Charlie Gillett, father of world music, dies

You may not know this name. But the only reason you do know names like Youssou N'Dour and Salif Keita and Mariza (the Portuguese fado singer) is because of him.
BBC broadcaster and forefather of global music, Charlie Gillett, died yesterday after an extended illness. Gillett is widely credited with coining the term, "world music". His show, The Sound of the World, was a joy to listen to. It had a playfulness that belied Gillett's love for the music he listened to. I discovered many bands through his show, including one of my favorites, Fat Freddys Drop.
Today, "world music" has exploded far beyond the boundaries of its name. I kind of bristle at the phrase now, when South Africans are making music that sounds like NYC indy-rock, and New Yorkers are making music that sounds like South Africans.
But Gillett laid the groundwork. He heard incredible music in far away places and decided the world needed to hear it, too. The Beat Authority and countless other music shows, bands, and entire genres would exist without him.



