Sumatran Folk Cinema + Morocco: Musical Brotherhoods November 4, 2006

Alan Bishop and Mark Gergis introduce two of the newer titles in the Sublime Frequencies catalogue, a refreshing hybrid of ethnography, travelogue, and field recordings, made possible with lightweight cameras and increased access to indigenous cultures. The hr-long Sumatran collage constitutes a cultural kaleidoscope of the sounds and images from that Indonesian island. Minang orchestras, Dangdut rock music, regional television, and night market scenes share space with a segment of pre-tsunami Bandah Aceh, recorded by David Martinez. Hisham Mayet’s hr.-long Morocco: Musical Brotherhoods from the Trans-Saharan Highway affords an assortment of musical dramas, live and unfiltered, on the home turf of the world’s most dynamic string/drum specialists…ecstatic performances for string aficionados of electric ouds, banjos, mandolins, and the gnawa sentir. Come early, meet the makers, and immerse yourself in a sumptuous, transporting music and food mix.

Official Website: http://www.othercinema.com/Fall2006.html