Having visited every darn wondrous nation on the planet, we start the sophomore voyage by revisiting the music scene of Lebanon. One of the most musically diverse countries of the Middle East, thus certainly worth a repeat trip – exploring mostly new and obscure Lebanese sounds.
Thrilled to have American guitar superhero Steve Marion on the show as he cruises through Vancouver on tour, saving the world from uninspired guitar playing. Heck, he even gives online lessons via Guitar World. Check out the interview here:
From his new record This is Steve, the great Segway road trip of Tomorrow:
Inspired by Steve Marion’s guitar lyricism, the second hour of the program features a bevy of instrumental bands of many kinds – where the human voice is replaced with human hands.
At last it has come full sphere – after more than 6 years of traveling around the planet we have now explored the music from every nation on Earth (if you want proof, click the Past Episodes tab and scroll waaaay down). It has been an amazing feast for the ears, every week bringing new surprises, and I must say that I’m a bit sad that there are no more nations to discover on this here planet (maybe hiding somewhere in a cave where the google doesn’t see?).
But as each nation is a world in itself, there is still so much to learn. Heck, a lot of new music can happen to a country in 6 years! So get ready for round 2, the sophomore journey around the world. It may end up being a bit different this time, but no less magical I reckon.
The Matemai Mbira Group have the biggest darn mbiras in Harare
First! Our maiden voyage to Zimbabwe, uncovering mbiras of many shapes and flavours, zimdancehall, new wave, reggae, hip hop, classic zimrock, and punk…
Trip to the music of Indonesia, where traditions like the otherworldly Gamelan orchestra blend with modern sounds to manifest waves you never dreamed of!
Yes there are 17,000 islands in Indonesia, and some believe that the lost city of Atlantis is hidden somewhere beneath the Indonesian sea. What a fun idea! Did they play Gamelan? Did they have electric guitars? Maybe this band would have been tops of the Atlantean pops:
From the first hour, a world of new music:
If you are curious about blending two very distinct musical worlds, there has probably never been a better place and time than Vancouver and Now. As the city hosts large populations with European and Asian heritage, it seems inevitable that these cultures should mix and create something new and distinctly Canadian. As someone who has lived in the city for nearly 18 years, a city known for its openness and spirit of innovation, it surprises me how little musical cross-pollination seems to be happening. Enter the Sound of Dragon.
Mark Armanini and Lan Tung in Taipei
With one foot in the folk traditions of China and the other in the wild improvisational aesthetic of jazz, the Sound of Dragon Ensemble is blazing a brave new standard for what Canadian music can be. The first hour of this week’s program presents an intriguing conversation with SODE composers Lan Tun, John Oliver, and Mark Armanini, longtime residents of Vancouver and scholars of sonic alchemy. Catch their spring concert this thursday!
