Travel Notes

Today, we’re honored to be joined by a true cultural torchbearer — saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and Big Chief of the Congo Square Nation… Donald Harrison. From second-line rhythms in New Orleans to classical orchestration, nouveau swing to trap-infused jazz — Donald Harrison’s musical reach is nothing short of cosmic. In this episode, we dive deep into his creative process, his groundbreakin...

We’re kicking off Season 5 of Travel Notes with a true global music visionary—Jacob Edgar! As an ethnomusicologist, cultural explorer, and world music tastemaker, Jacob has spent his career uncovering the sounds that shape cultures around the globe. In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of ethnomusicology and its surprising breadth, explore how Putumayo World Music transformed global...

Today on Travel Notes, we are featuring the American Railroad project by the Silkroad Ensemble in anticipation of their show at the Charleston Gaillard Center on November 19th. Today’s special guest, celtic harpist Maeve Gilchrist takes us behind the scenes of this monumental project. Silkroad’s American Railroad project highlights untold stories and amplifies unheard voices from the communities w...

Today on Travel Notes, we talk to musician and songwriter, Eljuri. Eljuri is a New Yorker, immigrant, Latina, woman, singer, and guitarist. Her greatest passions are songwriting and activism. Her music is a fusion of Latin, reggae and global rhythms with rock and funk. Her bilingual songs are socially conscious and about current global issues. In her world, music and activism are positively intert...

In this episode of Travel Notes, we explore the vibrant city of Toronto through the music of KUNÉ , Canada’s Global Orchestra with special guests, Aline Morales & Matias Recharte. Formed in 2017 by The Royal Conservatory of Music, KUNÉ became an independent collective in 2021. This eleven-piece ensemble includes musicians from around the world, reflecting the cultural diversity of Toronto. We...

This month on Travel Notes we head north to Canada where we talk with Laura Risk, assistant Professor in the Music and Culture program of the Department of Arts, Culture and Media at the University of Toronto Scarborough and professional Scottish and Québécois fiddler. Her fiddling has been described by filmmaker Ken Burns as "a revelation and achingly beautiful” and Living Tradition hails her 'po...

Welcome back to Travel Notes! Today, we're thrilled to chat with professional violinist, Laura Diaz. Laura's musical journey took her from graduating with degrees in Music Performance, Music History and Computer Information Systems to a 2021 SURF Grant where she explored Guatemalan composer Joaquín Orellana's career amidst Guatemala's turbulent history, digitizing and archiving his work for future...

In today's show we are going somewhere we’ve never been before on Travel Notes! We are going to the southernmost island in the Caribbean just off the coast of Venezuela, perhaps most musically well known for their steel drums thanks to their economy’s heavy reliance on petrochemicals and petroleum, you may have heard of this island called Trinidad and Tobago! Our cultural liaison will be Trinidadi...

Today's musical guests on Travel Notes are two lovely humans and fantastic musicians: Eleanor Dubinsky & Darío Acosta Teich. Eleanor is a USA-born vocalist, guitarist and cellist who sings in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. Her music is open-hearted and culturally fluid, connecting underground tributaries between languages and world rhythms in uplifting, soulful compositions that expl...

This week on Travel Notes , Grace talks with the groundbreaking Gambian kora virtuoso, Sona Jobarteh! Sona is breaking barriers as the world’s first professional female kora virtuoso from the West African Griot dynasties. With a lineage of renowned Kora masters, including her grandfather Amadu Bansang Jobarteh and cousin Toumani Diabaté, Sona's talent is unmatched. Her distinctive voice, infectiou...

Travel Notes highlights the LEAF Global Arts retreat happening May 9-12 in historic lake Eden, NC and talks with special guests, Jennifer Pickering who is the co executive director of LEAF Global Arts non-profit based in Asheville NC and Adama Dembele, LEAF Cultural Ambassador who is also a talented djembe and balafon player from the Ivory Coast. They listen to some of Adama’s music and dive into...

In today’s episode of Travel Notes we are talking with Derek Gripper who has been on the show before and a renowned South African guitarist, whose love for the kora set him to transcribing and recording some of its greatest works. He is joined by Malian kora virtuoso, Ballaké Sissoko for their upcoming performance at the Savannah Music Festival this weekend, March 30th at 5:30 PM and 8PM. For thei...

Join us on today's episode of Travel Notes as we journey to Uppsala, Sweden to chat with folk musician Gabbi from the Nordic folk/rock band, FRÄNDER. I was lucky enough to catch FRÄNDER live at the Scandinavia House in New York City earlier this year and I can tell you first hand that you guys are in for a treat. Not only is their music dynamic and fantastic live, it’s also very thoughtfully roote...

On today’s episode of Travel Notes, we are featuring a musical group that had humble beginnings on a farm in South Africa some 63 years ago. Today, they are living legends whose music has played a pivotal role during the apartheid in South Africa. Nelson Mandela listened to their music while he was imprisoned during the apartheid citing their music carried a powerful message of peace.  Today’...

Drum roll….it’s the first episode of Travel Notes for 2024! I’m so excited about this year’s first guest - Clay Ross, a multi-grammy award winning guitarist/vocalist, composer and educator about his group American Patchwork Quartet or APQ. I saw the American Patchwork Quartet perform at the APAP conference in NYC this past January and was absolutely blown away by their live performance and music....

In this episode of Travel Notes we are exploring the current political and cultural dynamic in Cuba through the eyes and upcoming album of Grammy nominated powerhouse duo, Elizabeth Rodriguez and Magdelys Savigne’s who perform under the name OKAN. Fusing Afro-Cuban roots with jazz, folk and global rhythms in songs about immigration, resistance and love, OKAN takes their name from the word for hear...

Today on Travel Notes Grace is joined by special guest is Kurtis Lamkin, a Philadelphia born and Charleston based poet and musician specializing in the west african kora and an instrument called the jinjin. In true griot fashion, he blurs the line between poet, musician and storyteller. Kurt has performed on stage, radio, film, and television, and was one of the featured poets in the Bill Moyers d...

In this part II episode of Venezuelan music on Travel Notes , we go live from the Ohm Radio studio with Charleston based group, the Venezuelan Sound Ensemble to bring you live Venezuelan folk music and conversation. We dive into the rich and multifaceted history and musical traditions that connect Venezuela to other countries near and far.

In this episode of Travel Notes , we embark on the first leg of a journey through Venezuela's rich musical landscape with award winning Venezuelan born Toronto based musician, Eliana Cuevas. Her most recent album, Seré Libre, blends together classical, jazz, Afro-Venezuelan rhythms and folk music to create a seamless reflection of the multifaceted music of Venezuela.

Join host Grace McNally for an all new Travel Notes episode on Native American music and culture featuring Cathy Nelson from Keepers of the Word, an organization that works to preserve South Carolina Native culture and Two Piece, a Charleston based musical duo comprised of Delia Chariker and Bill Whittaker.

Today on an all new Travel Notes , Grace talks with Osei Chandler host of Roots Musik Karamu - one of the longest running radio shows on SC public radio. They talk about the African roots of Caribbean music, Osei’s contributions to South Carolina’s cultural and music landscape and more.

Today on Travel Notes , Grace talks with award winning Brazilian guitarist and songwriter, Badi Assad about her creative process, current projects, mindfulness practice, challenges she’s overcome during her career and more.

Happy Holidays from Travel Notes! Join me and special co host Ryan Lareau for a special holiday edition of Travel Notes, A Christmas around the World where we find out how the world sings about Christmas.

Inspired by my brother who is living and working in Japan, tune in to explore the ancient and immersive art form of Taiko Drumming!

In this episode of Travel Notes we are going to travel across the ocean and through time as we discuss Canadian musician, Lenka Lichtenberg’s latest project, ‘The Thieves of Dreams’ which features songs inspired by her grandmother’s notebooks from while she was in Theresienstadt concentration camp during WWII. This story is about women, strength, loss, human tragedy and family. Tune to hear our co...