The Beat Magazine Features

Departments

The items below are regularly featured columns of The Beat Magazine.
Columnist's names are linked to their own Websites, or an email address.
Order Issue #104 to get the full stories.

King of Kings

by Carol Haile Selassie

His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie speaks on religious tolerance.

Reggae Update

by Chuck Foster

Chuck Foster discusses the question of reggae's relevance in the 21st century, then proves his point with great new works by Glen Washington, Warrior King, Sanchez, Bim Sherman and more.

Technobeat

by Bob Tarte

The Mexican phenomenon of narcocorridos, songs glorifying the drug trade, is exposed in Elijah Wald's book, Narcocorrido: A Journey into the Music of Drugs, Guns, and Guerrillas, and an accompanying cd release. Basque sensation Fermin Muguruza, extraterrestrial Lee Perry, Hawaiians Keola Beamer and Ozzie Kotani, and Bob Brozman's Indian Ocean excursion with Rene Lacaille are covered.

Hey Mr. Music

by Dave Hucker

Mr. Music rediscovers the earth-moving music of Kenya's Orchestra Super Mazembe; Los Soneros del Barrio, Johnny Polanco, Jimmy Sabater and Pedrito Calvo take a turn on the dance floor.

Noches Calientes

by Robert Leaver

Omar Sosa's Cuban-Moroccan exploration, Sentir, is accompanied by Adalberto Alvarez's best record to date; Osdalgia, Enrique Lazaga, Generoso Jiminez, Nelson Gonzalez and La Ruta del Son compilation make the grade.

African Beat

by Robert Ambrose
and Martin Sinnock

Robert Ambrose takes on the issue of globalization as well as new music from South Africa's Suthukazi Arosi, Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Heavy Spirits, plus the buried treasure of Miriam Makeba's The Guinea Years. Viviane N'Dour, Pierre Akendengue, Papa Wemba, Mbilia Bel and Africando are welcome guests at the party.

Martin Sinnock reports on Papa Wemba's New Year's Eve bash in Paris, highlighted by Wendo Kolosoy and the Fioti-Fioti girls; then finds, to his amazement, a long-lost cousin in Saak Saakul Sinuku. The Kekele group acquits itself marvelously with acoustic guitar-led rumba Congolaise in concert in England.

News

Musical Murder features Capleton's Still Blazin', Shaggy's Mr. Lover Lover, Simple Simon, Don Yute, and a handful of dancehall compilations.

The Other Caribbean

by Brian Dring

Guadeloupean bassist/singer/songwriter Luc Leandry and new releases from Leila Chichot, Sonia Dersion, Jocelyn Deloumeaux, Thierry Cham place zouk back in the spotlight; Haitian music is well served by a new Rough Guide and Brooklyn-based Kalonnen. Soca winds on with Soca 101, D'Soca Zone, Calypso Heat and Mondo Soca anthologies.

All Over The Map

Steve Heilig attempts to re-establish some equilibrium with advice from the cosmic Sun Ra and Lee Perry; then soothes body and soul with Bim Sherman, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Dennis Brown, Djelimady Tounkara, Toto la Momposina, Antibalas and some slack-key Hawaiian guitar.

Brazil Beat

by Nego Beto and Mara Weiss

Farewell to Brazilian rocker Cassia Eller, the sounds of Carnaval 2002, and '70s funk/soul revival from the Gerson King Combo.

Reviews

Nyasaland: Other Musics from Zimbabwe and Tswana and Sotho Voices, by Ron Sakolsky

Orquesta La Moderna Tradicion, Goza Conmigo, and Rhany, Alamtini, by Jacob Edgar

John Williams, The Magic Box, by Yatrika Shah-Rais

Lloyd Bradley, Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King, by Ted Boothroyd.


	Departments The items below are regularly featured columns of The Beat Magazine. Columnist's names are linked to their own Websites, or an email address. Order Issue #104 to get the full stories.

King of Kings by Carol Haile Selassie His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie speaks on religious tolerance. Reggae Update by Chuck Foster Chuck Foster discusses the question of reggae's relevance in the 21st century, then proves his point with great new works by Glen Washington, Warrior King, Sanchez, Bim Sherman and more. Technobeat by Bob Tarte The Mexican phenomenon of narcocorridos, songs glorifying the drug trade, is exposed in Elijah Wald's book, Narcocorrido: A Journey into the Music of Drugs, Guns, and Guerrillas, and an accompanying cd release. Basque sensation Fermin Muguruza, extraterrestrial Lee Perry, Hawaiians Keola Beamer and Ozzie Kotani, and Bob Brozman's Indian Ocean excursion with Rene Lacaille are covered. Hey Mr. Music by Dave Hucker Mr. Music rediscovers the earth-moving music of Kenya's Orchestra Super Mazembe; Los Soneros del Barrio, Johnny Polanco, Jimmy Sabater and Pedrito Calvo take a turn on the dance floor.		Noches Calientes by Robert Leaver Omar Sosa's Cuban-Moroccan exploration, Sentir, is accompanied by Adalberto Alvarez's best record to date; Osdalgia, Enrique Lazaga, Generoso Jiminez, Nelson Gonzalez and La Ruta del Son compilation make the grade. African Beat by Robert Ambrose and Martin Sinnock Robert Ambrose takes on the issue of globalization as well as new music from South Africa's Suthukazi Arosi, Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Heavy Spirits, plus the buried treasure of Miriam Makeba's The Guinea Years. Viviane N'Dour, Pierre Akendengue, Papa Wemba, Mbilia Bel and Africando are welcome guests at the party. Martin Sinnock reports on Papa Wemba's New Year's Eve bash in Paris, highlighted by Wendo Kolosoy and the Fioti-Fioti girls; then finds, to his amazement, a long-lost cousin in Saak Saakul Sinuku. The Kekele group acquits itself marvelously with acoustic guitar-led rumba Congolaise in concert in England. News Musical Murder features Capleton's Still Blazin', Shaggy's Mr. Lover Lover, Simple Simon, Don Yute, and a handful of dancehall compilations.	The Other Caribbean by Brian Dring Guadeloupean bassist/singer/songwriter Luc Leandry and new releases from Leila Chichot, Sonia Dersion, Jocelyn Deloumeaux, Thierry Cham place zouk back in the spotlight; Haitian music is well served by a new Rough Guide and Brooklyn-based Kalonnen. Soca winds on with Soca 101, D'Soca Zone, Calypso Heat and Mondo Soca anthologies. All Over The Map Steve Heilig attempts to re-establish some equilibrium with advice from the cosmic Sun Ra and Lee Perry; then soothes body and soul with Bim Sherman, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Dennis Brown, Djelimady Tounkara, Toto la Momposina, Antibalas and some slack-key Hawaiian guitar. Brazil Beat by Nego Beto and Mara Weiss Farewell to Brazilian rocker Cassia Eller, the sounds of Carnaval 2002, and '70s funk/soul revival from the Gerson King Combo. Reviews Nyasaland: Other Musics from Zimbabwe and Tswana and Sotho Voices, by Ron Sakolsky Orquesta La Moderna Tradicion, Goza Conmigo, and Rhany, Alamtini, by Jacob Edgar John Williams, The Magic Box, by Yatrika Shah-Rais Lloyd Bradley, Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King, by Ted Boothroyd.