Profiles Index

Cheb Mami
Cheb Mami is known as the "Prince of Rai," and is one of the most popular musicians in Northern Africa. Cheb Mami had worldwide success with his duet with rock musician Sting on the song "Desert Rose," but faced serious scandal when he was imprisoned for kidnapping, beating, and attempting to perform an abortion on a former lover.

Manu Chao
Manu Chao is one of the world's hippest and most popular musicians. His experimentation with world music, combined with rock and electronica, has made the genre cool again.

Ali Farka Toure - African Guitar Legend
Ali Farka Toure is one of the best-known and most beloved African musicians of all time. Though he has passed away, Ali Farka Toure will be remembered for his rich, bluesy guitar playing, which many ethnomusicologists referred to as "the roots of the American blues."

Vieux Farka Toure
Vieux Farka Toure is the son of legendary African musician Ali Farka Toure, and a wonderful guitar player, singer, and songwriter in his own right. Vieux Farka Toure has released two records, 2007's self-titled Vieux Farka Toure and 2009's Fondo.

Angelique Kidjo
Angelique Kidjo is a Benin-born singer whose amazing voice and remarkable stage presence have made her one of the most popular musicians in the world. Angelique Kidjo is also well-known for her work as a humanitarian, speaking out against the conflict in Darfur and the ravages of AIDS in Africa. Learn more about Angelique Kidjo's life, work, and especially music!

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole was a Hawaiian ukulele player who burst onto the international world music scene with his beautiful medley of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"/"What A Wonderful World". Israel Kamakawiwo'ole died in 1997 at age 38.

The Idan Raichel Project
The Idan Raichel Project is, perhaps obviously, the brainchild of musician Idan Raichel, an Israeli keyboard player. The Idan Raichel Project brings together musicians from multiple countries and genres, adding their unique voices to an underpinning of Israeli pop music.

Rupa and the April Fishes
Rupa and the April Fishes are a San Francisco-based world music band. Blending French cafe music, Latin rhythms, and a vintage cabaret vibe with various world influences, Rupa and the April Fishes are a favorite up-and-coming band on the world music scene.

Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt was the godfather of gypsy jazz (or "manouche") music, a style which blended traditional Gypsy (Rom) music with American big band and swing music. Django Reinhardt is considered by many to be the best guitarist of all time, despite the fact that his left hand was badly mangled in a fire and he had use of only two fingers.

Clifton Chenier - King of Zydeco
Clifton Chenier was known as the King of Zydeco. Clifton Chenier's explorations of the blues and R&B forms on the keyboard accordion actually led to the creation of zydeco as a distinct genre, and Clifton Chenier has remained a major influence on every zydeco artist playing today.

Bob Marley
Bob Marley was undoubtedly the most influential Jamaican musician of all time. Bob Marley's popularity was widespread, and continues to be so, 25 years after his death. Bob Marley's real name was Robert Nesta Marley.

Oumou Sangare
Oumou Sangare is an African musician of Wassoulou descent. Born in the southern region of Mali, Oumou Sangare has become one of the best-known Wassoulou musicians in the world, and one of Mali's favorite daughters.

Dengue Fever
Dengue Fever is a vibrant young world music group who combine American surf-rock and psychedelic rock with Cambodian pop music. Addictive and thought-provoking, Dengue Fever have been making waves throughout the world music community since 2001.

Dobet Gnahore
Dobet Gnahore is an African musician from the Ivory Coast, in West Africa. Known for both her deep, rich vocals and thrilling dance moves, Dobet Gnahore has become a worldwide favorite for both live and recorded African music.

Ziggy Marley
Ziggy Marley is Bob Marley's oldest son. Ziggy Marley was born to Bob and Rita Marley in 1968, and grew up to become a successful reggae musician in his own right. With his band, the Melody Makers, Ziggy Marley has recorded over 15 records.

Toubab Krewe
Toubab Krewe have been catching the ears of many world music fans since they hit the scene in 2005. Effortlessly blending African music, which they've studied extensively, with American surf-rock, Toubab Krewe are breaking down world music boundaries in every direction.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo are one of the best-known world music groups today. Much of their fame stems from being featured on Paul Simon's "Graceland" album, as well as being featured at Nelson Mandela's Inauguration.

Peter Tosh
Peter Tosh was one of the original members of legendary reggae band The Wailers, along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer. Though a Rastafarian like Marley, Peter Tosh became known for the militant nature of his reggae songs, which were in clear contrast to Marley's "peace and love" message. Peter Tosh was tragically killed by a gang of gunmen in 1987.

Lucky Dube
Lucky Dube was a pioneer of reggae music in his native South Africa. Lucky Dube followed in the footsteps of Jamaican legends like Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, with direct influences from his African roots.

Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is one of the best-known African musicians in the world. Born in Senegal, Youssou N'Dour has been instrumental in developing Senegalese popular music, known as mbalax.

Solas
Solas is one of the most popular current Irish music groups. The members of Solas come from both the United States and Ireland, and the band tours internationally.

Enya
Enya is perhaps one of the best-known world musicians, gaining popularity with her Celtic family band, Clannad, in the 1980s, and later going on to great success as a solo artist. Enya is the best-selling artist from the Republic of Ireland.

Loreena McKennitt
Loreena McKennitt is a popular musician who composes rich, multilayered Celtic-inspired New Age music. She is a multi-instrumentalist who plays keyboards, accordion, harp and more. Loreena McKennitt is also a gifted singer. Her albums "The Mask and the Mirror" and "Parallel Dreams" have become popular among fans of Celtic music and New Age music alike.

Celtic Woman
Celtic Woman is an Irish musical group that gained popularity worldwide when their television special, also entitled Celtic Woman, was first broadcast in 2005. Celtic Woman's program includes traditional Irish music, as well as Celtic interpretations of modern songs.

Edith Piaf - The Little Sparrow
Edith Piaf is considered by many to be the greatest French singer of all time. Edith Piaf's tragic life is shrouded in mystery and legend.

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