My stack of Putumayo World Music CDs continues to grow; the latest release of AFRICAN BLUES is described by National Public Radio as “delicate, airy, sure-footed and strong all the way through.”
Founder of Putumayo Clothing and Putumayo World Music Dan Storper, Sarah Demment and Magical Madge Marley in the Putumayo offices in Soho, NYC. CIrca 1982. Dan is holding his arrangement of cotton-a gift from Tonya Tootsie Marley..
I marvel at my friend and former employer, Dan Storper, founder of Putumayo Clothing and Putumayo World Music. Dan has followed his passion and never looked back.
In New York City during the early ’80’s when the two of us were enmeshed in Putumayo’s clothing business, Dan was daily moved by fabric and music. Each could make him do a side-hop-step jump, a slide-back-and-forth strut, or a shout-out-loud wail! And often, these inspirational moments would send him into a state of heightened euphoria. I’m not kidding!
Working with and traveling around the big city, Chicago, LA, Dallas, Paris, Delhi, India and the exotic Kashmir Himalyan Mountains with the creative genius Dan Storper was nothing short of fascinating and life changing for me.
CLICK HERE to visit the Putumayo World Music website and expore AFRICAN BLUES!
As stated by my long-time kindred spirit, “It’s like two halves of a circle,” muses Putumayo head Dan Storper, a passionate collector of music from around the world. “The blues’ roots are in Africa but emerged and evolved as a powerful musical style in America. Now they’re reuniting in new and exciting ways. When we worked on Mali to Memphis, we recognized the powerful connection between the bluesy music of West Africa and the Mississippi Delta,” explains Dan. “That began my search for American and African blues and blues-influenced music and led to a series of successful CDs including Mississippi Blues, American Blues and Blues Around the World.”
I am patiently waiting for the day my friend finally rests his weary head here in Clarksdale while he captures on a cd and/or dvd our musical spirit for his Putumayo World Music lovers around the world. MM
Enjoy this video released by Putumayo World Music as a teaser for the AFRICAN BLUES.
Cover of Putumayo World Music AFRICAN BLUES cd
Magical Madge, Kasha, Sarah Demment, Founder of Putumayo World Music Dan Storper and Kaka working and playing in Delhi, India. Circa 1982
Founder of Putumayo Clothing and Putumayo World Music Dan Storper and Magical Madge Marley during a Boutique Show in New York City. Circa 1982.
Kaka, Boudlin Marley and Founder of Putumayo Clothing and Putumayo World Music Dan Storper during a Boutique Show in New York City. Circa 1982.
Madge ,
In the early 80’s I was living in N.Y. and had a girlfriend who for a brief time worked in the Soho Putumayo store . There were 2 stores in NYC at the time if memory serves me . Great to see the Putumayo vision unfold .
Frank,
Hi! The first Putumayo store was on Upper East Side. Second one on Upper West on Columbus. That’s when I joined them. While working for P, we opened the Soho store. I worked in the corporate offices in Soho and prior to that above East Side store.
What was your friend’s name? Those stores did amazing business and they were small, too! I wish I had my P clothes from back then! I could shoot myself for letting them go! Especially the garments I helped design!