Among the many dance forms that became popular among Cubans and their tourist visitors between World War II and the Cuban Revolution, the Mambo was arguably the peppiest. During the era of Latin big bands in the 1940s and 50s, Mambo artists such as Perez Prado and Machito and his Afro-Cubans were similar to and influenced by American Swing orchestras with their swollen brass sections. In fact, Mambo is named after the instrumental break when horn players would trade licks and push the dancers into a frenzy. Like the Cuban cha-cha-cha, it became popular in New York City with non-Cubans and was quickly adopted into the repertoire of the popular big bands.
Mambo: Xavier Cugat, Perez Prado, Israel "Cachao" Lopez, Tito Puente, Tito Puente Jr., Tito Rodriguez, Machito, Orlando Marin, Benny Moré
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ September 15, 2010
Pan is the god of flocks, pastures, fields, and forests – often portrayed as playing the (seductive) Pan’s pipes.
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ August 04, 2010
From October 25, 1944, to January 25, 1945, Kamikazes managed to sink two escort carriers and three destroyers. They also damaged 23 carriers, five battleships, nine cruisers, 23 destroyers and 27 other ships. American casualties amounted to 738 killed and another 1,300 wounded as the result of those attacks.
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ July 26, 2011
A spirit full of mana often an inward mentor, a source of inspiration, and a moral guardian to an individual.
Daimon is the Greek derivative for the term demon. In this sense the term "demon" means "replete with knowledge." The ancient Greeks thought there were good and bad demons called 'eudemons' and 'cacodemons.' The term 'daimon' means "divine power," "fate" or "god." Daimons, in Greek mythology, included deified heroes. They were considered intermediary spirits between men and the gods. Good daimons were considered to be guardian spirits, giving guidance and protection to the ones they watched over. Bad daimons led people astray. Socrates said he had a life-time daimon that always warned him of danger and bad judgment, but never directed his actions. He said his daimon was more accurate than omens of either watching the flights or reading the entrails of birds, which were two respected forms of divination of the time.
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ August 14, 2010
A translucent screen consisting of a wooden frame covered in rice paper, used as a sliding door or partition in a Japanese house.
Shoji screens are Japanese designed Asian panel screens, popular worldwide for their practical advantages. Shoji screens are different from Chinese and other oriental screens in that the panels are rice paper, not wood, rattan, or bamboo. Rice paper is lighter than wood, but, as important, lets light pass through. Paper provides privacy, like any oriental screen, but also diffuses light throughout any room.
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ July 11, 2011
The Tale of Genji was authored by a female courtier. The tale is about life in the Japanese medieval court.
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ July 06, 2011
Norteño is what they call Tex-Mex south of the border. Norteño songs, or "corridos," are named for the ballads about 19th century battles between the U.S. and Mexico. The music's origins are as mongrel as can be: mazurkas, waltzes and even a central European dance called the schottische all contributed to its distinctive sound. With the addition of the accordion (and polka influences), modern Norteno was born; today it's marked by nasal singing, accordion flourishes and streetwise lyrics that celebrate the deeds of the little guy: petty criminals, down-and-outers, people fighting the ubiquitous "system." Unlike most regional styles, Norteño is popular throughout Mexico.
Norteño Music: Espinoza Paz, El Trono De Mexico, Alicia Villarreal, Chalino Sanchez, Conjunto Primavera, Grupo Limite, Intocable, Julio Preciado y Su Banda Perla De Pacifico, La Mafia, Los Huracanes Del Norte, Los Invasores De Nuevo Leon, Los Tigres Del Norte, Los Traileros Del Norte, Los Tucanes De Tijuana, Luis y Julian, Tony De La Rosa, Jenni Rivera
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ October 06, 2009