The Sharq Taronalari Festival of International Music takes place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan every two years. This year was the 12th edition, and my 4th time in attendance. I am happy to report that this has to have been the best one yet in my experience. As usual it provides an opportunity to hear music not generally well represented on the festival stages we are more familiar … [Read more...]
Cello and Kora Epiphany: Sissoko and Segal
Cello and Kora Epiphany: Sissoko and Segal from Michal Shapiro on Vimeo. The West African kora is iconic all over the continent, so much so that Africa's international equivalent of the Grammys, held annually in South Africa, is called the Kora Awards. It has taken a while for this remarkable harp to find a way to an appreciative audience in the west, but over the past few … [Read more...]