tracks, it is a musical journey that will uplift listeners and interest them not only in the music, but also in the culture and the region. Every year, I receive emails and
letters from people that have been in- spired by the music to travel to a place they’ve discovered through our albums. We hope that more and more people will dig deeper by traveling to these countries, buying the works of individu- al artists and creating real connections.
How does Putumayo give back to the cultures whose music it shares with the world? For example, do you try to pre- serve “endangered species” of
music? We don’t set out to save dying genres of music, but one of the byproducts of our work is a greater awareness of other cultures and musical traditions. We’re particularly interested in finding musical gems that may not be known to people inside or outside of their country. In the process, we help people recognize and value the strong musi- cal heritage they have. Sometimes we discover artists that become featured on movie soundtracks or are signed by a major label as a result of their collabo- ration with Putumayo. While we focus on presenting
great music rather than countering ste- reotypes and cultural misperceptions, that often ends up being a healthy side effect. Much of the music we promote
comes from parts of the world struggling with poverty, war and
other issues; some are commonly as- sociated with negative connotations in the Western media. Yet many of these places have rich traditions that are mostly accessible to outsiders through music, art and food. New Orleans, the city I now call home, is a great example of a place that is trying to rise above various challenges and misperceptions.
What are some of the trends
you see in world music today? For centuries, trading caravans would bring new instruments and songs to dif- ferent regions, in turn, influencing the music of an area. Today, with the explo- sion of digital music, there is more mu- sic cross-fertilization than ever. African, Asian and Australian musicians can now hear each other’s music through tour concerts, the Internet and other media. Almost everyone can now similarly
access music from around the world; at the same time, this means there is that much more for people to sift through. The music of the world is an ocean of millions of songs. Putumayo employs several people to do just that—search the world to identify little-known music that people all over will love.
April Thompson is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C. Connect at April
Writes.com.
Pottery & Art Studio for Adults & Children
Visit anytime to paint pottery or
create a mosaic. Perfect for creating handmade holiday gifts.
34 Orangetown Shopping Center Orangeburg, NY
natural awakenings
glazeartstudio.com 845-359-9020 December 2011
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