Where are the World Music Festivals?!

Every year the big music festivals come around, and while they all seem to advertise having a full gamut of musical styles, it always seems to be the same bands every year. Now, of course I am generalizing a bit here, but bear with me. Lets take the High Sierra Music Festival that just happened over the weekend. Hmmm, surprise, surprise, its the usual mix of jam bands tossed in with a taste of reggae and a "bluegrass" band or two, maybe a singer songwriter. Not a sitar, doumbek, djembe, bagpipe, or the like in sight! (or earshot). Nothing against Tea Leaf Green, ALO, Umphries McGee and the like, I love you guys! But I've seen you at every one of these cookie cutter festivals. The same smelly burn-out kids, various Phish heads, and the ever present dead head. I love you too! But...will someone please turn me/us onto some festivals with a real variety of music, including ethnic, world, non-western music?
They have got to be out there. Right?
PS- There is one smaller music festival that has been going on for a few years now that always provides a great line-up of music and musical styles, many from other countries. This is the Joshua Tree Music Festival, in Joshua Tree, California. Definitely worth checking out:

www.joshuatreemusicfestival.com

Music will save the World!

Djembe Passion

From Wikipedia:
A djembe (pronounced /ˈdʒɛmbeɪ/ JEM-bay) also known as djimbe, jenbe, jymbe, jembe, yembe, or jimbay, or sanbanyi in Susu; is a skin covered hand drum, shaped like a large goblet, and meant to be played with bare hands. According to the Bamana people in Mali, the name of the djembe comes directly from the saying "Anke dje, anke be" which literally translates to "everyone gather together", and defines the drum's purpose. "Dje" is the verb for "gather" in Bamanakan, and "be" translates as "everyone" in Bamanakan.Legend has it that the first djembe's were made from the skin of the mythical cross between a giraffe and a zebra, the 'gebraffe'.

Well, I think you have the idea now. Yours djembe comments are welcome here!

Doumbek Delight

From Wikipedia:
The goblet drum (also chalice drum) is a goblet shaped hand drum used mostly in Arabic, Assyrian, Persian, Balkan, Greek, Armenian, Azeri and Turkish music. Its thin, responsive drumhead and resonance help it produce a distinctively crisp sound. Though it is not known exactly when it was made it is known to be ancient of origin.

Please post your comments about the doumbek, darbuka, tablah, simbati, whatever yours is named, which of course depends on where its from. They are all great though, and we want to hear about your experiences. Post your comments, links, etc.

All about Ouds

From Wikipedia:
The oud (Arabic: عود‎ ʿūd, plural: أعواد, a‘wād; Assyrian: ܥܘܕ ūd, Persian: بربط barbat; Turkish: ud or ut;^[1] Greek: ούτι; Armenian: ուդ, Azeri: ud; Hebrew: עוד ud); Somali: Cuud "'uud" or Kaban) is a pear-shaped, stringed instrument, which is often seen as the predecessor of the western lute, distinguished primarily by being without frets, commonly used in Middle Eastern music.

Please post your comments concerning this amazing instrument. Do you prefer Arabic or Egyptian ouds? 11, 12 string? What tuning do you use? What woods are in your oud?

Have a great holiday weekend!

Here's wishing you and your loved ones a very fun and safe fourth of July!

Watch live music!

The Meditation of Sitar

For me, its got to be the drone. That all too familiar note, heard so many ways, but yet somehow always the same. Whether its the chanting of the Buddhist monks in the high mountains of Tibet, or the drone of the Aboriginal Didjeridoo proclaiming its message to the Australian outback, its all somehow the same and connected. Its something primal, something that beckons to our core, the indiscribable feeling of ultimate Zen.

The Sitar is the perfect example of this Universal note. As I listen to Ravi Shankar begin his performance, he begins with this drone, the sympathetic note that so defines this beautiful music. He is accompanied during this concert with a Sur Bahar player, which is a deeper bass version of the Sitar, and a Tampura player providing the sympathetic drone . Also joining them are two Tabla players.

After establishing the drone, we are lead on a journey as the Sitar notes play along, like a butterfly carelessly flittering in the wind. The notes just seem to to naturally fall into place, and the bends add a sense of emotion and feeling. Like the Sitar is telling its sad tale of suffering and hardship. It is truly an instrument with a voice.

International Shipping

I just wanted to share my thoughts on International Shipping. I recently added this service to my website business. Being Global Musical Instruments, my goal from the start was to offer instruments from around the world to people around the world. Having checked into shipping rates, I quickly discovered that many of these rates are quite high, and were actually prohibitive. Fortunately, a potential customer from New Zealand discovered that the USPS offers reasonable rates on their International Priority mail service, so this will probably become the most common type of shipment chosen.