Globalization and the Globalization and the Rise of World MusicRise of World Music

During the 1980s During the 1980s

The boundary between mainstream The boundary between mainstream and marginal music became fuzzy.and marginal music became fuzzy.

The twin pressures to expand the The twin pressures to expand the global market for American popular global market for American popular music and create new alternative music and create new alternative genres and audiences within the genres and audiences within the American market grew ever American market grew ever stronger. stronger.

A new category called “world” music A new category called “world” music emerged.emerged.

World MusicWorld Music

The term was first systematically The term was first systematically adopted in the late 1980s by adopted in the late 1980s by independent record label owners and independent record label owners and concert promoters.concert promoters.

It replaced categories such as It replaced categories such as “traditional music,” “international “traditional music,” “international music,” and “ethnic music” in the music,” and “ethnic music” in the popular music marketplace. popular music marketplace.

World MusicWorld Music

While transnational entertainment While transnational entertainment corporations successfully marketed corporations successfully marketed American pop music around the American pop music around the globe, most of the world’s music globe, most of the world’s music continued to have little or no direct continued to have little or no direct influence on the American influence on the American marketplace.marketplace.

World MusicWorld Music Examples of international influence on the Examples of international influence on the

American pop mainstream before the 1980s:American pop mainstream before the 1980s: Cuban rumbaCuban rumba Hawai’ian guitarHawai’ian guitar Mexican marimba records of the 1920s and 1930sMexican marimba records of the 1920s and 1930s Indian classical musician Ravi Shankar’s album Indian classical musician Ravi Shankar’s album

Live at the Monterey Pop FestivalLive at the Monterey Pop Festival (Number Forty- (Number Forty-three in 1967)three in 1967)

“ “Grazing in the Grass” (1968), a Number One hit Grazing in the Grass” (1968), a Number One hit by the South African jazz musician Hugh Masekela by the South African jazz musician Hugh Masekela

““Soul Makossa” (1973), the Top 40 dance club Soul Makossa” (1973), the Top 40 dance club single by the Cameroonian pop musician Manu single by the Cameroonian pop musician Manu DibangoDibango

““The Lion Sleeps Tonight”The Lion Sleeps Tonight” Rock ’n’ roll hit by the Tokens (Number Rock ’n’ roll hit by the Tokens (Number

One in 1961)One in 1961) Adaptation of a hit single by the urban folk Adaptation of a hit single by the urban folk

group the Weavers, titled “Wimoweh” (a group the Weavers, titled “Wimoweh” (a Number Fourteen pop single in 1952)Number Fourteen pop single in 1952)

““Wimoweh” had in turn been an Wimoweh” had in turn been an adaptation of a 1939 South African adaptation of a 1939 South African recording by a vocal group made up of recording by a vocal group made up of Zulu mine workers, Solomon Linda and the Zulu mine workers, Solomon Linda and the Evening Birds. Evening Birds.

This sort of rip-off reflected the global This sort of rip-off reflected the global imbalances of power that had initially imbalances of power that had initially been created by Western colonialism. been created by Western colonialism.

World MusicWorld Music

Later world fusion or world beat Later world fusion or world beat projects helped redress this projects helped redress this imbalance to some degree:imbalance to some degree:

– Paul Simon’s pioneering albums Paul Simon’s pioneering albums Graceland Graceland and and The Rhythm of the SaintsThe Rhythm of the Saints

– The annual WOMAD (World Music and The annual WOMAD (World Music and Dance) festival, initiated in 1982 by Dance) festival, initiated in 1982 by Peter GabrielPeter Gabriel

– Various recordings by David Byrne and Various recordings by David Byrne and Ry CooderRy Cooder

Juju MusicJuju Music by King Sunny by King Sunny AdéAdé

1982 album by a Nigerian group called the 1982 album by a Nigerian group called the African Beats, led by the guitarist King African Beats, led by the guitarist King Sunny Adé; became popular in AmericaSunny Adé; became popular in America

Featured an infectious brand of urban Featured an infectious brand of urban African dance music that blended electric African dance music that blended electric guitars, Christian church hymns, and Afro-guitars, Christian church hymns, and Afro-Caribbean rhythms with the pulsating Caribbean rhythms with the pulsating sound of the Yoruba “talking drum” sound of the Yoruba “talking drum”

Sold over 100,000 copies and rose to Sold over 100,000 copies and rose to Number 111 on Number 111 on BillboardBillboard’s album chart’s album chart

King Sunny AdéKing Sunny Adé

Succeeded in establishing a market Succeeded in establishing a market for so-called Afro-pop music, opening for so-called Afro-pop music, opening the door for African popular the door for African popular musicians: musicians: – Youssou N’dour (Senegal)Youssou N’dour (Senegal)– Salif Keita (Mali)Salif Keita (Mali)– Thomas Mapfumo (Zimbabwe)Thomas Mapfumo (Zimbabwe)– Ali Farka TouréAli Farka Touré

Adult Alternative AlbumsAdult Alternative Albums

By 1990, when the heading “world music” By 1990, when the heading “world music” first appeared above a first appeared above a Billboard Billboard record record chart, it was as a subcategory of the chart, it was as a subcategory of the broader heading “adult alternative albums.”broader heading “adult alternative albums.”

This latter category included New Age This latter category included New Age music.music.

– Genre of instrumental music designed to Genre of instrumental music designed to facilitate contemplative and mystical moodsfacilitate contemplative and mystical moods

– Sometimes loosely linked with the religious and Sometimes loosely linked with the religious and healing practices of Native American, African, healing practices of Native American, African, and Asian culturesand Asian cultures

What, then, is world music?What, then, is world music? In a strictly musical sense, it is a pseudo-In a strictly musical sense, it is a pseudo-

genre, taking into its sweep diverse styles:genre, taking into its sweep diverse styles:– African urban pop (juju)African urban pop (juju)– Pakistani dance club music (bhangara)Pakistani dance club music (bhangara)– Australian Aboriginal rock music (the band Australian Aboriginal rock music (the band

Yothu Yindi)Yothu Yindi)– The Bulgarian State Radio and Television The Bulgarian State Radio and Television

Female Vocal Choir, whose evocatively titled Female Vocal Choir, whose evocatively titled 1987 release 1987 release Le Mystère des Voix BulgaresLe Mystère des Voix Bulgares ((The Mystery of the Bulgarian VoicesThe Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices) reached ) reached Number 165 on the Number 165 on the BillboardBillboard album chart in album chart in 19881988

Two World Music Two World Music CollaborationsCollaborations

Ali Farka TourAli Farka Touréé and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan By the 1990s, collaborations between American By the 1990s, collaborations between American

and foreign musicians had become more and foreign musicians had become more common: common: – Folk and alternative music fans searched for a broader Folk and alternative music fans searched for a broader

range of musical experiencesrange of musical experiences– The globalization of the music industryThe globalization of the music industry

Two particularly interesting examples of this sort Two particularly interesting examples of this sort of transnational collaboration:of transnational collaboration:– The album The album Talking TimbuktuTalking Timbuktu,, which won the Grammy for which won the Grammy for

Best World Music Recording in 1994Best World Music Recording in 1994– Sampler album inspired by the film Sampler album inspired by the film Dead Man WalkingDead Man Walking, ,

which reached Number Sixty-one on the album charts in which reached Number Sixty-one on the album charts in 1996.1996.

Talking TimbuktuTalking Timbuktu Produced by the singer and guitarist Ry Produced by the singer and guitarist Ry

Cooder (b. 1947 in Los Angeles)Cooder (b. 1947 in Los Angeles)– Cooder’s career as a session musician and Cooder’s career as a session musician and

bandleader encompassed a wide array of bandleader encompassed a wide array of styles, including blues, reggae, Tex-Mex styles, including blues, reggae, Tex-Mex music, urban folk song, Hawai’ian guitar music, urban folk song, Hawai’ian guitar music, Dixieland jazz, and gospel music. music, Dixieland jazz, and gospel music.

The sound and sensibility of The sound and sensibility of Talking Talking Timbuktu Timbuktu are derived from the music of are derived from the music of Ali Farka Touré (b. 1950), a guitarist and Ali Farka Touré (b. 1950), a guitarist and traditional praise singer (griot) from the traditional praise singer (griot) from the West African nation of Mali.West African nation of Mali.

Talking TimbuktuTalking Timbuktu

An American listener will notice that An American listener will notice that “Diaraby” has similarities to blues “Diaraby” has similarities to blues styles in America.styles in America.

– Touré’s style was directly influenced by Touré’s style was directly influenced by American blues musicians such as John American blues musicians such as John Lee Hooker, whose records he discovered Lee Hooker, whose records he discovered after his career was established in Africa.after his career was established in Africa.

Talking Timbuktu Talking Timbuktu features features contributions by the blues guitarist and contributions by the blues guitarist and fiddler Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown fiddler Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown and various prominent session and various prominent session musicians.musicians.

Talking TimbuktuTalking Timbuktu

The result, as exemplified by “Diaraby,” The result, as exemplified by “Diaraby,” sung in the Bambara language, hews close sung in the Bambara language, hews close to its African roots, with the American to its African roots, with the American musicians playing in support of Touré. musicians playing in support of Touré.

The lyric of the song is itself reminiscent of The lyric of the song is itself reminiscent of the bittersweet emotion of some American the bittersweet emotion of some American blues.blues.

The sound and sensibility of “Diaraby” The sound and sensibility of “Diaraby” provide additional evidence of the deep provide additional evidence of the deep links between African and American music. links between African and American music.

““The Face of Love” The Face of Love”

FeaturesFeatures– The lead singer for the Seattle-based The lead singer for the Seattle-based

alternative rock band Pearl Jam, Eddie alternative rock band Pearl Jam, Eddie Vedder (b. 1966 in Chicago)Vedder (b. 1966 in Chicago)

– The great Pakistani musician Nusrat The great Pakistani musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (1948–97)Fateh Ali Khan (1948–97)

– Produced by Ry CooderProduced by Ry Cooder

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (1948–Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (1948–97)97)

Khan was a leading performer of Khan was a leading performer of qawwali, a genre of mystical singing qawwali, a genre of mystical singing practiced by Sufi Muslims in Pakistan and practiced by Sufi Muslims in Pakistan and India. India.

Sufism was founded in Iran between the Sufism was founded in Iran between the ninth and twelfth centuries C.E. ninth and twelfth centuries C.E.

– A response to orthodox Islam, Sufism A response to orthodox Islam, Sufism emphasizes the inner kinship between God emphasizes the inner kinship between God and human beings and seeks to bridge the and human beings and seeks to bridge the distance between them through the force of distance between them through the force of love. love.

Qawwali singingQawwali singing Qawwali singing is traditionally Qawwali singing is traditionally

accompanied by a double-headed drum accompanied by a double-headed drum called the called the dholak dholak (or a (or a tabla, tabla, used in used in Indian classical music) and a portable Indian classical music) and a portable keyboard instrument called the keyboard instrument called the harmonium, which creates a continuous harmonium, which creates a continuous drone under the singing. drone under the singing.

In traditional settings, the lead singer (or In traditional settings, the lead singer (or qawwal) alternates stanzas of traditional qawwal) alternates stanzas of traditional poetic texts with elaborate melodic poetic texts with elaborate melodic improvisations, in an attempt to spiritually improvisations, in an attempt to spiritually arouse his listeners and move them into arouse his listeners and move them into emotional proximity with the Divine.emotional proximity with the Divine.

Nusrat Fateh Ali KhanNusrat Fateh Ali Khan

During the 1990s, Nusrat Fateh Ali During the 1990s, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan became the first qawwali Khan became the first qawwali artist to command a large artist to command a large international following.international following.

– Performed at the annual WOMAD Performed at the annual WOMAD festivals curated by the rock star Peter festivals curated by the rock star Peter GabrielGabriel

– Made a series of recordings released Made a series of recordings released on Gabriel’s Real World label on Gabriel’s Real World label

Dead Man WalkingDead Man Walking

The 1996 film The 1996 film Dead Man WalkingDead Man Walking—the —the story of a nun’s attempt to redeem story of a nun’s attempt to redeem the soul of a convicted murderer on the soul of a convicted murderer on the verge of execution—was the first the verge of execution—was the first to foreground Khan’s contributions. to foreground Khan’s contributions.

Many reviews of Many reviews of Dead Man Walking Dead Man Walking emphasized the contribution of Khan’s emphasized the contribution of Khan’s voice to the haunting, mystical, and voice to the haunting, mystical, and spiritual atmosphere of the film. spiritual atmosphere of the film.

““The Face of Love”The Face of Love”

Based on a simple melody, sung first by Based on a simple melody, sung first by Khan with lyrics in the Urdu language, Khan with lyrics in the Urdu language, and then with English lyrics by Pearl and then with English lyrics by Pearl Jam’s lead singer Eddie VedderJam’s lead singer Eddie Vedder

The sound of the music and the The sound of the music and the mysticism of the Sufi poetic text mysticism of the Sufi poetic text resonate with the atmosphere of the resonate with the atmosphere of the film—the contemplative mood of a man film—the contemplative mood of a man sentenced to die by lethal injection. sentenced to die by lethal injection.

Dead Man WalkingDead Man Walking

Khan’s appearance on the soundtrack of Khan’s appearance on the soundtrack of Dead Man Walking Dead Man Walking led to his being led to his being signed by the indie label American signed by the indie label American RecordingsRecordings

– Managed by Rick Rubin, formerly the Managed by Rick Rubin, formerly the mastermind behind Run-D.M.C. and the mastermind behind Run-D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys. Beastie Boys.

– The label’s roster included not only Nusrat The label’s roster included not only Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan but also the “death metal” Fateh Ali Khan but also the “death metal” band Slayer, the rap artist Sir Mix- A-Lot, and band Slayer, the rap artist Sir Mix- A-Lot, and the country music icon Johnny Cashthe country music icon Johnny Cash