Youssou N'Dour

Senegal’s Constitutional Council rejected today Youssou N’Dour‘s candidacy for president of Senegal. According to the court, the world music star did not collect the 10,000 signatures that are needed. N’Dour’s organization presented 12,936 signatures of voters, although only 8,911 were validated. President Wade will run again for a third mandate.

In early January of 2012, the 52 year old Senegalese singer announced that he would run for president in February as a ‘patriotic duty.’

N’Dour is one of Africa’s biggest stars. He introduced international audiences to mbalax, a Senegalese blend of African, Caribbean and pop rhythms. His frequent releases never fail to add a new step to Senegal’s extensive repertoire of dance styles. N’Dour’s music is a mixture of Cuban rhythms, jazz and soul flavors, all African in origin. His musicians, some of the most renowned in Africa, play traditional instruments such as the tama (talking drum) as well as western instruments.

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Xosé Manuel Seivane

Piper and bagpipe maker Xosé Manuel Seivane Rivas, patriarch of the renowned Seivane family died today in A Coruña (Galicia, Spain). He was 90 years old.

Xosé Manuel Seivane was born in Fonmiñá, A Pastoriza, in Spain’s northwestern region of Galicia, in 1921. He built his first gaita (bagpipe) with the Seivane brand 70 years ago, thus fulfilling his childhood dream of building his own musical instrument. Xosé Manuel Seivane dedicated all his life to Galician traditional music and became a reference in the construction, transmission and dissemination of Galician culture.

Seivane has become one of the best known names in bagpipe crafting. Three years ago, Xosé Manuel Seivane transferred his legendary workshop in Cambre to his sons, Álvaro and Xosé Manuel.

Xosé Manuel Seivane’s granddaughter, Susana Seivane, is one Spain’s best pipers and one of the leading female pipers in the world.

Visit the Seivane site at: http://www.seivane.es

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