Music From Around the World At the Smithsonian

Tired of the same old stuff on the radio or on the net? Annoyed that most of what you listen is decided by a handful of companies who control the record labels and another handful that control the radio stations? The Smithsonian has a solution for you. They have thousands upon thousands of downloads from all over the planet.

This program by the Smithonsian Global Sound at their website gives listeners the chance to find whatever style of music they’re looking for from wherever then want. It’s a pretty simple process too. Go to smithsonianglobalsound.org and click on begin here and there your choices really do begin.

First you pick your region: Africa for example, the area-say middle Africa, then a country, I like Gabon. Then pick your instrument type: we’ll go with chordophones (strings). Then pick a culture group, Mbuti. It lists a number of choices available to download then:

Death and Defeat: Lament
Performed by
From Reading of Primitive and Archaic Poetry, A: Arranged by Jerome Rothenberg
Country of Origin: Gabon
Year of Release: 1968
Record Label / Archive: Folkways Records
Duration: 0:51

Rites and Visions: The Light Becomes Dark
Performed by
From From a Shaman’s Notebook – Primitive and Archaic Poetry: Arranged by Jerome Rothenberg
Country of Origin: Gabon
Year of Release: 1968
Record Label / Archive: Folkways Records
Duration: 0:42

Now the downloads do cost some money but at only 99 cents, it’s not any more than an Itune AND the money goes to the artists who record this music to further their development.

This is a way to experience an integral part of other cultures in how they feel and live and what they believe. If you want to enjoy what the New York Times called the “ethnographic equivalent to Itunes” and with over 40,000 songs available, you’re bound to find something you like.

John Stith is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.