Charts April 13-19, 2021

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten

1 JOSE CARLOS SCHWARZ AND LE COBIANA DJAZZ | Lua Ki Di Nos | Hot Mule

2 AYUUNA SULE | "Don't Be Lazy" [Single] | Rebel Up

3 DELGRES | 4:00 AM | PIAS

4 LOS MUTABLES | "Pasos En La Luna/Suspenso En El Espacio" [Single] | Munster

5 LOS MASTER PLUS | "Buena Vida" (feat Pato Machete) [Single] | Nacional

6 STRAIGHT FROM THE DECKS 2 | various artists | Pura Vida Sounds/Heavenly Sweetness

7 AFROSOUND | La Danza De Los Mirlos | Vampisoul

8 NATION BEAT | The Royal Chase | NBM

9 THE BOYS FROM NAIROBI: BENGA AND RUMBA FROM 1980S KENYA | various artists | No Wahala Sounds

10 ALOSTMEN | Kologo | Strut

Ban mwen on chanson

 

4:00 AM by Delgres, released earlier this month, is one of my favorite new albums so far this year.  They're a power trio from France with leader Pascal Danae on dobro, the bass line is provided by tuba, and drum kit finishes the combo.

 

Danae's parents are from Guadeloupe and his songs, mostly written in Creole, have echoes of both delta blues and the French Caribbean.  It's a new urban folk music for the 21st century, or the sound of an imaginary alternative New Orleans.  You'll hear a track from 4:00 AM on this week's program, along with a healthy dose of Caribbean sounds from Haiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe and the Dominican Republic.

 

Also this week (Monday April 19, 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): Cobiana Djazz of Guine-Bissau, more kologo music from Ghana, another cumbia sampler, and guitar music of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

Charts April 6-12, 2021

 

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten

1 LES FILLES DE ILLIGHADAD | "Surbajo" [Single] | Sahel Sounds

2 STRAIGHT FROM THE DECKS 2 | various artists | Pura Vida Sounds/Heavenly Sweetness

3 KANE MATHIS | Geminus | Nyaato

4 COLOR DE TROPICO, VOL. 2 | various artists [Advance Tracks] | El Palmas

5 LEE FRY MUSIC | "Wianek (feat Alia Fay)" [Single] | self-released

6 ELIDA ALMEIDA | Gerasonobu | Lusafrica

7 NATION BEAT | The Royal Chase | NBM

8 YAADCORE, JAH9 AND SUBATOMIC SOUND SYSTEM | "Police In Helicopter" [Single] | Yard Birdz-Subatomic Sound

9 ALTIN GUN | Yol | ATO

10 TOMMY GUERRERO | Sunshine Radio | Too Good

You are flawless

The swinging 60s happened all over the planet, even in Ethiopia, one of the world's most tradition-loving and inward-focused countries.  We'll visit the Swinging Addis of the 60s and 70s on this week's edition of Global A Go-Go with five Ethio-oldies from that wonderful era.

 

Also this week (Monday April 12, 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): progressive folk music from Eastern Europe, new desert blues by Les Filles De Illighadad, the Senegambian kora, West Africa's funky Afropop and funana from the island nation of Cabo Verde.

Charts Mar 30 - Apr 5, 2021

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten

1 DELGRES | 4:00 AM | PIAS

2 EDO FUNK EXPLOSION VOL 1 | various artists | Analog Africa

3 LOS MUTABLES | "Pasos En La Luna/Suspenso En El Espacio" [Single] | Munster

4 STRAIGHT FROM THE DECKS 2 | various artists | Pura Vida Sounds/Heavenly Sweetness

5 MUITO KABALLA POWER ENSEMBLE | "Mamari" [Single] | Rebel Up

6 AMPEX, THE | The Ampex | Munster

7 JOAO SELVA | Navegar | Underdog

8 LOS TEDDY'S | Doce Psicoexitos | Munster

9 JUPITER AND OKWESS | Na Kozonga [Advance Tracks] | Everloving

10 CHRISTINE SALEM | Mersi | Blue Fanal

We'll do it live

In the immortal words of Bill O'Reilly (youtube.com/watch?v=Qy-Y3HJNU_s): "we'll do it live!"  Yes, Global A Go-Go is back in WRIR's Studio A for the first time in 56 weeks, thanks to the good work of Drs. Johnson & Johnson.  I'm looking forward to doing live radio again, and I can't wait to find out which mistakes I'm going to make in my rusty first week back.

Here's what you'll hear this week (Monday April 5, 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): new music from a German one-man band that's now a 9-piece powerhouse ensemble, some urbane MPB from Brazil, Afro-boogie circa 1978, hard-hitting island blues from France, and a double shot of Get In The Garage, a recurring feature on this show spotlighting garage rock from around the world.

Charts March 23-29, 2021

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten

1 CARAVELA | Orla | None More

2 BAIUCA | "Luar" (feat Lilaina) [Single] | Raso Estudio

3 COLOR DE TROPICO, VOL. 2 | various artists [Advance Tracks] | El Palmas

4 KASAI ALLSTARS | "Olooh, A War Dance For Peace" [Single] | Crammed

5 PUPA CURLY | "Wake Up Mama (feat Aziatic & SupaG)" [Single] | Tuff Kruffy Entertainment

6 LITO BARRIENTOS Y SU ORQUESTA/LOS ROBBINS | "Cumbia En Do Menor/Patricia" [Single] | Vampisoul

7 LA PESADA | Tomate Y Alandette | Vampisoul

8 TENO AFRIKA | Amapiano Selections | Awesome Tapes From Africa

9 OMAR SOSA | An East African Journey | Ota

10 WAU WAU COLLECTIF | Yaral Sa Doom | Sahel Sounds-Sing A Song Fighter

La cumbia del cuervo

I've recently received a bunch of cool cumbia reissues from the 60s and 70s and I just bought another great cumbia compilation too, so that gave me the impetus to dig into my collection and pull out a bunch of tracks that I haven't played on the show in years.  The result is today's second hour -- all cumbia, baby!

 

Also this week (Monday March 29, 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): the kologo of Ghana's Frafra people, music from Galicia, and Manu Chao and more musica mestiza.

Charts March 16-22, 2021

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten

1 STAR LOVERS | Boafo Ne Nyame | Hot Casa

2 KASAI ALLSTARS | "Olooh, A War Dance For Peace" [Single] | Crammed

3 EDO FUNK EXPLOSION VOL. 1 | various artists | Analog Africa

4 AMJ COLLECTIVE FEAT NAI-JAH | "Let Go Of Fear" [Single] | Astar Artes

5 ALTIN GUN | Yol | ATO

6 BEATERS, THE | Harari | Matsuli

7 URBAN VILLAGE | Udondolo | No Format

8 ROGER FAKHR | Fine Anyway | Habibi Funk

9 KELEKETLA | Keleketla! | Ahead Of Our Time

10 AMPEX, THE | The Ampex | Munster

Ponta de lanca africano

Jorge Ben, my all-time favorite Brazilian musician, is 76 years old on March 22.  He's the father of the genre called samba-soul, but really his music crosses all the boundaries between Brazilian popular music styles of the late 20th century.  He's samba and jovem guarda and bossa nova and tropicalia and MPB all at the same time.

 

This week on Global A Go-Go (Monday March 22, 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 five of my favorite Jorge Ben songs.  And it was hard work winnowing it down to just five!

 

Also this week: new music from Congotronics band Kasai Allstars, rock music of southern Africa, four bands that are reviving Turkey's 1970s Anatolian rock sound, some top-shelf reggae singing, and highlife meets post-disco boogie.

Charts March 9-15, 2021

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten

1 ANANSY CISSE | Anoura | Riverboat

2 AFROSOUND | La Danza De Los Mirlos | Vampisoul

3 BOMBA ESTEREO | Deja [Advance Tracks] | Sony Latin

4 FRANCOIS AND THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS | Banane Bleue | Domino

5 SUE MASKALERIS | Love Is The Key | Jazilian

6 JUANA MOLINA | ANRMAL (Live In Mexico) | Crammed

7 LIDO PIMIENTA | Miss Colombia | Anti-

8 MDOU MOCTAR | Afrique Victime [Advance Tracks] | Matador

9 ALSARAH | "Your Love Is Home" [Single] | self-released

10 LA MAMBANEGRA | "Oilo" [Single] | Tambora

Chicken skin music

Ry Cooder was born on March 15, 1947 in Santa Monica, California.  Ry is one of my all-time favorite musicians and he's one of the primary inspirations for the Global A Go-Go radio program.

 

In the 1960s, Ry played with Captain Beefheart and the Rolling Stones; in the 70s he made a series of brilliant solo albums that brought all kinds of American vernacular sounds into rock; in the 80s he was one of the top soundtrack artists in Hollywood; in the 90s he introduced American listeners to a world of music from Africa, Cuba and India; and in the 21st century Ry has continued to be one of the most vital musicians on the planet.

On this week's edition of Global A Go-Go (Monday March 15, 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), each set will start with one of Ry Cooder's songs and then spin down a path he's blazed for me and for all of us.  I've tried to make the whole show as eclectic and rooted and soulful as Ry Cooder's music is.  Happy birthday, Ry!

Charts March 2-8, 2021

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten

1 ALTIN GUN | Yol | ATO

2 ELIDA ALMEIDA | Gerasonobu | Lusafrica

3 BOMBA ESTEREO | Deja [Advance Tracks] | Sony Latin

4 STELLA CHIWESHE | Ambuya! | Piranha

5 ZEDASHE | Silver Sanctuary | Electric Cowbell

6 NAHAWA DOUMBIA | Kanawa | Awesome Tapes From Africa

7 VUSI MAHLASELA | Shebeen Queen | ATO

8 MADE KUTI | For(e)ward | Partisan

9 JUPITER AND OKWESS | Na Kozonga [Advance Tracks] | Everloving

10 GUAYACAN ORQUESTA | "Bogota Salsera" [Single] | Sanas Canciones

International Women's Day 2021

March 8 is International Women's Day.  If you're not familiar with the day, it's an official holiday in at least 27 countries and it's observed in many others.  But it's mostly ignored here in the USA where it was invented in 1909 by the Socialist Party of America in support of female garment workers who were striking for humane working conditions in New York City sweatshops.

The holiday was popularized by the 1917 Russian Revolution, where women struck for "Bread and Peace" on March 8; the czar abdicated four days later.  So now you know why International Women's Day has never caught on in the USA -- it's far too dangerous!
 

This week on Global A Go-Go (Monday March 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) you'll hear two hours of music by female artists from 19 different countries working across 6 decades.  And this is all coming to you on WRIR, almost certainly the radio station with the most female staffers of any radio station in the country.

Charts Feb 23 - Mar 1, 2021

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten

1 KHALIA | "Free" [Single] | K-Licious

2 ELIDA ALMEIDA | Gerasonobu | Lusafrica

3 TANYA STEPHENS | "Good Good" [Single] | Tad's

4 PHONOSONICS | "Rocksteady Heavyweights" [Single] | self-released

5 FLORENCE ADOONI | "Mam Pe'ela Su'ure" [Single] | Philophon

6 FEMI KUTI | Stop The Hate | Partisan

7 ANANSY CISSE | Anoura | Riverboat

8 STELLA CHIWESHE | Ambuya! | Piranha

9 SYSTEMA SOLAR | "Mi Kolombia" [Single] | ONErpm

10 NAHAWA DOUMBIA | Kanawa | Awesome Tapes From Africa