The Cuban Cowboys bring together rock ‘n’ roll and Latin beats with a punk sensibility that brings to mind such post-punk genre busters as The Pixies, Manu Chao, Jonathan Richman, and Moroccan cha’abi rockers Hoba Hoba Spirit. Musically promiscuous and lyrically inventive, head Cuban Cowboy, Jorge Navarro, has found the musical voice on their new album Diablo Mambo that was [...]
Khaled and the myth of rai (Ted Swedenburg @ The Middle East Channel)
Excellent article by Ted Swedenburg on Khaled and rai — debunks prevalent misconceptions about both. Brilliant! Check out Ted’s HawgBlawg — well worth the time. Khaled and the myth of rai | The Middle East Channel. An excerpt: Cheb Khaled, the Algerian rai singer who is probably the best-known Arabic singer on the planet, was [...]
Taqwacore updates (courtesy of جون بلوتن)
More on Taqwacore from جون بلوتن (Tales from Bradistan) (1) A short excerpt from AMERICAN ARAB, an in-progress Kartemquin Films documentary by Usama Alshaibi, featuring Marwan Kamel of the Taqwacore band Al-Thawra. (2) Another repost from Tales from Bradistan with some great photos of the Kominas The Kominas Live In Bradistan Following the ending of the taqwacore [...]
Breaking down racial barriers: the “new” folk revival
I’ve written several pieces on what is often described as an ongoing revival of American traditional music (listed below with links). A piece on NPR today and in the N.Y. Times earlier this week on Southern California’s Frank Fairfield brought the subject back to mind. While you (or I) may argue with the assertion that [...]
Thawra — Another Taqwacore installment from Tales from Bradistan
Another installment in the excellent series on Taqwacore from my sadiqi at Tales from Bradistan. MONDAY, 26 JULY 2010 Al Thawra I am the revolution and you are the revolution In your spirit you have the power In your heart lies the secret From your lips spills the truth That the wine of power is in [...]
Still More on Taqwacore from Tales from Bradistan
Here is the trailer from the film “Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam”. Below is more from the excellent series on Taqwacore in the excellent Tales from Bradistan blog– check it out! Taqwacore Taqwa - (Arabic: التقوى at-taqwá) is the Islamic concept of “God-consciousness” Core - (from Hardcore) is a subgenre of punk rock that’s generally faster, thicker, and [...]
Taqwacore — Islamic hardcore — “Sharia Law in the USA”
I’ve been meaning to educate myself and write something on Taqwacore but instead I’m going to repost a series starting today (July 2, 2010) on Tales from Bradistan (below). If you’re unfamiliar with Taqwacore, it is a sub-genre of punk music based on Michael Muhammad Knight‘s 2003 novel, The Taqwacores. Knight depicted a fictional Islamic [...]
Musical careers launched in Second Life
“If I could get some bubbles, I’d be forever indebted,” singer Craig Lyons tells the packed house at his Monday night gig. The crowd promptly complies, filling the room with bubbles while Lyons plays his tune “Under Water.” Two nights earlier, the audience made it snow as he strummed the chords to his song “Winter.” [...]
Spinning tunes for the sisterhood lands award for Australian women’s DJ collective
Guest Post by Dana Flannery When a Lady Fingers DJ spins a record, expect just about anything – from a mellow Reggae tune to South Asian beats, to swing and Soul. The Lady Fingers DJ Collective of Melbourne, Australia is all about music, diversity and sisterhood. Their message of equality through cross-cultural unity has just [...]
