[FA Worldmusic] (Mis)adventures in musical diplomacy

[Marco Werman]

Check out today's edition of The World.  We feature Ambo Cason singing
before 10,000 Paraguayans in Ascuncion.  I appreciate your conclusion,
but as we found, in an era when the US is suffering from the worst
global public opinion ever, it seems that almost any effort gets credit,
even if there are some mistakes.
Marco

-----Original Message-----
From: fa-worldmusic-bounces+marco.werman=bbc.co.uk at folk.org
[mailto:fa-worldmusic-bounces+marco.werman=bbc.co.uk at folk.org] On Behalf
Of Mark Gorney
Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2008 3:21 PM
To: fa-worldmusic at folk.org
Subject: [FA Worldmusic] (Mis)adventures in musical diplomacy

I don't know if anyone's been following this story but probably a first
in whirled music, US ambassador to Paraguay James Cason (formerly head
of the US interests section in Havana), cut an album of Guarani folk
songs:
http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/582020.html

 

Audio interview: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7484512.stm

 

but apparently he didn't quite get it right:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080627/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/paraguay_us_singin
g_am
bassador

 

Moral of the story: especially given the terrible history of the US in
Latin America, if you're going to genuinely respect the culture of a
place, take the time to make sure you're doing it properly, otherwise
you're just perpetuating the same culture of ignorance, and some would
say imperialism.
Or maybe US Gov't. personnel just don't make good singers?

 

When Cason was in Cuba, he never did any son.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mark Gorney

Worldisc

415.826.2638

mark at worldisc.net
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