World Music with Deirdre Saravia takes you on a musical journey to some of the world’s most fascinating places. From China to Brazil and the Balkans to Indonesia, World Music will introduce you to sounds from a world far from your own. A world traveler herself, the Belfast, Northern Ireland native introduces each piece with details about the music, the musicians and the culture that produced them.
Saravia credits the work of performers like Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon for bringing world music to the attention of American audiences, but she has also seen a change in attitude in America towards foreigners.
Today foreigners feel more comfortable in celebrating their uniqueness, and as a result, there is a burgeoning interest in world music. "Not understanding the language is no longer a problem," says Saravia. "People enjoy the music for the beat, the instrumentation."
Though each World Music show is built around a central theme, it will rarely center on one type of music. Saravia strives for variety, though there will always be a connection between the songs she plays; music from as many as 15 countries can be represented in the same show.
"You come to learn that people are basically the same throughout the world," she says. "They sing about the same things."
-
World music DJ Betto Arcos returns from a major performing arts festival in Mexico with music from some of his favorite acts.
-
Colombian views on violence against women are under scrutiny as lawmakers consider honoring a popular deceased folk musician — one who was convicted of murdering his girlfriend in 1997.
-
Lynda Trang Dai, known as the "Vietnamese Madonna," performs around the world. Back home in California, she's got a different starring role: she's the only one to whip up her sandwiches' secret sauce.
-
Though she's made careful study of the history of South Asian music, Zeb Bangash's career defies easy assumptions about art and Islam.
-
Three Latino dads listen to children's music from the past and present.
-
A bright new star from South Africa, Yannick Ilunga doesn't need to be sonically tethered to his African roots to gather notice in rock and electronic-music circles.
-
Dreams and nightmares coexist in beautiful and haunting ways in this Icelandic singer's latest video.
-
Senegalese percussionist Doudou N'Diaye Rose has died at age 85. He mastered his local drum language and brought it to the world, creating rhythms for the likes of Miles Davis and the Rolling Stones.
-
For those who can't get to New York City, Alt.Latino samples the festival's diverse lineup.
-
After a decade of music, the electro-cumbia band from Bogotá is expanding its vision. Simón Mejía discusses the group's major-label debut, Amanecer.