Music Reviews

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Muse The Resistance Review

British Alt-Rockers Release Follow Up to Black Holes and Revelations

On The Resistance, their fifth studio album, Muse have created a difficult collection of songs which may take casual listeners time to digest.

Casting off the Oasis and Radiohead comparisons that have plagued them for most of their career, the band’s dense follow up to 2006’s Black Holes and Revelations hangs off intense ideas of corruption, the end of the world and difficult love.
Releasing an album in 2009 is risky business; in a singles-dominated music scene, releasing an album with a theme threading through 11 songs is even more risky.

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Keeping Traditional African Music Alive

Interview with Mamane Barka- the Last Master of the Biram

This is an interview with Mamane Barka, the last master of the Biram, a traditional African instrument in Niger.

In a world where entire animal species and ethnic tribes can be lost, it should come as no surprise that musical instruments too, can become extinct.
Standing firm against the disappearance of the ancient African instrument the Biram, is the musician Mamane Barka- the last master of the Biram.
There is an urgency in Barka’s voice as he strives to fulfill his ambition to keep the Biram going, amidst ever changing musical tastes and the nonchalance of the political elite in his native Niger.

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Duke Ellington Starring in “The Evolution of Jazz”

Duke Ellington Starring in “The Evolution of Jazz”

Duke Ellington is considered to be one of the greatest figures in the history of American music. Edward Kennedy ‘Duke’ Ellington was born in Washington D.C. on April 29, 1899.
His parents were James Edward and Daisy Kennedy Ellington. They raised Duke as an only child, until his sister, Ruth, was born when Duke was sixteen years old.
Duke, even as a teenager had a great talent for music.

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Barbados Jazz Festival

Barbados Jazz Festival 2009

For me, the New Year always brings with it anticipation of the Barbados Jazz Festival. I am not a jazz purist, I enjoy all genres of music, particularly R&B, Soul, World Beat and the numerous local acts from the Caribbean that hold sway at most Caribbean jazz festivals. Each year, Gilbert Rowe, founder and president of GMR Tours brings more than a few musical surprises both local and international.

The 16th edition of the Barbados Jazz Festival brought Harvey Mason, James Blunt, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Angie Stone, and Chrisette Michele as headliners, Hilario Duran and Glenn Lewis from Toronto, Canada and featured local artists Diana Jarrett, David Burnett, Dwane Husbands, Kite, Errol Ince, Raf Robertson & Birdsong Academy along with Nexcyx and BCC Jazz Project.

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