Calabash music
Encyclopedia
Calabash Music is an online music company established in 2001
by Brad Powell. Calabash Music is based in Somerville, Massachusetts
. Its goal, as quoted from the website, is to provide the listener access to "talented musicians across the globe," as well as to help "independent artists sell directly to the listener." In 2008 Calabash Music went bust, owing many labels considerable sums of money. The French company Mondomix took over Calabash's business - but not its debts.
. When Calabash sells music licensed directly from an artist, the artist gets 50% of the money from each sale. Artists on Calabash have to manage and pay mechanical rights associated with digital sales. The music in Calabash Music's catalog is primarily licensed from independent artists or small, independent labels.
) to the obscure (Morna, or Son Jarocho
).
Some well known independent artists that Calabash currently has direct licenses with include Omar Sosa
, Thomas Mapfumo
, and Ashley Maher
.
Some artists that Calabash licenses music from do not have the resources or desire to sign with a record label.
Calabash also licenses music via small independent labels, and deals with labels based all over the world.
Musicians featured in the campaign include Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars, Afrobeat Sudan Aid Project, Stop Excision Project, Zola
, The Mutubambile Orphan Choir.
show, Afropop Worldwide, the satellite channel LinkTV, and Global Rhythm
magazine) to launch its worldmusic store. The partnership uses Calabash's catalogue to populate the site worldmusic.NationalGeographic.com
Like the main site of Calabash Music, the National Geographic World Music allows users to access music by artist, region or genre.
2001 in music
See also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....
by Brad Powell. Calabash Music is based in Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...
. Its goal, as quoted from the website, is to provide the listener access to "talented musicians across the globe," as well as to help "independent artists sell directly to the listener." In 2008 Calabash Music went bust, owing many labels considerable sums of money. The French company Mondomix took over Calabash's business - but not its debts.
Music
Calabash Music uses a self-described "equal exchange" revenue share http://news.calabashmusic.com/world/about. When Calabash sells music licensed directly from an artist, the artist gets 50% of the money from each sale. Artists on Calabash have to manage and pay mechanical rights associated with digital sales. The music in Calabash Music's catalog is primarily licensed from independent artists or small, independent labels.
Catalogue
Currently, Calabash's catalogue contains more than 130 genres, and a similar number of regional breakdowns, from continental (Africa, Europe, etc), to country specific (Mali, France, India, etc). The genres range from the well known (R&B, or SalsaSalsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
) to the obscure (Morna, or Son Jarocho
Son Jarocho
Son Jarocho is a traditional musical style of Veracruz, a Mexican state along the Gulf of Mexico. It evolved over the last two and a half centuries along the coastal portions of southern Tamaulipas state and Veracruz state, hence the term jarocho, a colloquial term for people or things from the...
).
Some well known independent artists that Calabash currently has direct licenses with include Omar Sosa
Omar Sosa
Omar Sosa is a composer, bandleader, and jazz pianist.-Biography:Sosa began studying marimba at age eight, then switched to piano at the Escuela Nacional de Musica in Havana, where he studied jazz. Sosa moved to Quito, Ecuador, in 1993, then San Francisco, California, in 1995...
, Thomas Mapfumo
Thomas Mapfumo
Thomas Tafirenyika Mapfumo is a Zimbabwean musician known as "The Lion of Zimbabwe" and "Mukanya" for his immense popularity and for the political influence he wields through his music, including his sharp criticism of the government of President Robert Mugabe...
, and Ashley Maher
Ashley Maher
Ashley Maher is a singer and songwriter who has meshedthe rhythmic impulses of West Africa and Latin America withWestern song structures.-Biography:Ashley Maher was born to British parents in Montreal, Canada, and moved to...
.
Licensing
Calabash licenses music directly from artists, from labels, and from aggregators. All licenses are non-exclusive.Some artists that Calabash licenses music from do not have the resources or desire to sign with a record label.
Calabash also licenses music via small independent labels, and deals with labels based all over the world.
Global Music Videos
The Calabash Global Music Videos blog contains videos from artists around the world. Most videos are from artists that Calabash has a license to sell music for, although a few are not represented on the website.Global Music News
The Calabash Global Music News Blog contains content on developments in the global world music community.Free Single Blog
Every week, Calabash offers 10 songs from 10 artists for free promotional download. The Free Single Blog tracks the free songs and gives other information regarding the artist's work.Tune Your World Campaign
Calabash has a campaign entitled 'Tune Your World.' The aim of the campaign is to give aid to Africa through the support of African Artists. The campaign works with artists engaged in their community to create change around issues of health, community, and peace.Musicians featured in the campaign include Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars, Afrobeat Sudan Aid Project, Stop Excision Project, Zola
Zola (entertainer)
Bonginkosi Dlamini, aka Zola, is a South African musician, actor and presenter. He also presents Zola 7, a television show named for him, on SABC 1.-Cultural Influences:...
, The Mutubambile Orphan Choir.
Relationship With National Geographic
National Geographic partnered up with Calabash Music (as well as the Public Radio InternationalPublic Radio International
Public Radio International is a Minneapolis-based American public radio organization, with locations in Boston, New York, London and Beijing. PRI's tagline is "Hear a different voice." PRI is a major public media content creator and also distributes programs from many sources...
show, Afropop Worldwide, the satellite channel LinkTV, and Global Rhythm
Global Rhythm
Global Rhythm is a New York-based monthly music and lifestyle magazine featuring coverage of world music, film, cuisine and travel. It is published monthly and circulated across North America, Europe and hundreds of other locations worldwide....
magazine) to launch its worldmusic store. The partnership uses Calabash's catalogue to populate the site worldmusic.NationalGeographic.com
Like the main site of Calabash Music, the National Geographic World Music allows users to access music by artist, region or genre.