Editorial

Editor's Box

Spring, it seems, has sprung properly here in North Derbyshire (although it's raining as I write this at 6:40 am!). There's a sense of growth in the air, of anticipation for the coming summer.

There's a sense of anticipation about music, too, that people are doing exciting, even revolutionary things, like the collaborations of Smadj (reviewed this issue), or Toumani Diabate (ditto). Even Alan Stivell takes huge chances on his new album. It's all illustrative that music has to move forward or wither on the vine.

Tradition is good, it's great, but each generation needs to look at it anew, to bring its own influences to the table rather than slavishly copy what's gone before. That's true not only in the folk music we're used to hearing, but also music from every part of the world. To be static is to begin entropy.

Collaborations of all kinds spark the imagination. Musicians go home energised, ready to bring fresh ideas to their own sounds. So - within sensible limits at least (I'm not sure the Salif Keita/Metallica combination sounds appealing - the more of them the better!

Related Articles in the 'Special Features' Category...

• Calypso
• Lost Classics
• The History of Jamaican Music: Part 1
• The History of Jamaican Music: Part 2
• The History of Jamaican Music: Part 3
• The History of Jamaican Music: Part 4
• The History of Jamaican Music: Part 5
• The History of Jamaican Music: Part 6