Hyphenated: music + Identity, an audio documentary series by Ron Deutsch

16/06/2025

Last episode of season two is now available.

https://hyphenated.eu/episode/louis-matute

Louis Matute is the son of a German mother and a Honduran father, but was born and raised in Switzerland. When he began pursuing a career as a jazz guitarist, he began to notice elements of Central and South American music finding their way into his compositions. These rhythms and melodies were also accompanied with feelings of sadness, nostalgia, and melancholy that seem to have been almost genetically transferred into him from his father. It has always been difficult for his father to tell him the stories of what happened to his family and why they fled Honduras. And so, Louis has put himself on a journey to uncover and understand the roots of these feelings he has. In the meantime, he has created his own folklore in his music to fill that space.

I very much intend to continue this project and will begin recording new episodes again in the fall and look forward to presenting them to you at that time. Have yourselves a great summer. And don't forget you can follow us on facebook and instagram to know when the new season begins, as well as subscribing via your podcast app or platform of choice. And if you haven't listened to all the episodes, summer is a great time to do so.

Just a quick note.... This is the final episode of the second season. I had hoped to have 10 episodes, or at least eight, and so I apologize to you, the...

08/04/2025

We're now on Instagram! join us there!

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04/04/2025

NEW EPISODE!! ❤️

Before Rebecca m'Boungou was conceived, in the 1980's, her French mother became entranced by Congolese music, and followed that fascination to the country where she became the first white woman to dance with the National Ballet. And that's where she also met the man she would marry and have a child with. Rebecca was born and raised in the Basque Country and felt accepted as just another French girl, while at the same time understood she was different. And while her parents' marriage didn't last, it was her mother's love and respect for Congolese culture that she then gifted to her daughter. But yet, being “a half-white, French girl,” has led to identity conflicts. She understands these conflicts may just be in her head, such as is she legitimate to talk about Congo, or is she taking space away from someone who is from Brazzaville? But what she does understand is that her music allows her to celebrate her other culture, and helps her feel she is not just “another pessimistic human in this world.”

Just a brief note, we'll be taking another short break. Getting ready to record some more episodes, so we should be back by the beginning of May to finish up...

15/03/2025

New Episode!

Meral Polat was focused on her successful acting career until she received a letter with a poem from her father in response to her question: “What does it mean for you to be human?” This poem would eventually led her to create the Meral Polat Trio(featuring Chris Doyle of Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra on keyboards). Being the daughter of Alevi Kurdish disapora parents, being born and raised in Amsterdam, being an actress and a musician, she doesn't take for granted the privileges and freedom in Europe. But she has always been in a dialogue with her multiple identities both within herself and with the world around her and this has now found expression in her music which they've dubbed: "Kurdish Soul."

Meral Polat was focused on her successful acting career until she received a letter with a poem from her father in response to her question: “What does it mean...

12/03/2025

loved talking with Ëda Diaz 💕

https://hyphenated.eu/episode/eda-diaz 💜

01/03/2025

am very excited to share a new episode of my project with you..... 💕

Ëda Diaz has created her own country -- "FranColumbia" or maybe "the French-Columbia Republic." Her father is Columbian and her mother is from Little Brittany. At various points in her life she felt drawn to one identity, then at another point pulled towards the other. It left her feeling fragmented until she realized that she can be both 100% Columbian and 100% French. And this is reflected, as well, in her music which celebrates all of her identity in one. For as she likes to say, "You can't cut up something that is love like it is sausage."

Just a brief note, we'll be dropping three new episodes every two weeks, and if all goes well, there will be a few more after that before the summer break....

14/02/2025

this is pretty awesome. I want to thank everyone out there who has listened, subscribed, and shared my little project with their friends. 🙏

I'll be dropping new episodes starting march 1st. I am so thrilled to share the stories of these new artists with you. 🙏

19/01/2025

nice article on hyphenated guest carmen souza's new album....

Carmen Souza's latest album is inspired by the little-known British influence on the Cape Verde islands.

30/11/2024

had a great evening in barcelona w mitsune tonight. don't forget, just a €1 donation (or more) to doctor w/out borders gives you access to hear their episode. http://hyphenated.eu

25/11/2024

happy holidays....

We've just dropped a new very special holiday edition of Hyphenated featuring Youka Snell of the band Mitsune. But keeping with this season of giving, I'm asking you to give something back. When you go to the site you will find a link to donate to Doctors without Borders. Once you do, you will receive via email a link to listen to and/or download the episode. Please give what you can. Thanks....

https://hyphenated.eu/episode/youka-of-mitsune

Youka didn't really consider what it meant to be half-Japanese until she reached adulthood. As she says, she was just busy “doing her thing and growing up in Australia” and training as a violinist. But once she began to explore this side of herself, she found herself “magically” drawn to the shamisen, the traditional Japanese lute instrument. And now based in Berlin, she and her bandmates in Mitsune are making shamisen music for our not-so-traditional times.

03/11/2024

New Episode! Carmen Souza!

Just a quick note.... We'll be taking a break for the next month as I settle into my new apartment and record some new episodes. Be sure to subscribe so you will be alerted of the latest episodes. See you soon....

Carmen Souza was born and raised around Lisbon, Portugal, while her parents had both emigrated from Cape Verde. Just out of her teens, she auditioned for a gospel choir and there met her soon-to-be producer, Theo Pascal, who turned her on to jazz. And for the last quarter century they've been mining an original blend of jazz and Cape Verdean music they've created. But growing up, Souza quickly became aware that in Portugal she wasn't considered to be "true" Portuguese, regardless of what her passport said. Mostly based now in London, Carmen often taps in to these conflicts of identity and acceptance in her lyrics, which she mostly sings in Creole. But she believes the world can get past prejudice and that music serves as a border-busting means to that end.

Just a quick note.... We'll be taking a break for the next month as I settle into my new apartment and record some new episodes. Be sure to subscribe so you...