Global Notes: Retrofitting traditional sounds for a modern fit

Mar. 28, 2012
On this week’s Global Notes, Jerome and contributor Catalina Maria Johnson take a look at bands that play “retrofitted” music.

From ska to Latino blues, indie music thrives in Pilsen

Oct. 13, 2011
Musicians and other artists in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood joined forces: They’ve found new spaces in which to collaborate and produced sound-rich results.

FMEL shocks Chicagoans into a new world of Latino electronic music

Aug. 23, 2011
Stephanie Manriquez and Charly Garcia, co-founders of the Latin Electronic Music Festival - called “FMEL” from its initials in Spanish - are taking Chicagoans into the brave new world of electronic music.“We want to have new digital contemporary art and music from Latin America, so we created this s

Global Notes: Roster of international artists grows at SXSW

Mar. 30, 2011
When Chicago blogger and music lover Catalina Maria Johnson went to South by Southwest this year, she was pleased to find a growing global music presence. She shares her discoveries with Jerome and Radio M host Tony Sarabia on this week's Global Notes.

A new kind of flamenco, with a Chicago influence

Mar. 18, 2011
A group of musicians is creating a new style of flamenco. Their twist? A touch of Chicago. Catalina Maria Johnson has the story of El Payo.  MUSIC: El PayoChicago is a long way from sunny Spain, but a local group is bringing the heat of flamenco to the Windy City.

Music that breaks out of the CUBE

Oct. 29, 2010
Chicago has a well-known jazz and blues tradition, but in recent years it has gained a reputation as a home for “new music.” It’s a younger generation of classically trained composers and performers that is turning the traditional world upside down.