La Musique

If you've never heard of Les Nubians and you think you might like music that is a mixture of R&B, World Music, and Jazz, do yourself a favor and check them out. They are fabulous. I love listening to music in other languages, even when I don't understand the language, because when an artist can't hide behind the words, we as listeners get a chance to really focus in on whether they can carry a tune and if their music flows and speaks to us. And music doesn't have to be in your language to speak to you.

In fact, here's a list of some of my favorite artists from other countries or cultures (don't be intimidated if they don't sing in English - listen to it anyway!)

1. Les Nubians - Cameroon/France. I love just about everything they've done, but my absolute favorites are Makeda, Demain, Si Infidèle, etc., etc., etc.


2. Joy Denalane - Germany. Heard her on a Putumayo CD and couldn't get her music out of my head. I b-tched and moaned about not being able to find her album on I-Tunes, and having to pay something like $27.00 for her album, Mamami, on Amazon.com, until my husband got fed up and just bought it for me (along with her English language album, Born and Raised.) Favorites from Joy: Was auch immer, Höchste Zeit, Sag's Mir, Born and Raised (song).

3. Crystal Kay - Japan. While checking out a You Tube video from Funkanometry SF, I heard this little sample "You need to chill out and let go sometimes/feel free to let yourself say/Kirakuni, take it easy..." so I googled that phrase (why not?) and found Miss Crystal Kay. It's J-Pop, and I make no apologies for my love of pop music. So there. Favorite: Kirakuni.

4. Bebel Gilberto - Brazil. My sister turned me on to her. (Thanks, Shell!) She's the daughter of a famous Brazilian musician, João Gilberto. My favorite songs of hers are from her album, Bebel Gilberto: Aganju, Jabuticaba, Baby. Though I have to be fair and give her album Momento another listen, since when I heard it, I might not have been in the mood for mellow.

5. Zap Mama - Belgium/Democratic Republic of Congo. Though I think there are people in the group who back her up. Zap Mama is primarily (and basically) Marie Daulne. My favorites are from the only Zap Mama album that I own Ancestry in Progress - though I'm open to hearing more...Miss Q'n, Yaki, Zap Bébés.

6. M.I.A. - Sri Lanka./England. I almost forgot! How could I? She's constantly playing in my I-Pod! U.R.A.Q.T., Galang, Boyz, Bingo, etc., etc., etc.

I just realized that all these artists are women. I didn't plan it that way, but hey - Let's hear it for the sistah's! (And why are they all so fraking gorgeous!)