One of the most pleasant of all discoveries one encounters while traveling is the local music scene. So much of what I love about Ireland, for example, can be summed up in a quaint little pub with 5 or 6 musicians jamming away in the corner.
Music is as varied as the cultures themselves. Often it is background, a soundtrack if you will, which accompanies you on your journeys. But it is always there. Sometimes I forget to stop and audibly smell the roses, but when I do, there are so many wonderful gems that really come alive and change the whole dynamics of a place.
Yesterday, while surfing through the National Geographic website, I was pleased to come across an entire section dedicated to World Music. The site offers up audio and video samples of local music from all over the world, ranging from hip hop flamenco to Cambodian psychedelia (above).
One can search by genre or country so you can travel the world’s musical landscape without leaving the comfort of home. In addition, National Geographic has cross-promoted with Calabash Music so if you like what you hear, you can buy the tunes for 99 cents each. Pretty cool!