Twangy Africa

I just discovered recently that Bela Fleck has a new album, Throw Down Your Heart. In 2005 he went to various regions of Africa to study and discover the origins of the Banjo, which, it turns out, is an African instrument by birth. While there he discovered some amazing musicians and played with them and recorded with them and came up with some very interesting music. Really amazing stuff.

 

Also, he is touring with Toumani Diabate with his Kora June 11-19 and also August 3-8. The tour doesn't come close enough to me for me to be able to see it, but man that would be something to see... and hear.

you can check out the website for the African project here

David Hykes

I recently discovered this very interesting gentleman. David Hykes is a long time composer-singer from New York that helped spur the contemplative music scene back in the mid-70's and is still going at it with his Harmonic Chant and his Harmonic Choir.

He has a pretty cool website that gives some interesting bits of info about himself as well as his connections with many spiritual leaders and many different festivals and programs and so forth. I have been really into this sort of meditative, transportive music lately. (which, funny enough, spurred from a long bout with listening to nothing but morton feldman, in particular the string quartets). 

anyhow, worth some listening, I have been enjoying several of his CD's lately... they are available at Amazon and other fine conglomerate retailers.

Enjoy