Wayne Shorter, Rubén Blades, and the Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés will be among the performers at the sixth annual Panama Jazz Festival, which begins Jan. 12 and continues through Jan. 17.
The presence of Shorter’s remarkable quartet on the Panama bill is hardly surprising, since the pianist in that group is Danilo Pérez, a native of Panama who founded the festival and whose foundation coordinates its educational activities. Nonetheless, it has to be considered a coup for a festival, and a country, that don’t always get a lot of attention.
Roots festival favorites Uncle Earl, the all-female string band, announced that it won't be touring in 2009 so that members can focus on individual projects. Abigail Washburn's duties with the Sparrow Quartet have complicated the band's scheduling the last two years, but the reasons are probably deeper than that, especially because the email announcing the news suggests that she is also slowing down that band's appearances next year while she pursues more travel in China and a duo album with cellist Ben Sollee.
Each of the other members also has outside projects. Kristin Andreassen performs with Sometimes Why and as a solo performer. Rayna Gellert has a variety of things in the works, including work on a documentary soundtrack and collaborations with Toubab Krewe and Loudon Wainwright. KC Groves has a new solo album and is working with two other bands, The Moody Sisters and Dangerfields, where she'll be join by, among others, former G'Earl Sharon Gilchrist. Read more »
I recently provided answers to some survey questions from a college student about the economics of the live music industry, which gave me a chance to write down some of my thoughts about the underlying appeal of festivals and the likely impacts of the economic downturn on the festival market. It struck me that some of those answers would be interesting to also post to the site. Comments are welcome.
What is it about festivals that intrigues you?I believe that as our lives become more isolated and mediated by technology, we are seeking out immersive experiences that connect us with "live" communities and give us a sense of participation in a technicolor, multi-sensory world. Festivals are uniquely suited to providing this kind of experience in a contained weekend-long break from our otherwise humdrum, cubicled existence. Read more »
Like the the culture that inspires it, Creole music is a gumbo of spicy styles and influences simmered to perfection. The music is as sensuous and sassy as it's down south origins in New Orleans and the Delta and from October 30 to November 2, these Cajun sounds meet Caribbean sizzle at the 12th annual World Creole Music Festival in Dominica. Say it with me: Hot time in the City.
Held annually around the time of the Dominca's Independence Day Celebration, the festival has developed a reputation as one of the few indigenous music events in the Caribbean.
The 3 day lineup emphasizes genres rooted in the creole speaking world and include bands versed in Cadence-lypso, Kompas, Zouk, Soukous, Bouyon, Zydeco. Past performers have included Kassav, Tabou Combo, Exile One, Gramacks/New Generation.
This years headliners are a blend of the old and new styles as Grammacks, one of Dominicas most well known Cadence-Lypso bands, who headlined the inaugural festival in 1996 share top billing with current dancehall superstar Sean Paul, who headlines the Saturday night set. Read more »