#afro carribean musician

[mediaevalmusereads]

Never Look Back. By Lilliam Rivera. Bloomsbury, 2020.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Genre: YA contemporary romance, mythological retelling

Series: N/A

Summary: Eury comes to the Bronx as a girl haunted. Haunted by losing everything in Hurricane Maria--and by an evil spirit, Ato. She fully expects the tragedy that befell her and her family in Puerto Rico to catch up with her in New York. Yet, for a time, she can almost set this fear aside, because there's this boy . . .

Pheus is a golden-voiced, bachata-singing charmer, ready to spend the summer on the beach with his friends, serenading his on-again, off-again flame. That changes when he meets Eury. All he wants is to put a smile on her face and fight off her demons. But some dangers are too powerful for even the strongest love, and as the world threatens to tear them apart, Eury and Pheus must fight for each other and their lives.

***Full review below.***

CONTENT WARNINGS: teen drug/alcohol use, attempted sexual assault, blood

OVERVIEW: I was looking around for interesting Greek myth retelling when I stumbled upon this book. I wanted something different than just a historical fiction, something other than the same story told from the woman's perspective or something. When I saw this book, it seemed perfect, and in a lot of ways, I loved Rivera's rendering of the Orpheus myth into the modern day. The main reason why this book is getting 4 stars is because the writing style is not for me and the narrative shifts in tone rather abruptly at the 2/3 mark. But other than those things, this is a lovely retelling, and a good choice if you're drawn to literary movements like #ownvoices.

WRITING: Before I say anything specific, I should point out that this book is not written for me. It's aimed at a younger audience, so take anything I say with a huge grain of salt. I will be biased because of my age.

Overall, I liked that Rivera wrote with such honesty, making characters aware of things and emotions in ways that felt very real. For example, Pheus is constantly thinking about how Black people have to act to avoid scrutiny in public, and Eury has a difficult relationship with therapy for many race-related reasons. I liked that Rivera wrote them in a way that felt natural and relevant to what was happening, and it added depth to the characters and their internal monologs.

There are, however, some aspects of the writing that simply did not work for me (but again, I am biased). For one, Rivera writes with a lot of short, simple sentences that privilege telling over showing. Perhaps this style is common for books aimed at younger readers, so it's not necessarily a bad thing. It was confusing to me, however, because the style made the prose feel "younger," perhaps akin to something for middle school readers. I may be a poor judge of that, however.

For two, Pheus's perspective is written using a lot of slang (not dialect - there is that too, but it's different). While I didn't find the slang confusing, I so worry that it will age the book after a few years, and the setting isn't central enough to the narrative (in the way something like historical fiction centralizes setting) to make the slang feel like Pheus and Eury's story is entertained with its situation in time and space. Perhaps that's asking too much, but given that a huge part of Eury's story involves Puerto Rico's destruction by Hurricane Maria, I think time period could have been more important.

PLOT: This book is a retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice, where our protagonists are teenagers living in the Bronx. Pheus is a popular local musician with Afro-Carribean roots; Eury has relocated from Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria and is pursued by a mysterious spirit named Ato.

I liked the way Rivera took the main beats from the myth and constructed a teen romance that clearly interfaced with themes such as race, mental health, etc. in the modern day.

The connection between spirits and colonialism, capitalism, and pain was also intriguing. I liked the idea of these concepts as things that "haunted" the living, giving shape to people and places while also doing damage. It was a clever way of conceiving of the more mythical elements of Greek myth, and it did a good job of mirroring the way myth tends to personify abstract concepts.

Along similar lines, I liked the magical realism of the first half of the story, with Ato only popping up in Eury's POV. It really made me doubt whether the spirit was real or some sort of trauma response, and I actually found the ambiguity to be a great way to keep some suspense in the story.

However, I do think that in the last third, magical realism tips firmly into fantasy, and while I enjoyed the fantasy narrative, it also felt abrupt and jarring when I got there. Personally, I would have liked the whole story to be magical realism, but I do respect what Rivera was doing.

Lastly, I just was not a fan of the attempted sexual assault. I know why it was included, but it didn't have to be there.

CHARACTERS: Eury, our heroine, is sympathetic in that she is terrified of the spirit pursuing her. It's easy to want her to be free of Ato, and her desperation combined with her lack of trust is heart-wrenching, to say the least. But Eury is also more than her suffering; I loved her love for Prince and birds and the sisterly affection for her cousin, Penelope. Eury might also appeal to a lot of readers because she's shy and awkward, but makes a brave effort to go places with her friends and with Pheus.

TL;DR: Never Look Back is a touching retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice, focusing on things such as identity, trauma/mental health, happiness vs suffering, and so on. Though this book was written for a younger audience (and thus didn't resonate with me as much as it might with a teen reader), I still enjoyed the way Rivera played with the myth while introducing themes of her own that make the story resonate with a modern audience.

Pheus, our hero, is charismatic and a little bit of a flirt, but he finds himself in deep when Eury fails to fall for him immediately. I liked that though Pheus is a charmer, he does genuinely care about people and doesn't stop from criticizing friends who are unfair or unkind. I also liked Pheus's struggle to believe in the supernatural; he had a strong belief in what he can see and what he can do with his own hands, and that ethic is not only admirable, but also makes for an interesting stumbling block in his relationship with Eury. He must struggle to overcome it so that the two can grow closer, and I appreciated this kind of development.

Supporting characters are fine and did their jobs well. I liked the friendship between Pheus and Jaysen and the closeness between Eury and Penelope. I also liked the bond between Pheus and his father and the honesty they gave to one another. Melaina was probably the one that puzzled me most in that she was poised to be a jealous rival (and, in fact, was that), but Pheus came to recognize the way he was hurting her. I kind of wish more was done with this, but then again, it might have distracted from the main story.

Ato, our antagonist, is a little hard to understand, and personally, I wanted to see Rivera explore him more. I wasn't entirely clear or even sold on why he was so attached to Eury - the given explanation of her "light" felt a little vague to me. When his background was revealed, I liked that there were a lot of implications about what suffering and hate could do to people, and I would have liked to see those aspects pushed more.

[laureljupiter]

I just want to say that the story of a young black activist who went to live on a protest commune of some kind in the mid 00s, then named the daughter she gave birth to there “Pippin Galadriel Moonchild,” is a very different from a white woman doing the same thing in 1978, and I want to know everything about her.

Good Omens is set in “the present day,” so:

— Pepper’s mother met her father at the G8 summit in Edinburgh in 2005. It was love at first sight. They moved into the non-heirarchical eco-village outside the city until it was torn down

— videos of toddler Pepper in screaming along to “Taking the Hobbits to Isengard”

—4 year old Pepper at the G20 protests, on her mum’s shoulders

— Pepper’s grandparents are both musicians who live in London, one is a traditional Nigerian drummer, the other was part of the Afro-Carribean and punk fusion that happened for a hot minute in the early 80s

— Pepper chiding Crowley for driving the exo-unfriendly Bentley and having a “typical selfish Boomer mentality” and Crowley being mortally offended because they’re AT MOST Gen X, kid, !!!!!!

— Pepper calling out Newt for belonging to an incel army

— Once she believes that the Bentley doesn’t run on petrol (or diesel or any other oil products) she warms up to them

— Wensleydale observes: You’re not always a boy, are you? Don’t worry, my mum and Pepper’s mum got banned from Mumsnet years ago

[uclaradio]

Red Baraat with The Higgs @ The Satellite (6/29/18) // Show Review

“The South Asian Red Wedding...Celebration is Coming.”

Article by Pam Gwen

Photos and video by Katy Carolyn Ramage

The Earth and The Moon are natural satellites that aren’t easy to miss. THE Satellite, however, is.

“Wait, wait, wait. Siri says we’ve passed it already.”

My best friends and I whip around Silver Lake Boulevard and finally spot the venue through the dim Marquee labeled, “FRI RED BARAAT & THE HIGGS”  The valet driver charges us $5 dollars. Parking, for a bargain? In Los Angeles?! Ahhh, it’s the simple luxuries in life.

I spot a “Dreams of LA: Food and Spirits” sign, but it is an artifact of the past, worn-down and unlit. Today, the Satellite hosts up-and-coming local bands, comedy nights, and eclectic DJ nights from Gay Asstrology (Cancers enter FREE all Cancer season long) to Dance Yourself Clean (EVERY Saturday).

I motion our UCLA Radio giveaway winners to will-call and congratulate them on scoring tickets. On the dance floor, a crowd is swaying in unison to the Orange County cerebral jam band, the Higgs. The 4-piece band: John Lovero on guitar and vocals, Garrett Morris on drums, David Barsky on bass and vocals, and Jesse August Jennings on synth, keyboard, and organ. Named after the Higgs-Boson particle as it unifies a variety of forces. Similarly, the Higgs fuse the forces of progressive and alternative rock, blues, and reggae in their electrifying songs.

Jennings of The Higgs

Jennings is in his own planet, defying gravity with his fingers as he masterfully glides over his set-up. An electric fan blows his hair in an upwards direction towards a retro fluorescent sign labeled “The Higgs” with an astronaut perched on it. The influences of the Grateful Dead, Phish, and Wilco seep through the oscillating sounds of the Satellite. The Higgs grin at each other and bask in the glory of their alluring set.

My friends and I go up the stairs to the second bar and immediately, five of us sardines in the photo booth. After roaring at the comically claustrophobic photos, I peer through the Satellite’s glass wall that reveals the dance floor. I notice the legends of Red Baraat finally piling on stage.

Red Baraat

Sunny Jain, the frontman of Red Baraat, was born of immigrant Punjabi parents. Jain grew up in Rochester, New York which established his framework for music. His mother played Bhajans (in Hindu this means “sharing”), known for their spiritual ideas and melodic ragas (melodic structures for improvisation in Indian music). Sunny’s father constantly banged his Indian banjo and harmonium to classic Bollywood music. His Jainism background was also combined with the Western influence of his sibling’s love for progressive-rock, pop, and hip-hop.

At age 4, Sunny began learning North Indian percussion and rhythm. Sunny played the Indian tabla, but at age 12 he began learning the vocabulary of jazz through idols like Max Roach and Philly Joe Jones. Growing up, Sunny's teachers encouraged him to drop his Punjabi background and focus on American music theory. Nonetheless, when he began to compose his own music, he knew he wanted to celebrate the inclusivity of his musical backgrounds.

In 2005, Sunny brought his culturally encompassing music to the surface at his own….wedding. He melded North Indian rhythm Bhangra with jazz, rock, hip-hop, and funk along with 30 of his talented musician friends. They performed for Sunny’s baraat. In India and Pakistan, a baraat is a massive marching procession of the groom’s wedding party before they reach the wedding venue. It is a joyous celebration of brass music, singing, stomping, and hand-clapping that can last for 5 hours.

In 2010, Sunny wanted to spread South Asian wedding celebrations to the masses and thus, Red Baraat was born (his mustache, however, was born in 2012). The band name came to fruition because to Sunny, red is a symbol of love, energy, and revolution. They have inspired conservative elderly in walkers in Pennsylvania to get up and dance. Furthermore, they have split their audiences in halves for epic dance battles. The band has cited inspirations from Primus, Miles Davis, Flying Lotus, Gogol Bordello, and Gurdas Maan. NPR has asked Red Baraat to perform for their Tiny Desk Concert series twice and has dubbed them “the best party band in years.” Red Baraat has performed for Obama at the White House, Bonnaroo, the Paraolympics in London, globalFEST, and an exorbitant amount of South Asian weddings.

At the Satellite, Red Baraat begins with chaal rhythm in “Punjabi Wedding Song (Balle Balle)” off of Chaal Baby. The band’s sonic palate is bewitching. The 50-pound gold sousaphone Kenneth Bentley is breathing life and bass into is enchanting. The gigantic sousaphone looks as if it could be its own satellite, its vibrations orbiting the atmosphere of the stage. Unlike Desiigner in his song Panda, Sunny is yelling his version of “rrrrRRAAA” that I find loveable. Full of passion, Sunny freely parades on the stage with a dhol strapped on his shoulder, decorated by white rope and a plethora of black tassels. I have never been privy to a dhol and my initiation to it is mind-blowing. On the double-headed drum, Sunny crafts a tight stampeding pulsation with two uniquely curved sticks.

On June 29th, Red Baraat released their latest album, Sound the People, influenced by the South Asian diaspora. Recorded at Studio G in Brooklyn, New York, the album is Red Baraat’s battle cry -- written weeks after Trump’s inauguration. The patient percussion of “Ghadar Machao” produces goosebumps on my arms. Derived from Arabic, Ghadar means “revolution.” I feel as if I’m at a protest, ready and determined to line-up and congregate. My arms vigorously fist pump to Sonny Singh’s beckoning voice as he sings in Punjabi, to English, and even in Spanish. Red Baraat’s candor on the political climate invigorates the crowd to joyously mourn and mindfully release anger. “Ghadar Machao” is a superb folk anthem of immigrant solidarity.

Tears flow down my cheek, but I wipe them away as the dynamic beginning of “Hey Jamalo” off of Sound the People begins. Its cadence is trance-inducing and forces every single person in the room to dance. Hips are surging, feet are stomping, arms are flailing, and there’s headbanging everywhere. The blending of Sonny Singh’s trumpet and Jonathon Haffner’s soprano saxophone is consuming alongside Chris Eddleton’s explosive drumming. The elements of North Indian Bhangra, New Orleans brass, and ska-punk in “Hey Jamalo” obliterates every box Sunny was advised to conform to as a young musician.

Rays of electric blue light gleams on Jonathan Goldberger during his psychedelic rock guitar shredding on “Moray Gari Suno” off of Sound the People. The track is an homage to 1960’s Chutney music from Trinidad with flavors of Indian and Caribbean music. The charismatic synergy and variety of Sunny, Sonny, Jonathan, Kenneth, Jonathon, and Chris’ personalities permeate the raw energy of Red Baraat. Their individual expertise as a cohesive unit cultivates the visceral sonic textures and booming improvisations of their stellar performance.

Red Baraat falls silent and Sunny invites two personalities from the crowd for a dance-battle on stage. The dancers in the center front shy away to the corners, but a courageous fan in a green shirt gets on stage. A minute or two passes and worry falls on Sunny’s face. In that sliver of a moment, I knew it was time for me to put down my notebook and jump into battle. My pulse raced as I stared into the many eyeballs shooting at me from down below.

I closed my eyes and breathed into the present moment, “It’s a Friday night with no homework, work, responsibilities, and worries. You’re on stage with Red Baraat. You. Got. This.” I opened my eyes to all my best friends, partner, and the crowd cheering me on. In a flash, the raucous of “Shruggy Ji” embroiders itself into my veins and overtakes the entirety of my ligaments. I stare into my opponent’s eyes and we both laugh. The members of Red Baraat are smiling and parading around the stage. Accompanied by their presence on stage, I feel as if I’m floating and in a utopian dimension of ecstasy and triumph.

Pam Gwen, a dancing queen, with Red Baraat

As I disembark on stage and reenergize, Red Baraat is instantly revitalized and to the next song. Sunny powerfully grabs the mic and announces, “Now this next track is Punjabi bluegrass. The original track is “Gora Mukra” meaning “fair-skinned face”, but we’ve inverted it to “Kala Mukra” meaning “dark-skinned face.” It is an act of defiance against glamorizations of white skin, subjecting women’s potential to only marriage, and a bunch of other shit like that. Let’s party.” “

Ingrained with a colonial mentality growing up, I was adamant about scrubbing my brown skin off with papaya soap to achieve the fair-skin my Filipino culture idolized. In the past year, I have found that locating myself in my Filipinx heritage has helped me formulate who I can become. “Kala Mukra” is my hymn of postcolonial consciousness. Within each measure, I feel an inner emotional and spiritual catharsis.

“Kala Mukra” features Ali Sethi and is murderous and frenetic. The track’s preamble is Sonny, Jonathon, and Kenneth’s feverish trumpets, the heartbeat is Chris and Sunny’s frantic percussion, and Jonathan’s spiraling Afro-Carribean groove riff is the comedown.

As I look around the variety of beautiful skin colors around me, I find healing. As the bridge of “Apna Punjab Hove” begins, my friend, who hasn’t been dancing much tonight, begins tearing up the dance floor. My friends and I know that he is a professional Indian wedding dancer and we go berserk -- we’ve never seen him dance in the flesh before. As we circle around him, a woman in a kurti and another in a blue pin-up dress begin doing classical Indian dance moves. To their left, two men pair up and do Bhangra, a Punjabi-style dance. From beginning to end, Red Baraat puts its crowd into a loving trance, lulling us into hedonistic dancing for what seems like an eternity. Their infectious and magnetizing energy is an experience in itself. A sense of world peace is exposure to Red Baraat’s revolutionary and humanitarian virtuosity.

[thewickedsound]

Pyjaen and Blue Lab Beats on "Sage Secrets"

Pyjaen teamed up with Blue Lab Beats on new track "Sage Secrets". Pyjaen is a band with its common link in improvised music and the jazz tradition, but with the vision of pushing music forward in new directions. Dylan Jones (of EZRA Collective), Ben Vize, Daniele Diodato, Benjamin Crane and Charlie Hutchinson, all met at Trinity Laban College of music. The collective has the shared goal of exploring life through musical expression and perfecting their art. More than a quintet, Pyjaen is the unified expression of the emotions, journeys and influences that comprise its diverse members. The group melds funk, afro-beat and contemporary sounds with nods to hip-hop and disco. "Sage Secrets" sees the outfit join forces with the incredible Blue Lab Beats, creating a joyous, head-nod inducing jam. The song is full of punchy drums and dreamlike keys, perfectly punctuated by the watertight brass section. PYJÆN have been touring in the UK last year with dates at iconic venues such as the Jazz Cafe, Vortex Jazz Club and Ronnie Scott’s. Also playing Glastonbury, Love Supreme and Brainchild Festival. “Sage Secrets” is the first track from their forthcoming EP, due for release in April via DeepMatter. Sage Secrets feat Blue Lab Beats by PYJÆN

Jazztronica duo Blue Lab Beats are part of London's booming contemporary jazz scene, taking inspiration from grime, hip hop, neo-soul and Carribean music. Namali Kwaten aka NK-OK and David Mrakpor aka Mr DM as a duo, released their debut EP, "Blue Skies" in 2016 and have since scaled jazz charts in the UK, Europe and Japan and packed out shows including London's iconic Ronnie Scott’s. They also made remixes for Dua Lipa and Rag’n’Bone Man. Their debut album, "Xover" came out in 2018. The album features a whole bunch of amazing musicians including Nubya Garcia, Dylan Jones, Moses Boyd, Femi Koleoso, Ashley Henry, Daniel Casimir, Sheila Maurice-Grey and Nérija. It was a culmination of years of musical interactions at places like Tomorrow’s Warriors, where they all met each other. Last year was really busy for them, they released "Vibe Central" EP and a full album called “Voyage”, both records are wonderful. Read the full article

[5footassassin]

Stoked to follow up legends #SteelPulse, Santi White #Santigold shared that she grew up on their music in her family’s home. Reggae and Afro-Carribean dancehall are evident roots for Santigold’s Brooklyn art-pop. Due to short set-time, the show was concise and there wasn’t much chatting. It was a block of time dedicated to dancing off the hard work of a long year! Santigold gave attendees their experience worth by filling every moment with hit after hit, danceable track after track. People got lost in songs like “Les Artistes,” “Unstoppable,” “Shove It,” and “Go.” Santigold found the crowd and invited them to join on stage for “Creator,” where Santi sassily spits the line, “Don’t you crush on me/I’ll see you in your pipe dreams!” The song “Disparate Youth” rings as anthem to fighting for rights, equality and safe space–in the case of the Emerald Cup, such poetry narrates decades of pain staking advocacy for the right to plant medicine. A fight that many small-batch companies have lost to corporate interest. 🌲🍪💨🎲🔥🦢⭐ @santigold gallery Read more of @theemeraldcup review @sfsonic 🎧: https://sfsonic.com/concerts/high-vibes-shine-emerald-bright/ #SFSonic #MusicReview #TheEmeraldCup2019 #santigolddancers #Dancers #dancemusic #artpop #CannabisAndMusic #MusicPhotographer #Rockographer #livemusic #instaconcert #lovewhatwedo #weedandmusic #MusicFestival #inthepit #musician #10yearsgolder #santigold10yearsgolder #photographersofSF #photographersofoakland #golden #fbf #flashbackfriday (at The Emerald Cup) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7_zXyehMbe/?igshid=10ry54u59pgrq

[freelanews-blog]

Zlatan, Gigi Atlantis, Oladapo, Buju, Others Perform At The Alternative Party

The 26th edition of The Basement Gig themed ‘The Alternative Party’ held last week Friday, August 15th at ‘Utopia Lagos’. The event featured performances from Oladapo, Oma Mahmud, Gigi Atlantis, Timmy Knight, Idyl, Buju, and surprise guest, Zlatan. This edition also hosted an exclusive listening for afro-carribean duo, Boybreed’s new project ‘Made In The Tropics’. In attendance were media personalities Oscar Oyinsan, Dadaboy Ehiz, Moet Abebe, Quincy Jonze; musicians, Tomi Thomas, GoodGirl LA; industry executives, Foza, Godwin Tom, and so much more. The energy was top notch as resident DJ’s, DJ Six7even, DJ Xquisite & guest, Paranormal DJ spun back to back hit records. The Alternative Party was hosted by award winning media personalities, Kemi Smallzz and Sheye Banks. In over 2 years, The Basement Gig has given young and emerging talents a platform to be discovered, and created an avenue for music enthusiasts to network. This edition was powered by The Zone Agency, supported by Budweiser Nigeria, MTV Base, Hot FM, Zebra Stripes Networks, Vibe dot Ng and FreeMe Digital. Read the full article

[6-weeks-in-nicaragua]

11 Febrero

It’s been a minute–a lot has happened since las iglesias! I’m alive and well. Knock on wood but so far no explosive diarrhea, no homesickness, no lost passport, no funky encounters... todo bien!

A quick update and then I’m going to just throw a bunch of random experiences, thoughts, and pictures I’ve accumulated over the past 4 or so days cause I have no way of keeping track of it all–so many things happen every day...

UPDATE: Estoy solo en Nicaragua y estoy manejando.

Both Noel and Lorena have gone stateside temporarily. Everybody is okay - no se preocupen. This leaves me alone, but not entirely. A friend of Lorena’s, Noelia, is going to help take care of Toto and may, in fact, even stay in the house part-time or full-time. So we’re all good! Noel left a few days ago and I took Lorena to the airport today. If I remember, I’ll tell you about my first driving adventure later! Anyhow, things were a bit crazy as these plans were all being made–hence the lack of posting. So here we go...

LAS HORMIGAS

These ants live at the Choco Museum and I like them. What I don’t like are the zancudos (mosquitos). They seem to be getting worse with the drier/hotter weather. I’m not sure why but they’re lovin’ my ankles and shoulders. 

IT’S THE 1ST OF THE MONTH

On the first Monday of the month, there was an incredible line outside of the bank–the longest line I’ve seen in Nicaragua by far. It turns out that it’s all the retired people collecting their pension. 

EL PEREZOSO TUVO EXITO

En fin, yo aprendí que significa la phrase–Tener exito–to succeed. That’s my ‘word’ of the week along with Perezoso–both the adjective lazy and the word for a sloth. 

I stumbled upon this beautiful block. On the left is La Fortaleza, an old fort that may have future plans but, for the time being, is closed to the public although apparently some private/government soirees are thrown there too. I was mostly, however, drawn to those 4 casitas. Que linda, verdad?!

MASA

I had my first Nacatamal of the trip. This is a Nicaraguan tamale, but truly a league beyond a tamale. They’re typically made and consumed on weekends only. There’s a panadería nearby called Doña Haydee (?), y hace nacatamals de pollo y de cerdo. They are only available Fri-Sun until they run out. 

Arleen told me that they use fake masa here in Granada for their tortillas. No usan maza reál en Granada. Solo puede comprar en Masaya. En general, por allá la gente son más trabajadores, más creativo, y más educado. I think somebody might have a grudge against Granada folks... But I have now heard from multiple people that Masaya is indeed a culinary mecca for Nicaragua. We’d gone once but only to see the market, which is well known for its plethora of quality goods. Pues, vamos a comer en Masaya! 

LA EDUCACION

Arleen and I continue to discuss various issues. As we sat in the Cathedral and interpreted the new paintings on the ceiling (Noah’s Ark, Abraham and Isaac(?), Exodus, etc.), we shifted back to education. As she was talking about public and private schools, it sounded like she was arguing that there was little to no value in public school education–textbooks that are 20+ years old, lack of textbooks and other materials, etc. So I asked her if she’d rather not send her boy to school than to a public school. She laughed but agreed that for her, it was no choice. She and her husband (an engineer) do, and would, sacrifice what they would need to, in order to send him through private school. And even a private school is limited. She described the amount of work that parents (moms) have to do to supplement the school education. Ultimately, we agreed that she had a nearly full-time job of being a teacher to her son. She studies with him, draws up her own exercises for him and even her own exams. 

4:30pm is a really cool time to be out and about. All of the students are getting out of school and, with their uniforms, seemingly take over the streets. I wish I had a picture to share. 

WILLIAM WALKER

We also talked about William Walker. This is the umpteenth time I’ve heard William Walker but was never quite sure why. His name came up one night the guys were arguing about the political crisis. Now I have a vague understanding of why. Essentially, with his own army he marched down Central America, pillaging, pirating, and claiming ownership over land. He would take natural resources (e.g. stones, minerals) and sell them in Europe. This was in or around the 1850′s. And thus began the American involvement in Nicaragua. 

XALTEVA

The name of one of the local tribes was Xalteva. As we watched a couple groups of musicians and dancers performing traditional songs and dances (who are contracted by the Tourism office to perform when buses of tourists are scheduled to arrive via Costa Rica or Panama for the day), I asked if this was rooted in Xalteva culture. No. She said the folkart comes from colonial times and is a result of the mix of Inios, Españoles, y Afro-Carribeans. I am excited to read El Gueguense because I think I’ll have a better understanding of all this after. But in a nut shell, much of the traditional arts are rooted in the dissent of Colonialism–’secret’ songs and dances of empowerment that snuck through the eyes and ears of the Spanish imperialists. I think that’s incredible!

COST COMPARISON

As I prepare to be alone, I stopped by the Maxx Pali (a grocery outlet, more or less) and picked up some bare essentials. The Protex is a bar of oatmeal soap. The cereal was the healthiest I could find. And the silver plastic bag is known as chile. It’s spicy pickled chopped onions - by far the best condiment in the world! $15 total. Somehow they only charged me 1 córdoba (1/32.6 of a dollar) for the floss, I’m guessing that means it’s not a very popular product... 

DRIVING IN MANAGUA

That was the name of the first book I read about Nicaragua ahead of my first trip in 2015. It’s amazing and I highly recommend it, although the caveat is that it’s about a white guy living/traveling in Nicaragua written by the white guy himself. But his observations are quite acute and I easily relate to some of them. 

So my sense of direction proved helpful. I was able to navigate around town, to Managua, to the airport, back to Tia Karla’s house, back to Granada. BUT I NEARLY GOT CRUSHED BY A BUS! So Nicaragua prefers roundabouts to traffic signals. I have no problem with that. But there aren’t really any lanes so it’s a bit of a free-for-all. And it’s legal for one on the inside line to leave the roundabout, thus cutting off anyone on the outside. I was nervous about these and during our drive to Managua today, asked Lorena a million hypothetical questions. We went through a few to practice, and all was good. But I still imaged these hypothetical situations and didn’t understand how to avoid them.

So after giving myself a pat on the back for navigating from the airport, to Karla’s, and back to Calleterra Masaya (the hwy) - I was going through the roundabout to enter the highway. I was in the circle, thus establishing the right of way from cars not yet in the circle. I passed the first turn. I passed the second turn. And as I was nearing the third, a bus was approaching the circle at a high speed. Now, so far, I’ve learned to the key to a safe ride is to drive defensively in an aggressive manner. So I dared not stop in the middle of the circle. I held my breath and continued past the 3rd street as the bus entered the circle. It was now my turn to bear right out of the circle and I needed to cut off the bus (but it’s not cutting off, I have the right of way). So I kept on holding my breath and zoomed by with the bus zooming lord knows many millimeters behind me. Had he hit me, I think he would have pushed me into the guardrail and I probably would have gone over the guardrail and down a couple stories onto the highway below...

Driving feels like a video game. A lot of veering one way and the next. Dodging people, bicycles, motorcycles, horses, buses, taxis, etc. It’s like Frogger but reversed. There are a million frogs crossing and you’re the car trying to make it from pt. a to pt. b without hitting or getting hit by one. It’s fun and exhilarating but it’s also real life. 

END ON A GOOD NOTE

This is part of Noelia’s patio. I absolutely love it! Nadessa arrives tomorrow for a week so I gotta get some rest. 

Estoy apreciado de tú y tú y todos. Buenas Noches!

[avaliveradio]

FAZIAN Fast & Hard, Fast & Furious (feat. Kion K19 Thurman)

Artist: FAZIAN

New Release: Fast & Hard, Fast & Furious (feat. Kion K19 Thurman)

Genre: Genre : Pop – Sub-genre : R&B, Hip Hop, adult contemporary

Sounds like: : The Weeknd, Franck Ocean, Prince, Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, Daft Punk.

Located in: : French Caribbean territories and Paris.

This song deals with the speed of life, with all the struggles and fights that you can lead to day after day to realize the goals that you want to reach in life. Most of the time, when you are writing a song it can be just imagination or fiction, but another part of it can talk about your real-life and what you are doing to level up yourself and to realize your dreams.

The music we are creating is... 

The music that I'm creating embraces several styles like Pop, Rnb, Electro wave, Caribbean beat, Contemporary Music, and Hip Hop. As a french Caribbean artist, the place where I live is a crossroads of Europe, America, Africa, Eastern Asia, and Indian Americans. I'm living in a place where the Caribbean mysticism meets international Pop music that nourishes me when I'm writing and producing my music.

The single message that I could leave with this song is to never slow down or weaken when you have to fight and focus on your targets to concrete your dreams.

Right now, except for my current new single “Fast & Hard, Fast & Furious”, I'm focusing also on the songs and singles that I will release in the next few weeks and months. I'm also preparing music videos that will be broadcasting with the next singles. As an independent artist, I'm also recording and writing a new album titled “Music is not Dead” which will be my third album. My previous albums were released in 2012 and 2017, respectively titled “Wonderland in the Carribean” and “Get Me In Your Mind”.

About the Artist...

 FAZIAN alias Thierry Nicolas Phazian is a multidisciplinary artist creating for over 15 years as a musician, songwriter, singer, as well as a visual artist in the contemporary visual arts, for whom, his two areas of artistic expression music and visual arts function as two sides of the same medal that nourish his identity and personality of the artist. His debut album "Wonderland in the Carribean" was based on covers of songs by Stevie Wonder adapted to Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Brazilian arrangements and the second album "Get Me In Your Mind" was more on Pop / soul and Electro wave songs by his compositions.

His latest single titled “Fast & Hard, Fast & Furious” is a song that will be in his next and third album to be released at the beginning of 2021.

LINKS: 

https://open.spotify.com/album/5s2zBEvKaA2hojHTEhxB93 https://www.instagram.com/fazian4art/?hl=fr https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/fazian/fast--hard-fast--furious-feat-kion-k19-thurman https://www.facebook.com/FazianMusic https://www.songtradr.com/thierry.phazian

[riffsstrides]

The Vampires

South Coasting

Earshift, 2008

Jeremy Rose - alto saxophone Nick Garbett - trumpet Mike Majkowski - double bass Alex Masso - drums Shannon Barnett - trombone

The Vampires bring together four of Sydney's most talented emerging jazz musicians, saxophonist Jeremy Rose, trumpeter Nick Garbett, bassist Mike Majkowski, and drummer Alex Masso, in a group which performed together for three years prior to this debut album, South Coasting. The music is informed directly by the diverse experiences of the band in musical settings such as the Mike Nock Trio, Watussi, and the Splinter Orchestra, as well as Rose's recent studies in Oslo, Norway. The sax and trumpet front line of Jeremy Rose and Nick Garbett, who recently relocated to the South Coast, form a natural musical partnership, as does the formidable and like minded rhythm section team of Mike Majkowski and Alex Masso.   Their debut album highlights the compositions of Rose and Garbett, who have developed a specific style drawing from Afro-Carribean and South American grooves, as well as the group's own approach to improvising. Having performed their music around Sydney and on tours over the past two years, South Coasting was recorded 2007 in Melbourne with the trombonist, Shannon Barnett, (Vada, Barney McAll) invited to supplement the group on some tracks. Since the band's inception, The Vampires have had a rigorous touring program, performing throughout much of regional New South Wales, Brisbane and Melbourne. They have also been involved with Goulburn Music Week, Wollongong Youth Jazz Festival, and were featured on ABC Classic FM’s “Sunday Live in March” program.

in thevampiresmusic.bandcamp.com

[ajaklaaaaaaaa]

From the 18th until the 20th of October the ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event) takes place for the 22st time (since 1995). Even if the event calls itself an “electronic music platform and the biggest club festival in the world for the whole spectrum of electronic sub-genres“ they’ve included HipHop related program as well. I’m happy to introduce you to some of the performing artists and conferences worth taking a look at. The first time I visited the ADE was by mistake last year. I just wanted to spend a nice touristical day in Amsterdam with my girlfriend, but we ended up pulling an all-nighter visiting free festival venues after wondering about all exciting daytime playground activities (to be seen in my facial expression in the picture below). After the introduction of some of the Dutch performing artists (you might already know some of them from YPHOT) I’ll give you some more general information about the festival and three HipHop related conference recommendations which are in line with the development that I’m addressing in my monthly series “HITS OF TOMORROW“. Bizzey – Traag ft. Jozo & Kraantje Pappie (prod. Ramiks & Bizzey) You hear this one in the clubs all the time. Listen: You’ll understand why! Adje & Architrackz – Silence Carribean vibe combined with a dark voice. Smooooth! Afro Bros & Finest Sno – Breek Je Bakka Afrobeats, catchy melodies and rap. Shake your boteeeh! ANBU – GEEN FOCK (prod. Jiri11) They would be Young Thugs favourite artists from NL! Lil Kleine – Loterij ft. Ronnie Flex (prod. Jack $hirak) If they look familiar to you it’s probably because of “Stoff und Schnaps”. There will be artists like Craig David, Daft Punk, FKA Twigs and Dwele from the US , artists like Bonkaz and Lethal Bizzle from the UK , UZ from CN and even more artists like Aziz Wrijving, GLOWINTHEDARK, Equalz, SBMG, Diquenza, Jonna Fraser, NoizBoiz, ROLLÀN, Young Felix, Yung Internet, Yung Nnelg, James Watss from the NL . Conference Recommendations: Hip-Hop’s Global Moment: Kees de Koning X Romain Bilharz 20/10, 13:00 – 13:45 Melkweg (M6 Panel Room) | Lijnbaansgracht 234A, Amsterdam Hip-Hop’s Global Moment A lively conversation with Romain Bilharz, CEO Island Africa, Island France and Motown France, and Kees de Koning, founder and owner of Top Notch in The Netherlands, on the emerging and exciting new opportunities they see for creative talent in a world that is rapidly getting smaller. Sony Music presents: The Growth Of Urban Latin & Reggaeton Worldwide 20/10, 17:00 – 17:45 Melkweg (M6 Panel Room) | Lijnbaansgracht 234A, Amsterdam A panel discussion hosted by Sony Music on the growing influence of reggaeton and urban latin music on pop culture worldwide, their strategies to further grow this market and the great potential the company sees for the future of urban latin music in non-Spanish speaking markets. With Alex Gallardo (Sony Music Latin, ES), C. Tangana (ES) and Servando (VE) as speakers. This Is Not America: Exploring The European Hip-Hop Market 20/10, 17:00 – 17:45 Melkweg (M5 Panel Room) | Lijnbaansgracht 234A, Amsterdam Never before has the Hip-Hop industry been this universal. In a world that is rapidly getting smaller, artists and music professionals from all over the world find their place within the Hip-Hop scene, influencing its sound and sonic direction, content and accent, and way of doing business. German input comes from Jakob Paur the online editor and deputy editor-in-chief from the JUICE Magazin. General information: Festival: ADE’s festival program covers the whole spectrum of electronic subgenres, with over 2,200 artists performing in 120 of Amsterdam’s finest music and nightlife spaces. In 2016 the festival attracted 375,000 festival visitors from around the globe, which makes it the world’s biggest club festival. Playground: ADE Playground provides entertainment, engagement and plenty of surprises for the legions of music fans visiting the ADE. The mostly free daytime program features dance music-related exhibitions, films, documentaries, DJ showcases, gear master classes and artist Music Talks. Conferences: ADE’s conference tracks offer the business and inspiration platform featuring dedicated programming for business professionals, start-ups, aspiring producers and musicians, students, VJs, visual artists and stage designers. In 2016 the conference welcomed 550 speakers and 7000 delegates. I hope you enjoyed the article For more global HipHop related articles chek my previous posts. Feel free to send me suggestions or feedback to „yoscha at runffm.com“. Find me on Facebook/Instagram/YouTube/SoundCloud/tumblr. Cya! Der Beitrag Dutch HipHop Videos – ADE Special erschien zuerst auf RUNFFM.

http://runffm.com/2017/10/dutch-hiphop-videos-ade-special/

[mollessbeatz-blog]

LinGo!!! Afro Dancehall beat ••••new beats all day••••• Share•••Subscribe••••Enjoy•• https://youtu.be/b9zz4dUepxE #50centralbet #melbourneblogger #sarkodie #mollessbeatz #model #fashion #musically #music #musicvideo #musician #musicproducer #beats #beatstars #beatz #beatsbydre @tbmawards1 #jamaica #dancehall #instrumental #carribean #riddim (at Geelong, Victoria)

[talldarknsexy]

Panamá: Way of the Road

Crossing the border from Costa Rica, the road gradually got much more rural, the terrain got much hillier, and the houses became bamboo and wooden huts. By evening I still hadn't seen much for food and stopped at a tiny tienda. Picked out a glamorous meal of ground sardines and a can of beans. I asked the shop owner if there was a place around here I could camp. "No" he said sharply. "A yard, a field, a church?... Anything in that direction?" I asked. "No" he said. I thanked him for nothing and walked out to my bike. There was about a half a dozen people standing, watching, staring as I saddled up. I also ran into these kind of circumstances alot in Guatemala where there is also a very significant indigenous population. And I have to say it sometimes makes me feel like a very unwanted guest. Right at sunset, out of nowhere, I came across a nicely constructed house and asked to camp in their yard. Soft grass, super nice family- would reccomend. The next day, I had a short ride to a Warmshowers host by the name of Charlie. Charlie turned out to be in his 70's and was in the midst of constructing a hostel, running his fruit tree farms, and rebuilding some old machines. Charlie had lived a pretty colorful life back in the 60's and 70's riding the wave of hallucinogenic drugs all the way from the states through Mexico and Central America. He had stories of meeting Timothy Leary, various musicians, and many others. Assuming a portion of Charlie's stories are true, I was thoroughly impressed and entertained. The next day, I passed by Charlie's farm where he was working. He treated me to even more organic coconuts, pineapple, avocado, and sugar cane juice. Luxuries in America, but all of which he had too much to know what to do with. He'd been declining my offers to help out, but I did let him trade his machete for mine that he'd been eyeing. The road that day took me back over the continental divide and involved about 4k feet of climbing. But, the sugar cane juice in particular was like fucking rocket-fuel. Midday, in a remote area while I was pushing my bike up a particularly steep section, a farmer and I shared a greeting. He then asked me in fairly fluid English if I was "enjoying my exercise." He went on to point out the mountain he climbs every day to tend his crops. I've never met a farmer who knew any semblance of English, especially in remote Panama, so of course I inquired as to how... "Cable Television!" he exclaimed with a big, toothless smile . I reached a hostel called Lost and Found at the top of the divide. It involved another kilometer through a jungle path with plenty of complimentary stone stairs, mosquitos, and cursing. The hostel was definitely worth it though. The view looked out on the Panamanian mountains and it was like looking down on Jurassic Park. I tried to party that night as it was July 4th, but honestly, there were too many Americans at the bar. Or, more specifically, Californians. And maybe I was too sober, or have already spent too long abroad, but the accent and attitude just sounded too abrasive to me. The next day was my first full day off the bike in over a week. That day I went with a German and an Australian to a river canyon with some cliff jumping. And that afternoon I told my bike saddle to get bent and put my ass in a hammock instead. It was a cruise back down to the Pacific coast and I made it to a sleepy little surf town of Las Lajas. The hostel was named Johnny Fiestas. I was a little dismayed to discover there was no Johnny nor a fiesta there at the time. There was the manager, Darrio, and his lady-friend Julia. They were both a lot of fun and so for the first time in my life, I insisted on buying the "whole bar" a round. Dario was an Afro-American/Italian from Luxembourg. He knew about 5 different languages and was as laid back as the Hermes character from Futurama. Julia left that next day and Dario graciously accepted my offer to volunteer there through the weekend as they were booked up. I've found volunteering is pretty typical for backpackers in Latin America. It's usually at least a month commitment working for 4-6 hours a day in exchange for a free stay and 1-3 meals. It sounds great at first, but I usually dismiss the idea as in this part of the world that equates to $2-$4/hr. This was a very small and relaxed spot though, and I spent most of my time swinging in a hammock. If there were guests I'd be behind the bar serving drinks, which I love doing anyways... Hell I did it plenty for free in college. The rest of the day you'd find me strolling the beach, hacking open coconuts, or (something resembling) surfing. It was a fun, refreshing, and intoxicated, vacation within a vacation. I said my goodbyes to all the good folks there and rode out of town. Very refreshed, but not super excited for the next three/four days of highway riding down the mundane Panamerican highway. My bottom bracket ate a big turd on the first day and I knew I'd have to shell out at least a pretty penny in Panama City. I spent the first night camped behind the business of a nice family that invited me to dinner. The second with bomberos, and the third camped at a hostel in a surf town that was housing solely me, two Dutch girls and a pair of rabbis from Australia. One of the younger bomberos at the station was looking for some help with his English homework. I am always very grateful for the patience of Latinos to help me with my Spanish, so of course I jumped at the opportunity. We were making some progress and I looked up how to translate a word to Spanish. He asked about the Google Translate app and I showed him some of the features, including how you can use the phone's camera to visually translate text. He immediately downloaded the app, closed his book, and ecstatically thanked me. I suddenly realized what I'd done, but it was too late. I did plead with him to only use it as a tool and to focus on actually learning the language. He was so incredibly thankful... But the damage was already done. The last day was an exhausting leg slowly entering the huge city of Panama. The last bit of my central America voyage was a very unceremonious struggle over the kilometer long bridge over the Panama canal. Traffic was whizzing by and there was no shoulder. I found a really nice hostel where I hung out for the weekend. It felt crazy to have gone from the indigenous poblados consisting of bamboo jungle huts in the north Carribean to the largest city in central America, abound with towering skycrapers and department stores. I spent a day boxing my bike and another visiting the canal. Leaving central America was fairly unceremonious, but reflecting on it I've got very strong feelings. It was a very diverse region with a lot to offer. Of the places I've traveled, I had some of the best experiences there, along with some of the most trying. Sometimes being there after a while, things become ordinary. I got used to arguing about my change with the 8 year old cashiers in tiendas. Ringing the immense amount of sweat out of my clothes was commonplace as was smearing them with deoderant. One day, climbing in Panama, my shorts got so wet and hot that my camera took 384 pictures of the inside of my pocket and tried making several emergency calls. Details like these I won't easily miss. But, I will miss the fun excursions in the lush jungle of volcanoes and waterfalls, the diversity of food and culture, and the farmer who pops his head out of his crops to give me a big toothless smile and wave. It's been a blast, but keen to see what South America has in store for me.

[celticmythpodshow]

CMP Special 19 Damh the Bard Interview

We chat with the Mythic Folk Musician and Druid, Damh the Bard

This is our first interview and we are lucky to be able to interview the famous Celtic Folk musician, Damh the Bard, and his wife, the multi-talented Artist Cerri Lee. Links to their websites and their work can be found below in the Show-notes. We also bring you an amazing competition for Damh's latest album, Tales from the Cowman as well as some astounding news about the revival of a national tradition in Ireland - the Festival of the Fires taking place on Beltane.

Full Show-notes, with all credits, can be found on our main Website at http://celticmythpodshow.com/bardinterview

Running Order:

Intro 0:42

News & Views 1:25

The Festival of the Fires 1:58

Twa Corbies by Damh the Bard 04:15

Damh the Bard Interview 7:54

Blodeuwedd by Damh the Bard 29:24

The Cauldron Born by Damh the Bard 45:51

Pagan Spirit Gathering 1:02:19

Cerri Lee 1:05:48

Grimspound by Damh the Bard 1:17:57

Competition 1:23:00

Spirit of Albion by Damh the Bard 1:24:19

Out-takes 1:28:44

We hope you enjoy it!

Gary & Ruthie x x x

Released: 30th April 2010, 1h 31m

It's always great to hear from you! Email garyandruth@celticmythpodshow.com, or leave us a message using Speakpipe

  The Festival of the Fires

Our fabulous news item introduces the Festival of Fires which is a resuscitation of the ancient fires of Tara that were lit on the Hill of Uisneach and the taken from County to County to ignite all of the fires in Ireland. Originally known as Bealtaine, the summertime festival was an important fixture on the worldwide calendar, attracting attendees from the four corners of the ancient world. Having not being officially celebrated in hundreds of years the festival is to return, rising from the ashes of the Bealtaine name as Festival of the Fires. It promises to be an event unlike anything ever witnessed in modern times - an iconic national celebration to truly ignite the summer. Created through the alchemy of ceremony, heritage, music, theatre, literature, arts, crafts, poetry, holistic health and sustainability. 

Festival of the Fires will feature the collective talents of hundreds of participants drawn from all over Ireland and the world, gathering at the exact centre-point of Ireland to celebrate the onset of summer.

One of the ceremonial highlights of the festival will be the lighting of a national fire, ignited first on the summit of Uisneach and then carried to hilltops in every one of Ireland's 32 counties. In ancient times, this sacred Uisneach fire was the catalyst for coast-to-coast celebrations with festivals and gatherings taking place in the fire sites, and in the communities below.

You can find out more about the festival on the website at http://festivalofthefires.com/.

  Twa Corbies

by Damh the Bard

A classic folk track, the Twa Corbies or 'two crows', given the Damh the Bard magical treatment for the new Crowman album.

  Damh the Bard Interview

(Pronounced 'Dave')

Damh is a musical storyteller who works within the world of myth that cannot be proved; where the Faerie really do dance on Midsummer's Eve, where the trees talk, and the Hollow Hills take you into the realms of Annwn. Where the Goddess rides her horse, guiding you to magic, and the Horned God of old calls us from the shadows of the Greenwood. [source]

Damh is also the relaxed voice behind Druidcast, the podcast from the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD).

You can find out more about Damh and his work on his website at paganmusic.co.uk or on our Contributor Page.

  Blodeuwedd

by Damh the Bard

The tale of Blodeuwedd taken by Damh from the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi.

  The Cauldon Born

by Damh the Bard

The Story of Cerridwen and how we are all, in a fashion, Cerridwen's Children, or "the Cauldron Born".

  Pagan Spirit Gathering

The Pagan Spirit Gathering (PSG) is one of America's oldest and largest Nature Spirituality festivals. Since its inception in 1980, PSG has been bringing together hundreds of people from throughout the United States, plus other countries, to create community, celebrate Summer Solstice, and commune with Nature in a sacred environment. Sponsored by Circle Sanctuary, PSG is open to long-time practitioners as well as newcomers of a wide range of Nature religion traditions, including Wiccan, Contemporary Pagan, Druidic, Heathen, Celtic, Baltic, Greco-Roman, Isian, Shamanic, Hermetic, Animistic, Egyptian, Native American, Afro-Carribean, Taoist, Pantheistic, Ecofeminist, and Nature Mystic. PSG is an opportunity for personal renewal, networking, education, and cultural enrichment.

You can see their musical line-up (including Damh) or book tickets on their website.

  Cerri Lee

Cerri Lee is a multi-talented visionary artist who can turn her hand to almost anything creative. She is inspired by nature, and the ancient Pagan myths and legends of many cultures, her beliefs as a modern day Druid as well as those around her. She can create anything from Rights of Passage gifts and altar pieces to wedding and birthday gifts, and will happily take on commissions. Each piece of artwork she creates is individual and can be personalised to you or your loved ones.

Her artwork has been used for album covers, featured in leading Pagan magazines, used as tattoos, and her sculptures are sent throughout the world.

Cerri is equally in her element when she is up to her elbows in clay or painting one of her fabulous pictures. She is partner to Druid musician and long-time supporter of our show, Damh the Bard and can be found supporting him at many of his performances.

You can see a gallery of Cerri's artist work on our website at Cerri's Gallery and you can find out more about Cerri and her work on her website on cerrilee.com or on our Contributor page.

  Grimspound

by Damh the Bard

Grimspound is a late Bronze Age settlement high on the moor. It’s surrounded by a large fallen stone wall, and inside you can still see the remains of the roundhouses. On a beautiful day it is incredibly peaceful, but on a typical Dartmoor day, with the wind and the rain, it must have been a harsh place to live.

"I sat with my guitar inside the remains of one of the roundhouses and just began to play on the guitar – looking around, breathing in the history of the place, imagining it full of life. What kind of people lived there. A Raven called overhead, and I felt I could see torchlight on the Tors either side of me. Voices of the Ancestors singing. The Land singing. And the melody of the guitar began to take shape. A ghostly and reflective refrain."

  Competition

Damh left us with a signed copy of his latest album, Tales from the Crowman, to give away as a competition prize. So, we set a competition based on Welsh Mythology for you.

  Spirit of Albion

by Damh the Bard

Damh plays us his rousing anthem, a paean of praise to the land, Spirit of Albion from the album of the same name.

  Get EXTRA content in the Celtic Myth Podshow App for iOS, Android & Windows

Contact Us: You can leave us a message by using the Speakpipe

Email us at: garyandruth@celticmythpodshow.com. Facebook fan-page http://www.facebook.com/CelticMythPodshow, Twitter (@CelticMythShow) or Snapchat (@garyandruth), Pinterest (celticmythshow) or Instagram (celticmythshow)

  Help Spread the Word:

Please also consider leaving us a rating, a review and subscribing in iTunes or 'Liking' our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/CelticMythPodshow as it helps let people discover our show - thank you :)

If you've enjoyed the show, would you mind sharing it on Twitter please? Click here to post a tweet!

Ways to subscribe to the Celtic Myth Podshow:

Click here to subscribe via iTunes

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  Special Thanks

Diane Arkenstone The Secret Garden. See her Contributor page for details.

Kim Robertson The Hangman's Noose. See her Contributor page for details.

Jigger Time Ticks Away. See her Contributor page for details.

  For our Theme Music:

The Skylark and Haghole, the brilliant Culann's Hounds. See their Contributor page for details.

  Extra Special Thanks for Unrestricted Access to Wonderful Music

(in Alphabetic order)

Anne Roos Extra Special thanks go for permission to use any of her masterful music to Anne Roos. You can find out more about Anne on her website or on her Contributor page.

Caera Extra Special thanks go for permission to any of her evocative harping and Gaelic singing to Caera. You can find out more about Caera on her website or on her Contributor Page.

Celia Extra Special Thanks go for permission to use any of her wonderful music to Celia Farran. You can find out more about Celia on her website or on her Contributor Page.

Damh the Bard Extra Special thanks go to Damh the Bard for his permission to use any of his music on the Show. You can find out more about Damh (Dave) on his website or on his Contributor page.

The Dolmen Extra Special thanks also go to The Dolmen, for their permission to use any of their fantastic Celtic Folk/Rock music on the Show. You can find out more about The Dolmen on their website or on our Contributor page.

Keltoria Extra Special thanks go for permission to use any of their inspired music to Keltoria. You can find out more about Keltoria on their website or on their Contributor page.

Kevin Skinner Extra Special thanks go for permission to use any of his superb music to Kevin Skinner. You can find out more about Kevin on his website or on his Contributor page.

Phil Thornton Extra Special Thanks go for permission to use any of his astounding ambient music to the Sonic Sorcerer himself, Phil Thornton. You can find out more about Phil on his website or on his Contributor Page.

S.J. Tucker Extra Special thanks go to Sooj for her permission to use any of her superb music. You can find out more about Sooj on her website or on her Contributor page.

Spiral Dance Extra Special thanks go for permission to use Adrienne and the band to use any of their music in the show. You can find out more about Spiral Dance on their website or on their Contributor page.

We'd like to wish you 'Slán Go Foill!', which is Irish for 'Goodbye', or more literally 'Wishing you safety for a while'!

Check out this episode!