World Music Network

Georgia: A Feast Of Songs

Warm, fertile and surrounded by the spectacular beauty of the Caucasus mountains, Georgia's extraordinary music is inextricably linked to geographical isolation, a mythical fixation with feasting and an ancient Christian faith going back to the 4th century.

The Music Of Jamaica: From Roots to Ragga

Despite the tiny size of the island, Jamaican music has long been a powerful force on a global scale. Even ignoring the deity that is Bob Marley and his reggae legacy, the island boasts a wealth of extraordinarily popular genres...

The Folk Music Of England: Roots And Revival

England’s multi-cultural status has at last begun to express itself in music, encouraging a whole range of musicians to re-assess their roots and discover music that goes way beyond the usual stereotypes of beards, nasal voices, and overweight morris dancers.

Syria, Lebanon And The Levant: Europe Meets Asia

Music from Syria, Lebanon and the Levant conjures up images of exotic landscapes and fascinating soundscapes.

The Music Of Central Asia: Bards Of The Golden Road

The Central Asian Republics share a common historical and cultural background in the Islamic faith, except for Tajikistan, their Turkic roots. The area is a meeting point between Turkic and Iranian people, culture and traditions.

Guide To Native American Music

In the early years of the twentieth century, North America's indigenous communities had little to sing about. Typically, their traditional music was banned or discouraged and they faced a depressing future. It looked as if their culture could either survive as museum fodder or be so thoroughly assimilated into the mainstream that its roots would be lost. But, there has been a dramatic turnaround, with music very much out front.

The Music Of Ethiopia: Land Of Wax And Gold

Despite the disaster-laden reports to have recently come from Ethiopia, it is one of Africa’s most musically fascinating countries.

The Music Of China: Minorities Music

Ethnic minorities are found all over China. In the 1950s the new communist government dispatched teams to record minority music and dance, providing pure research and raw material for professional song and dance troupes.

The Music Of Portugal: Traditional Riches, Fate & Revolution

Social and economic change has removed much of the role for Portugal’s old traditional musical cultures, but there’s a surprising amount that continues in its original content and which also provides a wellspring for new Portuguese musics.

The Music Of Niger: Sounds Of The Sahel

Niger has a diverse culture, taking in the largely nomadic Tuareg nomads in the north; Hausa in the centre and south; Beriberi in the east, around Lake Chad; and groupings of Djerma and Songhai, and Dendi in the west and south. All have their own disinctive traditional musics.

The Music Of Finland: New Runes

Finnish music is at heart a subtle creature of quiet places or small gatherings and is best understood in situ.

The Music Of Greece: Songs Of The Near East

Greek music, both historic rembétika and contemporary folk, is as rewarding as any in the world, with its unique mix of European and Middle Eastern influences.