Global Minstrels

by Elijah Wald

Global Minstrels: The World of World Music introduces today's leading performers from around the world. From urban nightclubbers dancing to salsa to suburbanites relaxing with Cuban and Brazilian melodies, to the host of pop and rock stars who have added international flavors to their music, "world" sounds have become part of the basic fabric of American life. At the same time, in every American city, immigrants have used musical gatherings as a way to bring their communities together. Including conversations with dozens of artists from five continents, Global Minstrels explores the breadth of the world music experience through the voices of the musicians themselves. In the process, it gives a unique view of the interactions of a globalizing society and introduces readers to some of the most fascinating and thoughtful artists working on the current scene.Profiled artists include Ladysmith Black Mambazo; King Sunny Ade, The Mighty Sparrow, Reuben Blades, Los Tigres del Norte, Gilberto G