World Music with Deirdre Saravia

Nolwenn Leroy is a French singer who has just released her sixth album, simply named 'Nolwenn.' She was eleven when she began taking violin lessons, and continued her music education as a teenager in Ohio, where she spent a year as an exchange student.

Each week on World Music (Saturday nights from 8-10 on KSTX 89.1 FM), I take a look at celebrations happening around the world. This week, there'll be a painful march in Singapore, a burning hill in Japan, and a cow race in Australia! Read more about these unique festivals below, and see video of past celebrations!

THAIPUSAM

Each week on World Music (Saturday nights from 8-10 on KSTX 89.1 FM), I take a look at celebrations happening around the world. This week in Japan, devils with glowing torches bring good health, and Italy hosts the Battle of the Oranges. Read more about these unique festivals below, and see video of past celebrations!

MOJA OKURI

Le Vent Du Nord, a music group from Quebec, Canada, celebrate ten years of playing music with their latest release, "Tromper Le Temps."

Each week on World Music (Saturday nights from 8-10 on KSTX 89.1 FM), I take a look at celebrations happening around the world. This weekend marks the official end of the Christmas season for many cultures.

The Epiphany is celebrated around the world in many different ways. This day marks the manifestation of the Son of God as a human being in Jesus Christ. It’s also the day marked by the visitation of the Three Kings to the infant Jesus.

Flamenco music is relatively new on the music scene (especially considering the long history of music as art), but still dates backs a couple of hundred years. It was brought to Spain by gypsies, who were erroneously named because they were mistaken for Egyptians but are of Indian descent.

Despite her English name, Carla Morrison is Mexican. Her father, Hilario Viera, ran away from Durango, Mexico as a young man and ended up  in San Diego. Hilario was adopted by William Morrison, who in turn gave him his new surname.

Years later, Hilario returned to Mexico and married Porfiria Flores in Tecate where Carla was born. She received a high school education in Phoenix and pursued music studies at the University of Arizona. It wasn't until she reached high school that anyone realized she could sing, as she was extremely shy as a girl.

Badu Boye was born in Senegal, but is now based in Paris, France. In the 1990's he and his brother, Pape Armand Boye introduced a new sound into the Senegalese music scene. Very different from the electronic mbalax music of the day, the brothers played acoustic guitars. Badu's style today sounds very similar, on his eponymously titled CD, the songs are uplifting and inspirational, albeit with a touch of home sickness. A cello,violin and harmonica sprinkled throughout the album are very attractive additions and add an extra texture to the acoustic sound.

Carlos Nuñez first heard Irish band The Chieftains at age thirteen, and four years later he was touring the world with them, affectionately known as the seventh member of the band.

Born in Galicia, Spain, he started playing the gaita (Spanish pipes) at the age of eight. His latest album is ‘Discover’ and features collaborations with performers from a variety of genres. Carlos considers recording with other artists to be paramount in introducing the ‘Pipes’ to an array of audiences.

Fela Kuti is considered the founder of the musical style known as Afropop, which employs a very large band with a jazzy horn section and African rhythms. Kuti is not only a composer, but multi-instrumentalist, human rights advocate and political agitator. 

The Fela Kuti Double Feature Documentary and Concert DVD is hypnotic watching, beginning with the chain smoking Fela introducing himself.