World Cup of Music Group H

Music of Countries in Group H

World Cup of Music Theme Tune; I wanted to use the Solvein Whistlers and Something New in Africa from Township Jive but there isn’t a decent video on YouTube. However this is the age of the mashup and inter-culturality so on the day that Spain enter the competition and the day after Brasil kick-off their campaign with a win here is a Spanish musician who has recorded in Brasil and comes from the Galician Celtic tradition. A regular at the Inter-Celtic festival in Lorient Carlos Nunez recorded his last album in Brasil and this track is a handy nod to Brittany in France, especially the Pipe and Drum moment at 4′ 18″ – Nau Bretoa;

Review of Matches June 15

So Drogba and Ronaldo entered the fray and declined to score whilst the Peoples Republic of Korea sprung their customary shock after six months of dedicated training and scored against Brasil. Fortunately Brasil scored two exquisite goals, Maicon’s furious blast and Elano’s side foot from Robinho’s slide-rule pass. All this after New Zealand’s starman Winston Reid had equalised in the last minute against Slovakia after being more effective than Cannavaro in defence; Man Utd should sign him up to replace Vidic. Portugal v Cote d’Ivoire seemed intense enough and the players looked ready to go to red alert, but after Ronaldo hit the post Cote d’Ivoire improved enough for them to neutralise each other. Both teams looked solid but whoever scores the most against Korea will go through, perhaps.

Group G; comprises European Champions Spain along with Switzerland and Chile and Honduras and looks a simple call for Spain and Chile. Spain, playing a wonderful passing game developed in Barcelona, equalled Brasil’s world record of 35 games undefeated between 2007 & 2009 and qualified with 10 straight wins; unbelievably impressive stats. Chile, always controversial at World Cups, qualified second ahead of Argentina in Latin America with their best squad since they were hosts in 1962, when they ate Swiss cheese before eliminating Switzerland! Tough cheese for the well-organised but unexciting Swiss team again it would seem, with only coach Ottmar Hitzfeld being notable. Honduras were involved in the infamous Football War with El Salvador during qualifying for the 1970 World Cup so this group may prove more inflammatory than it might seem at first. However all four teams are relatively highly rated by FIFA so it could be tough.

Honduras v Chile June 16

Honduras; has a typically modern Central American range of musical styles with garifuna standing out as a music with distinctly indigenous origins and also recognised by UNESCO. Mostly modern club styles in the cities but the Garifuna Women’s Project involves Honduran women with some distribution through Putumayo and Cumbancha thanks to the late Andy Palacio in Belize.  

Chile; has 2,000 miles of musical history framed by the Andes. But the most significant 20th Century music has been nueva cancion initiated in response to developments in Argentina by Isobel Parra with Victor Jara as its most significant artist. To Recuerdo Amanda;

Spain v Switzerland June 16

Spain; has a magnificent musical history with a number of indigenous styles reflecting its regions. Its fabulous musical history starts with the Romans and developed liturgically under Catholicism. But Spain also has Moorish influences through which Flamenco developed. They even have a form of light opera called Zarzuela as well as a wide range of classical composers like Bizet. Spain opened up culturally in the sixties after Package Holidays by plane made the Costa Brava accessible. There is now also a wide range of modern musical styles. Personally I am particularly fond of Ojos de Brujo and the Flamenco hip-hop they developed in Barca! Barca!;

Switzerland; has a tall musical history of mountainous origins. Apparently there was no significant music before 1835 when the first Conservatory was established in Geneva. Since then classical, folk and various popular music idioms have developed locally in response to original inspirations elsewhere. Personally I always like the Daft Beefheart dance rhythms of art provocateurs Yello and the inimitable baritone sax riffs of  The Race;

South Africa v Uruguay June 16

Let’s hope for a goal as good as Tshabala’s opener;

But this could be the decisive game for South Africa, a win here and they only need a point off France who will struggle. Uruguay need to develop offensively and may play Forlan deep, but as they can beat Mexico a draw might suit both teams. Expect fireworks if there is an early goal. The music is a battle of the Two Hughs.

South Africa; Today is Youth Day in South Africa where there has been many years of oppositional music, as well as the working class Township Jive; Grammy Award winning Miriam Makeba’s music reflected Xhosa traditions. However Hugh Masakela played great music in exile, becoming part of the jazz scene in New York. His Stimela has always been a great song of resistance telling stories about the Coal Train township workers needed to take to earn money as miners. Great live version in Zulu here – Stimela;

Uruguay; Uruguay’s music has been much influenced by Argentina, and vice versa. Candombe provides the rhythmic basis for tango and Hugo Fattoruso has a long evolving career using candombe to underpin the development of a variety of modern forms including swing and rock. In the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo “la Capital Mundial del Candombe” Candombe, like Olodum in Salvador Brasil, underpins various local cultural activities, as the video suggests. There is also an interview with Fattoruso in the text below this video of Lonjas de Cuareim;