Global Notes: Local Macedonian ‘show and tells’ the zurla

Jan. 18, 2012
On today's Global Notes, we encounter the zurla, a wooden horn with a big sound. Local musician Blagoj Lamnjov plays some folk songs on this one-of-a-kind Balkan wind instrument.

Otis Clay pays tribute to Sam Cook and Mahalia Jackson

Aug. 4, 2011
Thursday night, a legendary Chicago voice will honor two other singing greats: Otis Clay will pay tribute to Mahalia Jackson and Sam Cooke. The concert is part of the Made in Chicago: World Class Jazz series at Millennium Park.

Global Notes: Comp captures rawness of rarely heard Mauritanian guitar virtuosos

Jul. 27, 2011
Mauritania, a large but sparsely populated country in northwestern Africa, has a rich musical tradition but virtually no formal music industry. That means no commercial radio stations. No record labels. No music clubs.

Ladino singer Yasmin Levy performs in WBEZ studio

Feb. 2, 2011
We had a thrill when Ladino singing sensation and Israeli Yasmin Levy came with her band to sing and chat with us at the WBEZ's Jim and Kay Mabie Performance Studio. We spend most of the hour with Yasmin. She and her band performed some tracks from her CD Mano Suave.