sites," I explained, "and that building is the last place where Robert Johnson recorded his music before he died."

"That's right, that's right," another guy said.

"Not just Robert Johnson, Eric Clapton recorded there too," an older gentleman added. I didn't know that.

The second annual Capital Hip Hop Soul Festival is set for this Saturday, July 25th, in Marvin Gaye Park in Northeast DC. The free festival and community celebration features a full line up of local talent (16 acts) on two stages, over 20 vendors from community businesses and DC nonprofits, along with a booksigning and poetry slam. The family-friendly festival starts at 11 a.m. and the park is located between two Metro stops: Minnesota Avenue (orange line) and Capitol Heights (blue line). Check out the website where music from the festival is streamed.

To learn more about the festival, we caught up with Maceo Thomas, the festival's organizer.

How'd the festival get started last year?

I was introduced to the music of Kokayi and Afi Soul, two local artists--Kokayi lives in my neighborhood--that I never had heard of. Their music was fantastic. I realized I was clueless on the level of talent that exists here in DC around hip hop and soul music. I had to believe that there were more people like me who couldn't hang out on U St. until the wee hours of the morning to hear these folks. I woke up one morning and decided to put as many local talented hip hop soul artists together one day to introduce them to other folks like me who may have been equally clueless. And I say that totally with love.

Every trip should have a soundtrack, so we've asked CJ Fahey with Nat Geo Music to select artists from their catalog whose songs will inspire you to get going.




I have a ready answer whenever someone asks me the quintessential travel question, "What's your dream vacation?" - Brazil! My attraction to Brazil started with the music, but the added bonus of beautiful beaches, small bathing suits, and cultural diversity - African, European, and indigenous American influences mixed together - sealed the deal.

Thanks to films like City of God, people outside Brazil have become more aware of the difficulties plaguing the country - poverty, corruption, and violence. But the stereotype of a vibrant tropical paradise still thrives and, from what I hear, is not undeserved. 

Traveler photographer Bob Krist is just back from a visit to Chicago, where he toured some of the classic blues clubs in the city.

At this year's annual Jazz Fest in New Orleans, representatives from the four main industries of Louisiana's cultural economy--music, food, art, and film--gathered for a roundtable discussion on how their unique cultural heritage holds the key to economic recovery and growth in the region. With Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu as the host, local luminaries such as Grammy-winning musician Terrance Simien, chef John Besh, folklorist and radio host Nick Spitzer, and artist James Michalopoulos shared their perspectives on how to keep local cultural traditions alive while building sustainable livelihoods.  

A couple of themes emerged, such as the necessity of collaboration among the various industries, which is critical to the success of the whole cultural economy. Richard McCarthy, who runs the Crescent City Farmers Market, spoke of his partnership with chef John Besh to build relationships between local farmers and the city's renowned restaurants. The role of local government in both creating the space for cultural activity and providing economic incentives for cultural development was another important theme, with the most notable example being the tax incentives which have fueled Louisiana's burgeoning film industry.  

I left the roundtable inspired by the creative synergy I witnessed among the panelists. As the region rebuilds from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, it seems that New Orleans will be, as Nick Spitzer noted, "even greater than it was before." This is a destination to keep an eye on. 

Video: Susanne Hackett

Every trip should have a soundtrack, so we've asked CJ Fahey with Nat Geo Music to select artists from their catalog whose songs will inspire you to get going.

 

Last week a friend took me to a party at the stunning Swedish Embassy in Washington, DC, so I've been feeling in a Swedish mood ever since. And considering its small population, Sweden has made a disproportionate contribution to global music. Most famous are guilty-pleasure groups like ABBA and Ace Of Base, but recently it seems that every other indie rock sensation comes from Sweden. And then there's Stockholm-based producer Max Martin who is responsible for massive hits by Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, and the Backstreet Boys. I took a course on Scandinavian literature in college and the professor suggested that Sweden owes its laudable artistic output to precisely the thing that would inspire me to do nothing: their long, dark winters.

One thing that all famous Swedish music groups have in common is that they sing in impeccable English. It makes sense for two reasons: it opens their music to a wider market and much of the music that inspires these rock and pop groups is sung in English. But the lack of internationally successful native language singers from Sweden is one of the things that makes me love so much the Swedish hip-hop group Snook.
 

Every trip should have a soundtrack, so we've asked CJ Fahey with Nat Geo Music to select artists from their catalog whose songs will inspire you to get going.


It's no surprise that one of the sexiest videos we've got at Nat Geo Music is a tango-electronic song from the French-Argentine group Gotan Project; after all, tango got its start as a dance performed in brothels in Buenos Aires in the late 19th century and today is synonymous with romance.

"Diferente" by Gotan Project shows how you might find tango danced today in a Buenos Aires milonga. This video highlights two dances: the obvious one on the dance floor, and the implicit dance of stolen glances and budding romance between the featured (gorgeous) couple.

Tango has inspired poets and artists for generations. Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges has noted the passionate, almost combative interaction between dancers: "The tango is a direct expression of something that poets have often tried to state in words: the belief that a fight may be a celebration." And tango legend Enrique Santos Discépolo touches on tango's inherent melancholy: "The Argentine tango is a sad thought that you can dance."

A trip to Buenos Aires is a trip to the heart of tango. If you go to Argentina, or for that matter Uruguay, pick up some records by contemporary tango groups like Gotan Project and Bajofondo, or legends like Astor Piazzolla and Carlos Gardel. And don't forget your dancing shoes.

[Video, Free Buenos Aires]

The Duke Ellington Jazz Festival is in full swing here in D.C. this week, with over 100 performances in 35 venues around the city. This year's festival celebrates the music of New Orleans, and has a roster of artists -- Harry Connick Jr., Buckwheat Zydeco, Trombone Shorty -- that would make any jazz-hound swoon. While the huge, talent-packed event at the Kennedy Center this coming Monday is sold out, they'll be plenty of (free!) jazz performances on The Mall this weekend, and restaurants and clubs throughout D.C. are hosting acts as part of Jazz in the Hoods. I spoke with the festival's founder, Charles Fishman, yesterday about the events, and in the spirit of jazz, he riffed a bit with me about how it's come together.

"The first year we did three concerts and had programs in 11 different clubs, this year we have over 100 performances in 35 different venues in the city. Jazz in the Hood is going into restaurants, clubs, hotels, and galleries. Some of these places do jazz, but many of them don't. It's pretty overwhelming -- people keep calling us and saying they want to be involved. Working with all these clubs, it's very encouraging to see what the response has been.

"Jazz is the one of the only original American art forms. You need to expose people to jazz: They hardly hear it on the radio, they never see it on television, and the record studios aren't doing diddly squat. These festivals are becoming a force.

"To have two full days on the National Mall for such renowned musicians from New Orleans is an amazing opportunity. I think we're the first jazz festival to dedicate our festival to another city. With the exception of our artistic advisor - everybody is from New Orleans. Essentially we're offering a virtual microcosmic cornucopia of the diversity of the musical heritage of New Orleans, which has driven American culture. But unfortunately, many immortal jazz artists are more appreciated out of this country than in this country."

Fishman encourages anyone coming into D.C. this weekend to make their way to The Mall, and be sure to check out U Street, where much of the city's jazz history is found. As our interview/jam session ended, I thanked him for his time. "That's what we do, we jazz baby," he said with a laugh.

[Duke Ellington Jazz Festival; Schedule of Events]

Photo: Duke Ellington Jazz Festival

Need some music to inspire your next trip? In our April issue, writer Tom Pryor put together a list of some of the best songs that will transport you to London: from Britpop to The Clash. And now you can download the entire list on iTunes.

In our search for the authentic, we're always on the quest to highlight the homemade - Hungarian chimney cakes, New Zealand cocktails, even Virginia dumplings. But what about homemade music?

On June 13 and 14, Tampa will be hosting the second annual Homemade Music Symposium, a free festival featuring a quirky mix of homegrown musical talent and international business gurus. Originally created to give local musicians the chance to learn industry tips from business greats, the event combines workshops and performances, with an emphasis on public access. Any aspiring musician can meet with legends like Tony Michaelides, a record promoter who served David Bowie, U2, and The Pixies, among others, on the Manchester rock 'n roll scene.

Every trip should have a soundtrack, so we've asked CJ Fahey with Nat Geo Music to select artists from their catalog whose songs will inspire you to get going.



The Roma, also known as Gypsies (a politically incorrect moniker derived from the myth that the group migrated from Egypt), have a storied musical history. Virtuoso musicians like guitarist Django Reinhardt have captured world attention, and mainstream folk and rock musicians have celebrated "gypsy" spirit in their songs, i.e. "I want to rock your gypsy soul," from none other than Van Morrison.

If you've traveled through Europe it's likely you've come across Roma musicians performing in piazzas, restaurants, or on public transportation. Music might be a natural calling for a people who, by choice and sometimes by force, have lived on the fringes of mainstream society since their arrival in Europe over a half-millennium ago from northern India.

Shukar Collective is a Romani group from Romania that combines, I kid you not, the traditional music of bear handlers, or ursari, with electronic samples mixed by two Romanian DJs. The music video to their single "Malademna" shows scenes from rural Romania mixed together as though the video editor had spent all night partying in a club, and I mean that as a compliment!

[Nat Geo Music, Video]

On June 9, the Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma will present a free outdoor concert in New York City at the Guggenheim Bandshell in Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park. The concert will be broadcast live from New York over the PBS program Live from Lincoln Center. Traveler writer Randy B. Hecht interviewed Ma about his interest in music as a way to get to know the world.

Your recordings include music from Brazil to Mongolia. Do you have a natural appreciation of such a wide range of musical sounds and styles, or is that something you had to learn?

I don't tend to think in categories, so I've always been interested in a variety of different music. I think the best way to learn about a new style of music is to have a good guide, someone who can take me to the inside of the music. Daniel Barenboim says that the best way to learn something is to start from the inside and he's absolutely right.

The unfamiliar can be intimidating. How can the uninitiated gain appreciation of "exotic" instrumental and vocal sounds and styles?

One of the things we think about at the Silk Road Project when we program a concert is that we always want someone to hear something familiar to them and we also want that person to hear something for the very first time. Which music is new and which music is familiar will be different for each person, but we want every person in the audience to have both experiences.

To compile his new book, My Favorite Place on Earth, Jerry Camarillo Dunn Jr., interviewed dozens of famous people -- from Natalie Portman to the Dalai Lama -- about the places they loved most. He'll be guest blogging about his experiences here for the next few weeks. Click here for recent posts.

Back in 1906, a railroad hoping to attract passengers coined the slogan "See America First."

But which America?

A fantastic musician and great gentleman from My Favorite Place on Earth has some ideas. For his spot, musician Jack White of the White Stripes and the Raconteurs chose Clarksdale, Mississippi, a town that stands among plowed fields at the legendary crossroads where Highway 49 meets Highway 61. It has been home to blues singers Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, and Jack White's hero, Son House.

"I didn't expect to feel the way I do about Clarksdale," Jack told me. "I thought maybe I'd find that it's all Wal-Marts and commercialized chain stores, like a lot of the western world now. When you're driving around the country, you think it would be nice to pull off the road and eat at a mom-and-pop diner or café, but you can't do that anymore. They're gone, and it's really sad. Now it's 'Take your pick of what corporation you want to have lunch at.' So I was worried that my idea of Mississippi wasn't going to be there anymore. But that wasn't the case. Clarksdale was the Mississippi I had in my head.

Every trip should have a soundtrack, so we've asked CJ Fahey with Nat Geo Music to select artists from their catalog whose songs will inspire you to get going.



In two years working for Nat Geo Music I've seen thousands of music videos from all over the world and "Azania" by South African rapper Zoro stands out as one of my favorites. "Azania" is an alternative name for South Africa used by African nationalists beginning in the late 1970s. The catchy beat and colorful imagery belie lyrics that speak to the struggle of people living in townships in a country with a history of racial oppression:

"Hunger, crime, AIDS is finishing us / We're diminishing / They're laughing at us ... Azania / We grew up hard / We grew up hard."

Zoro himself grew up in the township of Guguletu outside Cape Town and from an early age identified with resistance to the apartheid regime. In 1989 he was shot by a policeman while trying to stop a fight and was paralyzed from the waist down. Through determination and faith he regained the ability to walk after one year in a wheelchair. 

South Africa is hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2010. If any of you are lucky enough to travel there, you'll probably hear some great music along the way. Just don't assume that every song with a catchy beat is a lighthearted dance tune.

[Video link]

Following on the heels of a great New Orleans Jazzfest weekend, I decided to check out the Ponderosa Stomp festival last night at the legendary House of Blues in New Orleans' French Quarter. Described as a tribute to the "unsung heroes of rock 'n roll," the Stomp is one of many smaller--but by no means less fun--music festivals that fill the days between the two weekends of Jazzfest. And it's not only music, but a series of panel discussions where historians, artists and industry bigwigs talk about "rock's secret history."

I'm standing next to a guy who tells me he's from "across the lake." (Pontchartrain, I gather.) "I barely go to Jazzfest anymore," he tells me. "It's all about the Ponderosa Stomp for me. This festival pays homage to the roots of rock n' roll." He's holding a freshly autographed book about the band that just performed, The Remains, who performed with the Beatles on their last U.S. tour. "It's great, because you can go to the conference during the day and hear these guys talk about their music, then come here at night to hear them play."  

Nick Spitzer of American Routes introduces the next artist, Howard Tate. About halfway through his set, Tate says he's going to sing a song he recorded back in 1967 on Verve Records. It turns out to be "Get It While You Can," an old favorite of mine which I'd mistakenly assumed to be a Janis Joplin original (and have sung in the shower myself more than a few times). I'm not the only one in the House who's singing along to Tate's soulful rendition, and the crowd erupts with cheers when he finishes.  

There's still one night left, so if you're in the Big Easy tonight, head down to the House of Blues to hear these unsung heroes sing.  And if you want some truly local color, be sure to check out today's Chazfest, a quirky, homegrown Jazzfest alternative named after local washboard player Chaz Leary.

Photo: Howard Tate performs at the House of Blues, by Krista Rossow 

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (kicking off this weekend) isn't the only big spring show in town. The Ponderosa Stomp Festival and Concert may not have quite as high a profile, but for eight years the event, organized by anesthesiologist "Dr. Ike," has more than met its mission of "celebrating the unsung heroes of American music."

The 2009 edition, April 28 and 29 at the House of Blues and other venues, will feature the Legendary Stardust Cowboy, the horn section that backed up Al Green, Dan [he wrote "The Letter"] Penn, a tribute to the great piano man/singer Eddie Bo, who passed away this year, and the Jean Knight, whose 1970s hit, "Mr. Big Stuff," is part of the French Quarter soundtrack (you can listen to it here). Knight is hoping recent toe surgery won't keep her from climbing the steps to the stage this year. Marc Silver spoke with the singer about her plans for the show.

Your toe might keep you away?

I can't wear the shoes I want to wear.

What kind?

Oh, I like glitter shoes, I'll be glittering.

Is the Stomp a special kind of concert?

Oh yeah, it's fun. It'll be real packed, packed with people. They love it.

Is "Mr. Big Stuff" your favorite song to sing?

"Big Stuff" is my favorite. But let me tell you, when I came across that song, I didn't like the melody. It sounded like some kind of church song.

Every trip should have a soundtrack, so we've asked CJ Fahey with Nat Geo Music to select artists from their catalog whose songs will inspire you to get going.


Raquel Tavares, "Fado Lisboeta"

One thing I love about this video from Portuguese fado singer Raquel Tavares is that in the first 30 seconds it seems like a low-budget music special from public access television and then, unexpectedly, the shot cuts to a dramatic close-up of the singer's bright red lips as she begins the bittersweet lament of the fado. It's an abrupt reminder that as spectators of the fado we're here primarily for the voice, which, even if you can't understand the words, conveys longing and nostalgia.

Fado music comes from Lisbon, Portugal's capital city, which is located on the Tagus River just before it flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The best place to find a traditional fado bar in Lisbon is in Bairro Alto (literal translation: high neighborhood), one of the oldest parts of the city where Lisbon's youth intermix with tourists, drug dealers, and long-time older residents. The neighborhood is the heart of Lisbon's nightlife and in addition to being the perfect spot to catch nightly fado performances, is a good place to come for dinner, drinks, and dancing.    

Check out Nat Geo Music for more fado videos. And read Traveler's story about the best fado festivals in Lisbon.

In our new column, CJ Fahey of Nat Geo Music introduces new sounds from around the globe. We asked him to introduce himself and explain what Nat Geo Music is all about.

Many people are surprised to find out that National Geographic has gotten into the music business - only we're not focusing on traditional music, ambient recordings of nature, or animal sounds. A little over a year ago we started a music television channel in Europe and Latin America, we have a music website, and a brand new record label.  Our mission is to discover and share contemporary music from all over the world. We think music is the perfect fit for National Geographic because we've always been about understanding and celebrating diversity. What better way to do that than through the most popular and soulful expression of culture: music?

I've been working on the television channel and website from the beginning. My friends at the Intelligent Travel Blog asked me to share some music videos I've come across that might serve as another means to inspire people to pack their bags, head to the airport, and visit someplace new. Even if you're just interested in daydream traveling, let these videos be your soundtrack!

For videos with the spirit of travel, I don't think it gets any more obvious than this one (above) by Indian composer A.R. Rahman, the Academy Award-winning composer who took home awards for Best Song and Best Score for Slumdog Millionaire.

The video has the epic quality of a postcard come to life, which is understandable because the song is a remake of India's national song, not to be confused with the national anthem. (I guess it's similar to what America, The Beautiful is for us.) And yes, while some parts can be little much, you can't deny that the images are beautiful and the music entrancing.

Be sure to check out more videos at our music website: www.natgeomusic.net. I'll be back with more good stuff in the near future!

Did you know that in every issue of the magazine, we publish a playlist of tunes tied to a different destination? This month, we take you to New Zealand. Our own music critic Tom Pryor comes up with a list of must-downloads. "If all you know about New Zealand's music scene is opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, then it's time to take another look," he says, choosing a mix that includes fierce Maori hakas and traditional choral music to fertile indie rockers Flight of the Conchords, which we featured last week. We'd like to hear what tunes you'd add (or subtract).

You can download our March playlist for New Zealand on iTunes here. See the complete list of songs after the jump.