Join me on my journey to Indonesia, Malaysia, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Senegal, and Morocco as a 2017-2018 Watson Fellow as I explore the place and permissibility of music in Muslim majority communities!

Mar 11, 2018

Mugham Fest Part 1

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watson, music, islam, azerbaijan, baku, mugham, music, and arts

Mar 4, 2018

Double Dose of Zoroastrianism

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watson, music, islam, uzbekistan, central asia, tashkent, caucases, azerbaijan, baku, music, research, and arts

Feb 25, 2018

Pearl of the East

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watson, music, islam, uzbekistan, central asia, tashkent, samarkand, sirdarya, music, research, and arts

Feb 18, 2018

Shashmaqam Fest

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watson, music, islam, uzbekistan, central asia, tashkent, music, research, and arts

Feb 11, 2018

Morning Plov

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watson, music, islam, kyrgyzstan, central asia, osh, music, research, and arts

Feb 4, 2018

The Last Stan

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watson, music, islam, kyrgyzstan, uzbekistan, central asia, osh, tashkent, music, research, and arts

Jan 28, 2018

From North to South

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watson, music, islam, kyrgyzstan, central asia, osh, music, research, and arts

Jan 21, 2018

Bye Bye Bishkek

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watson, music, islam, kazakhstan, kyrgyzstan, central asia, bishkek, music, research, and arts

Jan 14, 2018

Stints to Talas and Almaty

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watson, music, islam, kyrgyzstan, kazakhstan, central asia, bishkek, music, research, and arts

Jan 7, 2018

Vastly Varied Viewpoints

Interviews with a couple of Kyrgyz pop stars with very different views on Islam, a virtuoso komuz player, and representatives of an Islamic magazine in Kyrgyzstan.

watson, music, islam, kyrgyzstan, central asia, bishkek, music, research, and arts

Dec 31, 2017

Horse Meat and Happy Holidays

A trio of interviews with a convert/revert to Islam, a couple of jazz musicians, and the founder of Cultura Nomada.

watson, music, islam, kyrgyzstan, central asia, bishkek, music, research, and arts

Dec 24, 2017

Jam Session Cultural Disorientation

A culturally disorienting jam session at a pub, string orchestra concert, my first several interviews in Bishkek, and one of the best Jazz combos in Central Asia.

watson, music, islam, kyrgyzstan, central asia, bishkek, music, research, and arts

Dec 17, 2017

Hello Kyrgyzstan

Visiting some museums, bargaining for an entire outfit at an open air bazaar, friday prayer, an open mic night, and a couple of shows at the State Opera and Ballet Theatre.

watson, music, islam, kyrgyzstan, central asia, bishkek, music, research, and arts

Dec 10, 2017

Wrapping Up In Southeast Asia

An interview with a metalhead and a presentation at USM by yours truly

watson, music, islam, malaysia, teluk intan, ipoh, penang, music, research, and arts

Dec 3, 2017

Jazzed Out In Penang

Interviews with an 'outsider artist', a sound-explorer/painter, an experimental musician/lecturer, and the Penang Island Jazz Festival.

watson, music, islam, malaysia, teluk intan, ipoh, penang, music, research, and arts

Nov 26, 2017

Heading North

Interviews with an Islamic scholar/politician, a metalhead, a clothing designer, an imaam/nasyeed artist, and the Georgetown Literary Festival.

watson, music, islam, malaysia, teluk intan, ipoh, penang, music, research, and arts

Nov 19, 2017

Nasyeed Vocal Semi-Finals

Interviews with Pop and RnB musicians, a sheikh, an Islamic sculptor, the president of Malaysias preeminent nasyeed music umberlla organization, a singer-songwriter, and Altimet's father, the 1st 'Sacred Path of Love' conference in Malaysia, and the semi-finals of a nasyeed vocals competition televised live at TV Al Hijra's main studio.

watson, music, islam, malaysia, kuala lumpur, music, research, and arts

Nov 12, 2017

Mawlid Music Fest

Interviews with big shots, metal nasyeed, Islamic theater, a couple of communal feasts, and Mawlid festival in Singapore, and qasida music to go around.

watson, music, islam, malaysia, kuala lumpur, music, research, and arts

Nov 5, 2017

Halloween and Kuchipudi

A Halloween celebration at an open mic bar, a talk on the power of dhikr, a kuchipudi arangetram, a research presentation by yours truly, and a treasonous and blasphemous musical.

watson, music, islam, malaysia, kuala lumpur, music, research, and arts

Oct 29, 2017

From Indonesia to Malaysia

Touristy things, Sufi dhikr, shadowing a fusion rock band, interviews with musicians, and a film screening on the consequences of unilateral conversion and custody disputes in Malaysia.

watson, music, islam, malaysia, kuala lumpur, and research

Oct 22, 2017

Sumatran Interviews: Round 2

Interviews with professors of ethnomusicology, islamic philosophy, islamic civilizations, and karawitan Minang, and interviews with a couple of exponents of Minangkabau martial arts.

watson, music, islam, indonesia, sumatra, padang panjang, and ISI Padang Panjang

Oct 15, 2017

Living as a Sumatran Highlander

Interviews with a Minangkabau cultural preservationist, an MA of Islamic civilizations, and a couple of PhD's in Islamic law.

watson, music, islam, indonesia, sumatra, batusangkar, and padang panjang

Oct 8, 2017

Martial Arts, Dance, Music, Drama, and the Kitchen Sink

Randai dance-drama, sampan dance, traditional Minang wedding, and interviews with an expert on Minangkabau culture and a doctor/amateur musician.

watson, music, islam, indonesia, sumatra, padang, and randai

Oct 1, 2017

Sketches of Interviewees

Interviews with Muslims, a Christian, self-taught musicians, and metal/punk turned world musicians.

watson, music, islam, evangelical christianity, indonesia, bali, ubud, singapore, voa, extension, interviews, and open mics

Sep 24, 2017

Touriststan

Bali, Indonesia (aka. 'Touriststan'): A safe haven for tourists and ex-pats.

watson, indonesia, bali, ubud, kuta, denpasar, tourism, foreigners, hinduism, gamelan, and Narwastu

Sep 17, 2017

A Hodgepodge of Music

Jazz music in English, Sholawat music in Indonesian, Gambus music in Arabic, Hindustani music in Braj Bhasha, and the indeterministic sounds of Kiai Kanjeng.

watson, indonesia, java, yogyakarta, hindustani, gambus, sholawat, jazz, jam session, workshop, indian music, arabic, indonesian, jogja, music, islam, ex-musician, and hijra

Sep 10, 2017

The Hijra and the Habib

Interviews with ex-musicians, semi-ex-musicians, an Elvis impersonater, and more.

watson, indonesia, java, yogyakarta, jogja, music, islam, ex-musician, and hijra

Sep 3, 2017

OMW To Jogja

Interviews with a professor, student music group, and sholawatan artists, contemporary and traditional dance performance, Eid-Ul-Adha festivities, and an all-nighter of wayang kulit music.

MTA, UNS, Taman Budaya Jawa Tengah, contemporary dance performance, sendratari, prambanan, rebana, maulid, habeeb syeh, PAMOR, interviews, wayang all-nighter, Eid-Ul-Adha, and all-women's sholawatan

Aug 27, 2017

One More Week in Solo...

Karawitan, sholawatan, imigrasi, pesantrens, mass Islamic study session, and a lovely recording session.

watson, Karawitan, sholawatan, imigrasi, pesantrens, mass Islamic study session, and and a lovely recording session.

Aug 20, 2017

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

Running from place to place to interview anyone and everyone.

watson, interviews, wayang orang, sriwedari, and indonesian independence day

Aug 13, 2017

HBD To Me

Royal courts, village gamelan, jam session, frame drums, and ancient temples.

watson, solo, hindu temple, and islamic music

Aug 6, 2017

Five Days in Transit

Eventually making my way to Solo, Central Java

watson, japan, tokyo, jakarta, indonesia, and transit

Jul 21, 2017

Hello World

Packing up and about to set off!

watson, first post, getting ready, and los angeles

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