[PopTodd]

Do you incorporate any elements of musical styles that are not of Western/European/North American origin into your tunes?
Do you listen to such music at all?

Myself: I listen to a LOT of music that would be classified as "World" music here in the States, but I don't think that any of it has really crept into my music at all.
Maybe it's due to the fact that I didn't grow up with those musical styles and they are just not a part of my musical DNA. Maybe I would be able to incorporate some of that stuff into my music if I had any formal musical training whatsoever. But, as it is, I have no idea what I am doing from a theoretical standpoint.

Anyway… what do you all listen to that falls under this umbrella? Anything?
Tropicalia?
Indian ragas?
Tuareg nomadic blues?

How has it affected your music?
TELL US!!!

[tone]

Hey Todd,

I love a bit of world music, and especially enjoy Malian music (African blues). Also on the way home last night I heard a bit of Indian classical music on the radio, a sitar player who performed a couple of ragas - I really got into it!

Does it find its way into my own music? Probably not as much as I'd like, but that's ok, right? I mean, I love to listen to Prince but I don't think I'm ever going to write a funk song :p

[Viscount Cramer & His Orchestra]

I've got an old tape in the car which I play a lot with Kanda Bongoman on one side and Fela Kuti on the other. I love 'Power Show' - the side one of the Fela Kuti album and play this more frequently - loud!
Lots of Reggae tapes too of course. Love it!

About 20 odd years ago, for a few years, we would always go to the WOMAD festival in good old Reading. Always lots of African music there (and Van the Man headlined one year!)

I still listen to a couple of tapes a mate did for me of African stuff but no idea of the names. A lot of Soukous music...

I don't ever do anything with these as influences though. Just enjoy listening to a diverse range of music. One of my faves which I can never listen to too often is 'Sodade' by Cesaria Evora from Cabo Verde.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERYY8GJ-i0I

[PopTodd]

I love Cesaria Evora!
One of my favorite voices, ever.
Nice.

[Gallowglass]

I've mimicked the sound of the clarsach - Irish harp - on the bass guitar before. It's so melodic and atmospheric, and on the bass guitar you don't have to sacrifice any ability to get the audience excited and pumped-up.

[GilgaFrank]

I've been listening to a lot of African music, especially Sonah Jobarteh. There's something extraordinary about her voice, like you understand the song even if you don't understand the language she's singing in.

And from Bulgaria, the incredible sound of Nadka Karadjova.

[ Invalid YouTube link ]

[beckylucythomas]

Lovin the love for Cesaria Evora!

I went to Ethiopia about 18 months ago to visit my sister when she was living there, so she introduced me to some Ethiopian stuff like Ethio Jazz. We saw Alemayehu Eshete perform in a cool jazz club. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dl8g1o64uLY

[diademgrove]

These are from North America but I would count them as World Music:

Much better than the modern interpretations of Native American music is my view.

[GilgaFrank]

This is a bit of a difficult listen, prison work songs. Hypnotic music from a hard life.