VOA慢速英语2010年-EXPLORATIONS - From Bhangra to Reggae,

STEVE EMBER: I’m Steve Ember.

SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: And I’m Shirley Griffith with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Today we travel around the world listening to the music from six creative and exciting albums. Some artists are well known, while others are at the start of their musical careers. The music we will listen to comes from a wide range of influences and traditions. We begin with music from South Africa that is sure to make listeners want to dance.

(MUSIC: “Vana Vasesi”)

STEVE EMBER: That was the song “Vana Vasesi” from the album “Shangaan Electro: New Wave Dance Music from South Africa.” It features twelve songs by different artists. The Shangaan are an ethnic¹ group living in southern Mozambique and parts of South Africa. In the township of Soweto, music producer Richard Hlungwani redefined traditional Shangaan music by making the beat much faster. New York-based radio producer Wills Glasspiegel discovered this energetic music and helped bring Richard Hlungwani’s work to a larger audience outside South Africa.

Dancing is a huge part of this music. Shangaan street dancers move their feet as fast as lightning and shake their bodies to the music’s beat.

(MUSIC- “Problema de 2”)

Traditional Shangaan dancers perform at an international meeting in this file photo from Johannesburg, South Africa

SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: Ana Tijoux was born in France to a French mother and Chilean father, who lived in exile² during the rule of Augusto Pinochet. When she was in school, she loved to study poetry, which has influenced her song-writing.

In Chile, Ana Tijoux became interested in the hip-hop music she was hearing in Santiago. She was a member of a successful hip-hop group called Makiza.

She has also made two albums performing on her own. Her latest album “1977” is named after the year she was born. Here is the title song from that album.

(MUSIC: “1977”)

STEVE EMBER: Rachid Taha was born in Algeria but grew up in France. His songs are influenced by North African music as well as rock and techno. He sings in both Arabic and French.

(MUSIC: “Ha Baby”)

Taha is known for being both a rebel³ and a poet. His songs often discuss the reality of living in exile and missing⁴ one’s homeland. His music has earned him many fans, especially among Arab-speaking immigrants⁵ living in France.

(MUSIC: “Bonjour”)

Rachid Taha’s latest album “Bonjour” is influenced by American rock and country music. It is the first album he recorded in the United States. He has said that he has another musical goal related⁶ to American music: to one day sing a song with country music star Dolly Parton.

(MUSIC: “Basement Bhangra Anthem”)

SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: DJ Rekha is the professional name of Rekha Malhotra. She was born in London to Pakistani parents but grew up in New York City where she still lives. DJ Rekha has helped introduce bhangra music to New Yorkers with her monthly⁷ music parties. Bhangra music is an ancient form of folk music from the Punjab area of India and Pakistan. This music was performed during seasonal⁸ dance celebrations. Modern bhangra music is a huge part of pop culture in South Asia.

(MUSIC: “Snake Charmer”)

DJ Rekha combines bhangra with electronic music, hip-hop and many other sounds and influences. She is helping⁹ to break barriers in a dance club industry where many DJ’s are men.

(MUSIC: “Hold You”)

Gyptian

STEVE EMBER: The Jamaican singer Windel Beneto Edwards, known as Gyptian, sings reggae and dancehall music. He grew up singing at his mother’s church. He was also influenced by the music his Rastafarian father listened to.

He first gained wide attention in two thousand four when he won a talent competition on Jamaican television. Gyptian most often sings love songs. He has a gentle and expressive¹⁰ voice that has earned him the name of the “Sexy Rasta”. One of his early hits in Jamaica, “Serious Times”, had a political message. His recent release¹¹ “Hold You” is bringing Gyptian a whole new level of attention and praise.

(MUSIC: “Oursoul”)

SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: Hindi Zahra writes songs that combine jazz and blues¹² music with the drumbeats of Morocco. Critics have compared her sensual voice to the American blues singer Billie Holiday. Hindi Zahra grew up in a Berber family in Morocco. Her mother sang in their village, and her uncles were musicians. The many traditions of North African music she listened to as a child had a big influence on her.

Hindi Zahra

Zahra later moved to Paris, France. She found work singing on other artists’ hip-hop recordings¹³. She also spent years writing her own music. Her album “Handmade” shows some of the results of these song-writing efforts. She sings mostly in English, with one song in her native Berber language. We leave you with Hindi Zahra’s song “Stand Up.”

(MUSIC: “Stand Up”)

STEVE EMBER: This program was written and produced by Dana Demange. I’m Steve Ember.

STEVE EMBER: And I’m Shirley Griffith. You can read and download programs on our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube at VOA Learning¹⁴ English. Join us again next week for EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English.

 

1 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

2 exile   

n.流放，被流放者；vt.流放，放逐，使流亡

参考例句：

• After an exile of eight years her uncle returned to Cairo.她叔叔背井离乡8年后返回开罗。
• Napoleon was sent into exile on an island.拿破仑被流放到一个岛上。

3 rebel   

n.叛徒，起义者；vi.造反，反抗，反感；adj.造反的，反抗的，反叛者的

参考例句：

• The rebel army is attempting to subvert the government.反叛军队企图颠覆政府统治。
• The rebel army has readjusted its strategy.叛军已经重新调整了策略。

4 missing   

adj.遗失的，缺少的，失踪的

参考例句：

• Check the tools and see if anything is missing.检点一下工具，看有无丢失。
• All the others are here;he's the only one missing.别人都来了，就短他一个。

5 immigrants   

n.移民( immigrant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Illegal immigrants were given the opportunity to regularize their position. 非法移民得到了使其身份合法化的机会。
• Immigrants from all over the world populate this city. 这个城市里生活着来自世界各地的移民。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 related   

adj.有关系的，有关联的，叙述的，讲述的

参考例句：

• I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
• We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。

7 monthly   

adj.每月的，持续一个月的，每月发生的；adv.每月，按月； n.月刊；(复数）monthlies:月经

参考例句：

• The rent on his apartment was his biggest monthly expense.他的房租是每个月最大的开支。
• The monthly rent is $15,inclusive of light and water.每月租金15美元，包括水电费在内。

8 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

10 expressive   

adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的

参考例句：

• Black English can be more expressive than standard English.黑人所使用的英语可能比正式英语更有表现力。
• He had a mobile,expressive,animated face.他有一张多变的，富于表情的，生动活泼的脸。

11 release   

vt.发布，发表，发行；释放，放开

参考例句：

• After my examination I had a feeling of release.考完试后我有如释重负之感。
• This medicine will give you release from pain.这药吃后会解除你的疼痛。

12 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

13 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

14 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。