In May we will wrap up our Bhangra month with a 5 moves dance at the assembly on Thursday May 8. This month the younger students will have ukulele lessons and the older students will continue with Riptide and have 3 keyboard, 2 electric guitar and a drums station they can sign into.
May 5-9
This Week's Music Around the World-Traditional and Contemporary Music-Dominica
WCK-Live-Bouyon Music (4:12) (edited from film found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYehubco-QE). Bouyon is a Dominican music that emerged in the 1980's. Here is some live footage of one of the genre's founding and important bands.
Jing Ping Band (0:47) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgNUMtm1O6s) Jing ping or accordion band is a Dominican tradition. It is often accompanied by what is called a flirtation dance or the Dominican quadrille.
Bele Dancing (9:45) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIPLm32jmJM) bélé dancing is an old creole dance usually accompanied by tambou drum which was traditionally made by stretching goat skin over a hollow tree trunk.
Carlyn XP-Raise Your Flags (3:47) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f9X8I0USDE&list=RDEMHr7exQP7xZN5qZ2Wse31JQ&start_radio=1) Carlyn XP is a well known Dominican bouyan, soca and zouk singer.
May 12-16
This Week's Music Around the World-Traditional and Contemporary Music-Liberia
Koo Nimo Palmwine Quartet (7:24) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXhmiQt4oy4) Palmine music was developed by the Kru people of Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Princess Fatu Gaylor-Onamour (5:26) (found at xhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_P27ysyVo0) Gaylor is a well known Liberian singer who has recorded many albums and tours around the world.
Takun J-They Lie To Us-Hipco (4:41) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4zRaOs_15A) This is an example of Hipco Music-considered Liberia's unique style of music often with a political edge. I like the obvious 'protest' of this song and the ever so subtle hint of reggae in style.
Eric Geso-World Best (3:18) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnRL0talRi8&list=RDW4tmyu9BkgM&index=5) Soccer (football) seems to be a particular passion in Liberia as I found several videos very quickly where the game featured. This is popular and award winning Liberian artist Eric Geso with an obvious tribute to famous Liberian soccer star George Weah-who actually recently served as a president of the country.
May 19-23
This Week's Music Around the World-Traditional and Contemporary Music-Mauritius
In Mauritius they speak Creole and much of the traditional music and art is Creole.
Séga Music-Seggae-Gary Victor-Pomper (3:34) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hrgt-RQmPM) This is a traditional Sega song. We also see the large drum or ravanne that is a key instrument in Mauritius.
Seggae Music-Tribute to Kaya-Sime Lalimier (4:15) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtNdWEX3RWk) Seggae and Saga are the two forms of music born in Mauritius. This is a tribute done in 2022 to one of the most famous Seggae musicians Kaya (d. 1999) who created Seggae by fusing Sega and Reggae together.
Michel Legris-Mo Capitaine (3:57) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln8qS3tsbUY) Michel Legris is one of the best known traditional Séga singers.
Séga Dancing (2:00) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWgOnvm14bM)
May 26-30
This Week's Music Around the World-Traditional and Contemporary Music-Bulgaria
Rǎčenika Dance and Music (3:59) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tzxwbLghr0)
Ръченица (răčenica) is often considered the national dance of Bulgaria. Done in a wide variety of styles, speed, and social settings all over Bulgaria, the răčenica is done at weddings and clubs, on stage and in bars, as a group line dance and by a solo performer. These clips show the breadth and diversity of răčenica. Track arranged and played by Tom Pixton. Many thanks to all the folks who have loaned the right to use their clips!
Bulgarian folklor/Balkan Polyphony-Kaval Sviri (2:08) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVqrW-fPOQ0) Polyphonic choral singing is very popular and an ancient practice in Bulgaria. This is an old well known folk song.
Gadulka-Kalina Petkova (2:34) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzOsH1Le2vA) The gadulka is a traditional very old Bulgarian bowed instrument.
Fiki-Az Izmraznah (4:09) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9VrSFBBLOw) This is an example of Chalga music-the dance music that blends Bulgarian folk with modern pop, hip hop, etc. Fiki is a well known award winning singer in Bulgaria-for example 2015 Singer of the Year.