To elaborate fairly on a Summer Music Festivals Agenda in the UK we would need a thousand-page guide. Starting in the 60´s, following on from Woodstock success in the States, music festivals were dominated mainly by Jazz, Folk and Blues. It wasn´t until late 80’s early 90’s, when dance festivals emerged, due to the popular rave scene.
But let´s shed light on the legendary ones, and the cheapest, of course!
- Glastonbury festival: Originated in the hippie 70´s, one day after Jimmy Hendrix´s death, is one of the world´s most popular festivals. Formerly a Pilton Pop, Blues and Folk music event, nowadays it merges contemporary music with dance, theatre, comedy, circus, cabaret and other arts. This year it will take place from 24th to 28th of June.
- Bestival isle of wight: Almost at the end of the summer (10-13th September) this 4-day Boutique Festival will take place at Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight. Although it is a massive event, which attracts 50.000 people, it is still family friendly and has won several awards.
Taking into account that Bengali music has served for hundreds of years to document the lives of people, one can imagine how varied and diverse it can be. The rich variety of styles you can find in Bengali music is thanks to the sponsorship of its political leaders throughout the years.
Lets start from the beginning: traditional music is basically compound of different versions of the Hindustani classical music, North Indian style. Folk is one of the broadest styles and before the arrival of the radio, folk artists used to perform in the rural areas to entertain its inhabitants. There are around 15 different subgenres being Baul the most popular, which is usually performed by Bengali Sufis. (Branch of the Islam?)
Another genre is Adhunik, which refers to modern songs although they will not sound precisely modern for Western people.
“The rough voice of tenderness”, maybe this is the most accurate description of this legendary artist popular for her Mexican rancheras. Despite having lived in Mexico for 80 years, she was born in Costa Rica in 1919 and had a difficult childhood.
After her parents divorced, she was left with an uncle and suffered poliomielitis. She had a very clear purpose in life: she wanted to become a singer and at the early age of 14 she moved to Mexico seeking for a prosperous career in a country where this industry was booming at the time. During most of her youth, she dressed like a man, drank, smoked cigars and proved that women had as well the right to sing out her pain and cheer with happiness while drinking alcohol. In this line, she gave her particular style to the popular rancheras.
Kleber Covalente Gomes (better known as Criolo) comes back to town after two years. This Brazilian artist is famous for being the pioneer of hip-hop music in his country and for his hot lyrics about poverty, social discrimination and police violence; so prominent in Brazil
Highly influenced by politics and culture he has become an international acclaimed rapper, composer and urban poet. His first album, Nó na orelha (knot in the ear), released in 2011, catapulted him to fame as it hit hard in his native country being awarded by Rolling Stones and MTV as the Best Song and Best Album of the year. He has collaborated with other famous Brazilian artists such as Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento and Mulaku Astatke among others.
His new album, Convoque seu Buda (Invoke your Buddha), which has taken him to an international tour, continues focusing on hard criticism of Brazilian society. Mainly, he denounces the drug problem, the obsession for consumerism fruit of the emerging middle class and the violence that his country suffers, all in a very entertaining way.
