Uplifter or downpressor?

Photograph by Michael Lease

I'm going to start this week's program with a tribute to George Floyd in honor of his family -- that is, all of us.

Rastafarians have a theory of language called Wordsound: a word should sound like what it means.  So 'oppressor' doesn't make sense -- you can't start a negative term with the "up" sound.  Rasta says 'downpressor' instead, giving you the image of a man with his knee on your neck, pressing down.

In these times, it's incumbent on all of us to choose: Am I an uplifter or a downpressor?  I don't think there's an in-between.

Also this week (Monday June 8, 3:00-5:00 PM on WRIR, for two weeks afterwards at wrir.org/listen, check your local listings for airing on other radio stations, and any old time at my podcast site), Global A Go-Go uplifts you with a song by Idir, who brought Algerian Kabyle music to the world; women of cumbia; Igbo Afrobeat from Nigeria; the first ever international release from Djibouti; and a Balkan beats dance party.

Charts May 23 - Jun 1, 2020

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 SAHEL SOUNDS LABEL SAMPLER 2 | various artists | Sahel Sounds
2 OLAMINA AND AWARENESS | Back To The Mission | Love City
3 PRINCE FATTY AND SHNIECE MCMENAMIN | "Take Me As I Am (feat Horseman)" [Single] | Evergreen
4 PRINCE ALLA | "Nah Go A Them Burial" [Single] | 17 North Parade
5 KOKOROKO |  "Carry Me Home" [Single] | Brownswood
6 AMARIA HAMADALHER | Music From Saharan WhatsApp 05 [EP] | Sahel Sounds
7 ALBOROSIE | "Unprecedented Time" [Single] | VP
8 TAMIKREST | Tamotait | Glitterbeat
9 INNA DE YARD | "Skylarking (feat Horace Andy)" [Single] | Chapter Two / Wagram
10 ALKIBAR JUNIOR | Music From Saharan WhatsApp 04 [EP] | Sahel Sounds

Tony Allen, 1940-2020

First of all, it's great to be back on Global A Go-Go after hiding out from Covid-19 for 2-1/2 months.  Thank you to Eric Godsey for filling in for me during that time -- you can now check Eric out every other Tuesday morning between 6 and 8 AM on WRIR's Tuesday Morning Breakfast Blend, where he shares the time slot with Georgie Isaacs.

For my return, I'd like to start with a program in tribute to the great Nigerian drummer Tony Allen, who passed away on April 30.  He's one of my favorite musicians of all time in any genre: a drummer whose effortlessly cool style both defined and transcended Afrobeat, the genre of music he essentially co-invented alongside Fela Kuti.

On this week's program (Monday June 1, 3:00-5:00 PM on WRIR, for two weeks afterwards at wrir.org/listen, check your local listings for airing on other radio stations, and any old time at my podcast site) you'll hear two hours of Tony Allen's drumming from all seven decades of his career.   We'll range from his early days with Fela in the Koola Lobitos and the legendary Afrika 70, to his solo career, his electronica experiments, his many collaborations and the new album he just released in March with Hugh Masakela.

Charts May 16-22, 2020

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 DZAMBO AGUSEVI ORCHESTRA | Brasses For The Masses | Asphalt Tango
2 GUASA, CUNUNO Y MARIMBA: AFRO-COLOMBIAN MUSIC FROM THE PACIFIC COAST | various artists | Vampisoul
3 MDOU MOCTAR | "Ibitlan" b/w "Tiknass (Sunbone)" [Single] | Sahel Sounds
4 WUTA MAYI | La Face Cachee | Sterns
5 BEBEL GILBERTO | Agora [Advance Tracks] | PIAS
6 OLAMINA AND AWARENESS | Back To The Mission | Love City
7 SILVERY BOYS, THE | The Silvery Boys | Vampisoul
8 GROUPE RTD | The Dancing Devils Of Djibouti [Advance Tracks] | Ostinato
9 NICO GOMEZ AND HIS AFRO-PERCUSSION INC | "Baila Chibiquiban" [Single] | Matasuna
10 GREGORY ISAACS | "Babylon Too Rough" [Single] | 17 North Parade

Charts May 9-15, 2020

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 FALLE NIOKE AND GHOST CULTURE | "Barke" [Single] | PRAH
2 SANTROFI | Alewa | Out Here
3 FADHILEE ITULYA | Kwetu | Naxos World
4 LADAMA | "Nobreza" [Single] | Six Degrees
5 FRANCK BIYONG FEAT CRISTINA VIOLLE | Trouble [EP] | Hot Casa
6 K FRIMPONG AND SUPER COMPLEX SOUNDS | Ahyewa Special | Hot Casa
7 TIDIANE THIAM | Siftorde | Sahel Sounds
8 KENYATTA HILL AND CULTURE | "Free Africa" [Single] | Rockers Artist Agency
9 BUSCABULLA | Regresa | Ribbon
10 ARCHIVES, THE | Carry Me Home [Advance Tracks] | Montserrat House

Charts May 2-8, 2020

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 DZAMBO AGUSEVI ORCHESTRA | Brasses For The Masses | Asphalt Tango
2 BAMBA WASSOULOU GROOVE | Dankele | Lusafrica
3 THIEVERY CORPORATION | Symphonik | ESL
4 JEICH OULD BALDU | Music From Saharan WhatsApp 03 [EP] | Sahel Sounds
5 SILVERY BOYS, THE | The Silvery Boys | Vampisoul
6 LAKOU MIZIK | HaitiaNola | Cumbancha
7 ALBOROSIE | "Unprecedented Time" [Single] | VP
8 SANTROFI | Alewa | Out Here
9 BETO JAMAICA | Rey De Mi Folklor: Vallenato Y Cumbia Colombiana | OM Producciones
10 EVRITIKI ZYGIA | Ormenion | Teranga Beat

Charts Apr 25 - May 1, 2020

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 ANTIBALAS | Fu Chronicles | Daptone
2 DAVID WALTERS | Soleil Kreyol | Heavenly Sweetness
3 LAKOU MIZIK | HaitiaNola | Cumbancha
4 KOKOROKO | "Carry Me Home" [Single] | Brownswood
5 OMAR | The Anthology | Freestyle
6 CALIBRO 35 | Momentum | Record Kicks
7 FRANCK BIYONG FEAT CRISTINA VIOLLE | Trouble [EP] | Hot Casa
8 WU FEI AND ABIGAIL WASHBURN | Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn | Smithsonian Folkways
9 K FRIMPONG AND SUPER COMPLEX SOUNDS | Ahyewa Special | Hot Casa
10 ORCHESTRA GOLD | "Lemuru" [Single] | self-released

Charts April 18-24, 2020

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 OZORIO TRIO | Big Town | Tratore
2 LEVE LEVE: SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE SOUNDS (70S - 80S) | various artists | Bongo Joe
3 SANTROFI | Alewa | Out Here
4 HAILU MERGIA | Yene Mircha | Awesome Tapes From Africa
5 TAMIKREST | Tamotait | Glitterbeat
6 GUASA, CUNUNO Y MARIMBA: AFRO-COLOMBIAN MUSIC FROM THE PACIFIC COAST | various artists | Vampisoul
7 ETRAN DE L'AIR | Music From Saharan WhatsApp 01 [EP] | Sahel Sounds
8 EL WALI | Tiris | Sahel Sounds
9 KOKOLO AFROBEAT ORCHESTRA | 100 Fevers | Peace & Rhythm
10 BROWNOUT | Berlin Sessions | Fat Beats

Charts April 11-17, 2020

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 KEVIN FLOREZ AND THE BUSY TWIST | "Champetizate" [Single] | Palenque / Farra Rap
2 TAMIKREST | Tamotait | Glitterbeat
3 GUASA, CUNUNO Y MARIMBA: AFRO-COLOMBIAN MUSIC FROM THE PACIFIC COAST | various artists | Vampisoul
4 ANTIBALAS | Fu Chronicles | Daptone
5 DAVID WALTERS | Soleil Kreyol | Heavenly Sweetness
6 JOUWALA COLLECTIVE | Bazaar | self-released
7 LIDO PIMIENTA | Miss Colombia | Anti-
8 JAH9 | Note To Self | VP
9 ANOUSHKA SHANKAR | Love Letters | Mercury Classics
10 AWALE JANT BAND | Yewoulen: Wake Up | ARC

Charts April 4-10, 2020

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 HAILU MERGIA | Yene Mircha | Awesome Tapes From Africa
2 BROWNOUT | Berlin Sessions | Fat Beats
3 FLOR DE TOLOACHE | "Quisera" [Single] | self-released
4 OMAR | The Anthology | Freestyle
5 LEVE LEVE: SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE SOUNDS (70S - 80S) | various artists | Bongo Joe
6 TAMIKREST | Tamotait | Glitterbeat
7 BETO JAMAICA | Rey De Mi Folklor: Vallenato Y Cumbia Colombiana | OM Producciones
8 BAMBA WASSOULOU GROOVE | Dankele | Lusafrica
9 EVRITIKI ZYGIA | Ormenion | Teranga Beat
10 MONEY CHICHA | "The Mexican / Enfermera" [Single] | Peace & Rhythm

Charts Mar 28 - Apr 3, 2020

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 HAILU MERGIA | Yene Mircha | Awesome Tapes From Africa
2 BAMBA WASSOULOU GROOVE | Dankele | Lusafrica
3 AFROINS, LOS | Goza La Salsa | Vampisoul
4 DAVID WALTERS | Soleil Kreyol | Heavenly Sweetness
5 JOUWALA COLLECTIVE | Bazaar | self-released
6 KOKOLO AFROBEAT ORCHESTRA | 100 Fevers | Peace & Rhythm
7 LAKOU MIZIK | HaitiaNola | Cumbancha
8 KIKO DINUCCI | Rastilho | Tratore
9 LA SRA. TOMASA | Alegre Pero Peligroso | Guspira
10 NYBOMA | Kanta D'Or | Une Plume Une Voix Une Guitare

Charts March 21-27, 2020

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 MDOU MOCTAR | "Ibitlan" b/w "Tiknass (Sunbone)" [Single] | Sahel Sounds
2 DZAMBO AGUSEVI ORCHESTRA | Brasses For The Masses | Asphalt Tango
3 BETO JAMAICA | Rey De Mi Folklor: Vallenato Y Cumbia Colombiana | OM Producciones
4 BAMBA WASSOULOU GROOVE | Dankele | Lusafrica
5 AFROINS, LOS | Goza La Salsa | Vampisoul
6 ANTIBALAS | Fu Chronicles | Daptone
7 DUBIOZA KOLEKTIV | #fakenews | Menart
8 BATUNGA AND THE SUBPRIMES | "Gates Of Ouantou" [Single] | Matasuna
9 KOKOLO AFROBEAT ORCHESTRA | 100 Fevers | Peace & Rhythm
10 LAKOU MIZIK | HaitiaNola | Cumbancha

Charts March 14-20, 2020

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 ANTIBALAS | Fu Chronicles | Daptone
2 BLACK MARKET BRASS | Undying Thirst | Colemine
3 DZAMBO AGUSEVI ORCHESTRA | Brasses For The Masses | Asphalt Tango
4 BAMBA WASSOULOU GROOVE | Dankele | Lusafrica
5 AFROINS, LOS | Goza La Salsa | Vampisoul
6 MDOU MOCTAR | "Ibitlan" b/w "Tiknass (Sunbone)" [Single] | Sahel Sounds
7 BATUNGA AND THE SUBPRIMES | "Gates Of Ouantou" [Single] | Matasuna
8 TIME IS FIRE | In Pieces | Electric Cowbell
9 KOKOROKO | "Carry Me Home" [Single] | Brownswood
10 KOLINGA | "Nguya Na Ngai" [Single] | Underdog

Charts March 7-13, 2020

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 CORNERSHOP | England Is A Garden | Ample Play
2 BETO JAMAICA | Rey De Mi Folklor: Vallenato Y Cumbia Colombiana | OM Producciones
3 GUASA, CUNUNO Y MARIMBA: AFRO-COLOMBIAN MUSIC FROM THE PACIFIC COAST | various artists | Vampisoul
4 ANTIBALAS | Fu Chronicles | Daptone
5 DUBIOZA KOLEKTIV | #fakenews | Menart
6 DAVID WALTERS | Soleil Kreyol | Heavenly Sweetness
7 KOKOLO AFROBEAT ORCHESTRA | 100 Fevers | Peace & Rhythm
8 LAKOU MIZIK | HaitiaNola | Cumbancha
9 PERU NEGRO | Son De Los Diablos | Vampisoul
10 ANTOINETTE KONAN | Antoinette Konan | Awesome Tapes From Africa

Charts Feb 29 - Mar 6, 2020

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 BAMBA WASSOULOU GROOVE | Dankele | Lusafrica
2 EVRITIKI ZYGIA | Ormenion | Teranga Beat
3 MONEY CHICHA | "The Mexican / Enfermera" [Single] | Peace & Rhythm
4 MACKA B | "Cucumba To Di World" [Single] | Peckings
5 MDOU MOCTAR | "Ibitlan" b/w "Tiknass (Sunbone)" [Single] | Sahel Sounds
6 RICHIE SPICE | "Valley Of Jehoshaphat (Red Hot)" [Single] | VP
7 GUASA, CUNUNO Y MARIMBA: AFRO-COLOMBIAN MUSIC FROM THE PACIFIC COAST | various artists | Vampisoul
8 CORNERSHOP | England Is A Garden | Ample Play
9 TUAREG MUSIC OF THE SOUTHERN SAHARA | various artists | Smithsonian Folkways
10 SAIGON SOUL REVIVAL | Hoa Am Xura | INFRACom!