Shen's Best of the Web

How to write to Aussie politicians

2010-05-17T15:33:00.000+10:00

Picked this up from a facebook group...

Hi all,

Ever written to your federal politician, to your local Member, to a Senator or to a Member of Parliament?

Got an answer? Did it take three or four months? Did the answer come from someone entirely different, like a government department? Did it really respond to your letter or did you - rudely - get a truckload of spin and smoke and mirrors and party policy?

Writing your letter is the easy part. But it will be very likely that the person you're writing to will never personally read your letter. The days of personal contact with politicians are slowly vanishing behind a gigantic bureaucratic maze of accountability structures. Here are some tips that will make your letter stand out and ensure it's being read by the person you're writing.

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• Your politicians
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All contact details for politicians are on the Parliamentary website at aph.gov.au.

The first link is the overview with link to lists by party, by State etc. The second link is the alphabetical list:

House of Representatives Members:
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/index.htm

Alphabetical List:
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/mi-alpha.asp

Senate, Senators:
http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/senators/index.htm

Alphabetical List:
http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/senators/homepages/index.asp

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
• Parliamentary address or Electorate address?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Don't use the Parliamentary office address for your letter, ALWAYS send it to the Electorate Office for all Members of Parliament or Senators. In Parliament your letter will end up on a giant pile and gets less attention - and the "tricks" explained below won't work.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
• Envelope and address: the important start
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

First, make sure the address and postal details are in the BOTTOM RIGHT QUARTER of the envelope. Too many people chalk the address all over the front of the envelope, and it won't look good. The professional outside helps our trick and gives a credible impression. If you can type the address on the envelope, that's even better!
_____________________________________________
your name
address

Name
Address
Town
State and PCode
_____________________________________________

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
• Now add: PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Envelope all done? Then it's time for your RED pen and to add "the personal touch" above the address. This will ensure your letter gets the importance it deserves - almost, not entirely. For that to happen we have one more trick below.

Make sure the pen is RED and use clear block letters:
_____________________________________________
your name
address

PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
Name
Address
Town
State and PCode
______________________________________________

++++++++++++++++++++++++++
• That extra mile: Use Registered Mail
++++++++++++++++++++++++++

By sending your letter as Registered Mail, you will considerably increase its importance: the recipient will have to sign for its delivery - it becomes a "person-to-person" letter, even if it's a staffer in the politician's office who signs for its receipt. Registered Mail will cost you an extra $2.30, but it's worth the weight it adds to your writing.

Details: http://auspost.com.au/personal/registered-post.html

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• I Write To You And I Vote: using pressure
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Feel free to tell your politician that your vote counts, and that they need to earn it. This year it's the biggest pressure point on politicians, and you are in your right mind to demand just policies - whether that's in relation to the ghastly treatment of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory, in relation to the undermining of United Nations Conventions, in relation to the massive concern we all share about the environment, in relation to the treatment of asylum seekers who have arrived by boat, in relation to mandatory detention of boat arrivals, or what have you.

Remind them. Tell them. Urge them. Scold them. Cajole them - and tell them your vote to them is at risk. You write to them AND you vote!

==== >>>> Spread the word about our Facebook group

1. Go to the group's front page:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8746831615

2. Note the five TABS [ | Wall | Info | Discussions | Photos | + | ]

3. Choose the "Info" TAB, and find the how to's of "inviting others", your friends, in the "Recent News" section.

best regards
Jack

Thai Movie "The Overture"

2009-08-18T15:58:00.001+10:00

Highly recommended:

Top violinist busks in train station and nobody listens

2009-07-27T22:11:00.001+10:00

this is why I don't busk...
really great article - follow the link.

Pearls Before Breakfast

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Joshua Bell is one of the world's greatest violinists. His instrument of choice is a multimillion-dollar Stradivarius. If he played it for spare change, incognito, outside a bustling Metro stop in Washington, would anyone notice?

Laya Project film at Greenfest June 5

2009-05-14T12:37:00.000+10:00

Six shores sharing one ocean, one sky, and one language of survival and music…

67 minutes – screening approximately 9pm as an evening of the ‘Best of the Byron Bay Film Festival’ films –

On June 5^th as part of Greenfest (see below)

Free!

More images can be found at http://www.layaproject.com/layaproject/stillimage.html

The filmmakers behind Laya Project travelled for two years through the traditional folk communities of the 2004 tsunami-affected regions of Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar and India in order to create this timeless musical journey. Their goal was to search out unknown local folk musicians whose music expressed the spiritual and life rhythms of their village and beliefs.

Set against a rich visual tapestry, regional folk music traditions have been recorded, mixed and enhanced; preserving the unique music, ritual and tradition of these various peoples. Some of this music was being recorded for the first time ever.

Director Harold Monfils interlaces a pervasive visual theme of sea and sky throughout the film, highlighting both the proximity and potential power of nature. Within this contextual landscape, everyday village spaces become recording studios, capturing the music and dynamics of peoples whose traditions and resiliency have been capable of withstanding whatever nature has imposed upon them. Close up shots of village faces, both young and old, allow us an intimate portrait of capacity, tragedy, experience and beauty.

Laya Project is a personal and collective tribute to the resilience of the human spirit; an inspirational visual and musical journey that crosses borders and transcends time.

This joyous journey is dedicated to the survivors of the 26th December 2004 Asian tsunami.

Greenfest 5-7 June Brisbane Botanic Gardens

Greenfest presented by Brisbane City Council, is Australia's largest free green festival and place for fresh energy. Commencing on World Environment Day, Greenfest aims to bring our community together for a cooler planet!

Where: City Botanic Gardens

When: Friday 5th June 12 midday to 10pm

Saturday 6th June 10am to 10pm

Sunday 7th June 10am to 5pm

Entry: FREE to all areas, exhibits, concerts, speakers

Program will be published here 15th May. View music lineup.

How to import podcasts into iTunes

2009-02-06T01:08:00.003+10:00

I've been on a really slow internet connection lately, but still wanting to download podcasts to listen to on my iPod. This is where iTunes really fails - its downloading through slow connections is terrible. You can download the files with a download manager (I'm using FreshDownload), but iTunes doesn't provide an easy way to actually put the files into the Podcast directory where you want them; it just imports them as regular music files.

At last I found a post on One Horse Blog, where the writer was actually trying to do the reverse - make podcast files appear in the music section of iTunes. The solution is to use the Mp3tag utility and modify a few of the extended tags. After some experimentation, you must at least set these:
: ITUNESPODCAST - 1
: ITUNESPODCASTURL - set to rss feed of podcast - you can copy from another file in the podcast stream
: RELEASETIME - not compulsory but good for sorting correctly, eg 2009-02-02T11:00:00Z

There are other tags you could fill in if you are keen (eg ITUNESPODCASTDESC and SUBTITLE, which are normally the same in iTunes and can be copied from the iTunes RSS feed), but three listed above will get your podcast file in the right place.

Muslimgauze on Metafilter

2008-12-23T13:42:00.001+10:00

The veiled sound of a secretive world

from MetaFilter by ardgedee

Muslimgauze was the sound of an angry Middle East, a prolific source of music dark, spacious and smothering. Tension was a constant theme not only in the music but in the packaging. (For example, Betrayal shows the hands of Yassir Arafat and Yitzak Rabin, and guns, knives, and news photos of an Arab world at war were a common motif in titles and sleeve art.) However, the music wasn't the usual agitprop fare: Music meant to rile a public to a cause isn't normally pigeonholed as ambient, electronica or musique concrete. But the band, hidden from public view, was rumored to donate proceeds to Palestinian terrorists, and that they were eventually silenced by Mossad. Despite the prodigious output -- issuing almost a hundred EPs and albums between 1983 and 1998, over a hundred more since -- limited distribution and perpetual obscurity ensured the rumors were easier to find than the music. While the facts about Muslimgauze have little in common with the fictions, they are, if anything, stranger...

CD: Youssoupha Sidibe (kora)

2008-12-23T11:25:00.001+10:00

Kora Master in the Spirit

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music by TOrr

Youssoupha Sidibe

Xelcom (Self-released, 2008)

Senegal’s Youssoupha Sidibe has played his kora (21-stringed West African harp) alongside artists as varied as Matisyahu, Bela Fleck, India Arie and Midnite, but on this meditative release he’s put aside crossovers and dug deep into his African roots. Xelcom consists of six lengthy tracks on which the kora typically establishes a softly attention-grabbing tone before settling into swaying riffs joined by Sidibe’s hushed but from-the-gut singing and occasional percussion.

Each song is one of praise, specifically from a Sufi devotional perspective as practiced by the members of Baay Fall, a mystical Senegalese sect dedicated to farming, community service and ever-greater connection with the Creator. The virtues of love, goodness and work are extolled, and the medicinal way the music gets under your skin makes you believe that such qualities can indeed make a difference.

All the vocal and instrumental sounds heard here are those of Sidibe, who’s not looking to blow anyone away with his kora virtuosity though it’s clear he could do so. Rather, he’s made a stripped-down album of spiritual music close to his own heart and likely to create a stirring in yours. Heavenly.

Buy the CD:

In North America: Xelcom
In other territories: www.youssouphasidibe.com

Old footage of Tibetan lamas and yogis

2008-12-21T11:14:00.000+10:00

from MetaFilter by nickyskye

Historic, beautiful and interesting footage of Tibetan lamas and yogis teaching Buddhism, just 4 years after their escape from Tibet, when the Chinese invaded in 1959. "In 1963, for the first time, the Dalai Lama allowed a Westerner, Desjardins, to film the heart of the Tibetan tradition." Some meditation instruction taught by yogis: Tantra as practiced in Tibet, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Lerab's Youtube channel has all kinds of video gems for those interested in Buddhist and Hindu spiritual practice.
Buddhism and Tantrism: "two films were originally shown on French television in the 1960's and are a wonderful testimony, revealing some of Tibet's foremost masters as they were then. It includes footage of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, the Sixteenth Karmapa, Dudjom Rinpoche, Ling Rinpoche, Chatral Rinpoche, Sakya Trizin, and the yogis Abo Rinpoche and Lopon Sonam Zangpo. The original sixties commentaries have been retained, even though it may sound a bit dated in places." "There are unusual scenes of yogis performing preparatory meditation exercises."

About Arnaud Desjardins, born 18 June 1925. Books he's written.

Also on Lerab's YouTube channel:

The Tibetan Book of the Dead #1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

From Lerab's blog:
"A Short History of Bön - Extracted from the pamphlet "Tibetan gYung-Drung Bön Monastery in India," published by the Yungdrung Bön Monastic Center, Solan, 1983. Translated by Tadeusz Skorupski."

Petition against internet censorship in Australia

2008-11-14T11:44:00.000+10:00

Stop Australian Internet Censorship
19098 signatures so far! [view all signatures]
Petition created by: Michael Meloni

Australian Senator, Stephen Conroy, is set to introduce mandatory Internet filtering in 2008. This petition has been organised to put an end to the filtering in Australia, before it begins!

Existing reports (some even conducted by the Australian Government) show that ISPs and customers will be forced to pay if mandatory filtering is introduced. The 2003 Ovum report on filtering commissioned by the Howard Government even finds that smaller ISPs will not be able to absorb the costs like large ISPs.

Furthermore, industry groups have all warned that the filtering can and will be bypassed. Why waste money on something that isn't going to work?

Show your support by signing this petition. Show Mr Conroy and Mr Rudd that Australia does not require a Government babysitter.

This petition will be forwarded to all politicians concerned.

SIGN THE PETITION HERE

Australia to implement mandatory internet censorship

2008-10-31T13:09:00.001+10:00

This is absolutely shameful!!! I have been overseas and only just heard about this now. I'm really hoping this is still just a proposal and that no bills have been passed yet, and that the people of Australia will strongly protest against any mandatory censorship of the internet.

NB There is a petition against Australian Internet Censorship on TIG Petitions.

From Herald Sun...

AUSTRALIA will join China in implementing mandatory censoring of the internet under plans put forward by the Federal Government.

The revelations emerge as US tech giants Google, Microsoft and Yahoo, and a coalition of human rights and other groups unveiled a code of conduct aimed at safeguarding online freedom of speech and privacy.

The government has declared it will not let internet users opt out of the proposed national internet filter.

The plan was first created as a way to combat child pronography and adult content, but could be extended to include controversial websites on euthanasia or anorexia.

Communications minister Stephen Conroy revealed the mandatory censorship to the Senate estimates committee as the Global Network Initiative, bringing together leading companies, human rights organisations, academics and investors, committed the technology firms to "protect the freedom of expression and privacy rights of their users".

Mr Conroy said trials were yet to be carried out, but "we are talking about mandatory blocking, where possible, of illegal material."

The net nanny proposal was originally going to allow Australians who wanted uncensored access to the web the option of contacting their internet service provider to be excluded from the service.

Human Rights Watch has condemned internet censorship, and argued to the US Senate "there is a real danger of a Virtual Curtain dividing the internet, much as the Iron Curtain did during the Cold War, because some governments fear the potential of the internet, (and) want to control it"

Groups including the System Administrators Guild of Australia and Electronic Frontiers Australia have attacked the proposal, saying it would unfairly restrict Australians' access to the web, slow internet speeds and raise the price of internet access.

EFA board member Colin Jacobs said it would have little effect on illegal internet content, including child pornography, as it would not cover file-sharing networks.

"If the Government would actually come out and say we're only targeting child pornography it would be a different debate," he said.

The technology companies' move, which follows criticism that the companies were assisting censorship of the internet in nations such as China, requires them to narrowly interpret government requests for information or censorship and to fight to minimise cooperation.

The initiative provides a systematic approach to "work together in resisting efforts by governments that seek to enlist companies in acts of censorship and surveillance that violate international standards", the participants said.

In a statement, Yahoo co-founder and chief executive Jerry Yang welcomed the new code of conduct.

"These principles provide a valuable roadmap for companies like Yahoo operating in markets where freedom of expression and privacy are unfairly restricted," he said.

"Yahoo was founded on the belief that promoting access to information can enrich people's lives, and the principles we unveil today reflect our determination that our actions match our values around the world."

Yahoo was thrust into the forefront of the online rights issue after the Californian company helped Chinese police identify cyber dissidents whose supposed crime was expressing their views online.

China exercises strict control over the internet, blocking sites linked to Chinese dissidents, the outlawed Falun Gong spiritual movement, the Tibetan government-in-exile and those with information on the 1989 Tiananmen massacre.

A number of US companies, including Microsoft, Cisco, Google and Yahoo, have been hauled before the US Congress in recent years and accused of complicity in building the "Great Firewall of China".

The Australian Christian Lobby, however, has welcomed the proposals.

Managing director Jim Wallace said the measures were needed.

"The need to prevent access to illegal hard-core material and child pornography must be placed above the industry's desire for unfettered access," Mr Wallace said.

NB There is a petition against Australian Internet Censorship on TIG Petitions.

Musician jokes

2008-09-21T00:42:00.000+10:00

Via Earthlingz...

More at http://www9.plala.or.jp/edurbrow/musicjokes.html

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic
hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs.
There's also a negative side." - Hunter S Thompson

Q: What's the definition of a gentleman?
A: One who knows how to play the saxophone, but doesn't.

Q: What's the difference between a 14" pizza and a musician?
A: A 14" pizza can feed a family of four.

Q: What's the difference between a saxophone and a lawnmower? A: You can
tune a lawnmower and the owner's neighbors don't mind if you don't
return the sax when you borrow it.

Q: How many sopranos does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Three: one to change the bulb, one to kick the ladder out from under
her, and one to say, "I knew it was too high for you, dear."

Q: What's the difference between a soprano and a rottweiler ?
A: Lipstick.

Q: How do lute players spend their time?
A: They spend 80% of their time tuning and 20% if their time playing out
of tune.

Q: What do lead trumpet players use for birth control?
A: Their personality.

Q: What is the definition of perfect pitch?
A: When you get the viola into the toilet without hitting the sides.

Q: What is the difference between a violist and a terrorist?
A: Terrorists have sympathizers.

Q: How do you get a viola section to play spiccato?
A: Write a whole note with "solo" above it.

Q: What is the difference between a dressmaker and an alto?
A: The dressmaker tucks up the frills.

Q: How can you tell if a violin is out of tune?
A: The bow is moving.

Q: How are a bagpipe player and blind javelin thrower alike?
A: Neither has to be very good to get everybody's attention...

Q: Where is a good place to practice the bagpipes?
A: North Dakota.

A few definitions:

Crescendo: A reminder to the performer that he has been playing too loudly.
Discord: Not to be confused with Datcord.
Espressivo: Close eyes and play with a wide vibrato.
Glissando: The musical equivalent of slipping on a banana peel. Also, a
technique adopted by string players for difficult runs.
Lamentoso: With handkerchiefs.
Mean-Tone Temperament: One's state of mind when everybody's trying to
tune at the same time.
Organum: You may not participate in the Lai without one.
Stops: Something Bach did not have on his organ.

Q: How do you get 5 oboes in tune?
A: Shoot 4 of them.
Q: What are burning oboes used for?
A: To set bassoons on fire.

Q: What happens if you sing country music backwards?
A: You get your job and your wife back.

Q:What do you say to the banjo player in the three piece suit?
A:Will the defendant please rise.

Q:What's the definition of a minor second?
A:Two flutes playing a unison

Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and instead of bleeding, he
sings.

Q: What is the difference between a clarinet and an onion?
A: People cry when you chop an onion into pieces.

Q: What is the difference between an accordion and a trampoline?
A: You take off your shoes before jumping on the trampoline.

Q: What do you call someone who hangs around a bunch of musicians?
A: A drummer.

Q: There's a five pound note on the floor. Which of a thrash guitarist,
a drummer who keeps good time and a drummer who keeps bad time picks it up?
A: The drummer who keeps bad time: the other drummer doesn't exist and
the thrash guitarist doesn't care about notes anyway.

What did the drummer get on his I.Q. test?
Saliva.

If thine enemy wrong thee, buy each of his children a drum.

Q: What do you call a drummer with no girlfriend?
A: Homeless.

Q: How do you know when a drummer is at your door?
A: The knocking speeds up.

Q: How do you tell when a singer is at your door?
A: He can't find the key and doesn't know when to come in.

Q:What's the inscription on dead blues-singers tombstones?
A:"I didn't wake up this morning..."

Q:What do a vacuum cleaner and an electric guitar have in common?
A:When you plug them in, they suck.

Q. What does it mean when the guitar player is drooling out of both
sides of his mouth?
A. The stage is level.

Q: How do you make a guitarist play quieter?
A: Put a sheet of music in front of him.
Q: How do you make him stop?
A: Put notes on it!

Q: How many guitarists does it take to read a page of sheet music?
A: When you find one who can, ask.

Q: What do you call a guitarist's voice mail?
A: Mommy.

Q- What do you do when a guitar player comes to your door?
A- Pay him for the pizza and shut the door quickly

Q- How many producers does it take to change a light bulb?
A- What do you think?

How many bass players does it take to change a light bulb?
One, but the guitarist had to show him how first.

SON: Dad, when I grow up I want to be a musician.
DAD: Well you know son, you can't do both.

Q: What's the difference between a frog driving down the road in a car
and a trombone player driving down the road in a car?
A: The frog might be driving to a gig.

Q: What's the difference between a violinist and a dog?
A: A dog knows when to stop scratching.

Q: How do you make a chain saw sound like a baritone sax?
A: Add vibrato.

Q: What's the difference between a charging bull and a symphony conductor?
A: The bull has the horns in front and the asshole in back.

What do you get when you drop a piano down a mine shaft?
A flat minor.

A note left for a pianist from his wife:
Gone Chopin, (have Liszt), Bach in a Minuet.

Someone requested Victor Borge that he play something by Bach, to which
Victor replied, "Which one, Johann Sebastian or Offen?"

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=======================================================
EARTHLINGZ Homepage: http://earthlingz.net
=======================================================
"After one look at this planet any visitor from outer space would say "I want to see the manager."
-William S. Burroughs-
=======================================================

Miles from India

2008-09-12T15:25:00.003+10:00

Thanks to Baz Brown for this one...

Miles from India
(The Weekend Planet: Saturday 13 September 2008)
URL: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/weekendplanet/stories/2008/2347284.htm
Miles from India presents the music of Miles Davis, as never before seriously attempted. The late 'prince of darkness' had a following in India. Indian influences were at times audible in his recordings and Indian instruments and/or players occasionally present. But this is the first full-on collaboratiion between distinguished Davis alumni and leading musicians from the Subcontinent. One of many delightful surprises: an All Blues for north and south Indian classical virtuosi (Hindustani lutenist/Carnatic hand-percussionist, respectively, on sitar and ghatam) plus some Davis 'old scholars', including the drummer who'd played on Davis's original nearly fifty years earlier. No-one replicates their own or anyone else's previous efforts.

Two good places to discover the story behind Miles from India:
http://home.nestor.minsk.by/jazz/news/2008/01/2801.html
and:
http://mixonline.com/recording/tracking/miles_from_india

Shen says: Searching Youtube for "Miles from India" turned up a few tracks, of which this one is not so bad IMHO (generally I found there are too many musicians for any music to come out):

Raka Mukherjee on Youtube

2008-09-04T14:15:00.001+10:00

New Debapriya-Samanwaya CD

2008-08-20T21:41:00.001+10:00

Hello Everybody,

Hereisour new release by TIMES MUSIC "SAMVAAD" under the series Unheard Jugalbandis after the marvellous response of our solo albums SILK and IRIDESCENT by RAGARANGA in USA. http://stores.ebay.com/RagaRanga,

http://www.amazon.com/gp/shops/index.html?ie=UTF8&sellerID=AF9NF01GT3RNM

Regrds,

Debapriya-Samanwaya.

www.myspacecom/debapriyasamanwaya

Homeland Security

2008-08-12T00:37:00.000+10:00

CD: The Sabri Family - 5 Ragas (sarangi)

2008-08-11T08:29:00.000+10:00

|(I was lucky enough to visit the Sabri family in Delhi a few years ago.... Lovely people and great musicians.)

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music by ARomero

The Sabri Family

5 Ragas (ARC Music, 2008)

The sarangi is a beautiful Indian musical instrument. It is bowed and produces a spacey evocative sound that makes you dream and wonder. The liner notes on the CD 5 Ragas explain how a poet, inspired by the hypnotizing beauty of the sarangi's sound, said: "The Sarangi? No, because of its innumerable beautiful tone colours, it is verily the ‘Saurangi’– Meaning full of hundreds of colors".

On 5 Ragas, three generations of sarangi maestros perform together, accompanied by tabla. The four piece ensemble is formed by members of the Sabri Family: Ustad Sabri Khan (sarangi), Kamal Sabri (sarangi), Suhail Yusuf Khan (sarangi), Sarvar Sabri (tabla).

The Sabri Family selected a collection of ragas (also spelled raags) representing various moods and seasons. "Raag Megh" is played during the rainy monsoon season in India and has a romantic mood. "Raag Mian Ki Malhar" is an evening raga. On "Tabla Solo Shikhar Tala" Savar Sabri uses 17 beats, which is an unusual time cycle. "Raag Adana" is a night raga, and "Raag Pancham" is a rarely heard morning raga.

The CD comes with extensive liner notes, in four languages, about The Sabri Family and the sarangi.

Buy the CD:

In North America: 5 Ragas
In Europe: 5 Ragas

I Love Tibet Loop Collection

2008-08-08T01:23:00.001+10:00

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music by DiscoverySound

I Love Tibet (Discovery Sounds, 2008) is a classy collection of Tibetan samples with a specially included movie. The faithful performances of sacred instruments & voices. In the Tibet Autonomous Region under the occupation of China, extreme human rights violations have continued, and their traditional Buddhist music is also in peril to disappear. Soon after his arrival in India in 1959, Dalai Lama re-organized the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, and their tradition and culture are still maintained by many Tibetan exiles settled in the town.

To record the genuine Tibetan samples on this library, Discovery Sounds visited the refugee settlement under the Tibetan Government-in-Exile located in Dharamsala, Northern India.

I Love Tibet is a CD-ROM with 644 MB of 16-bit/44.1kHz recordings of loops, one-shots, and multi samples made using a varied cross-section of instruments – indispensable sacred percussion, wind instruments and sutras used in Tibetan Buddhist music - together with some more traditional percussion, string and wind instruments and Tibetan Opera which are familiar to Tibetan people.

Users will enjoy the instrumental performances included as a special movie as well as the live performance by monks in a temple on the disc.

Thre collection is available from www.discoverysound.com/en/DFSD700.

Save the Frogs

2008-07-30T12:52:00.000+10:00

SAVE THE FROGS! is the nonprofit organization founded by biologist and musician Kerry Kriger. Their website features info on amphibian extinctions, threats to frogs, ways to help save frogs, cool frog facts and pictures, and a Frogs of Australia poster and bumper stickers being sold to raise money for amphibian conservation projects.

CD: Tanya Tagaq (Inuit throat singing + Bjork)

2008-07-27T17:28:00.000+10:00

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Tanya Tagaq

Auk/Blood (Ipecac Records, 2008)

After the 2005 release of her first debut CD Sinaa, Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq continues to dazzle audiences with her ongoing collaboration with Icelandic singer/songwriter Björk in recording the soundtrack to Matthew Barney's film Drawing Restraint 9, appearing on her ...

CD: Rough Guide to the Music of Romanian Gypsies

2008-07-21T23:44:00.000+10:00

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

The Rough Guide music series has a new title focuses on Gypsy music. The Rough Guide to the Music of Romanian Gypsies (RGNET1210) represents the music of Romania’s 2.5 million Roma (Gypsy) population. Romania has many of the world’s top Eastern European Gypsy musicians, including Taraf de Haidouks, Fanfare Ciocąrlia, Mahala Raï Banda, Toni Iordachi and Gabi Lunca. From energetic brass bands and mesmerizing cimbalom players to legendary haunting fiddlers, The Rough Guide to the Music of Romanian Gypsies presents the internationally acclaimed performers together with renowned local artists...

FULL ARTICLE HERE

CD: Introducing Hanggai (Mongolia)

2008-07-16T16:07:00.000+10:00

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Hanggai

Introducing Hanggai (World Music Network, 2008)

I’m always elated to hear a group of musicians rediscovering a lost or faded musical tradition, and I’m also a little puzzled because the music produced is usually so entrancing or just downright enthralling that I just can’t imagine why the tradition ever fell out of fashion. No example could be truer than that of Introducing/World Music Network’s release of Introducing Hanggai.

FULL STORY....

CD: Baaba Maal - On the Road (acoustic)

2008-07-06T20:41:00.000+10:00

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

London, UK - The clearest evidence of Baaba Maal's remarkable shows comes with 'Baaba Maal on the Road' a selection of live performances collated from concerts around the world over the past ten years.

Although Maal's music has embraced everything from electric bands to 70-piece orchestras, it is his intimate acoustic performances which, for many, properly encompass the very real contagious nature of Maal's work. It is this raw emotional edge that is showcased on the eight tracks featured on this album.

Included are live versions of a few of the finest songs in Maal's repertoire plus three collectors items a song called Iyango' which has never been recorded before, together with 'Farba', a tune that's appeared only on an Africa-...

FULL STORY HERE

Tibet2Timbuk2 are Q Song finalists!

2008-07-02T00:15:00.001+10:00

Tibet2Timbuk2's song "White Crane" (aka "Crane Song") has been selected as a finalist in the World division of Q Song 2008!

2008 Q Song Finalists Announced: Queensland Songwriters Exposed: First Announcement

1 Jul 2008

Q Music is thrilled to announce the finalists for Q Song 2008.

Judges faced an enormously difficult task with almost 1400 songs entered in Q Song 2008.

Each song was judged anonymously (track title only) by a team of dedicated music industry representatives from The Courier-Mail, triple j, ABC, 989 fm, Musicadium, Australian Music Biz, overcranked, Ward 69 Records, dew-process, 4zzzfm, QUT and APRA.

Judges were once again overwhelmed by the enormous talent of Queensland songwriters and the high quality of entries.

Executive officer Denise Foley said “The quality of entries continues to increase from year to year, and in this, our third year, there were some world class songs entered. It is a huge job to coordinate everyone who participates in both the short listing and final judging process and we really appreciate the efforts of all involved.”

The winners will be announced at The Q Song Awards night to be held at The Tivoli, August 12, 2008.
Tickets for this event are now on sale! Purchase tickets online at www.qmusic.com.au/qsong .
A limited amount of tickets are available to the public for the event.

Without any further ado, the 2008 Q Song finalists are:

Song Title - Artist - Writers

Primary School

Love Chime - Woo Woos - Jazz D’Arcy
No Surprise - Stephanie Burns - Stephanie Burns
Banana Cake - Emma Hocking - Emma Hocking
Believe - Jenna Dearness-Dark - Jenna Dearness-Dark

Secondary School

Poor Boy - Courtney Young - Courtney Young
The Boat Song - Shaun Pryor - Shaun Pryor
Insomnia - Emma-Louise Lobb - Emma-Louise Lobb
Darkness - David Richards - David Richards

Gospel Spiritual

Ode To Peace - Mr Rascal - Christian Duell
For You - Dave Saxby - Dave Saxby
The Family Song - Tyrone Noonan - Tyrone Noonan
Regenerate Me - Emmanuel Worship - Pat Keady

Rock

Ten Paces Away - The Gin Club - Ben Salter
Gun And Your Friends - Bowser - O. Mitter/B. Weyuton/ N. Williams/G. Wallis
Gifthorse - Little Vegas and the Fuzz Parade - S Lawrie/B. Dean/W. O’Brien/P.O’Brien.
Untied Laces - The Faze - The Faze

Pop

Honey - Chris Pickering - Chris Pickering
Strawberry Wine - The John Steel Singers - Scott Bromiley / Tim Morrissey
Shake - Tara Simmons - Tara Simmons
Gravity and Grace - The Brave - Mathew Griffith, Roger Van Raalte, Michael Mann & Caleb James

Alternative

Go - My Fiction - E.Robinson, M. Willmett, J.Laubscher, D.Murphy, S.Rigly
Suicide Tuesday - Andrew Kennedy - Andrew Kennedy
Take Time Take Time - Amy Cushway - Amy Cushway
Til You Come Home - James Grehan - James Grehan

Blues and Roots

Yellow Moon - 8 Ball Aitken - 8 Ball Aitken
Judgement Day - Gerry O'Brien - Gerry O'Brien
What Do I Tell the Newborn Child - Michael David - Michael David
Miss Mayhem - James Grehan - James Grehan

World

Mari - Yemanja - Edson Gazani & Anita Fernandes
Crane Song - Tibet2Timbuk2 - Tenzin Choegyal
Mira Que Bonita Eres - Andrew Veivers - Andrew Veivers
Trish's Wish - Dan Cosgrove - Dan Cosgrove

Punk/Metal

Veil of Dolour - bloodredskies - Hayden Mitten
Dearly Beloved - Torn Asunder - Torn Asunder
Home Now - New Rocky Cowboy - Cummins/ Kirkbride/ Tighe/ McPherson
Mower - Butcher Birds - S. Coleman/J. Walker/J. Nilson/S. Tronc

Country

Perfect - Katrina Burgoyne - Katrina Burgoyne
Broken Wing - Chris Pickering - Chris Pickering
Dusty Boots - Shari Williams - Shari Williams
Maybe We've Met Before - Steve Grady - Steve Grady

Folk Ballad

Old Ceylon Road - Asa Broomhall - Asa Broomhall
That's the Reason - Dan Parsons - Dan Parsons
You, Me and The Sea - The Gin Club - Ben Salter
Armistice Day - Noel Gardner Alex Bridge - Noel Gardner

Hip Hop

Orphan's Voices - Mantist - Mantist
Keep An Eye Out - Pure Product - J.Zonday/D.McEintosh
Common Ground - Common Ground - Contact Crew
Don't Bring Me Down - Surecut Kids - Sensai and Surecut Kids

Regional

Till You Come Home - James Grehan - (Carrara )
Mira Que Bonita Eres - Andrew Vievers - (Coolum Beach)
The McMenamins - The McMenamins - (Cairns)
Fear the Fury of a Patient Man - PJ Weston (Mt Tamborine)

Electronic New Music

Watching it Unfold - Lawrence English - Lawrence English
All She left - Christopher Robin - C. McGarry/B.McLauchlan
Little Beat - Dizzygotheca - H.Middleton/ A. Smith
Retro 80’s Video Game Theme - Oxford Parker - John Parker

The Courier- Mail People’s Choice Awards

Honey - Chris Pickering - Chris Pickering
Strawberry Wine - The John Steel Singers - Scott Bromiley / Tim Morrissey
Orange Red - Emma Dean - Emma Dean
Small Town - Dana Hassall - Dana Hassall
Til You Come Home - James Grehan - James Grehan
Ten Paces Away - The Gin Club - Ben Salter
Jaqueline - Brianna Carpenter - Brianna Carpenter
Too, Somebody - Jackie Marshall - Jackie Marshall

Please Note the nominees in the following Categories will be announced shortly:

Song of the Year
Published Song of the Year
The Grant McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award

To see the full list of finalists and listen to their songs, head to www.qmusic.com.au/qsong

ALL MEDIA INQUIRIES TO: jim@qmusic.com.au Phone : ( 07) 3257 0013

Ishkur's Guide to Electronic Music

2008-06-30T23:00:00.002+10:00

Wow, I just found an amazing map of all electronic music styles: Ishkur's Guide to Electronic Music.
And there I was thinking it was all techno...
For each of 7 broad divisions (House, Trance, Techno, Breakbeat, Jungle, Hardcore, Downtempo), there is a map of the evolution of various sub-genres, with description, history and samples of each.
Everything from Musique Concrete in the 50s (ancestor of Ambient, Glitch and Nu Jazz) to Oldskool Rave Hardcore, Buttrock Goa and J-Pop.

CD: Rough Guide to the Music of Japan

2008-06-30T22:32:00.000+10:00

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

San Francisco (California), UK - Japan is no longer perceived as home to the worst excesses of idol pop or inaccessible traditional music. In truth, Japanese musicians have for years been skilful at blending the traditional with the pop and coming up with some of the world's craziest concoctions. The Rough Guide to the Music of Japan (RGNET1211CD)encompasses sounds from ancient gagaku to today’s hottest roots acts, mixed with quintessential enka and post-war boogie-woogie – a compilation to blow away any lingering preconceptions.

Contemporary Japanese musicians excel in creating new combinations by mixing traditional sounds and instruments ...

FULL ARTICLE HERE

CD: Mali Rough Guide

2008-06-07T23:10:00.000+10:00

Malian Musical Brilliance

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Various Artists

The Rough Guide to the Music of Mali (World Music Network, 2008)

Lately Malian musicians have cut a powerful swath through the music scene. With artists like Bassekou Kouyate, with his recent BBC World Music Award win, or Amadou and Mariam's hit album Dimanche à Bamako or the following the late Ali Farka Toure built on his sh...

FULL STORY HERE

Cultures at the far edge of the world

2008-05-30T16:35:00.000+10:00

I really recommend the talk by Wade Davis mentioned in this post from TED.

Unbelievable photo of one of the world's last uncontacted tribes

from TED | TEDBlog

If you've seen Wade Davis's unforgettable 2004 TED Talk -- where he evokes the magic of the world's cultural diversity, and speaks so eloquently about the alarming rate with which cultures and languages are dying -- then you might find this photo as heart-stopping as I did.

It's so surreal, I thought at first it must be a hoax. But Reuters just picked the story up, and I'm going to assume they did my fact-checking for me. The photo shows members of one of the world’s last uncontacted tribes, who were spotted and photographed from the air in a remote corner of the Amazon rainforest near the Brazil-Peru border.

Survival International, an advocacy group for tribal people, released the photos on their website and quotes Jose Carlos dos Reis Meirelles Junior, who works for the Brazilian government’s Indian affairs department: "We did the overflight to show their houses, to show they are there, to show they exist ...This is very important because there are some who doubt their existence."

"What is happening in this region is a monumental crime against the natural world, the tribes, the fauna and is further testimony to the complete irrationality with which we, the 'civilized' ones, treat the world," Meirelles said.

Apparently, more than 100 uncontacted tribes remain worldwide, with half living in Brazil or Peru. Extraordinary.

Tribute to Pt Kishan Maharaj

2008-05-29T12:13:00.000+10:00

Pandit Kishan Maharaj -
The end of an Era

Kavita Chhibber shares Part I of her tribute to Tabla Maestro Pandit Kishan Maharaj on her webcast

‘When legends like these leave, their presence, their fragrance leaves with them”
- Ustad Amjad Ali Khan on the passing away of Pandit Kishan Maharaj

Majestic, royal, incomparable, romantic, a hard task master, brilliant, innovative - words tumble out like a flow of his resonant bols, from the lips of all those who have known him or played with him. Pandit Kishan Maharaj, who passed away this month truly was the last the of tabla legends of an era that is slowly coming to an end with the passing away of the golden greats of Hindustani classical music. And no matter what the current music maestros of the modern era may say, the royal elegance, the integrity and dedication with which these stalwarts of India’s rich cultural heritage took to the stage, cannot be replicated....

FULL ARTICLE HERE

News from Indo-Japanese Music Exchange Association

2008-05-19T15:07:00.002+10:00

from T M Hoffman / Indo-Japanese Music Exchange Association

Dear Friends of India and Japan

Please visit our newly constructed website www.ijmea.com for reports and photos etc of recent projects undertaken in both India and Japan with the support of Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan Foundation, Japan Airlines, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, India Center, Air India, American Institute of Indian Studies and others, and with the kind cooperation of Embassies and Consulates of both nations.

We are pleased to report successful completion of our India-Japan Friendship Year tour of South India with four artists from Japan in four co-operative concerts with four exemplary artists of Carnatic music in the four cities of Bangalore, Chennai, Kochi and Thrissur.
Sample media reports:

Tampura meets shakuhachi! New India Press full-page story17 Mar 08

Best of both the worlds - Deccan Herald report 11 Mar 08 Bangalore

and from a recent two-month all-India tour --
charity concert w/eight Carnatic musicians in Visakhapatnam 31 Jan 08
(flyer & news) (review/photo)

Grateful to God, Guru & Gharwalli, I continue to be on the move musically with neither fanfare nor apology, including my Asian music course again this semester at Keio University, also Nada Yoga sessions.

Please note that I will giving programs - performance, lecture-demonstration, lecture, workshop - throughout India again in summer, in USA and Europe in autumn, in Philippines and again India next winter. Please contact me if you are interested.

None of this is off-the-wall haphazard fusion experimentation. Our efforts are recognized by commentary such as 'very significant contribution to tradition in the contemporary world' (pls see the National Network of Education, India interview, in our website).

Best wishes!

Sincerely,
Tim Hoffman
Sangeet Acharya (awarded 12 Feb 08)

T. M. Hoffman, performing artist and ethnomusicologist
BA (USA & Japan), MA (USA), Visharad & Sangeet Acharya (India)
Senior Performing and Creative Artist Fellow - 2006-2008
American Institute of Indian Studies AIIS (USA & India)
Lecturer in Musicology and Linguistics
Keio University & Musashino Academia Musicae (Japan)
Director, Indo-Japanese Music Exchange Association (estab. 1989)
e-mail: tmhoffmus21@yahoo.com
ijmusath@po.wind.ne.jp
www.ijmea.com/ (new complete website, in Japanese & English)

---------(Japanese version)---------

演奏家・教育家・日印音楽交流会代表T M Hoffmanです。アメリカとアジア各国の先生方に深く感謝をしながらアジア音楽の演奏・教育・国際交流活動に努めて忙しくしております。 http://www.ijmea.com/

「日印音楽交流会」（1989年創立）の本客的なwebsite http://www.ijmea.com/ 開設のお知らせです。最近の活動については、そのなかで、インドにての「筝によるインド音楽奏法開発企画」（2006年7月－2008年1月、米国インド学会との協同長期企画）の第三期（200７年12月－2008年2月）および日本より4人の演奏家による3月08日－22日間の「日印交流年」南インド公演旅行（日本外務省と AOTS海外技術者研修協会の後援企画）の写真などもご覧になれます。南インドの神父さんhttp://www.thesingingpriest.com/ との共演などありました。

＜「日印交流年」南インド公演旅行からの新聞記事の例＞
＊“Tampura meets shakuhachi!”
New India Press full-page story on 17 Mar 08 Cochin concert 　
＊“Best of both the worlds” - Deccan Herald 11 Mar 08 Bangalore

＜他の２００８年上旬インドでの新聞記事の例＞
（米国インド学会支援「箏＋ラーガ演奏芸術開発協同企画」第三期の期間中）
日本ケアフィット協会インド支部共催公演
インド最大の知的障害者施設Lebenshilfe Indiaの支援日印協同公演
＊charity concert Visakhapatnam, AP (India) 31 Jan 08
(flyer & news) (review/photo)

そして、2008年2月12日に、インド現地にて全国芸術連盟より敬称Sangeet Acharya「音楽聖人」を豪華な儀式のなかにて授かりました。より忠実に「音道」Nada Yogaに努められる意志になる気掛けともなりました。

何よりも、お元気でのご活躍を願っております。

Sincerely,

T. M. Hoffman　　演奏家（北インド古典声楽、天竺尺八、筝）
http://www.ijmea.com/（企画情報・写真・動画・音楽）

CD: Shastriya Syndicate (Purbayan Chatterjee)

2008-05-05T17:59:00.000+10:00

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Shastriya Syndicate

Syndicated (Sense World Music, 2008)

Shastriya Syndicate is Purbayan Chatterjee's project. On the outstanding CD Syndicated (Sense World Music) he has brought together a group of young Indian masters, who are bringing new blood to Indian classical music. The virtuoso musicians fuse the music of North India (HIndistani) and South Inda (Carnatic).

While many Indian artists follow the traditional format of ...

FULL ARTICLE HERE

CD: The Teak Project (Indo-Jazz)

2008-05-02T20:21:00.000+10:00

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

The Teak Project (First Hand, 2008)

Second generation Indo-Jazz sitar player Jonathan Mayer is the son of Indo-Jazz pioneer John Maye, which maintains the tradition nicely. The devilish complexity of the music does nothing to detract from its sweetness and serenity.

Justin Quinn is a fleet-fingered guitarist worthy to fill John McLaughlin's sandals.

Tabla-player Neil Craig provides the impetus, and transforms the gentle acoustic music with the serpentine-like beats of the raga.

In short, The Teak Project offers a near-perfect realization of Indo-Jazz, yet hints at further expansion: the floating impressionism of Outnumbered By One recalls the work of Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine. Lovely stuff.

Full story here...

Namgyal Lhamo's Free Tibet tattoo

2008-04-24T22:01:00.000+10:00

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

As the struggle for a Free Tibet continues, Netherlands based Tibetan singer Namgyal Lhamo has pushed the cause to the forefront of the artistic community with a music video from her upcoming album 'Highland Supernova' which be released in less than a month from now. A week after Namgyal Lhamo hit the headlines with a cover photo that screamed Free Tibet in the Bangkok Post's magazine "Guru,” the team that was filming the title song "Aalayeah-Highland Supernova" for the new album came up with a concept that has already raised eyebrows across Asia.

The use of a tattoo to convey a global message engraved on Lhamo's back is the cause of the stir. The tattoo, designed by award-winning Tibetan/Bu...

FULL STORY HERE

Mbira

2008-04-21T14:47:00.000+10:00

from MetaFilter by flapjax at midnite

Ever since I first heard mbira from Zimbabwe almost 30 years ago (via this record), I've been a lover of that enchanting, delicate and intricate music. It's only recently, however, that many of us who aren't actually players of the mbira could see just how the instrument is played: Holding the mbira, and scales - Lesson One - Two - Three - Four, and more and more. And here are some recommended mbira players and groups with MySpace Music pages worth checking out: Spirit Talk Mbira - Mbira Oracle - Kunzawa Mbira Group - Joel Laviolette.
Special honors to Thomas Mapfumo, who, many years back, took the mbira style and spirit and adapted it to electric guitars, in an inspired and joyous fusion of the ancient and the modern.

This page from All About Jazz reviews the Nonesuch label's releases of Shona mbira music.

This YouTube clip features a tune from another of the Nonesuch releases, The Soul of Mbira, a collection of recordings made by ethnomusicologist and author Paul Berliner. Recommended.

There'll no doubt be plenty of mbira music to be heard at Zimfest 2008, this coming July in Tacoma, Washington.

Finally, here's Dangurangu. For your ears only.

CD: Toumani Diabate - Mande Variations

2008-04-15T11:55:00.000+10:00

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Toumani Diabate

The Mande Variations (Nonesuch, 2008)

Son of Sidiki Diabate, one the most celebrated kora players , Toumani Diabate has blazed a career worthy of the Diabate name and legacy of this family of Mande griot musicians from Mali. After twenty years since his first solo and debut recording Kaira and countless collaborations with stellar artists ...

[Full article click here]

Petition: Indigenous Studies For All Australian Students

2008-03-18T11:50:00.000+10:00

Indigenous Studies For All Students

Greetings All!!

How the journey between birth and death is experienced is largely dictated by ones perception, with conditioning beginning at a very young age. For too long this conditioning has employed a biased view that has seen the creation of cultural stereotypes and views that achieve nothing more than erode the awareness of our natural interconnectedness.

If you believe it is time to address the imbalance that exists in our perceptions within this world then please take 2 minutes to make a difference.

1. Take 1 minute to sign the following petition to the Australian House of Representatives to legislate to make Indigenous Studies compulsory for all students. http://www.gopetition.com/online/17774.html

2. Take another minute to forward this message to all your friends in your email list.

In Peace!!!

NB. Please note that a hardcopy petition is also being generated so as to be inline with the acceptable standards to be acceptable and presentable to the House as determined by the Standing Committee on Petitions.

Youtube: Queens of Carnatic singing

2008-03-17T21:13:00.000+10:00

The intoxicatingly beautiful vocal music of south India

from MetaFilter by flapjax at midnite

Queens of Carnatic singing: Nithyasree Mahadevan: 1, 2 and 3. Sudha Ragunathan: 1, 2, 3 and 4. And the legend of the legends, M.S. Subbulakshmi, in her film appearances from decades past: 1, 2 and 3, and as an elder stateswoman of Carnatic vocal artistry: 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Online music promo article

2008-03-12T10:29:00.002+10:00

Here's a very interesting article from the NY Times about online promotion of music:

Sex, Drugs and Updating Your Blog

By CLIVE THOMPSON

Published: May 13, 2007

Jonathan Coulton sat in Gorilla Coffee in Brooklyn, his Apple PowerBook open before him, and began slogging through the day’s e-mail. Coulton is 36 and shaggily handsome. In September 2005, he quit his job as a computer programmer and, with his wife’s guarded blessing, became a full-time singer and songwriter. He set a quixotic goal for himself: for the next year, he would write and record a song each week, posting each one to his blog. “It was a sort of forced-march approach to creativity,” he admitted to me over the sound of the cafe’s cappuccino frothers. He’d always wanted to be a full-time musician, and he figured the only way to prove to himself he could do it was with a drastic challenge. “I learned that it is possible to squeeze a song out of just about anything,” he said. “But it’s not always an easy or pleasant process.” Given the self-imposed time constraints, the “Thing a Week” songs are remarkably good. Coulton tends toward geeky, witty pop tunes: one song, “Tom Cruise Crazy,” is a sympathetic ode to the fame-addled star, while “Code Monkey” is a rocking anthem about dead-end programming jobs. By the middle of last year, his project had attracted a sizable audience. More than 3,000 people, on average, were visiting his site every day, and his most popular songs were being downloaded as many as 500,000 times; he was making what he described as “a reasonable middle-class living” — between $3,000 and $5,000 a month — by selling CDs and digital downloads of his work on iTunes and on his own site.

Read the full article here...

CD: Cheb i Sabbah - Devotion

2008-03-11T16:41:00.000+10:00

Devotional Global Electronica

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Cheb i Sabbah

Devotion (Six Degrees, 2008)

One of the masters of global electronica, Cheb i Sabbah, returns to the Indian subcontinent for inspiration with yet another extraordinary CD, his 7th, titled Devotion. Like a good wine, Cheb i Sabbah gets better with time. With the help of Indian and Pakistani musicians he delivers a rich tapestry of South Asian beats and melodies, including Bhajans, Kirtans, Bhangra, Qawwali, Hindu devotional. The seamless integration of electronics with ancient songs and instruments is not as easy as it seems, but ...

CD: Mamak Khadem (Persian)

2008-03-08T22:45:00.000+10:00

Forever Seeking Persian Excellence

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Mamak Khadem

Jostojoo Forever Seeking (Banyan Tree Production, 2008)

Most world music fans would easily recognize Mamak Khadem’s voice by her work with the popular Persian ensemble Axiom of Choice, but that would just be a sliver of this songstress’ career. Lending her exquisite voice to movie and television soundtracks like The Peacemaker, Traffic, The Profiler and ...

Bjork in China protests Tibet

2008-03-06T21:40:00.000+10:00

Raise your flag!

from MetaFilter by finite

Björk, in Shanghai, on Tibet: Declare Independence! [YouTube]
Bjork's Shanghai surprise: a cry of 'Tibet!' - Bjork's protest a sign of things to come for China - Björk Exposes China's Greatest Weakness - Bjork Shouts Out To Tibet During Shanghai Show - Chinese furious at 'Tibet-independence' Bjork

Shanghai Daily says "Let's hope that Bjork's controversial parting comments do not lessen the likelihood of local music fans enjoying more of these acts in the future" without offering readers any hint as to what the comments were about.

Declare Independence on mefi previously: 1, 2

CD: Songs from a Persian Garden

2008-03-04T22:57:00.000+10:00

Delectable Songs From A Persian Garden

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat

Songs From A Persian Garden (KKV/Valley Entertainment, 2007)

Songs From A Persian Garden features a delectable collection of contemporary Persian world music pieces performed live. Singers Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat join forces with Iranian and European musicians to create a seductive and fresh sound that will be app...

Mongolian Overtones

2008-03-01T12:27:00.000+10:00

from MetaFilter by flapjax at midnite

In Mongolia, overtone singing (or hoomei, as it's known locally) is mainly a guy thing, but there are exceptions to the rule, for example, the Hoomei Women's Group. More commonly though, women who want to sing do so in an exquisite, soaring style like this and this. Sometimes the men do the hoomei thing while the women do that soaring thing. Then there are those lovely choral arrangements. And then there are those rare moments when the YouTube poster's description of a clip just hits the nail square on the head, as with this one: amazing.
These guys are getting throaty just outside the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

This fellow's really working those upper partials, presented in a clip that also features some glimpses of Mongolian life. Lots of horses.

N. Sengedorj of Mongolia demonstrates khöömei throat-singing.

Here's a cool little combo, with some hoomei going on.

Click here to see Metafilter discussion on the post

Yo-Yo Ma, and the Silk Road Ensemble Return to Japan

2008-02-16T15:30:00.000+10:00

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Providence (Rhode Island), USA - The Silk Road Project, a not-for-profit arts and educational organization that connects musicians, composers, artists, and audiences around the world, will send the Silk Road Ensemble and Artistic Director
Yo-Yo Ma on tour to Japan from April 19 through April 27, 2008. The concert tour, presented by the Music Plant Co., Ltd., will include performances and educational activities in Matsumoto City, Nagoya, Tokyo, Osaka and Okayama. American Express is
the lead sponsor of the Silk Road Project in Japan.

Commenting on the upcoming tour, Yo-Yo Ma, acclaimed cellist and founder of the Silk Road Project, stated, "I am delighted to return to Japan with ...

CD: Deepak Ram (jazz bansuri)

2008-02-09T19:05:00.000+10:00

Stepping Away From Tradition

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Deepak Ram

Steps (Golden Horn Records GHP 031-2, 2008)

India's bamboo bansuri flute is hardly a jazz instrument, but that doesn't stop South African-born Indian musician from using it to
lead the way on the set of jazz covers and originals that comprise Steps. Ram embraced jazz before Indian music and retained his love for the former even after studying with bansuri master Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.

Armed with the understanding that a certain degree of improvisation is integral to both types of music, he sought to combine
them. There were no doubt some tricky nuances and specifics involved in the task, but Ram pulled it off. The result is this sweetly engaging CD, on which Ram is joined by Vic ...

CD: Between Heaven and Earth Songs of Love and Devotion from India and Pakistan

2008-02-07T22:59:00.000+10:00

Enchanted Imaginings of Impossible Journeys

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Razia Aziz

Between Heaven and Earth Songs of Love and Devotion from India and Pakistan ( Arc Music, 2008)

One of the marks of a good CD is the distance the listener can travel on the musical landscape. As luck would have it listeners have a pure pleasure excursion waiting for them with Razia Aziz's Between Heaven and Earth Songs of Love and Devotion from India and Pakistan*. The combination of Razia Aziz's distinctive vocals; Ustad Fida Hussain Khan's rich compositions and accompaniment on the harmonium; master ...

CD/Tour: Toumani Diabate

2008-02-06T00:54:00.000+10:00

from mondomix.com World Music. by Mondomix

Twenty years after his international debut release, Toumani Diabaté brings out The Mandé Variations and performs at WOMADelaide on March 7th.

Full story...

Scientific Evidence for Psi

2008-02-03T03:23:00.000+10:00

The Scientific Evidence for Psi (is most likely stronger than you think)

from The Multiverse According to Ben by Ben

My goal in this blog is to convince you to read Damien Broderick's book Outside the Gates of Science: Why It's Time for the Paranormal to Come in From the Cold.

Reviewing a host of research done by others over many decades, the book makes a remarkably and excitingly strong case that psi phenomena are worthy of intensive further investigation....

Book: Traveling Spirit Master (Gnawa music)

2008-02-01T23:39:00.000+10:00

All About the Gnawa

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Deborah Kapchan has spent years studying the music of the Gnawa and its relationship with the recording industry. Her book Traveling Spirit Master is an wide-ranging excursion into one of the most fascinating trance music genres in the globe. As the subtitle, Moroccan Gnawa Trance and Music in the Global Market Place, implies, Kapchan goes beyond the study of Gnawa music. The book provides details about how Gnawa music has traveled beyond Morocco's borders, into Europe and North America and its economic implications.

France has received millions of Moroccans and, thus, Gnawa music traveled with them. There are numerous French acts that perform some sort of Gna...

David Byrne's Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists — and Megastars

2008-01-30T10:25:00.000+10:00

David Byrne discusses various models of sharing the proceeds from producing and distributing music in Wired magazine...

Full disclosure: I used to own a record label. That label, Luaka Bop, still exists, though I'm no longer involved in running it. My last record came out through Nonesuch, a subsidiary of the Warner Music Group empire. I have also released music through indie labels like Thrill Jockey, and I have pressed up CDs and sold them on tour. I tour every few years, and I don't see it as simply a loss leader for CD sales. So I have seen this business from both sides. I've made money, and I've been ripped off. I've had creative freedom, and I've been pressured to make hits. I have dealt with diva behavior from crazy musicians, and I have seen genius records by wonderful artists get completely ignored. I love music. I always will. It saved my life, and I bet I'm not the only one who can say that.

What is called the music business today, however, is not the business of producing music. At some point it became the business of selling CDs in plastic cases, and that business will soon be over. But that's not bad news for music, and it's certainly not bad news for musicians. Indeed, with all the ways to reach an audience, there have never been more opportunities for artists.

FULL STORY HERE...

CD: Trio Joubran (Palestinian oud trio)

2008-01-29T19:55:00.000+10:00

The Meaning of the Ouds

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Le Trio Joubran

Majaz (Randana Rand 002, 2007)

Inspired by the music of well known guitar trios, the Joubran brothers decided to do the same with ouds. Samir, Wissam and Adnan are three Palestinian brothers who have taken the oud ( also known as 'ud) to new heights On Majaz, released on the Joubran's artist-owned label, the virtuoso musicians improvise music with three ouds and percussion, based on ancient Arabic techniques. There are also elements of Flamenco, which seems to be...

CD: Winds of Devotion (Native American + Tibetan flutes)

2008-01-26T18:05:00.000+10:00

Tibetan and Navajo-Ute Stillness

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

R. Carlos Nakai & Nawang Khechog

Winds of Devotion (Sounds True, 2007)

Two of the best known flute players in the world music field, collaborate on Winds of Devotion. Native American R. Carlos Nakai is one of the most prolific American Indian musicians and he is famous for his collaborations with musicians from many other cultures. This time he joins forces with Tibet...

CD: Notes from Celtistan (Celtic+Tabla)

2008-01-25T18:53:00.000+10:00

Notes From Celtistan

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Benjy Wertheimer and Michael Mandrell

Notes from Celtistan (Wolf Club Music, 2007)

As the title of the CD suggests, this seductive CD, recorded in concert and live in the studio, brings together the music from the Celtic lands and Indian music. The two multi-instrumentalists, Benjy Wertheimer and Michael Mandrell, play evocative melodic instrumental pieces where guitar plays the leading role, accompanied by fiery tabla. One can find a wide variety of influences in the duo's music, ranging from the folk guitar of Leo Kottke to Oregon's new acoustic excursions and Zakir Hussain's world fusion.

Benjy Wertheimer is an award-...

Video Chronology of The History of British TV Comedy

2008-01-24T23:25:00.000+10:00

a list of Wikipedia links to British TV comedy shows from the 50s to the 00s, with Youtube links for various episodes/scenes...

from MetaFilter by Foci for Analysis

For the past 50 years, The British have made some of the funniest Comedy TV Shows. Come inside for A Video Chronology of The History of British TV Comedy.

Full list here...

Virgin Galactic unveils model of SpaceShipTwo

2008-01-24T11:35:00.000+10:00

from New Scientist - Latest Headlines

The spaceship may be the first to take paying passengers into space on a regular basis, with test flights to begin later this year

Full story here...

Talks on the Singularity

2008-01-22T17:37:00.000+10:00

Singularity

from MetaFilter by MetaMonkey

The Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence has put up a some interesting media, including a variety of talks from the Singularity Summit 2006 and 2007, about the possibilites and progress of technological development. For an overview of the issues Ray Kurzweil talks about the ideas and promises of the singularity, while Douglas Hofstadter calls for deeper exploration of the implications and hazards of coming technology.

CD: Namgyal Lhamo

2008-01-22T00:00:00.000+10:00

Namgyal Lhamo's Second Coming

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

As ethnic Tibetans across the globe get ready to celebrate Losar-Tibetan New Year in February 2008, Netherlands based Tibetan singer/songwriter Namgyal Lhamo gets ready for a double flight to accentuate the celebrations.

Signed to Deep Emotions/Universal Music publishing, the artist popularly known, as "The Nightingale of Tibet" presents her traditional album "Anthology" a collection of timeless, classic, traditional Tibetan songs that promise to be a collector's item alongside "Highland Supernova", a flipside to the first and a blazing compilation of 8 tracks that are crafted to cut across cultures, age groups and mindsets with the plush use of explosive guitar riffs and organic house sound against traditional Tibetan singing. 2007 was a grea...

U Srinivas (Indian mandolin master) on Youtube

2008-01-20T12:24:00.000+10:00

Ustad Srinivas, solid-body electric mandolin guru.

from MetaFilter by flapjax at midnite

Ustad Srinivas plays some mean electric mandolin, y'all.
There's some biographical info here and here.

Rupert Sheldrake: Morphic Resonance and Paranormal Science

2008-01-16T22:20:00.000+10:00

from EROCx1 Blog by EROCx1

From Chris Brauer Media Project Paranormal Science You can tell by the way he theatrically rolls up his sleeves when finished the lecture and ready for questions. He secretly loves the controversy. Two men in crumpled jackets settle deep in their chairs in the third row and can be overheard: "we've come to refute him". A young couple playfully join in the fun near the back: "Am I staring at

Full story here...

Australia rules Japanese whaling illegal

2008-01-16T22:12:00.000+10:00

from New Scientist - Latest Headlines

Australia's Federal Court bans whaling in its Antarctic waters, but the government has not said whether it will enforce the ban

Full story here

CD: Otgonbayar Chuluunbaatar (female Mongolian singer)

2008-01-16T22:10:00.000+10:00

Mongolian singer Otgonbayar Chuluunbaatar Preserves Songs of the Zakhchin People

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Otgonbayar Chuluunbaatar

Zastiin Nogoodoi - Tribal Zakhchin Music of Western Mongolia (self release, 2007)

Otgonbayar Chuluunbaatar has recorded an album that preserves the rich tradition of her people. She is a member of the Zakhchin tribe, an ethnic minority in the steppes of Western Mongoilia with a population of 25.000 people, who speak their own dialect and keep their traditions alive up to today. Tribal Zakhchin Music of Western Mongolia is her release in a series dedicated to the music of the Zakhchin people. Her previous releases are “Songs of the Zakhchin People in Western Mongolia” and Zast Altai. The 32 songs Otgonbayar Chuluunbaatar are "short songs" (bogino duu) and "long songs" (urtiin duu) style, which are normally performed by women. They are normally sung a cappel...

Chimps hunting with spears, living in caves

2008-01-03T16:40:00.000+10:00

EROCx1 Blog: Savanna Chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes verus, Hunt with Tools

NewScientist.com news service
Rowan Hooper

In a revelation that destroys yet another cherished notion of human uniqueness, wild chimpanzees have been seen living in caves and hunting bushbabies with spears. It is the first time an animal has been seen using a tool to hunt a vertebrate.

Read the full article here.

CD: Reggae Arabesque

2007-12-26T00:39:00.000+10:00

Masterful Uds and Reggae

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Diaspora's captivating style on Reggae Arabesque is a combination of musical styles I've never heard before: Arabic music with reggae. The group is formed by Jamaican, Italian, and French musicians. Using powerful reggae beats and vocals, the arrangements and melodies are clearly Arabic. Reggae Arabesque's intention is to widen the African roots of reggae to Sudan, Egypt and beyond through the use of Arabic scales and instruments such as the darbuka and 'ud, together with the violin. To order the CD check www.myspace.com/diasporamusicuk.

Egyptian musician Moddathir Abdoul Wafa is one of the finest performers of the 'ud. Spanish label Nesma Music recorded Toola in Cairo. Even though Wafa uses a traditional Cairo-style orchestra, his creative ud technique and string ensemble...

CD: Dub Qawwali - Gaudi + Nusrat

2007-12-09T21:20:00.000+10:00

Dead Can Dub

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Gaudi + Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Dub Qawwali (Six Degrees 657036 1137-2, 2007)

Pakistan's late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan may have specialized in the ecstasy-inducing Sufi devotional style known as qawwali, but he had one of those incredible voices that also gave a supernatural lift to movie soundtracks, such albums as his classic Mustt Mustt and his collaborations with Peter Gabriel, Michael Brook and Eddie Vedder. There's no telling ...

All things can be found in PI?

2007-12-05T16:28:00.000+10:00

3.14159265itwasthebestoftimesitwastheworstofti...

from MetaFilter by TimeTravelSpeed

Ever wondered if and where a specific set of numbers could be found in pi? Maybe you'd like to know where your birthday is? Or maybe just something funny. [prev. here, here]
Psh, that's child's play. Old news. If you wanna be hip and play with the big boys and girls, you're gonna have to think bigger [previously]. Since computer files are simply numbers, then, in theory,
images, audio, video, even wikipedia articles all exist in pi. In fact, all existing data in the universe must be somewhere in pi since it is an infinite, non-repeating sequence of numbers which appear with equal probability (so the theory goes).

Some have suggested this is a useful file compression/encryption mechanism. Some have to see a doctor after hearing about it. And some just find its implications amusing.

Too bad
it's all bunk. But don't lose hope, there may be alternatives. My solution to the debate? -- f*ck it, let's just call it 3.

I was surprised by the number of references to this all-things-in-pi concept throughout MeFi, but there was no post explicitly on the subject. I tried to give credit where it was due. Enjoy!

Chimps outperform humans at memory task

2007-12-04T10:20:00.000+10:00

Chimps outperform humans at memory task

from New Scientist - Latest Headlines

A new study is the first time chimpanzees and young ones, at that have outperformed humans at a cognitive task

10 People with Bizarre Abilities

2007-11-29T10:33:00.000+10:00

Including: The Incredible Brain, The Boy with Sonar Vision, and The Man Who Doesn't Sleep...

Real-life Superheroes: 10 People with Incredible Abilities [w/ pics and vids]

from OddWeek -

With so many superhero movies around, such as Spiderman or Hulk, we are used to see people with special abilities in fiction. But people with amazing abilities actually do exist in real life; here's a list of 10 of the most amazing of these people!

7 Incredible Natural Phenomena

2007-11-29T10:16:00.000+10:00

7 Incredible Natural Phenomena you've never seen

from OddWeek -

From Honduras' Rain of Fishes to Morocco's Climbing Goats, nature still caPublishrries surprises to those who think to have seen it all.

4 Most Compelling Theories of Everything

2007-11-29T10:11:00.000+10:00

The 4 Most Compelling Theories of Everything

from OddWeek -

A theory of everything (ToE) is a hypothetical theory of theoretical physics that fully explains and links together all known physical phenomena. There have been numerous theories of everything proposed by theoretical physicists over the last century, but as yet none has been able to stand up to experimental scrutiny, there being tremendous difficulty in getting the theories to produce experimentally testable results. So here are the top 4 most important Theories of Everything nowdays.

Petition to save BEMAC!!!

2007-11-28T10:31:00.000+10:00

BEMAC is far too important for the Brisbane multicultural and world music community to lose. I urge you to sign this petition.

Shen
Aum Mani Padme Hum

Dear Friends,

I have just read and signed the petition: "SAVE THE BRISBANE MULTICULTURAL ART CENTRE"

Please take a moment to read about this important issue, and join me in signing the petition. It takes just 30 seconds, but can truly make a difference. We are trying to reach 3,000 signatures - please sign here:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/924637406

Once you have signed, you can help even more by asking your friends and family to sign as well.

Thank you!

Bronte Morris

petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/924637406.

Thank you again for making a difference!

BRONTE MORRIS
Director

Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre
Yungaba 120 Main St Kangaroo Point Qld 4169
PO Box 7299 East Brisbane Qld 4169
Tel: 07 3391 4433 Fax:07 3391 2802
Email: mailto:director@bemac.org.au

Website: www.bemac.org.au

CD: John Neptune, Kenny Endo, Joji Hirota (shakuhachi/percussion)

2007-11-26T00:16:00.001+10:00

Introspective Japan
from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Three heavy weights in Japanese music join forces on the CD On the Way [Michi Yuki] (2007). Virtuoso taiko drummer Kenny Endo, master percussionist Joji Hirota and shakuhachi player John Kaizan Neptune collaborate under the artistic name of JJK. The result is an enchanting collection of acoustic pieces. At times, shakuhachi melodic phrases appear accompanied by intricate rhythmic patterns. Other pieces only feature percussion exercises, with the participation of various types of drums and percussion. The composition "Heavenly Bells" has a Buddhist meditative sensibility, with the inclusion of gongs, bells and shakuhachi. Get the CD from www.worldspirit.org.uk.

On Kaidan Suite (2007) the Kitsune Ensemble's introspective cinematic sound draws its inspiration from ...

Dhammapada 4CD Set

2007-11-24T09:08:00.000+10:00

Complete Dhammapada 4CD Set on Audio chanted in Original Pali with English explanations

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

The Complete Dhammapada is now available on audio, chanted in Original Pali with English explanations spanning into 4 audio Compact Discs

Dhammapada is one of the greatest literary products of Buddhist literature and philosophy. It is considered by many as Buddha's own teaching and hence undoubtedly is the most popular canonical text of Buddhism contained in Tri-Pitaka. Dhammapada, the wisdom and insight of Buddha, consists of 26 chapters called Vagga spanning into 423 verses.

Written as a text to be read, re-read, and followed to lead a better life, Dhammapada is suitable for people of all religious backgrounds. It has been translated to many languages and is revered by all sects of Buddhist thought. There are hundreds of various translations of Dhammapada to English and Sinhala and is a commonly quoted by many in their day to day life. Thi...

Dalai Lama talks with Neuroscientists

2007-11-22T16:21:00.000+10:00

The Dalai Lama talks with neuroscientist about craving, suffering and choice

from MetaFilter by Kattullus

Traveling a lot this weekend? Long drive, plane or train ride? You can use that transit time to listen to the Dalai Lama talk for more than four hours with neuroscientists and Buddhist scholars on the topic of craving, suffering and choice. Part one. Part two. [iTunes links] If you're stuck at home, you can watch the video. The video link has the full list of participants.

Arithmetic, Population and Energy (Al Bartlett)

2007-11-21T13:12:00.000+10:00

“It's one minute before 12.”

from MetaFilter by Bora Horza Gobuchul

“The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function.” (RealVideo) Al Bartlett, retired University of Colorado Professor of Physics, gives a stunning hour-long old-school lecture (overhead projector!) on exponential growth and its inevitable results.
The full title of the lecture is “Arithmetic, Population and Energy”, so yes, it does eventually deal with peak oil, but not until three-quarters of the way in. MP3, if you'd prefer an audio version. More from Barlett. Previous FPPs on the exponential function on the blue and the green.

Performing Arts Healthcare

2007-11-19T22:18:00.001+10:00

Posted on behalf of Fatima...

Hi,

This is specific to performing artists/musicians/music teachers etc, so thought it could be of interest. My brother who is an occupational GP as well as a drummer is branching into Music Medicine. He is on the committee of this society.

The Australian Society for Performing Arts Healthcare has been recently established to promote health and well-being amongst performing artists in Australia, and to provide resources to that end. Further details about the society, its aims and philosophies, as well as the benefits of membership are detailed on the website: www.aspah.org.au

Cheers

Fatima

Vintage Veena DVD from Benares

2007-11-07T10:03:00.000+10:00

Celestial Music of Pandit Lalmani Misra DVD

from Tabla Montreal by Shawn

Hi everyone,

I recently came across a DVD of a live veena performance by Pt. Lalmani Misra, entitled Celestial Music of Pandit Lalmani Misra. He is one of the major artists to come out of Benares, and in addition to being a performer, he was equally important as a researcher, musicologist, educator, and composer. To my knowledge, there is only one CD of his that is widely available, making this DVD an incredible resource. The DVD has been independently produced by one of Panditji's disciples, Laxmi Tewari, and so has not received widespread advertising, and is not sold in online stores.

Veena recordings of this quality are extremely rare and so I highly reccomend this DVD. The icing on the cake is that the tabla accompanist is Pt. Chote Lal Mishra.

To order your copy, send 20$ US (cheque) to:
Laxmi G. Tewari
c/o Music Department, Sonoma State University
1801 E. Cotati Avenue
Rohnert Park, CA 94928

Email: laxmi.tewari@sonoma.edu

All the proceeds from the sale of this DVD will go towards establishing a trust fund for a scholarship in the name of Pandit Lalmani Misra for music students at Sonoma State University.

Top 25 Monty Python Sketches

2007-11-04T10:32:00.000+10:00

Top 25 Monty Python Sketches

from The List Universe by jfrater

The following is a list of the 25 greatest Monty Python’s Flying Circus sketches. Scenes from movies are excluded and have not been considered. They would just further muddy up the waters, which are quite murky enough already. 25. Bruces The Bruces sketch involves a group of stereotypical Australians who are members of the Philosophy Department at [...]

25 photos taken at just the right time

2007-11-03T14:37:00.000+10:00

Nice Timing

from MetaFilter by mr_crash_davis

25 photos taken at just the right time.

Top 20 Facts About Sleep

2007-10-30T10:43:00.000+10:00

I love sleep...

Top 20 Facts About Sleep

from The List Universe by jfrater

The science of sleep is a modern one - in fact most scientific information on sleep has been gained in the last 25 years. This is a list of 20 very interesting facts about sleep. Facts 1 - 10 1. The record for the longest period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes during [...]

DM of the Rings

2007-10-28T12:34:00.000+10:00

I found this pretty hilarious...

DM of the Rings

from MetaFilter by bugbread

DM of the Rings (comic). The Lord of the Rings if it were a Dungeons and Dragons game.

Tabla Montreal: Shawn Mativetsky's blog

2007-10-28T12:04:00.000+10:00

Fellow tabla crusader Shawn Mativetsky has just started a new blog, on his activities as a tabla player in Canada. It's entitled Tabla Montreal. I'm looking forward to keeping better track of what he's up to.

Book: Traveling Spirit Masters (Moroccan Gnawa)

2007-10-25T17:48:00.000+10:00

New Book Talks About Moroccan Gnawa Trance and Music in the Global Market Place

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Middletown (Connecticut), USA - In the new book Traveling Spirit Masters, Deborah Kapchan explores how a group of Moroccan ritual musicians from the sub-Saharan Africa diaspora have come to participate in the world music market. These musicians are known as the Gnawa, and their traditional belief is that they can heal those afflicted with possession and other ills. It is thought that the Gnawa placate offending spirits with music, incense, colors, and animal sacrifice.

The regular rhythms of the Gnawa's heavy metal castanets and the bass melodies provided by the hajhuj (a three-stringed instrument, which is also called sintir and guimbri) induce a...

Lucky Dube Shot Dead

2007-10-20T01:04:00.000+10:00

Lucky Dube Shot Dead

from MetaFilter by Henry C. Mabuse

Lucky Dube Shot Dead - Lucky Dube, the South African Reggae musician, has been shot dead by car hijackers in Johannesburg. In front of his son.
To say that Lucky Dube was an important artist is an understatment.

CD: Anoushka Shankar - Breathing Under Water

2007-10-20T01:02:00.000+10:00

Breathing Sitar

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Anoushka Shankar and Karsh Kale

Breathing Under Water (Mahattan Records/EMI, 2007)

The 25-year old Anoushka Shankar continues her explorations of Indian music and global sounds on Breathing Under Water, her latest album, recorded in a lively dialogue with global electronic wizard ...

Music Industry Alternative Models

2007-10-19T09:37:00.000+10:00

Step 1: Unyoke the Artists

from MetaFilter by Terminal Verbosity

Five ways the music industry can prevent its own demise.

CD: Fate of the Lhapa (Tibetan vocal + cello)

2007-10-17T01:00:00.000+10:00

Fate of the Lhapa Soundtrack Released on CD Baby

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Fate of the Lhapa, the award winning soundtrack to the documentary feature of the same name was released on CD Baby. This film score features renown cellist Joan Jeanrenaud (Kronos Quartet Alumnus) and Tibetan Vocalist Tsering Wangmo. Fate of the Lhapa is the film score for the documentary feature of the same name about the last three Tibetan shamans living in a Tibetan refugee camp in Nepal. The score features performances by the renown cellist Joan Jeanrenaud (Kronos Quartet Alumnus) and Tibetan Vocalist Tsering Wangmo. Haunting and lyrical sounds of Asian and Western Music merge to set the tone for a spiritual and mystical journey about an ancient healing tradition in danger of extinction.Listen to samples at http://cdbaby.com/cd/williamsusman2.

Neuroscience and Mysticism

2007-10-10T12:10:00.000+10:00

Neuroscience and Mysticism

from MetaFilter by homunculus

Searching for God in the Brain. "Researchers are unearthing the roots of religious feeling in the neural commotion that accompanies the spiritual epiphanies of nuns, Buddhists and other people of faith." [Via MindHacks, which points out a few niggling omissions in the article.]

Django

2007-10-10T00:41:00.000+10:00

Django

from MetaFilter by nicolin

The most creative jazz musician to originate anywhere outside the United States (Duke Ellington) is maybe the great guitarist Django Reinhardt. It is true that he gave birth to a style which is now played by many musicians. His achievements are outstanding, if we consider the events of his life. He still fascinates both the scholar (great links but in need of some work : see french wiki for more biographic details) among other things because of controversial details (his survival during WWII and the very origin of swing manouche (gypsy jazz)) and the aspiring guitarist (more) (essential resource). But it's maybe better just to listen - and watch - him play. Further watching : Nuages, an amateur documentary in 1 2 3 4 5 parts. Previously.

40 Quotes of Oscar Wilde

2007-10-09T11:17:00.001+10:00

40 Quotes of Oscar Wilde

from The List Universe by jfrater

There is no doubt that Oscar Wilde was one of the most witty men to come from the British Isles and probably the world. It is virtually impossible to find anything he wrote which did not show at least a glimmer of his genius. This is a selection of 40 of his greatest [...]

10 Great Unsolved Problems

2007-10-09T02:43:00.000+10:00

including the Great Depression, origin of language, the Industrial Revolution, black holes and dreams...

10 Great Unsolved Problems

from The List Universe by jfrater

In various fields of human study there are problems that have never been solved. Some theories have been put forward, but not one fully satisfies the question. So put on your thinking cap and see if you can solve any of the ten unsolved problems listed here: 10. What caused the great depression?

25 Bizarre Buildings

2007-10-08T10:32:00.000+10:00

Some crackers here! :-)

25 Bizarre Buildings

from The List Universe by jfrater

25 Bizarre Buildings in photos:

Bonobo handshake - bonobo researcher's blog

2007-10-05T10:14:00.000+10:00

Stories about bonobo chimpanzees are really catching my eye lately, since Susan Savage-Rumbaugh 's TED Talks - Apes that write, start fires and play PacMan

Sex like a handshake

from MetaFilter by imposster

Sex like a handshake (even baby sex?) Titilation and humor from Vanessa Woods, researcher at the Lola Bonobo sanctuary. (Previously)

CD: Ojos de Brujo - Bari (Flamenco Adrenaline Rush)

2007-10-02T16:51:00.000+10:00

Flamenco Adrenaline Rush

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Ojos de Brujo

Bari (World Village, 2002)

Hailing from Spain, Ojos de Brujo's Bari brings on an adrenaline rush. These young flamenco performers create music with fury and the angst of a disenfranchised teenager. When I slipped this disc into my stereo, the room soon filled with the staccato beats that you would expect from flamenco music. The hard rain was bouncing off the pavement keeping time with the polyphonic beats (including rap vocals...

CD: Funk 'n Gandhi

2007-10-02T10:56:00.000+10:00

The Funky South Asian Sound

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Funk 'n Gandhi

Funk 'n Gandhi (Radical House Records, 2005)

This CD has an intriguing colorful cover. It shows a character that looks like a pimp from the 1970s, together with a Hindu deity, in front of a punk Rolls Royce. As the title of the CD suggests, the concept is the fusion of American Funk with Indian music. And the results are terrific.

Funk 'n Gandhi uses real electric bass and drums, creating dynamic funk beats. The rhythm section joins electronic grooves, keyboards, electric piano, jazzy sax and DJ scratching combined with outstanding bansuri flute performed by Deepak Ram, Indian vocals, excerpts of spoken word, samples and trippy effects. Produced by the Warheads.

Buy it from http://thewarheads.com/funkngd.html.

Daniel Pinchbeck on 2012

2007-10-02T10:33:00.000+10:00

Daniel Pinchbeck

from The C-Realm Radiant Sun

vector: PostWarDreams

Music and the Brain

2007-09-27T10:46:00.000+10:00

tales of music and the brain

from MetaFilter by melissa may

Musicophilia. Metafilter's own digaman interviews Oliver Sacks on his forthcoming book and a lifetime's worth of loving music and studying its effects on the human mind.
Music therapy for persons with Alzheimers (pdf).
Just in Time by the Grunyons, the a cappella vocal group referenced in the article.
Grainy 1986 interview with Dr. Sacks on The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (worth watching for his glorious beard alone).
Wonderful NPR segment on Williams Syndrome.
Brief article on hallucinogens, healing, and music.

CD: Autorickshaw (Carnatic/Jazz)

2007-09-26T17:19:00.000+10:00

Carnatic Jazz Journey

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

Autorickshaw

So the Journey Goes (Tala-Wallah Records, 2007)

The latest album by Canadian band autorickshaw continues in the direction of combining Indian music with jazz forms. The leading instruments are the vocals of Suba Sankaran and the electric bass of virtuoso musician Rich Brown.

Suba Sankarann has a subtle voice that can easily switch from jazz stylings to rapping and classical Indian techniques. Her vocals are followed by Rich Brown's bass. At times...

NOVA goes bust?

2007-09-26T17:17:00.000+10:00

(I used to work at Nova when I first went to Japan... Glad I got the chance to get established there before this happened.)

The biggest employer of foreign nationals in Japan BUSTO?

from MetaFilter by cwhitfcd

Nova eikaiwa is the biggest foreign language school in Japan, teaching predominantly English through a network of over 600 branches across the county and employing over 7,000 foreign nationals. After adverse rulings to a number of complaints regarding Nova's refund policy, the Japanese Government imposed a 6 month ban from July to prevent the company from selling large lesson packages to students. The company has experienced a severe downturn in cashflow as a result and there are reports of late payment to Japanese staff and suppliers in the last two months. Foreign teachers were unaffected until salary payments for the 15th September were paid late, and more senior teachers have not yet been paid. Despite not being paid, many staff face a tough decision: quit, or continue to show up to work in the knowledge that if the company goes bankrupt they are eligible for unemployment benefits. Despite this, CEO Nozomu Sahashi declared last Friday "The dark clouds that have been hanging heavily over us will be cast aside... I said previously 'the darkest time is before the dawn,' and finally the first light of dawn can be seen". Five days later and some teachers are still waiting to be paid.

TED Talks - Apes that write, start fires and play Pac-Man

2007-09-24T10:30:00.000+10:00

Found this post (below) on MetaFilter, which lead me to find TED Talks on TED.com - "Ideas Worth Spreading". There are some excellent talks available as video and audio on a whole range of topics. The talk linked below is by Susan Savage-Rumbaugh and entitled "Apes that write, start fires and play Pac-Man". She's not talking about humans, but bonobos.

Pan homo culture

from MetaFilter by svenvog

I laughed, I cried, and I welcomed our new Pan-Homo Culture
From the always edumataining TED talks. Now Dawkins free.

Interview with Tibetan Singer Namgyal Lhamo

2007-09-22T17:51:00.000+10:00

Interview with Tibetan Singer Namgyal Lhamo

from World Music Central - Links: Indian Music

World Music Central recently interviewed singer, songwriter, actres and performing artist Namgyal Lhamo, winner of the Best Female Singer award at the 2007 Tibetan music awards.

How was life in Dharamsala (North India)?

My ancestors originally hailed from Shigatse in Tibet but I was raised in the Himalayas near Mustang. I was born into a family with a rich cultural background and when I reached 8, I was sent straight away to a transit school in Dharamsala for young Tibetans where I was chosen to enroll at The Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts which was founded by His Holiness The Dalai lama.

At what age did you join the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts?
...

World's Most Amazing Islands

2007-09-22T09:38:00.000+10:00

World's Most Amazing Islands

from OddWeek -

Including a Japanese ghost island and the new island near Iceland...