Tag: music

5 Fascinating Things About Scotland’s Bagpipes

November 21, 2017

At the end of my first day hiking the West Highland Way in Scotland, I ended up in the small village of Drymen. On Thursdays throughout the summer, the Strathendrick Pipe Band plays on the village green and as luck would have it, I was there on a Thursday evening. It was my second day in the country and I was delighted to have a chance at this little cultural treat.

You’ve probably heard bagpipes before; maybe even a moving performance of “Amazing Grace.” But I bet there’s some things about this little oddball instrument you didn’t know.

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a young man in a marching band playing the trumpet and looking at the camera

Winneba’s Brass Band Festival

September 20, 2016

Music is seemingly everywhere in Ghana. It’s rare to have a truly quiet moment outside of normal sleeping hours, and even normal sleeping hours don’t always stop the tunes from wafting through the neighborhood. There is a proud history and tradition of music in Ghana, particularly the homegrown genre of highlife, which is a fusion of 1950s jazz, swing and brass bands and traditional Ghanaian drumming, beats and guitar styles. But highlife wouldn’t exist without the influence of brass bands.

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illustration Ghana flag with silhouette of people in front

5 Things I’m Looking Forward to in Ghana

March 11, 2016

Big news for the path that I’m on: it’s taking me to Ghana for the next year! I’m very excited for this opportunity to live and work abroad, particularly because it means learning and living a new culture and a new perspective.

I’ve been reading about and researching this West African nation and I’ve narrowed down a few things that have really piqued my interest and that I’m particularly looking forward to learning and experiencing more thoroughly.

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The front of a white house with blue doors and trim and the words Hitsville, USA on a sign

The Birthplace of that Motown Sound

October 9, 2015

D Town. The Motor City. Hockeytown. Rock City. Motown.

Ah, that Motown sound. The label that created that sound, and in 1975 was producing the most 45s, was headquartered in Detroit, Mich., and has been a museum for the past 30 years. Visitors can learn about the start of the label, its rise to success, how they got those rich vocals and see the studio where it all happened, plus a bonus of Michael Jackson’s famous fedora and sparkly glove.

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Two boys sit on a ledge in front of a white wall looking at the camera

5 Favorite Things About Cameroon

June 5, 2015

Things have been quiet here on my blog lately, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been on my mind. I arrived in Cameroon late on May 10th, and 3G arrived only about a month before me, so connectivity is a bit sparse and pricey. I’ve also been going “up and down the country,” as they say here, and along the way I’ve seen and experienced a lot of things. And I still have a week left! For now, here is a list of some of my favorite things about Cameroon.

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