As we continue to mourn Zakir Hussain, we also celebrate his life and legacy through the wonderful music he left us. Wildly innovative and a master of his craft Hussain often collaborated with unlikely partners, blending musical styles.
One of his better known cross-genre projects was with Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer. The trio stopped by the NPR studios for a Tiny Desk performance in 2010.
Setlist:
"Bubbles"
"Bahar"
I first encountered Alsarah and The Nubatones when doing the Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow. I immediately fell in love with their music and featured their track "3roos Elneel" on Episode 16 which originally aired September 24, 2018. Back then, I wrote:
According to the group's Facebook page: "Alsarah & The Nubatones came together out of a collective love for Nubian music and a genuine belief that Soul transcends all cultural and linguistic barriers. Inspired by the pentatonic scale they blend a selection of Nubian 'songs of return' from the 1970s-today with original material and traditional music of central Sudan. Their set is a musical journey through diaspora and migration from an urban lense."
NPR adds:
“When singer Alsarah left her native Sudan, she was just a child who'd shown an interest in music. She's said it served as her coping mechanism during a subsequent transition to life here in the U.S. That passion led her to a university degree in ethnomusicology.”
The group stopped by NPR’s Tiny Desk in 2016 for three songs.
Setlist:
"Ya Watan"
"3roos Elneel"
"Fulani"
Players:
Alsarah (vocals)
Nahid (backing vocals)
Rami El Aasser (percussion, backing vocals)
Mawuena Kodjovi (bass, backing vocals)
Brandon Terzic (oud)
Other Important People:
Producers: Felix Contreras, Niki Walker
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Videographers: Niki Walker, Nicole Boliaux
Production Assistant: Jenny Gathright
Photo: Raquel Zaldivar/NPR
Visit Alsarah's official website
Follow Alsarah & The Nubatones on Facebook
Follow Alsarah on Facebook
Purchase Alsarah & The Nubatones music on Bandcamp
Purchase Alsarah & The Nubatones music on Amazon
Listen to "3roos Elneel" on Episode 16 of the Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow
Tuareg wunderkind Mdou Moctar performs (at home) for the NPR Tiny Desk and this is my love language.
Setlist:
Ya Habibti
Tala Tannam
Afrique Victime
Players:
Mahamadou "Mdou Moctar" Souleymane: lead guitar, vocals
Ahmoudou Madassane: rhythm guitar, vocals
Mikey Coltun: bass
Souleymane Ibrahim: calabash
Important People:
Video: Mamadou Halidou, WH Moustapha, Sabrina Nichols
Audio: Mikey Coltun, Seth Manchester
Special Thanks: Dynamique Image and Machines with Magnets
Tiny Desk People:
Producer: Bob Boilen
Video Producer: Kara Frame
Audio Mastering: Josh Rogosin
Associate Producer: Bobby Carter
Tiny Production Team: Maia Stern, Gabrielle Pierre
Executive Producer: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann
Visit Mdou Moctar’s Facebook page
Follow Mdou Moctar on Twitter
Purchase Mdou Moctar’s music at Bandcamp
Purchase Mdou Moctar’s music at Amazon
Listen to Tarha” by Mdou Moctar, from the ‘Blue Stage Session,’ featured on Episode 43 of The Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow
Visit all Holiday at the Sea Mdou Moctar posts
Roy Ayers’ stopped by the NPR Tiny Desk in March 2018 with keyboardist Mark Adams, bassist Trevor Allen and drummer Christopher De Carmine.
Setlist:
"Searching"
"Black Family"
"Everybody Loves The Sunshine"
Musicians:
Roy Ayers, Mark Adams (keyboards)
Trevor Allen (bass)
Christopher De Carmine (drums)
Important People:
Producers: Abby O'Neill, Morgan Noelle Smith;
Creative Director: Bob Boilen;
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin;
Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Kara Frame, Bronson Arcuri, Dani Lyman;
Production Assistant: Joshua Bote;
Photo: Jenna Sterner/NPR.
