A Musical Tour of the World: All Countries A-Z One Per Day

I found some music from Abkhazia, which was not on the list of countries starting with "A". It is an area that split off from Georgia and declared independence in the early nineties, which was recognized by Russia in 2008 and later by Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru and Syria. It is considered in the West as one of several so-called "frozen conflicts" following the break-up of the Soviet Union. I never visited Abkhazia, but I did visit Georgia and another breakaway region, South Ossetia. But politics aside, The people of Abkhazia make music, sing and dance like everybody else. Here is the folk song "Ozbak" by the Abkhazian Ensemble (definitely not the real name, but there is very little information available).

 

That's a very nice piece of music, and a very interesting use of the 'pause' (catch-up?) day in this thread.

 

And then there is the Caribbean island of Aruba, which is one of four "constituent countries" of the Kingdom of The Netherlands (the others are The Netherlands, Curaçao and Sint Maarten). The music from Aruba is a total mix of European, Latin American, English-speaking Caribbean and African vibes. There are of course the big bands playing on music festivals and during carnaval, but I found something much more local and intimate. Etty Toppenberg is an institute in Aruba as a staunch defender of traditional Aruban culture. He doesn't give big concerts on anything, but plays in clubs or at small events with a simple ensemble. There is no official footage available of his music, but here is a performance that someone filmed with his or her phone. It perfectly catches the lovely informal atmosphere. By the way, he is singing in Papiamento, which the language of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. It sounds mainly like Spanish, but has lots of creolized Portuguese and Dutch in it as well. Enjoy (I certainly did):

 

Armenia

I absolutely love Arto Tuncboyaciyan’s contribution to Al Di Meola’s albums. Here is his song called Heru Mertar.

 

This is VERY beautiful indeed. Somehow the technique of his singing during the first half of the song reminds me of the traditonal Iranian singer Khatereh Parvaneh, whom I also love (look on YouTube for Dastgah Of Shour)

 

Armenia

Here is Artsruni, a track called Aditon. I know nothing about these guys, just an artist I play occasionally.

 

When it comes to Armenia, did someone cover Tigran Hamasyan? I feel like I'm living in a bubble, never heard of him. This is totally insane, so many influences yet unique and mesmerizing.

 

Getting caught up here with my favorite Aussie:

 

And as I move to Austria, it's time for a little progressive folk metal

 

Your favorite Aussie only gets better with age. Living Loud is technically an American recording project, doesn't matter I hope.

Living Loud (2004) - Every Moment A Lifetime

 

Needless to say that the Strauss family of music composers are commonly associated to the Waltz, and for a big reason indeed. But this timeless music have some variations on it that are as much well known as great pieces of music. One is this actually gorgeous Overture to an operetta composed by Johann Strauss II to a German libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée. Note that unlike many occasional Classical music listeners would think, it starts off in a pretty bombastic way:



Note also that today many people confuse the German Richard Strauss with one of those Waltz composers, and they not even know that he was the composer of that famous music that ended up globally well-known for being featured on the "2001 Space Odissey" movie. In fact, it's originally starts off his amazing tone poem Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30.

 

The pause/catchup day has been valuable. But, we now have about 17 countries starting with 'B' to get through. I think we'll deserve a rest day when we get through the Bs as well.

Today's county is The Bahamas. It's just 'Bahamas' in my list of countries I cribbed from the internet and then extended. So, it starts the Bs.

The first song I'll post is Out On The Rolling Sea by Bahamanian guitarist and singer John Spence, here supported by his sister Edith Pinter.



John Spence has been highly influential, and according to Wikipedia musicians such as Taj Mahal, The Grateful Dead, and Ry Cooder quote him as a reference.

It would be quite easy to cover each country in the Caribbean with reggae and ska artists, so I wanted to look past them. The Junkanoo carnivals are particularly associated with The Bahamas though they happen in other countries in the wider area in and around the Caribbean as well, and many other countries around the world. However, it appears that Junkanoo may have originated in North Caroline - something didn't expect.

Here's a song She Got That Junkanoo by Julien Believe. Believe is said to be the creator of the 'Junkanoo Pop Sound'. Admitted, in the biography on his own website, but he has won many awards as well. I do note that this track has quite a lot of pitch correction on the vocal, which I've noted is becoming very common in countries around the world, more than I expected. But, that's a discussion for another thread.

Here's a video from the Smithsonian's youtube site where musicians explain the Junkanoo festival and some of the instruments used in it: Bahamian Junkanoo Parade The parade shown there is in Washington, and here is a parade in Nassau. Junkanoo 2011 in Nassau, Bahamas

It's easy, and perhaps lazy, to identify one musical style with a region. Part of what I'm learning when researching countries is how many musical genres there are. Here's a song in the 'rake and scrape' genre. We're Rakin' We Scrapin' by Stileet. Rake and Scrape may have originated on Cat Island, said to be named after the pirate Arthur Cat. Rake and scrape is typically used to accompany Bahamian Quadrille and Heel and Toe polka dances.

I have looked into pre-Columbian styles of music in The Bahamas, but haven't really found anything. Before Columbus the island was populated by the Lucayan people. But, I've not been able to find anything of their music.

Finishing up, here's another contemporary song, I'm Ready by Angelique Sabrina.

I think the thread would get too difficult if we started having too many 'rules'. There are many musicians that cross boundaries, and speaking for myself I'm happy for people to make their own decisions about what fits and what doesn't.

EDIT: I just found this song and it's not too late to edit.

This is 'Bahamian Girl' by Bahamian jazz singer Bettina. Bahamian Girl

 

Blind Blake (Higgs) - 'Run Come See Jerusalem'



Illustrated 'Blind Blake' Alphonso Higgs discography

 

Obviously - 'Funky Nassau' by the Beginning of the End

 

Thanks John HP. I'm most familiar with the version of Funky Nassau from The Blues Boys 2000 soundtrack. Not the best film but some very good music in it. It's good to hear the original again. Much of what makes the Blues Boys version great is present in the original, though IMHO Erykah Badu kills it in the film.

Blind Blake performed other songs - now that I google - such as John B. Sail which The Beach Boys covered as 'Sloop John B' and 'Little Nassau' about the easy availability of alcohol in Nassau at a time when it was prohibited in the US.

 

Exuma with Tony McKay; 1972 TV appearance on "Soul!" in New York


starts with a pre-Boney M 'Brown Girl in the Ring'; followed by 2. "Attica (Snake)" 02:48 3. "Pay Me What You Owe Me (Reincarnation)" 08:00 4. "Empty Barrels (Reincarnation)" 11:58 5. "Exuma, the Obeah Man (Exuma)" 16:28

Nina Simone recorded three of his songs; 'Dambala' and 'Obeah Woman' on the 1974 live album "It is Finished" ; and '22nd Century' which appears to have been an outtake from 'Here Comes the Sun'
The Nina Simone Database - Who's WHo
Tony McKay: Exuma, the Obeah Man - The Nassau Guardian

 

Another traditional Bahamian style of music is Goombay, which refers both to the music and to a particular type of drum that is being played. I stumbled on this nice album: Charlie Adamson Sings Goombay! Possibly similar to Blind Blake Alphonso Higgs posted by john hp above, but I cannot play the video he posted.

 

Thanks for all the music.

Today's country is Bahrain.

I found quite a bit of patriotic music for Bahrain, so will start with some of that. This is a song for the Bahrain national football team.



The actual music starts at about 25 seconds in. Unfortunately the artist is not credit, but I think I've seen the performer elsewhere but didn't record his song. There's also the Bahrain National Day Song.

Searching on Bahrain, I found that quite a lot of the music scene appears to be foreign acts playing in Bahrain. E.g. the Bahrain Underground Music Movement (BUMM) advertised French DJs, etc.

There's plenty of local pop/rock, much of which is sung in English and sounds like pop/rock music sung in English from pretty much anywhere in the world. Here's a song I like: Falling Up by The Relocators.

Here's something more 'normal' in terms of an Arabic song, by the popular singer Hind. This video doesn't seem to given the song title, unless it's 'Higher'.

A style of traditional music in Bahrain and elsewhere in the Persian Gulf is 'Sawt music'. From Wikipedia:

And here is some, by the Ghalili Song and Dance Group.

And, Fidjeri is vocal music sung by the pearl fishers of the gulf. Here is Bahri by The men's choir from the Dar Jnah in Muharraq

 

From a site called FolkCloud:

The folk music of Kingdom of Bahrain is a small country in in Persian Gulf. From one side neighbor to Qatar and from another side is Saudi Arabia. Bahrain was the first country in Persian Gulf who got explored for the oil. But later also they invest in banking and tourism. This Arab country has been part of Iran for long time in the history, then for a while it was under the rule of Al Khalifa royal family and later Bahrain became a protectorate of the United Kingdom and finally on 1972 Bahrain got independent and became part of Arab League. Today United State fifth fleet is in Bahrain.

Bahrain has a rich genres of traditional and folk music. Traditional music of Bahrain is influence by Persian, African and Indian folk music. But in general, Bahrain is part of the folk Persian Gulf music the same as other Arabic country in Persian Gulf. The folk music of these countries are very close and sometimes hard to distinguish. Bahrain traditional music usually dominant just by men.

Some notable genres of folk music of Bahrain are:

Sawt Music
This type of folk music is mostly popular and dominant in Bahrain and Kuwait. Sawt means “voice”. This music is played with oud (kind of lute) and accompanied by violin, mirwās (kind of drum), zinjārī, dumbuk ( kind of percussions). The music is men gathering ceremony and sometimes accompanied by dance too.Sawt music is consist of different modes.

Fijiri or Fjiri
This type of folk music is also for men and it is a vocal music and sung by pearl divers. A group of churros accompany the main singer with hand clapping and singing.

Liwa
This type of folk music is very common in most of Arabic countries in Persian Gulf. The root of this folk music comes from Africa. Large number of men stand up in a circle and accompanied by several drum player and one person stay on the center. He plays kind of reed instrument named mizmar. The circle dance and clap in a rhythmic way.

Khaliji Music
This type of folk music is also common in most of Arabic countries in Persian Gulf and its root comes back to Africa. Khaliji music means Gulf music. Oud and violin are the main instruments in this type of folk music. It is also accompanied by different percussion instruments like mirwās and daf.Khaliji is not dominant by men and women are also sing it.

 

Song: Zheiri
By: Salem Bin Sa'id Al-'Allan

 

Thanks for the music.

Today's country is Bangladesh.

According to the comment on this video, the band Rock Strata started the metal revolution in Bangladesh in the 1980s. Here's their song Artonad.



Something more modern from the pop singer Mila Islam, a modern electronic pop song Dola De Re looking like a Bollywood dance number from nearby India.

Here's the late rock guitarist and singer Ayub Bachchu with the band LRB with the rock song Nirobe.

 

Runa Laila



Runa Laila - Wikipedia

 

Found this on YouTube. The caption says "Sufi music of Bangladesh" and the poster added "Hashish fuelled night of songs by the devotees gathered near Khan Jahan Ali shrine. He was a saint of Turkish origins, one of those who brought islam to Bengal." I love sufi music so this is great.

 

I think it's interesting to see how music from different countries combines often very western/worldwide influences, often in the musical backing, with more traditional/local vocal styles. To me, the following Bangladeshii song - Taal Tomaler Bon - Lalon band,. does that.



@Jamsterdammer: The Sufi music is interesting - and enjoyable. I've not experience Sufi ritual/music live in person, but hope to do so at some time.

@john hp - we should be seeing some of these traditional music styles coming up in future countries. I think it's interesting how music genres span whole regions of the world, or have spread around the world due to migration etc.

 

And, I note the name of the band in my previous post is 'Lalon Band'.

Here's Bangladeshi folk singer Farida Parveen singing a song not titled on Youtube. However, I noted that she is said to be the 'queen of Lalon song'. Lalon himself is said - by Wikipedia - to be:

While most of Parveen's songs were Lalon songs, I don't know whether this one is. I think this song has a nice and memorable vocal melody.

Of course, in this thread, we're looking at countries mostly. And, sometimes the lines on the map are drawn for historical reasons and often don't represent the actual cultures. Bengali culture originates from the eastern parts of the Indian subcontinent, with significant Bengali populations in both Bangladesh and India at least.

The band, Lalon Band, in my previous post is said to be influenced by Fakir Lalon Shah. I'm not sure what form the influence takes.