What's Your Favorite Music from the Frontlines of Crisis Zones?

by Daniel J Gerstle · 2009-11-15 14:25:00 UTC
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Tumultuous political times often breed a prolonged and painful tension. For many, it is a time to escape, to descend to the bunkers, or to fight. And yet for others, it's a time to dance.

There were the rock clubs on Marsala Tita during the siege of Sarajevo, Bosnia. Three years of isolation and bombardment produced only so much suffering; one sometimes needed to wind down, deny the fear. There was even a Miss Sarajevo contest. After the recent West African civil wars, Sierra Leonean and Liberian survivors crafted new forms of Afrobeat and Dancehall, some also linked up to Caribbean reggae stars. In Congo DR, there were herders who developed a hybrid style of Congo folk rap which persisted and evolved even after they took up arms and joined the militia.

Let's hear from you the readers, which local musicians really bring out the vitality and resilience of people surviving on the frontlines of crisis zones? Can you recommend specific local groups or songs, ideally with links? For an example, see my colleague Frank's blog and collection of West African Voodoo Funk. Tell a personal story about how you found it, if you can. What a better way to bring out the melodious nature of a culture otherwise shrouded in bad press?

[Photo: Photo Frank found among friends in West Africa, Frank'03net.]

Daniel J Gerstle is a journalist, human rights researcher, and humanitarian aid consultant. He is Editor and Chief Correspondent for HELO: The Crisis Story Magazine.
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