Why I still love music

Yes, ANOTHER youtube video!!



All this digging around the net for old Congolese music made me wonder if there was much Gospel from either 'then' or now. Well, I didn't get a clear answer, but I found out about Makoma, this awesome group of 7 (6 brothers and sisters), formerly known as Nouveau Testament, began in the DRC and later moved to the Netherlands. The lead signer went on to release a slew of solo material, and later appear on the TV show Dutch Idol. All of that is rather trivial compared to this overly saccharine, happy, fun music; the stuff I listen to to smile and realize that trees and people and sunsets really are beautiful. Corny? Perhaps. But if you don't like it you are only 1
click away from a million other angrier artists.

This rather dated video give you that impression of some sort of fantasy-land Europe that existed prior to the riots in France in 2005 and Fortress Europe The Dutch aren't exactly in love with immigration either, but this is the 21st Century and building walls will not help any of us.

Then again, simply listening to music by those around us might not help either. Who knows. I just know that this song makes me happy, and makes me remember why I like music.

Perhaps I have found that elusive pot of gold

Having just 'discovered' Israel Kamakawiwo'ole for myself, I feel like Rip van Winkle emerging from his epic nap. How did I ignore this guy for so long? Those years wasted listening to esoteric Spanish Ska bands and 2nd rate power-pop are haunting me. Now that I have finally heard IZ, a man with an incredibly beautiful voice, over a decade after his death, I am beginning to wonder where I was getting my music news from, what rock I was living under, and what sick and evil persons out there set-out to hide such a talent from all of us. Perhaps there is an evil conspiracy afoot. Either that or musically I was lost in a sea of youthful ignorance. Whatever the case may be, I am happy to have shed the talentless and elitist Maximum Rock+Roll and other subcultural clutter from my life and allowed my ears to be opened to something so lovely.

IZ is no stranger yuppie cultural excavators such as myself, often still charting high among 'world' music sales. so there is a good chance you've heard him or heard of him. Whether you have or have not, I recommend you take (another) break from that long day of "work" (ie. net surfing) to listen to IZ.