21CM - creating the 21st Century Musician

A Conversation with Debo Band’s Danny Mekonnen

February 2019

Ask Danny Mekonnen what traditional Ethiopian instrument he plays and he’ll be happy to tell you: the saxophone. Here, the Debo Band leader talks Ethiopian pop and how musicians can address the “social emergencies” of our day.

Special Features

Embedded and Embodied: Learning Black South African Choral Music From the Source

Kristina G. Boerger · February 2019

Last January, I led 30 music students on a trip to South Africa to study and perform black South African choral music. We relied on local choristers to help us understand not only this music’s unique textures, but also its unifying power.

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Artist Features

Balafon Mania! Exploring the Malian Balafon with Balla Kouyaté

February 2019

Balla Kouyaté might be the only person in the world who can trace his musical heritage back to a 13th-century ancestor. Now, this master of the balafon demonstrates the ancient instrument and its construction.

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Book Club

21CM Connect: Book Club Presents “Outside The Jukebox”

February 2019

In his memoir, Scott Bradlee tells of his transformation from a lost, struggling musician to a headliner at Radio City Music Hall. Join us as we read “Outside the Jukebox: How I Turned My Vintage Music Obsession into My Dream Gig.”