News Dispatches

Vintage calypso—the beloved Caribbean sounds of the early 20th-century—is alive and well and thriving in Berlin. The seventeen-member strong, multinational, Lord Mouse and the Kalypso Katz packs the city’s bars and stages with swaying beats, hot horns, and bold lyrics.

With Grupo Cha Cha, Gilly has carried on the great tradition of Latin flute, bringing together a wonderfully diverse, elegantly tight band and proving that, indeed, This is the Life (release date: June 21, 2013). Numbers move from flute-driven forms like Cuban charanga to Brazilian samba to hot salsa.

With Grupo Cha Cha, Gilly has carried on the great tradition of Latin flute, bringing together a wonderfully diverse, elegantly tight band and proving that, indeed, This is the Life (release date: June 21, 2013). Numbers move from flute-driven forms like Cuban charanga to Brazilian samba to hot salsa.

The Looking is a fluid musical collective fronted by Todd Carter, whose voice has been described as “Roy Orbison meets Morrissey.” An operatically trained multi-instrumentalist, Carter was inspired by how well the romantic and mind-boggling themes and stories within these traditional songs easily transition into the rock genre.

Some artists evoke the past, not to engage in nostalgia, but to engage with great creativity and find new ways to explore neglected forms. Oana Cătălina Chiţu, born in Romania, based in Berlin, has done just that, by digging into the sultry yet virtuosic repertoire of Romania’s pioneering answer to Edith Piaf, Maria Tănase.