Acupuncture Reiki II Journeying (Harner-style) Journaling I like Small trickling streams The Stone-People-Lodge I favor Herbal Cures Anarchist Principles Anti-War Activism Hitchhiking RICERICERICE Mmmmm, Coffee Oh, and most of all, dealing with my white-male middle-class Privilege
Here's part of a song I wrote as a gift for a special someone:
Above you'll find my teachers, guides, and inspiration. And yes, that's a Haw River T-shirt in blue. I traded it for a "Le Maire de Pikine - est - Supporte Tyson" T-Shirt. Tyson is a Senegalese wrestler nicknamed after Mike Tyson the American boxer.
“You will never find a border between day and night but we know the difference between both. In my experience this is the same with folk music: There are no borders between the different traditions and cultures but they exist in themselves and have their individual tones and colours." MISHA ALPERIN, Ukraine
"Anarchism" is the revolutionary idea that no one is more qualified than you are to decide what your life will be. It means trying to figure out how to work together to meet our individual needs, how to work with each other rather than "for" or against each other. And when this is impossible, it means preferring strife to submission and domination. Yeah.
"We all wake up at times frightened and ill. Do not go to the
study and open the pages. Take down a musical instrument." -Rumi
One of my kora songs, Kosi Idina, is part of the soundtrack to this excerpt from a short film called "Tales From the End" by Ani Monteleone.
"I am not the musician. I just hold the instrument."
The new CD is out! We call it Wind and Stars. It's a healing-music collaboration with pianist/composer/artist extraordinaire Betsy Bevan. There's a few songs uploaded here to whet the palate. The CD can be ordered online
HERE beginning Oct 1, and will be retailed at various places TBA in Greensboro, NC and Chapel Hill, NC.
Click on the image below to go to Betsy's website where you can listen to and purchase the CD through paypal:
Baluba's African Market and Focal Points Art Gallery (opening SOMETIME by 2012), formerly Two Art Chicks, carry my older CD here in Greensboro. It is available for mailorder on the web from CD BABY. I'm still figuring out digital distro. 7 songs, 41 minutes of original kora music including some acoustic guitar compositions and a version of "Alla L'a Ke", a song vital to most traditional kora repertoires. Viola!
WHO WANTS THE (old) CD?!!!
Click on this button or the image below to be taken to CD Baby.com and to hear samples of all the songs.
...as it relates to the Kora: I come from Greensboro, North Carolina, USA, and my mission is not to become an African Kora Player. That is impossible. No matter how long a canoe lies in the river, it will never become a crocodile. My hope is to bring the beautiful instrument, the music, and the culture behind it to the ears and souls that seek it, for whatever reason, learning and growing along the way. The history and traditions of the Kora must be respected, yet the scope of it's future unhindered. There's a fine line there. So that's what I'm working with. What can a white boy bring to the table of this immeasurable art?
I first plucked a dusty ole Kora at some point in 1999. I began to teach myself and took a few lessons but had no real teacher. In 2003 I traveled to Senegal and Mali for 6 weeks to learn from the source, and that has been the best thing I have ever done as a musician. Everyone should go one day, if not to play, then to breathe, look, feel, think... rethink... Today I play traditional Kora music and compose original tunes with the blessings of my teachers, Djeli Madiya Diebate from Cassamance and Djeli Fily Sacko from Bamako (student of the worldly Toumani Diabate). I have performed at weddings (in the US and in Mali), libraries, many elementary, middle, and high schools and universities throughout NC, the NC Zoo, countless multi-cultural festivals, churches, castles, coffee shops, dance classes/performances, corporate functions, private parties, & clubs. On the drumkit I have performed in 42 US states and 25 countries worldwide.
I live...
...in a collective house of all kinds of artists, musicians and people that make this world a happenin', creative, inspirational place. I'm involved in anti-war activism, anti-oppression as it relates to gender/race/class, organic gardening, rain catchment, chicken raising and musical inventions.
The Kora is a 21-stringed bridge-harp from West-Africa originating, according to oral traditions, centuries ago with the Senegambian Mandinka of the Kabu Empire, which encompassed parts of present-day Guinea-Bissau, southern Senegal, and the Gambia. The strings are made of fishing line and they resonate through a large, halved calabash gourd stretched with a cow hide. Traditionally, the Kora is played by Mandinka Jalis and Mande Jelis, members of a special caste of society that work as musicians and oral historians. They are walking libraries of information, artisans of speech and sound.
If you are interested in booking me for a performace or lecture/demo, click on the link above to visit my online Electronic Press Kit (http://www.sonicbids.com/willridenour), or send an email to barnstormer215[at]yahoo.com. Thanks!
you know what will? if you and i got married then we would never have to be apart then i could see you all the time for the rest of my life. Then i wouldn't be so sad all the time because you're gone. damn it. i'm coming to chapel hill and gettin down on one knee right away! see you soon!
Man, that new picture is gorgeous! Will you marry me? I can't promise happily ever after cuz that ain't gonna happen, but I can promise it's gonna be fun!
Lots of love from over here and let's skype again soon, how about this weekend?
As you all well know (or may NOT know).....The African Continent is suffering A LOT of instability. Everything from starvation, tribalism, disease, lack of clean water for bathing/drinking, and government corruption, all the way to political assassinations, lack of accessible health care, and even genocide. With those kind of problems, it almost seems like a lost cause. But you know what? I for one will NEVER give up on Africa or the people's ability to unite and make Africa the most stable and economically strong continent in the world.....AS she once was! But, it's going to take A LOT of work, time, effort, patience, consistency, zeal, heart and passion on the part of ALL of us, which is why I, with the help of our weekly internet radio show Our Perspective (www. blogtalkradio. com/OurPerspective)are promoting SAVE AFRICA, Inc.
Save AFRICA, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to to advocacy and capacity-building in the sub-Saharan region. Our fundamental objective is to produce self-sufficient families and sustainable communities with better health services, eco-friendly agriculture and advance technology integration.
We need YOUR help, ideas, donations and experience, AND membership to make this happen for our family across the water. For more information, just click on the banner below and you can ALSO visit us on www. myspace. com/saveafricainc
May the peace and blessings of our Ancestors be upon you ALWAYS!
Jumbie Records presents: Kakande and Imaginary Homeland as they team up for a special celebration of African rhythm and global innovation. Imaginary Homeland returns to New York City for their first show since their headline performance at the Zacatecas Festival Cultural in Mexico. Famoro Dioubate's Kakande brings their up-to-date Brooklyn take on an 800-year-old balafon beat, in their first NYC show since their acclaimed East Coast tour with Mory Kante. The world music show to catch this month in New York!
Hi Will, I enjoyed your concert with Betsy Saturday night! It really touched my heart and my spirit...your music is such a blessing. It was great meeting you. Hope to see you play again soon.
i suppose you have heard kronos quartet perfoming 'escalay' by hamza el din.... if not, its worth checking out-- its on their disc called 'pieces of africa'. there are several great pieces on that disc. but you probaly already know that....
