The Case for World Music

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There are few things in this World that unite culture and people more than the Arts. There is beauty to be found in art that speaks a universal language, music with rhythm and emotion that speaks to the humanity in all of us, literature bursting with stories we could have never imagined, but can visualize and enter and learn.

The World is awash with beautiful voices that belt out tunes played to instruments that may or may not sound like the instruments we are used to and in languages we do not understand, but is there a chance that we might connect to the emotion beneath?

Why is it that we relegate ourselves, almost exclusively, to music sung in languages that we understand? Is our connection to the music through the words, or is there a possibility that we can transcend the literal meaning of the words (or ignore them) and enjoy the emotion, the musicality of the voices and the sounds of the instruments?

It is possible that the World must rethink what globalization has done to the music experience of a moderate internet surfer. Some people are way ahead of the fray, like Beyonce choosing to use the dance routine of a little known group called Tofo Tofo probably found on YouTube by one of her choreographers. Shakira fully embraced African dance in the video that was composed for FIFA held in South Africa most recently.

Qalil challenges you to give it a try. KTRU, "which airs on Mondays 7-9 pm (CST) on 90.1 KPFT-HD2 or online at www.ktru.org has a program called Routes D’Afrique which explores the diversity of African music" (according to their site). If you crave the African flavor including folkloric and traditional recordings, please tune in to listen!

A recent furor over the reduction in number of awards for the Grammys certainly brings what has been called "World Music" to the forefront. World music is a label that cannot be used to describe the affluence and diversity of the music the World produces.

It is possible that it is time for the World to abandon the Grammys and leave large portions of the Western World to the constrictions they have placed upon their music choices. Maybe it is time the rest of the World celebrates, show cases and shares their talents with each other and form a different kind of award that surpasses the minor squabbles that form the complex politics of Hollywood.

On that note today Qalil brings you some of the "World Music" that has been on our favorite list. Enjoy!