Hands and Globe

Artists

World Fusion • Interspecies • Electronic • Traditional

Artists Dedicating Large Portions of Their Careers to World Fusion Music

  • Ancient Future. All about the group that coined the term world fusion music in 1978.
  • Andrea Gerak. This enigmatic Hungarian female voice experiments with traditional songs, mainly with those coming from her country, approaching them from different angles. She put together Haiti Aid Through Music, a fundraising project to aid volunteers helping Haitians effected by the earthquake. The project features work by artists such as Ancient Future, Matthew Montfort, and Mariah Parker.
  • Armen Chakmakian. Keyboardist from Shadowfax whose debut release features piano, Middle-Eastern flavors, and world rhythms.
  • Baaba Maal. A great singer from Senegal who has taken the traditional rhythms and folk music of the continent and reinterpreted them using modern technology.
  • Badi Assad. This Brazilian vocalist/guitarist/percussionist has a new acoustic world fusion band, Badi Assad Menagerie.
  • Bui Huu Nhut. This leading performer on the Vietnamese dan bau has collaborated with Ancient Future and didjeridu master Stephen Kent.
  • Callaloo. World fusion steelpan group in Chicago.
  • Cornell Kinderknecht. Performer of historic and ethnic woodwinds. Instruments include Native American flute, Indian Bansuri flute, bamboo flute, ocarina, recorder, oboe, and English horn.
  • Csokolom. Hungarian and Rumanian Folk music with an Afro-Cuban twist.
  • David Gilden. World fusion music featuring West African and Manding music sources.
  • David Michael. This fine Celtic harpist featured on the best selling Ancient Future release Quiet Fire is now making records with many of the members of Ancient Future from that period such as flutist Randy Mead and multi-instrumentalist Benjy Wertheimer.
  • Dead Can Dance. This global/techno band was formed in Melbourne, Australia in late 1981. rt.
  • Ed Motta Official Site. Brazilian soul/jazz/funk singer composer.
  • El Douje. Santa Cruz, California, based Flamenco fusion guitarist.
  • Emam. This tabla player and founder of the record label Eternal Music has done many records of world fusion music.
  • Enter the Haggis. Highland bagpipes and fiddle with a rock rhythm section.
  • Ethnic Fusion Sound. Rikhi Hambra's "new musical insight of ancient and modern music alchemy."| Free rhythm scores with audio files.
  • Fontain's M.U.S.E.. World music ensemble with voice, sitar, percussion, etc.
  • Franco Luambo Makiadi. One of Africa's greatest musical stars.
  • George Brooks. Extraordinary saxophonist known for his work with Zakir Hussain, Emam and Friends, under his own name, and on the Indian jazz CD "Ecstasy" with Pandit Habib Khan (sitar).
  • Georges Lammam. Arabic violin virtuoso from Lebanon.
    • >YTmusic. Georges Lammam and his brother Tony (Arabic drums) are featured on "El Zaffa," a new Ancient Future composition by scalloped fretboard guitarist Matthew Montfort with Spanish influences using the Arabic wedding march rhythm, elzaffa.
  • Go Van Gogh. A gypsy blend of funk and world jazz.
  • Habib Khan. Sitarist Pandit Habib Khan has done fusion work with jazz guitarist Pat Martino and Ancient Future guitarist Matthew Montfort and jazz drummer Danny Gottlieb on his Indian jazz record, "Ecstasy."
  • Ian Dogole. Percussionist Ian Dogole is a global fusion pioneer.
  • Iness Mezel. A world fusion music artist of Berber origin.
  • Irina Mikhailova. Irina is an international artist emerging from the former Soviet Union. Her musical style reflects a rich tradition of Russian, Middle Eastern and Asian musical influences.
  • Jai Uttal and the Pagan Love Orchestra. Vocalist Jai Uttal performs with his east-meets-west rock band and in more acoustic chanting concerts.
  • John Wubbenhorst & Facing East. Blends traditional Indian Ragas with Western traditons and other world music elements featuring the compositions of flutist John Wubbenhorst.
  • Jim Hurley. Violinist Jim Hurley incorporates styles from bebop to zydeco, European classical to Zairean soukous.
  • Jim Santi Owen. Indian percussionist Jim Santi Owen performs with Ancient Future, Trance Mission, Pharaoh Sanders, Mobius Operandi, and the Ali Akbar College Tabla Ensemble.
  • Kaissa. African/world fusion music group.
  • Kalani. Percussionist on Interworld Records.
  • Kit Walker. Synthesizer and piano with Three of Worlds and Jai Uttal's Pagan Love Orchestra.
  • Lee Boice. Guitarist and world fusion composer Lee Boice combines raga, world rhythms, and jazz fusion.
  • Liu Qi-Chao. Composer and master performer on Chinese wind, string, and percussion instruments.
    • FREE MP3. >YTmusic. "Forest Frolic," the Ancient Future composition featuring Liu Qi-Chao on Chinese flute.
  • Los Mora Arriaga Mariachi. 15 brothers and sisters from the same mother and father all musicians each play at least 7 musical instruments, music from all over the world, and sing in more than 5 languages.
  • Lot Lorien. Official web page of Bulgarian world fusion band "Lot Lorien."
  • Luís Baptis. Portuguese guitarist Luís Baptis performs and records on 14 different types of guitars.
  • Mariah Parker. Mariah performs on santur and piano with Ancient Future and has released Sangria, a recording of her Indo Latin jazz compositions on Ancient-Future.Com Records.
  • Matthew Montfort. The leader of Ancient Future (scalloped fretboard guitar, charango, sitar, and gamelan) also performs solo and with other artists such as Liu Qi-Chao, Georges Lammam, Mariah Parker's Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble, and Pandit Habib Khan. In 2009, he released his first solo guitar recording, Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar.
  • Maya Soleil. A dynamic music and dance ensemble presenting traditional African rhythm and dance blended with progressive acid jazz in a world fusion experience.
  • Mbalafunk.com. Blend of Senegalese Mbalax music and various other genres including funk, pop, and reggae.
  • Michel Banabila. Dutch/Yemenite keyboard player and composer played with Yasar Saka, multi-instrumentalist from Turkey, for the first time at an appearance of 'East meets West' at the Womad festival in Reading, UK 1992.
  • Mickey Hart. From the Diga Rhythm Band to Planet Drum, Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart has done a lot for world fusion music by creating opportunities for master musicians from around the world to play together.
  • Mindia Devi Klein. This original member of Ancient Future now has a solo career performing world fusion music as well as traditional North Indian classical bansuri (bamboo flute) and Balinese gamelan.
  • Moses Sedler. Moses is a founding member of Davka, a trio performing new music inspired by Eastern European, Middle Eastern, Indian and Classical styles. He also performs with Ancient Future, and has a solo career as well.
  • Murat Ses. Murat's Psychedelic music based on Anatolian ethnic musical structures is a gorgeous example of the 70's era of Turkey's and the region's music history.
  • Mynta. "A fusion of Nordic ice and Indian spice" from Sweden/India features one of the world's finest tabla players, Fazal Qureshi (brother of Zakir Hussain) and Shankar Mahadevan, South Indian classical vocalist.
  • Nadaka. Born in Quebec, Nadaka has lived in India since 1974 and has designed and built an acoustic guitar specially adapted for Indian music.
  • Nan Mercader. The author of the book "Flamenco Percussion" teaches Latin percussion at ESMUC in Catalonia, Spain and performs with the fusion group Ayatana.
  • Neon Egypt. Hear the unique World Jazz and World Fusion Music of Neon Egypt with emphasis on fun.
  • Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The late and great Qawwali vocal master.
  • Patti Weiss. This violinist's debut album, 'Surrounded by Angels,' is an excellent example of musically successful world fusion music.
  • Pete Lockett. Multi-percusionist covering everything from North and South Indian, Japanese, African, Arabic and Latin. Worked with Bjork, Afro-Celt sound system and many more.
  • Philip Baumgarten. Bass virtuoso whose band Slick combines European melodies with South American and African rhythms.
  • Philmultic Management & Productions Inc.. A cross-over between the East and the West, and traditional, classical and the contemporary music.
  • Psalms of Ra. Egyptian and Hebrew texts set to music by composer Jim Berenholtz. Performed by forty-six musicians of diverse ethnic backgrounds and recorded at Skywalker Sound.
  • Ranga Pae. A fusing of Japanese, Indian, Indonesian, Balinese, Hawaiian, and Western instruments with jazz, new age, and pop/rock styles.
  • RebbeSoul. Guitarist/singer Bruce Burger combines Jewish music with many other traditions.
  • Reid DeFever.com. Percussionist Reid DeFever explores rhythms and harmony through percussion instruments from India, Africa, and Asia.
  • Rony Barrak. Lebanon born Middle Eastern percussionist based in the UK who specializes in world fusion music.
  • Roots Dub Reggae Page. Comprehensive site about the UK's roots dub duo Alpha and Omega.
  • San Jose Taiko. San Jose Taiko is pounding rhythm that embodies the traditions of Japan and the exuberance of a youthful Asian America.
  • Sandeep Raval. Indian percussionist mixing traditional and dance rhythms in the UK.
  • Sean Grace. This Celtic-jazz flute player combines ancient Irish heritage with folk-rock and world beat.
  • Shanupa. Oklahoma based band combines African/Latin rhythms & Australian Didjeridoo with psychedelic blues guitar and an Oklahoma flavor.
  • Sheila Chandra. Weaves the music of her blood's culture (South Indian) with music of her country (Britain), mostly emphasizing vocal universals.
  • The Silk Orchestra. Inspired by the practice of tai chi chu'an and the martial arts, this Canadian ensemble features traditional Chinese instruments, electronic keyboards, voice and percussion.
  • Sonic Safaris. Composer/adventurer Chuck Jonkey travels around the world collecting tribal village music...from the depths of the Amazon to the heights of the Himalayan highlands.
  • Tabla Rasa. Drum ensemble respectfully representing the vast percussion traditions of North and South India while honoring their own cultural roots in jazz, contemporary new music, rock, funk, and other creative, improvised musical forms. They also hope to reflect their influences from other world music styles including traditions from Africa, Cuba, Indonesia, and Brazil.
  • Uwe's World of Modal Music. Indian ragas on sitar meets the West.
  • Viviana Guzmán. A native of Chile, Viviana Guzmán combines her virtuoso classical flute technique with the traditions of native cultures of the world, pooling from her Andean heritage as well as from Middle Eastern, Australian, Celtic, and African sonorities.
  • Young Dubs. Celtic alternative rock complete with mosh pit jigs! Featured violinist Mark Epting (nephew of Ancient Future guitarist Matthew Montfort).
  • Youssou N'dour. One of Africa's greatest singers.
  • Zakir Hussain. This North Indian tabla master is legendary for his contributions to the world fusion music movement through his work with John McLaughlin and Shakti, the Diga Rhythm Band, Planet Drum, Mickey Hart, John Handy, Ancient Future, the Zakir Hussain Rhythm Experience, and many others.
  • Zhao Hui. One of China's preeminent traditional masters of the gu zheng (Chinese zither) has worked in fusion settings with artists such as Ancient Future and James Newton.
    • FREE MP3 (excerpt). >YTmusic. "The Dusk Song of the Fisherman" from the Ancient Future CD "Asian Fusion" dates from the Ching dynasty (1644-1912) and describes the fishermen returning to the harbor at dusk, singing a happy song.

Interspecies Experiments

  • Natural Rhythms. One of the earliest interspecies music recordings, this 1981 release features Balinese rice paddy frogs in live improvisations with members of Ancient Future and Balinese gamelan musicians.
  • Species Link Journal.com. Print magazine featuring true stories  of communicating with animals, plus prose and poetry transcribed directly from our non-human friends. Also visit their sister site on interspecies communication, animaltalk.net.

Electronic, New Age, Multimedia, Pop, and Jazz Artists Exploring World Music

  • Advait Sarkar. Born in 1991, Advait Sarkar started composing music at the age of three. He creates lively, soul-stirring music that fuses classical, jazz, Latin, pop, rock and Indian folk. At the tender age of 16, he wrote to this web site to say that he has decided to devote his life to world fusion music!
  • AGP MUSiC inDOneSIa. Music director for Indonesian movies and TV plays who works with many ethnic music players.
  • Cheb i Sabbah. Popular world music DJ who passed away in 2013.
  • The Dark Bob. "Middle/eastern, country/western, surf, folk, art-rock" says the LA Weekly.
  • Emerald Rose. Pagan/Celtic folk rock band from Georgia (USA).
  • e:trinity. Combines modern electronica/dance music styles with Asian music via live instrumentation and samples.
  • Janine Rae. Singer/songwriter who combines alternative folk/rock with acid jazz, ambient, and world music influences.
  • Laura Karpman. Emmy award winning composer for the PBS series The Living Edens.Everything from cool jazz to world fusion.
  • Land of the Blind. "ELECTRONIC SHAMANIC" is the buzzword description of LAND OF THE BLIND, a San Francisco duo of trance-dance & vocal music.
  • Post-office. Ethno-fusion jazz-rock in Rumania.
  • Shenloop. SHEN: tao character for spirit. LOOP: moment of music or sound captured in time and space. music for movement and mindfulness.
  • The Monkey Den. Shugmonkey mixes Arabic and British sounds to create a chilled ride.
  • Smith and Mazer. Flute and harp duet with jazz, classical, and Indian music influences.
  • Turner Arts. Atmospheric and trance inducing music featuring electric and acoustic guitars, dumbec, various ethnic percussion, bass, and piano.
  • Yasser. A member of Narrators, a new age artist, and one of the most well known musicians in the Middle East.

Contemporary Music Based on a Single Tradition

  • A Naifa. New Portuguese music: modern fado.
  • Inka Kings. New music from the Andes.
  • Joji Hirota. Percussionist, taiko drummer, shakuhachi flautist, singer and composer.

Traditional Artists

  • Baaba Maal. Master African musician.
  • Bui Huu Nhut. Leading performer on the Vietnamese dan bau.
  • Daniel Cros. Spanish songwriter, pianist and producer working in latin rhythms such as tango, son, pasodoble and ranchera.
  • David and Chandrakantha Courtney. A husband/wife team performing traditional Indian music.
  • Habib Khan. Sitarist Ustad Habib Khan is well known for a unique style of playing the sitar, melding the effect of the human voice and the instrumental tone into a harmonious whole.
  • The Lions. World roots reggae.
  • Alfredo Panebianco. Cuban born guitarist Alfredo Panebianco migrated to Spain where he emerged as a popular performer of Latin and rumba flamenca music. He is available for collaborative performances with Ancient Future during his tours of the US.
  • Quichua Mashis. Traditional music from the Andes mountains, Ecuador, Peru & Bolivia. Instruments, music and other offerings.
  • Tenores di Bitti Remunnu 'e Locu. Official web site of this vocal quartet of central Sardinia.
  • Tenzin Choegyal. Tenzin is one of a handful of Tibetans keeping his musical traditions alive in the freedom of exile. Tenzin sings the songs and stories of his nomadic Tibetan people which have been transmitted orally by his mother.
  • Zhao Hui. One of China's preeminent traditional masters of the gu zheng (Chinese zither).
    • FREE MP3 (excerpt). >YTmusic. "The Dusk Song of the Fisherman" from the Ancient Future CD "Asian Fusion" dates from the Ching dynasty (1644-1912) and describes the fishermen returning to the harbor at dusk, singing a happy song.

 

This site is supported by sales from the catalog. Support world music: buy direct from the artists!