Tag Archives: people

The High Atlas Mountains in central Morocco rise from the Atlantic coast and stretch east to the Moroccan-Algerian border. This is a rugged landscape, inhabited by hardy Berbers – more properly called by their endonym Amazigh or Imazighen, meaning ‘Free Person’ or ‘Free People’. They live in small villages with narrow lanes lined with traditional […]

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(Click to start Still Water by Daniel Lanois.) The morning started early, with the rousing sounds of Sunday gospel and Sacred Steel from the American South. The evening rounded out with silky smooth songs by Canadian legend Daniel Lanois.  Sunday at the Vancouver Island Musicfest in Comox, BC, featured a diversity of musicians from countries […]

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One of the things I love about India – and which always surprises me – is the extent and beauty of the countryside. As of April 2023, India was estimated to have overtaken China as the most populous country in the world. In spite of that, you can drive great distances through an agrarian landscape, […]

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From folk to flamenco, from guzheng to Gypsy jazz, from poetry to Asian fusion: the lineup on day 2 of the 30th annual Vancouver Island Musicfest in Comox, BC, was undoubtedly eclectic! Unlike the evening before (see: Expanding Boundaries: Vancouver Island Musicfest #1) when only the Concert Bowl mainstage was in play, during the day […]

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From the First People of Comox Valley, Canada, to the landlocked central African nation of Chad; from acoustic guitar folk harmonies to cross-cultural genre-bending musical layers; from unaccompanied voices and percussions to complex and layered instrumental blends – the Vancouver Island Musicfest in July had no apparent boundaries. Even if I’d had an idea what […]

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