A 10-Year World-ly Musical Video Archive

World music is a stupid term, even if we're forced to use it for SEO purposes. (Which I just did, haha).

Thomas Mapfumo (taken by me at Afrofest 2011)

It was in vogue, however, when I began writing and blogging about music from all over the globe about a decade ago. In rearranging my social media accounts recently, it occurred to me - somehow, for the very first time - that I had a huge treasure trove of concert video clips from that period. 

For reasons largely to do with work, and of course nowadays the whole global pandemic thing, I don't get out to concerts and festivals as much as I used to, and while I don't miss the expense, and couldn't possibly take the same amount of time anymore, I certainly wouldn't change any of the memories. 

Most of the 80 videos were taken in conjunction with stories that might appear on this blog, or other outlets over the years, some of which no longer exist. This is the first time I've put them all together in a playlist.

NOTE: The sound quality is what you'd expect on a cheap cell phone that is often way too close to the speakers, but I think they capture the experience pretty well.

The clips include Vieux Farka Toure, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Cheik Lo, Alpha Blondy, Thomas Mapfumo, and many more giants of the African continent, along with a few LatinX artists, and jazz cats. 

Here's the first video - you can find the whole list at this link: