Around the world in 90 songs

I thought it would be nice to travel round the world in beautiful music. I would like to start my journey of the imagination and dreams in Marrakesh. Who knows where we will find ourselves next.

Perhaps ancient Istanbul?

maybe deepest darkest Egypt

perhaps the beginning of time

Neat idea for a thread. Keep them coming. Really digging that Egyptian music.

A lot of those 'Marrakesh' sites look Mayan.

we now travel by magic carpet to a midnight garden in the ancient Alhambra palace, be careful not to awaken the harem guards.

stumbling down a warm Spanish street one night we come across gypsy flamenco singers, they invite us to join them, the night is full of haunting voices....

Some of my favorite moments in Spain were listening to Flamenco music, always accompanied by dancers. It's hard to believe it's a 20th century development, but was very soothing to see how many young people embraced it. I seek out Flamenco whenever I can find it.

The Alhambra is a strangely disjointed building: every room different, with abrupt transitions between them. Beautiful but jarringly incoherent. To me the walk up the wooded mountain was half the magic. Another magical moment was having dinner in an outdoor cafe at the base of the mountain with the Alhambra lit up above, while a classical spanish guitar played from a stool on the grass. Spain is amazing.

I like the ethnic music trip, Figgy. Back when LPs gave way to CDs I collected tons of ethnic LPs at a dollar a pop. There's some fascinating stuff out there: Korean court music sounds like it's from another planet, as does Javanese gamelan.

thanks Halfy. I am trying to find some west African music I heard on a street one time, but I cant find the right instrument. its like an ancient cello-y guitar-y mix up but its not either of those, its actually nothing like western instruments but its instrumental, its got a particular haunting sound, its frustrating me. maybe its from Mali or somewhere like that...

still looking...

aaah Kora music!

Ah yes. More hypnotic than what's often called the thumb harp, made of umbrella spokes.

I don't have any insight to add or anything but I'm really enjoying listening to these. Great thread idea, Mrs Figg!

I had mentioned the elusive Balinese Bamboo Gamelan, I'm happy to find it on video:



And of course it must be compared to the more familiar (yet still transcendently hypnotic) traditional brass gamelan.

cool

Italy.

Points for Monteverdi. But going more folksy we may have to go medieval. I'm not finding what I want right now, Bungo may have to jump in here.

we now travel through the Paris banlieue by metro, its not the best neighbourhood, it flashes by...

ah oui! Paris! l'amour Paris!

Jumping ahead a bit here, but this thread has gotten quiet, so: Okinawa.

Albuquerque.



I like that this song is basically all about getting out of Albuquerque. It starts;

"People say that Santa Fe, is less than 90 miles away."