Happy Weekend...

Happy summer Friday! It has been a wonderful, soul-nourishing week kicking off the next chapter of my career, and I'm thrilled. Here's to a sunny weekend of time spent outdoors, picnics, bare feet grounded to the earth, and fresh air vibrating through our bodies. Here are a few things that piqued my interest this week:

• Letting a little classic Afrobeat and Rock groove me into the weekend. 
• Reading up on Esther Gokhale and the Gokhale Method of posture, and getting some tips on how to properly stand, as my new organization uses standing desks (!!!). Did you know just how much your posture affects your overall health? Learn more about standing tall with her book "8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back."
• After we spent one solid and restorative night of doing completely nothing this week (no television, no music, no lights, even! Just being together, as the soft breeze came through the windows and the sun set) I totally support this concept of "Slow Parenting" discussed in the Globe a few weeks ago. Even without children, there is strength in truly disconnecting, slowing down, and practicing the art of noticing with our partners and friends.
• And finally, a favorite romantic poem from Stanley Kunitz, "Route Six," that has me jonesing for a trip to the Cape this weekend. I can almost see the Orleans rotary now...

"The city squats on my back.
I am heart-sore, stiff-necked,
exasperated. That's why
I slammed the door,
that's why I tell you now,
in every house of marriage
there's room for an interpreter.
Let's jump into the car, honey,
and head straight for the Cape,
where the cock on our housetop crows
that the weather's fair,
and my garden waits for me
to coax it into bloom.
As for those passions left
that flare past understanding,
like bundles of dead letters
out of our previous lives
that amaze us with their fevers,
we can stow them in the rear
along with ziggurats of luggage
and Celia, our transcendental cat,
past-mistress of all languages,
including Hottentot and silence.
We'll drive non-stop till dawn,
and if I grow sleepy at the wheel,
you'll keep me awake by singing 
in your bravura Chicago style
Ruth Etting's smoky song,
'Love Me or Leave Me,'
belting out the choices.

Light glazes the eastern sky.
Celia gyrates upward
like a performing seal,
her glistening nostrils aquiver
to sniff the brine-spiked air.
The last stretch toward home!
Twenty summers roll by."

Favorite World Music Flicks

For the next few weeks, I'll be spending a bit of time on the road for work, which translates to evenings in hotel rooms and more than enough hours to re-watch some favorite flicks. I'll preface this by saying that I'm a terrible television watcher - always have been, and probably always will be. But if there are two things that can hold my attention on a screen, it's music and food.

Music is a very important thing to me. It has the power to elevate vibrations, move us through moments, and inspire all at once. A penchant for world music grew throughout my childhood, from listening to a variety of global-influenced radio stations and developing an obsession with renting foreign films from the public library in my hometown.

I began studying Anthropology as a freshman in college, and one of my most beloved courses was in Ethnomusicology, where we dug deep into the intersection of cultural tradition and musical expression, discussing the globalization of Pygmy lullabies and learning to Gumboot dance. Eventually, I hosted a world music radio show, and from there, the love affair has continued to evolve.

In celebration of world music, this week, I'm sharing some of my longtime favorite music films. Also, if you have a favorite music film, I'd love to hear about it. Share it in the comments below!

• "A Visit to Ali Farka Touré": At eighteen, I became transfixed by Ali Farka Touré; a spark for Malian music that bloomed into a wildfire during college. While most known for his collaboration with Ry Cooder in the Grammy-winning "Talking Timbuktu," this film follows the guitarist to his homeland, where he dedicates himself to improving living conditions, and continues to evolve his music.
• "Throw Down Your Heart": In high school, I listened to a lot of Béla Fleck - his instrumental banjo jams blaring from the speakers of my little Jeep Wrangler as I roamed around the Connecticut countryside. In this documentary, Fleck heads to Africa to understand the origins of the banjo. Most notable is the joyful song played by a female thumb pianist.
• "Bamako is a Miracle": Toumani Diabaté comes from a long line of kora players, and collaborated with Ali Farka Touré on several albums, including the gorgeous "Ali & Toumani," released in 2010 after Touré's death. This film focuses on the creation of an album between Diabaté and a famous jazz trombonist in the capital of Bamako, and highlights the magical convergence of cultures.
• "Under African Skies": While the obvious primer for this film is "Graceland: The African Concert," this documentary is an interesting and different look at the making of Paul Simon's "Graceland," the controversial and groundbreaking 1986 album.
• "Buena Vista Social Club": A classic must-see for any world music fan, this film is about Ry Cooder's journey to bring together the remarkable sounds of Cuban musicians, showcase their culture, and share their life stories.

And a bonus non-world music film that I recently revisited:

• "Nina Simone - Live at Montreux 1976": Nina Simone - diva, love sorceress, and high priestess of soul - is stunning in this emotional performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival. A must see if you're looking to have your mood moved, see a musician bear her soul, and follow it up with a few performances from later in her career.