Just a quick note: musician Clay Ross shared a great video on the Arts Diplomacy Network Facebook page from his trip to London in October, so I thought I’d pass it along. Posted by US Embassy London, it shows him playing African-American music to a group of rapt schoolchildren in celebration of the UK’s Black History Month.
A few years ago, Clay founded Matuto, one of my favorite bands from the 2012-13 American Music Abroad season. Matuto effortlessly combines American and Brazilian roots music; imagine an Appalachian Carnaval–folksy fiddle tunes mixed with samba rhythms and the unmistakable sound of the berimbau. My words won’t do it justice–just check out this live performance from the Kennedy Center (the sound quality isn’t perfect, so you’ll just have to check out their self-titled album):
Clay’s not done conjuring great sounds yet. He’s got an excellent new album out called Entre Nous. Thanks for sharing this, Clay–hope to hear more from you soon about your experiences with American Music Abroad and what’s next for you!
