December 30, 2010

Program December 31, 2010

It's New Year's Eve, and it's time to party with the dude in the leather jacket, aviator shades, brush mustache and dishdasha.  That would be Omar Souleyman (pictured above), Syria's king of electronic dabke music.  You'll hear that and all flavors of party music tonight on Global A Go-Go, along with shout-outs to some of the cities who'll be ringing in the New Year while my program is in progress.

Thanks to all of you for listening to and supporting Global A Go-Go and WRIR in 2010, and here's to a happy and healthy 2011 for you and your loved ones.  And if you're out and about tonight, please don't do anything really stupid -- slightly stupid is OK, but really stupid is dangerous.

Thanks also to Anna G and Fred for filling in for me on Christmas Eve -- I really enjoyed hearing the holiday material they found!

Click "Read More" for today's tracklist; click here for a podcast of today's program:


The complete catalog of Global A Go-Go podcasts is here:



December 16, 2010

Program December 17, 2010

As promised, today's show covers my favorite reissues and historical compilations of 2010.  While it was a good year for new releases, it was a brilliant one for reissues -- fans of African music in particular were treated to an amazing assortment of riches.  And with the crate-digging mania strengthening in Latin American and Asia, with any luck we have many more years of the current reissue wave to look forward to.

Anna G from the Tuesday Breakfast Blend will be filling in for me next week on Christmas Eve, bringing you a very Global A Go-Go Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwaanza/your-holiday's-name-here program; I'll be back in the following week, celebrating New Year's Eve in Europe and Africa (places that are five to seven hours ahead of me on the clock) with a killer Global A Go-Go dance party.  Peace on earth, good will to all.

Click "Read More" for today's tracklist; click here for a podcast of today's program:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/48035

The complete catalog of Global A Go-Go podcasts is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go


December 14, 2010

Best Of 2010: Reissues

It was truly a great year for reissues and historical compilations -- when I first sat down to compile my favorite releases of 2010, I actually had more reissues on the list than I had new releases, and that's never happened to me before.

What I've dubbed "the race to find every record ever pressed in Africa" continues apace, and some of the folks working in Africa are starting to branch out -- Soundway did their first Asian set this year, both Analog Africa and Soundway went to Colombia.  No doubt Antarctica will soon be overrun with crate-diggers ...

Without any further ado, here's my ten favorite reissues and historical compilations of 2010, plus ten runners-up.  I've embedded links to my reviews of the recordings on the list.  I didn't start posting reviews until May, which is why not all the selections have links.

1.  Etoile De Dakar | Once Upon A Time In Senegal: The Birth Of Mbalax 1979-1981 | Sterns
2.  Palenque Palenque: Champeta Criolla & Afro Roots In Colombia 1975-91 | Soundway
3.  Tabu Ley Rochereau | The Voice Of Lightness, Volume 2: Congo Classics 1977-1993 | Sterns
4.  Angola Soundtrack: The Unique Sound Of Luanda 1968-1976 | Analog Africa
5.  Afro Rock Volume 1 | Strut
6.  The Afrosound Of Colombia, Volume 1 | Vampisoul
7.  Next Stop ... Soweto, Volume 1: Township Sounds From The Golden Age Of Mbaqanga | Strut
8.  African Pearls: Cote D'Ivoire, West African Crossroads | Syllart
9.  Nigeria Afrobeat Special: The New Explosive Sound In 1970's Nigeria | Soundway
10.  Salsa Explosion! The New York Salsa Revolution 1968-1985 | Fania/Strut

Honorable mentions:
Afro-Beat Airways: West African Shock Waves, Ghana & Togo 1972-1978 | Analog Africa
African Pearls: Senegal, Echo Musical | Syllart
Antibalas | Who Is This America? | Ropeadope
Egypt Noir: Nubian Soul Treasures | Piranha
Issa Juma & Super Wanyika Stars | World Defeats The Grandfathers: Swinging Swahili Rumba 1982-1986 | Sterns
Koes Bersaudara | To The So-Called "The Guilties" | Sublime Frequencies
Next Stop ... Soweto, Volume 2: Soultown, R&B, Funk & Psych Sounds From The Townships 1969-1976 | Strut
Nigeria Special Volume 2: Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-6 | Soundway
The Roots Of Chicha 2: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru | Barbes
The Sound Of Siam: Leftfield Luk Thung, Jazz & Malam In Thailand 1964-1975 | Soundway

The Sound Of Siam

ARTIST:  various artists
TITLE:  The Sound Of Siam: Leftfield Luk Thung, Jazz & Molam In Thailand 1964-1975
LABEL:  Soundway
REVIEW:  Soundway, one of the top indie reissue labels in world music, branches out from Africa and Latin America into Asia with this release.  As usual with this label, the research and documentation is top-notch.  And their angle on Thai music is a bit different from what we usually see – the cheesiness factor is very low, no Western covers and really only one novelty item (it’s a good one, though).  Instead, this is a thoughtful exploration of music from Thailand’s northeast, made in Bangkok by rural people who have moved to the big city as Thailand rapidly modernized in the 60’s and 70’s.  Western influences of rock, funk and jazz are here, but they’re strictly secondary to a uniquely Asian style of music.  A very nicely conceived project that will bring yet another unheralded sound to the attention of adventurous European and American listeners.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:
2 (female vocal)    7 (funky)    9 (novelty)    17 (jazzy)    18 (crime jazz)

December 12, 2010

Charts December 12, 2010

These are my last charts of 2010; this feature will return to the blog on January 9, 2011.

CMJ New World Top Ten
1    AFROCUBISM | Afrocubism | Nonesuch
2    THE BUDOS BAND | III | Daptone
3    CHICO MANN | Analog Drift |  Wax Poetics
4    THE PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS | Psycho African Beat | Academy
5    VARIOUS ARTISTS | Radioclit Presents: The Sound Of Club Secousse Vol. 1 | Crammed Discs
6    VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Roots Of Chicha 2: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru | Barbes
7    MOUSSU T E LEI JOVENTS | Putan De Cancon | Le Chant Du Monde
8    EBO TAYLOR | Love And Death | Strut
9    MR. HO'S ORCHESTROTICA | The Unforgettable Sounds Of Esquivel | self-released
10    VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Sound Of Siam | Soundway

CMJ New World Adds
1    ROGER DAVIDSON QUINTET | Brazilian Love Song | Soundbrush
2    RAUL JAURENA | Fuerza Milonguera | Soundbrush
3    PETER MACDONOUGH | The Woo | self-released
4    LOREENA MCKENNITT | The Wind That Shakes The Barley | Verve
5    MR. HO'S ORCHESTROTICA | The Unforgettable Sounds Of Esquivel | self-released

New & Recommended At WRIR
AfroCubism | AfroCubism | World Circuit/Nonesuch
Angola Soundtrack | (various artists) | Analog Africa
Bio Ritmo | "Dina's Mambo" / "La Muralla" | Electric Cowbell
Chico Mann | Analog Drift | Wax Poetics
Depedro | Nubes De Papel | Nat Geo Music
Fat Freddys Drop | Live At Roundhouse London | The Drop
Huun Huur Tu | Ancestors Call | World Village
Moussu T E Lei Jovents | Putan De Cancon | Le Chant Du Monde
Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica | The Unforgettable Sounds Of Esquivel | self-released
Psychedelic Aliens, The | Psycho African Beat | Academy
Radioclit Presents The Sound Of Club Secousse, Volume 1: African Dance Music Anthems | (various artists) | Crammed Discs
Rochereau, Tabu Ley | The Voice Of Lightness, Volume 2 | Sterns
Roots Of Chicha 2, The | (various artists) | Barbes
Taylor, Ebo | Love And Death | Strut
Tirogo | Float | QDK Media
Tradi-Mods Vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes On Congotronics | (various artists) | Crammed Discs

Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica | The Unforgettable Sounds Of Esquivel

ARTIST:  Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica
TITLE:  The Unforgettable Sounds Of Esquivel
LABEL:  self-released
REVIEW:  Mexican composer-bandleader Juan Garcia Esquivel is one of the pioneers of the musical style we now call “exotica” or “space age pop.”  The dozen LPs he released in the 50’s and 60’s added extreme stereo effects, bizarrely complex arrangements and esoteric instruments to the middle-of-the-road big-band pop that was in currency – the result sounded something like Mantovani on acid.  Esquivel’s musical manuscripts have all been lost, so Brian “Mr. Ho” O’Neill has painstakingly transcribed them for a 23-piece orchestra featuring some of Boston’s best jazz and classical musicians.  They need all of their chops because this stuff is wickedly complicated, but they roar through the arrangements and make Esquivel’s decidedly peculiar ideas come alive once again.  This record is a pleasure from start to finish; it will delight lounge-music fans, hopefully convert a few new ones as well, and leave you grinning from ear to ear.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    2    4    8

Angola Soundtrack

ARTIST:   various artists
TITLE:  Angola Soundtrack: The Unique Sound Of Luanda 1968-1976
LABEL:  Analog Africa
REVIEW: Release #9 from Samy Ben Redjeb’s Analog Africa is one of his best ones yet. Angolan music is often overlooked even by most hardcore African music fans, so it’s a real treat to hear these 18 tracks from the early years. Guitar is the key instrument here as it is in the Congo – many of the songs are instrumentals and the lead guitar lines are just lovely, stating and elaborating on the melody in an economical manner that is very similar to rumba Congolaise. Other major musical influences here are Cuban son, Dominican merengue, and on some of the later recordings (like tracks 15, 16 and 17) American rock and funk. Throughout, you also hear a characteristic sourness or bluesiness that’s characteristic of Portuguese fado and is probably one of the musical influences that Angola’s colonial masters brought with them. It all adds up to a unique sound that deserves much wider attention, and hopefully this beautifully-produced collection will bring that attention to Angola’s musical riches. Great music, great project.
REVIEWER: Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    8    10    15    16    17    18

December 9, 2010

Program December 10, 2010

It's time to recap the year in music, Global A Go-Go stylee.  On this week's program, I'll feature my favorite new releases of 2010; on next week's show, it'll be my favorite reissues of the year.

I thought it was a hell of a good year for music, at least for the kind of music I'm interested in.  Although the mainstream record industry is collapsing in on itself, there are all kinds of interesting things going on at the margins, where I prefer to hang out.

Of special note are the plethora of superb reissues of historic music from around the world, mostly coming from small independent labels who do great research, license all their tracks, produce beautiful and informative packaging and seem to be selling more than enough units to keep themselves in business.  There's a lesson in that somewhere ...

Click "Read More" for today's tracklist; click here for a podcast of today's program:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/47829

The complete catalog of Global A Go-Go podcasts is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go


Best Of 2010: New Releases

Yep, it's time for that old standby, the year-end top ten list.  This week I'll post my ten favorite new releases of 2010, plus ten runners-up; next week we'll cover reissues.  There was plenty of good stuff to choose from this year -- a good number of fine releases don't appear on the lists at all.

I've embedded links to my reviews of the recordings on the list.  I didn't start posting reviews until May, which is why not all the selections have links.  Format, as always, is Artist (Country) | Recording | Label.

1.  Gogol Bordello (USA) | Trans-Continental Hustle | American
2.  Fat Freddys Drop (New Zealand) | Dr. Boondigga & The Big BW | Electrofone
3.  various artists (South Africa) | Shangaan Electro: New Wave Dance Music From South Africa | Honest Jon's
4.  The Budos Band (USA) | III | Daptone
5.  Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba (Mali) | I Speak Fula | Next Ambiance/Sub Pop
6.  Balkan Beat Box (USA-Israel) | Blue Eyed Black Boy | Nat Geo Music
7.  Moussu T E Lei Jovents (France) | Putan De Cancon | Le Chant Du Monde
8.  Chumbawamba (UK) | ABCDEFG | No Masters
9.  various artists | Radioclit Presents The Sound Of Club Secousse, Volume 1: African Dance Music Anthems | Crammed Discs
10.  The Souljazz Orchestra (Canada) | Rising Sun | Strut

Honorable mentions:
AfroCubism (Mali-Cuba) | AfroCubism | World Circuit/Nonesuch
Tony Allen (Nigeria) | Secret Agent | Nonesuch
The Apples (Israel) | Kings | Freestyle
Choc Quib Town (Colombia) | Oro | Nacional
Fat Freddys Drop (New Zealand) | Live At Roundhouse London | The Drop
Grupo Fantasma (USA) | El Existential | Nat Geo Music
Mariem Hassan | Shouka | Nubenegra
The Imagined Village (UK) | Empire And Love | ECC
Konono No. 1 (RD Congo) | Assume Crash Position | Crammed Discs
Ebo Taylor (Ghana) | Love And Death | Strut

December 5, 2010

Charts December 5, 2010

CMJ New World Top Ten
1 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Roots Of Chicha 2: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru | Barbes
2 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Shangaan Electro | Honest Jon's
3 AFROCUBISM | Afrocubism | Nonesuch
4 BIO RITMO | "Dina's Mambo" / "La Muralla" | Electric Cowbell
5 CHICO MANN | Analog Drift | Wax Poetics
6 THE PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS | Psycho African Beat | Academy
7 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Radioclit Presents: The Sound Of Club Secousse Vol. 1 | Crammed Discs
8 EBO TAYLOR | Love And Death | Strut
9 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Salsa Explosion!: The New York Salsa Revolution 1968-1985 | Strut
10 DARRYL JENIFER | In Search Of Black Judas | ROIR

CMJ New World Adds
1 JOSEPHINE FOSTER AND VICTOR HERERRO | Anda Jaleo | Fire
2 LUCIANO | Write My Name | Footprintz
3 STEPHEN MARLEY | "Jah Army" | Universal Republic
4 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Angola Soundtrack | Analog Africa
5 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Sound Of Siam | Soundway

New & Recommended At WRIR
AfroCubism | AfroCubism | World Circuit/Nonesuch
Bio Ritmo | "Dina's Mambo" / "La Muralla" | Electric Cowbell
Chico Mann | Analog Drift | Wax Poetics
Depedro | Nubes De Papel | Nat Geo Music
Fat Freddys Drop | Live At Roundhouse London | The Drop
Huun Huur Tu | Ancestors Call | World Village
Moussu T E Lei Jovents | Putan De Cancon | Le Chant Du Monde
Psychedelic Aliens, The | Psycho African Beat | Academy
Radioclit Presents The Sound Of Club Secousse, Volume 1: African Dance Music Anthems | (various artists) | Crammed Discs
Rochereau, Tabu Ley | The Voice Of Lightness, Volume 2 | Sterns
Roots Of Chicha 2, The | (various artists) | Barbes
Salsa Explosion! The New York Salsa Revolution 1968-1985 | (various artists) | Strut
Taylor, Ebo | Love And Death | Strut
Tirogo | Float | QDK Media
Tradi-Mods Vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes On Congotronics | (various artists) | Crammed Discs

November 28, 2010

Charts November 28, 2010

CMJ New World Top Ten
1 BIO RITMO | Dina's Mambo/La Muralla | Electric Cowbell
2 AFROCUBISM | Afrocubism | World Circuit/Nonesuch
3 THE PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS | Psycho African Beat | Academy
4 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Roots Of Chicha 2: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru | Barbes
5 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Tradi-Mods Vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes On Congotronics | Crammed Discs
6 TABU LEY ROCHEREAU | The Voice Of Lightness, Vol. 2 | Sterns
7 DEPEDRO | Nubes De Papal | Nat Geo Music
8 FAT FREDDYS DROP | Live At Roundhouse London | The Drop
9 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Radioclit Presents: The Sound Of Club Secousse Vol. 1 | Crammed Discs
10 MOUSSU T E LEI JOVENTS | Putan De Cancon | Le Chant Du Monde

CMJ New World Adds
1 BROWNOUT | Aguilas And Cobras: Remixed And Regrooved | Six Degrees
2 GROUP DOUEH | Beatte Harab | Sublime Frequencies
3 NURU KANE | Number One Bus | 3D Family/All Other
4 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Lost Cuban Trios Of Casa Marina | Ahi-Nama
5 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Secret Museum Of Mankind Volume III: Ethnic Music Classics 1925-48 | Outernational

New & Recommended At WRIR
AfroCubism | AfroCubism | World Circuit/Nonesuch
Bio Ritmo | "Dina's Mambo" / "La Muralla" | Electric Cowbell
Chico Mann | Analog Drift | Wax Poetics
Depedro | Nubes De Papel | Nat Geo Music
Fat Freddys Drop | Live At Roundhouse London | The Drop
Huun Huur Tu | Ancestors Call | World Village
Moussu T E Lei Jovents | Putan De Cancon | Le Chant Du Monde
Psychedelic Aliens, The | Psycho African Beat | Academy
Radioclit Presents The Sound Of Club Secousse, Volume 1: African Dance Music Anthems | (various artists) | Crammed Discs
Rochereau, Tabu Ley | The Voice Of Lightness, Volume 2 | Sterns
Roots Of Chicha 2, The | (various artists) | Barbes
Salsa Explosion! The New York Salsa Revolution 1968-1985 | (various artists) | Strut
Taylor, Ebo | Love And Death | Strut
Tirogo | Float | QDK Media
Tradi-Mods Vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes On Congotronics | (various artists) | Crammed Discs

November 25, 2010

The Other Black Music November 28, 2010

My WRIR colleague DJ Graybeard asked me to fill in for him this week (Sunday 3-5 PM), and I'll do my best to fill his extra-large shoes with two hours of great black music -- maybe not ancient to the future, but at least from 1960 to today.

You'll hear from all kinds of folks: Arthur Lee & Love, Ronald Shannon Jackson & The Decoding Society, Howlin' Wolf, Andy Palacio, Ishmael Reed, Soul Messengers (pictured above, a band of Black Hebrew Israelites from Chicago via Liberia), Alton Ellis, Etta James, and many more.

Click "Read More" for today's tracklist; click here for a podcast of today's program:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/47464


November 24, 2010

Program November 26, 2010

Bellowhead (pictured above) is probably the most exciting and imaginative band working in English folk music today, bringing the dynamics of a jazz big band and the theatricality of the music hall to traditional songs.  You'll hear a song from their new album Hedonism on this week's program, and you'll hear from a few like-minded British artists as well.

Other things to look forward to: some surprising Latin-style covers of Anglo pop and rock hits, an Argentine singer-songwriter's riff on Congotronics, a band from Marseille plays samba, a steel drum band takes on Fela Kuti, and more unexpected pleasures.

Click "Read More" for today's tracklist; click here for a podcast of today's program:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/47421

The complete catalog of Global A Go-Go podcasts is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go


November 22, 2010

Charts November 21, 2010

CMJ New World Top Ten
1 AFROCUBISM | Afrocubism | World Circuit/Nonesuch
2 BIO RITMO | Dina's Mambo/La Muralla | Electric Cowbell
3 THE PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS | Psycho African Beat | Academy
4 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Roots Of Chicha 2: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru | Barbes
5 WITCH | Introduction | QDK Media
6 TABU LEY ROCHEREAU | The Voice Of Lightness, Vol. 2 | Sterns
7 MOUSSU T E LEI JOVENTS | Putan De Cancon | Le Chant Du Monde
8 DEPEDRO | Nubes De Papal | Nat Geo Music
9 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Radioclit Presents: The Sound Of Club Secousse Vol. 1 | Crammed Discs
10 HUUN HUUR TU | Ancestors Call | World Village

CMJ New World Adds
1 PHIL HAWKINS | Sugarcane Suite | P. Note Music
2 HELADO NEGRO | Pasajero | Asthmatic Kitty
3 MIKE MARSHALL | An Adventure 1999-2009 | Adventure Music
4 PACIFIKA | Chocolate Remixes | Six Degrees
5 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Tradi-Mods Vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes On Congotronics | Crammed Discs

New & Recommended At WRIR
AfroCubism | (various artists) | World Circuit/Nonesuch
Balkanize! | Balkan Eyes | self-released
Bio Ritmo | "Dina's Mambo" / "La Muralla" | Electric Cowbell
Chico Mann | Analog Drift | Wax Poetics
Depedro | Nubes De Papel | Nat Geo Music
Fat Freddys Drop | Live At Roundhouse London | The Drop
Huun Huur Tu | Ancestors Call | World Village
Krygier, Axel | Pesebre | Crammed Discs
Moussu T E Lei Jovents | Putan De Cancon | Le Chant Du Monde
Psychedelic Aliens, The | Psycho African Beat | Academy
Radioclit Presents The Sound Of Club Secousse, Volume 1: African Dance Music Anthems | (various artists) | Crammed Discs
Rochereau, Tabu Ley | The Voice Of Lightness, Volume 2 | Sterns
Roots Of Chicha 2, The | (various artists) | Barbes
Salsa Explosion! The New York Salsa Revolution 1968-1985 | (various artists) | Strut
Taylor, Ebo | Love And Death | Strut
Tirogo | Float | QDK Media
Tradi-Mods Vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes On Congotronics | (various artists) | Crammed Discs

November 20, 2010

Tradi-Mods Vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes On Congotronics


ARTIST:  various artists
TITLE:  Tradi-Mods Vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes On Congotronics
LABEL:  Crammed Discs
REVIEW:  Very little of the world music I review ever seems to penetrate the hipster cordon sanitaire of the indie-rock subculture.  But for some reason, the Congotronics sound of bands like Konono No. 1 and Kasai Allstars has been nearly universally embraced by the beard-wearing community in the USA and Europe.  Crammed Discs has taken advantage of that fact by asking 26 indie artists to record homages to Congotronics.  While most of the artists here are really recording homages to themselves and the good taste they demonstrate by digging Congotronics, a few go above and beyond in creating delightfully unexpected musical collisions.  Juana Molina (disc 1 - track 9) grafts one of her older songs onto Kasai’s “Wa Muluendo” and somehow ends up with something like neo-tropicalia, sounding like a previously unheard Gal Costa recording.  Jherel Bischoff (1-7) transcribes Konono’s “Kule Kule” for orchestral instruments, an idea that’s so wrong it’s absolutely right. Hoquets (2-2) built all their own instruments out of salvaged materials after seeing the Congotronics bands; they attack those instruments with a punk-rock gusto they share with the bands that inspired them. As for the brand-name indie artists, all of them sound more or less like themselves; only Deerhoof (1-1)’s subversively clunky take on “Wu Muluendo” really adds anything noteworthy to the proceedings.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:
Disc 1:    1    7    9        Disc 2:    2

November 17, 2010

Program November 19, 2010

Amparo Sanchez (pictured above) has one of the great voices in contemporary music -- it's powerful, dramatic and immediately recognizable.  After ten years with her wild mestizo-rock band Amparanoia, her debut solo album was released in Europe earlier this year.  I'll spend a half-hour of this week's program on her music as a solo artist, in Amparanoia and as a collaborator with Calexico and The Pinker Tones.

And plenty of new music this week: the new single from Richmond's salsa machine, Bio Ritmo; the fabulous just-released Tabu Ley retrospective from Sterns Africa Records in a set of Congolese classics; and new urban African dance music from Eritrea and South Africa.

Click "Read More" for today's tracklist; click here for a podcast of today's program:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/47250

The complete catalog of Global A Go-Go podcasts is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go


November 14, 2010

Charts November 14, 2010

CMJ New World Top Ten
1 THE PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS | Psycho African Beat | Academy
2 CHICO MANN | Analog Drift | Wax Poetics
3 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Roots Of Chicha 2: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru | Barbes
4 AFROCUBISM | Afrocubism | World Circuit/Nonesuch
5 TIROGO | Float | QDK Media
6 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Salsa Explosion: The New York Salsa Revolution 1968-1985 | Strut
7 THE BUDOS BAND | III | Daptone
8 BIO RITMO | Dina's Mambo/La Muralla | Electric Cowbell
9 FAT FREDDYS DROP | Live At Roundhouse London | The Drop
10 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Radioclit Presents: The Sound Of Club Secousse Vol. 1 | Crammed

CMJ New World Adds
1 ZEIN AL-JUNDI | Sharrafouni | WMD Productions
2 GILBERT DEFLEZ | Je Suis Vibant, Mais J'ai Peur | B-Music
3 MACACO | Puerto Presente | EMI Spain
4 TABU LEY ROCHEREAU | The Voice Of Lightness, Volume 2 | Sterns
5 TAJ WEEKES AND ADOWA | A Waterlogged Soul Kitchen | Jatta

New & Recommended At WRIR
Afrocubism | (various artists) | World Circuit/Nonesuch
Balkanize! | Balkan Eyes | self-released
Bio Ritmo | Dina's Mambo / La Muralla | Electric Cowbell
Bostich + Fussible | Bulevar 2000 | Nacional
Chico Mann | Analog Drift | Wax Poetics
Debo Band | Flamingoh (Pink Bird Dawn) | self-released
Depedro | Nubes De Papel | Nat Geo Music
Fat Freddys Drop | Live At Roundhouse London | The Drop
Huun Huur Tu | Ancestors Call | World Village
Krygier, Axel | Pesebre | Crammed Discs
Moussu T E Lei Jovents | Putan De Cancon | Le Chant Du Monde
Psychedelic Aliens, The | Psycho African Beat | Academy
Radioclit Presents The Sound Of Club Secousse, Volume 1: African Dance Music Anthems | (various artists) | Crammed Discs
Rochereau, Tabu Ley | The Voice Of Lightness, Volume 2 | Sterns
Roots Of Chicha 2, The | (various artists) | Barbes
Salsa Explosion! The New York Salsa Revolution 1968-1985 | (various artists) | Strut
Taylor, Ebo | Love And Death | Strut
Tirogo | Float | QDK Media

Tabu Ley Rochereau | The Voice Of Lightness, Volume 2


ARTIST:  Tabu Ley Rochereau
TITLE:  The Voice Of Lightness, Volume 2
LABEL:  Sterns
REVIEW:  Ken Braun of Sterns has come through with another superbly curated overview of one of the Congo’s greatest stars.  Tabu Ley was second in popularity only to Franco through the years covered in the compilation, 1977 to 1993; his gentle voice and his band’s urgent arrangements, featuring some of the best guitar playing you’ll hear in your lifetime, produced hit after hit and made Ley one of the first African musicians to crack the European and American markets.  This set features a choice selection of songs, with one of the highlights being two Tabu Ley-Franco collaborations (disc 2, tracks 1 & 2; kind of like a Beatles-Stones joint session).  Importantly, the restoration and mastering is first-rate, so even Congolese music fans who own these recordings will want this set so they can retire their scratchy, overplayed vinyl.  As always with Sterns, the notes (in English and French) and vintage photos really complete the package.  An A+ all the way.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:
Disc 1:    3    4    8      Disc 2:    1    2    6    7

AfroCubism | AfroCubism


ARTIST:  AfroCubism
TITLE:  AfroCubism
LABEL:  World Circuit/Nonesuch
REVIEW:  This is the record World Circuit’s Nick Gold intended to make 14 years ago in Havana, a jam session with some of Mali’s and Cuba’s finest musicians.  But the Malians didn’t show up, last-minute replacements gathered and recorded The Buena Vista Social Club, and the rest, as they say, is history.  Now they finally get to make that record, and it’s definitely worth the effort and the wait.  For me, the highlights here are the Malian songs (especially tracks 6, 9 and 11) – Eliades Ochoa and the other Cuban players add a certain urgency and earthiness to the Malians’ stately, serene approach.  Guitarist Djelimady Tounkara shines throughout – he’s simply one of the world’s greatest improvising musicians, and every single one of his solos and riffs here is a pleasure and a surprise.  Lassana Diabate, the least famous of the Malians, is outstanding on balafon (wooden xylophone); he’s greatly aided by Jerry Boys’ recording, which fully captures the room’s presence.  A pleasure from start to finish.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    2    6    9    11

November 11, 2010

Program November 12, 2010

Here's a big Global A Go-Go thank you to the 428 donors who put $31,100 into the collection box during WRIR's Fall '10 Fund Drive, money that we'll use to bring you more great radio over the next six months.  You donors are the folks who make this uniquely ambitious community radio project possible, and yes Fall '10 is now our most successful fund drive yet.  If donating somehow slipped your mind, it's not too late to click here and get one of our cool Fall '10 premium packages for your trouble:

https://wrir.wufoo.com/forms/2010-form

And here's an extra shout-out to the 50 folks who cited Global A Go-Go as one of their favorite programs on WRIR.  Today's program is dedicated to you, and I aim to keep you on your feet for the entire two hours because this is going to be one of my hottest programs of the year.  You'll hear:
  • Brand-new releases from Chico Mann and Fat Freddys Drop (the latter recorded live),
  • A West Africa-meets-Cuba set featuring the long-awaited AfroCubism session with Djelimady Tounkara, Toumani Diabate, Bassekou Kouyate and Eliades Ochoa, and
  • Some amazing garage and psychedelic rock recordings from Africa, including recently reissued tracks by The Psychedelic Aliens (pictured above), Witch and Tirogo
And in honor of Dirty Dacoit Dan, whose punk-rock program Salad Days moves to WRIR's Friday 7-9 PM slot (immediately following Global A Go-Go) starting this week, we'll end the program with some Mexipunk and gypsy punk.

Click "Read More" for today's tracklist; click here for a podcast of today's program:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/47076

The complete catalog of Global A Go-Go podcasts is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go


November 7, 2010

Charts November 7, 2010

No reviews this week, but here's the world music charts for WRIR.  And at the top of the chart, the new single by Richmond's own salsa machine, Bio Ritmo.

CMJ New World Top Ten
1 BIO RITMO | Dina's Mambo/La Muralla | Electric Cowbell
2 THE PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS | Psycho African Beat | Academy
3 TIROGO | Float | QDK Media
4 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Roots Of Chicha 2: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru | Barbes
5 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Salsa Explosion! The New York Salsa Revolution 1968-1985 | Strut
6 SEPTETO NACIONAL IGNACIO PINEIRO | Sin Rumba No Hay Son | World Village
7 TABU LEY ROCHEREAU | The Voice Of Lightness, Volume 2 | Sterns
8 YEAHWON SHIN | Yeahwon | SunMusic Productions
9 MATORRALMAN | Guateque Estelar | Nacional
10 JOAN SORIANO | El Duque De La Bachata | iASO

CMJ New World Adds
1 AFROCUBISM | Afrocubism | Nonesuch
2 YEAHWON SHIN | Yeahwon | SunMusic Productions
3 THE GOOD ONES | Kigali Y' Ihazabu | Dead Oceans
4 LUISA MAITA | Remixed | Cumbancha
5 METHOD OF DEFIANCE | Jahbulon | M.O.D. Technologies

New & Recommended At WRIR
Antibalas | Who Is This America? | Ropeadope
Balkanize! | Balkan Eyes | self-released
Bio Ritmo | Dina's Mambo / La Muralla | Electric Cowbell
Bostich + Fussible | Bulevar 2000 | Nacional
Chico Mann | Analog Drift | Wax Poetics
Debo Band | Flamingoh (Pink Bird Dawn) | self-released
Depedro | Nubes De Papel | Nat Geo Music
Fat Freddys Drop | Live At Roundhouse London | The Drop
Huun Huur Tu | Ancestors Call | World Village
Krygier, Axel | Pesebre | Crammed Discs
Moussu T E Lei Jovents | Putan De Cancon | Le Chant Du Monde
Orchestre National De Barbes | Rendez-vous Barbes | Le Chant Du Monde
Psychedelic Aliens, The | Psycho African Beat | Academy
Radioclit Presents The Sound Of Club Secousse, Volume 1: African Dance Music Anthems | (various artists) | Crammed Discs
Roots Of Chicha 2, The | (various artists) | Barbes
Salsa Explosion! The New York Salsa Revolution 1968-1985 | (various artists) | Strut
Septeto Nacional | Sin Rumba No Hay Son | World Village
Taylor, Ebo | Love And Death | Strut
Tirogo | Float | QDK Media

November 5, 2010

Program November 5, 2010

This is a special Fall '10 Fund Drive message from Dr. Evil.  My good friend Bill (The Diet Coke of Evil) Lupoletti tells me that the drive ends on Sunday at 3 PM, so it's really frickin' important that you make your donation soon by calling (804) 622-9747, or by donating online here:

https://wrir.wufoo.com/forms/2010-form

Bill also told me that WRIR is getting great fundraising results when its volunteers offer to shave something.  Dustin Richardson had his head shaved on Monday night when his $14,000 goal was met, and both Michael Miracle and Mike Rutz offered to shave something (anything?) on Tuesday night.

Now Dr. Evil has a special challenge for you -- if WRIR can raise ONE MILLION DOLLARS, I will shave Mr. Bigglesworth.  C'mon, throw me a frickin' bone here!

You probably didn't know that Dr. Evil is a big reggae fan.  Bill knows, and that's why he invited Unity Sound, one of Richmond's finest reggae bands, to play live on Global A Go-Go tonight.  It's going to be a big party, so if you're in Richmond why not make your donation in person at 1621-B W. Broad Street between 5 and 7 PM, have dinner on us (food is from Kuba Kuba because Dr. Evil loves paella almost as much as Hot Pockets), and see a great band play in WRIR's Live Room?

Click "Read More" for today's tracklist; click here for a podcast of today's program:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/46899

The complete catalog of Global A Go-Go podcasts is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go



October 31, 2010

Charts October 31, 2010

WRIR's #1 world music recording this week is one of the ones we're giving away during our Fall '10 Fund Drive -- The Budos Band III.

CMJ New World Top Ten
1 BUDOS BAND | The Budos Band III | Daptone
2 KOES BERSAUDARA | To The So-Called "The Guilties" | Sublime Frequencies
3 TOMER YOSEF | Laughing Underground | JDub
4 BOSTICH + FUSSIBLE | Bulevar 2000 | Nacional
5 GOLEM | Fresh Off Boat | JDub
6 BIO RITMO | Dina's Mambo/La Muralla | Electric Cowbell
7 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Roots Of Chicha 2: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru | Barbes
8 HUUN HUUR TU | Ancestors Call | World Village
9 EBO TAYLOR | Love And Death | Strut
10 DEBO BAND | Flamingoh (Pink Bird Dawn) | self-released

CMJ New World Adds
1 DEPEDRO | Nubes De Papal | Nat Geo Music
2 CHICO MANN | Analog Drift | Wax Poetics
3 TIROGO | Float | QDK Media
4 WITCH | Introduction | QDK Media
5 ZEDASHE | Enduring Fortress | self-released

New & Recommended At WRIR
Antibalas | Who Is This America? | Ropeadope
Balkanize! | Balkan Eyes | self-released
Bio Ritmo | Dina's Mambo / La Muralla | Electric Cowbell
Bostich + Fussible | Bulevar 2000 | Nacional
Chico Mann | Analog Drift | Wax Poetics
Debo Band | Flamingoh (Pink Bird Dawn) | self-released
Depedro | Nubes De Papel | Nat Geo Music
Fat Freddys Drop | Live At Roundhouse London | The Drop
Huun Huur Tu | Ancestors Call | World Village
Krygier, Axel | Pesebre | Crammed Discs
Moussu T E Lei Jovents | Putan De Cancon | Le Chant Du Monde
Orchestre National De Barbes | Rendez-vous Barbes | Le Chant Du Monde
Psychedelic Aliens, The | Psycho African Beat | Academy
Radioclit Presents The Sound Of Club Secousse, Volume 1: African Dance Music Anthems | (various artists) | Crammed Discs
Roots Of Chicha 2, The | (various artists) | Barbes
Salsa Explosion! The New York Salsa Revolution 1968-1985 | (various artists) | Strut
Septeto Nacional | Sin Rumba No Hay Son | World Village
Taylor, Ebo | Love And Death | Strut
Tirogo | Float | QDK Media

Tirogo | Float

ARTIST:  Tirogo
TITLE:  Float
LABEL:  QDK Media

REVIEW:  The ongoing project to locate every piece of vinyl ever released in Africa has turned up this psychedelic-rock gem from 1977 Nigeria.  Like a lot of African rock bands, Tirogo is clearly influenced by the multi-cultural musical adventures of Jimi Hendrix and Santana (two pretty positive influences, I’d say).  The lead guitar player, Elvy (Action) Akhionbare, is really superb and gets an amazingly Hendrix-like sound out of his gear.  The songs provide plenty of room for guitar and organ solos; songwriter and singer Wilfred Ekanem’s lyrics are moralistic and downright Christian in a few places, but at its essence this is party music.  Probably the first time I’ve ever heard the phrases “boogie shoes” and “go my friends with Jesus” in the same song is on track 4 here.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    1    4    5

Depedro | Nubes De Papel

ARTIST:  Depedro
TITLE:  Nubes de Papel (Paper Clouds)
LABEL:  Nat Geo Music

REVIEW:  For those of you who have been waiting for a new album from Calexico, this will help tide you over.  Depedro is the band name for singer-songwriter Jairo Zavala, a native of Madrid and the touring guitarist for Calexico and Andrew Bird.  The album was co-produced by Calexico’s Joey Burns and much of it was recorded at Wavelab Studio in Tucson with Burns, John Convertino and other Calexicans.  Zavala’s material is folkier and more introspective than Calexico’s, but you’ll note a great sonic similarity between the two – it definitely has that cinematic borderland sound.  This could just as easily be categorized as AAA singer-songwriter instead of world, and a lot of the material here will work for WRIR's Wide Ear Folk and for anyone who like artists such as Bonnie Prince Billy and M. Ward.  This is low-key good stuff, and the cover of the Velvet Underground’s “What Goes On” (track 9) is especially surprising and outstanding.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    2    4    9    11

Chico Mann | Analog Drift

ARTIST:  Chico Mann
TITLE:  Analog Drift
LABEL:  Wax Poetics

REVIEW:  Chico Mann is the high-concept brainchild of Marcos Garcia, guitarist for Antibalas and Ocote Soul Sounds.  The concept: what if you played Afrobeat on a Casiotone electronic keyboard?  On this, their second record, Chico Mann starts branching out a bit from the original formula – a broader range of electronics (still keeping that old-school flavor), more Latin rhythms and a heavy emphasis on the classic Africa Bambaataa-era electro sound.  But there’s still plenty of Afrobeat, and the dance-and-don’t-think-too-hard motivation is still in place.  It’s pretty much impossible not to grin when you’re listening to this totally synthetic, cheesy and yet oddly compelling sound.  They get bonus points for a totally Chico Mann cover of Talking Heads’ “Once In A Lifetime” (track 7).
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    1    5    7    10

October 29, 2010

Program October 29, 2010

WRIR's Fall 2010 Fund Drive starts when this program goes on the air -- Friday October 29 at 5:00 PM here in Richmond Virginia USA.  The fund drive is a time when all of Richmond Independent Radio's 200 volunteers dress foolishly and stand in the middle of busy thoroughfares holding signs.  Well, maybe a few of our volunteers do -- after all, it is Halloween week.

Actually, the fund drive is a time when we ask all of our listeners (and that means webstream and podcasts, too) to think about the value that WRIR brings -- the great music you wouldn't hear otherwise, the unembedded news that isn't beholden to established powers or points of view, the discussions that treat you like an intelligent adult and not like ... oh, let's say a potential voter whose button we're trying to push.  After all, it is election week here in the USA as well.

After you tally up that value, perhaps the spirit will move you to make a donation.  We count on those donations for a substantial fraction of our annual budget -- they pay for the programs you hear, the equipment we use to get them to you, rent and utilities at the place we broadcast from, necessities all.  So please consider making a donation now by calling (804) 622-9747 or by clicking here:

https://wrir.wufoo.com/forms/2010-form

Follow me below the fold where I'll tell you what's special about today's program, let you know about the  special premiums we have for folks who donate during Global A Go-Go, and I'll post my tracklist as the show proceeds.  Click here for a podcast of today's program:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/46767

The complete catalog of Global A Go-Go podcasts is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go


October 25, 2010

Charts October 24, 2010

Hot off the presses and straight to #1 on WRIR's world music charts, it's The Roots Of Chicha 2: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru.

CMJ New World Top Ten
1 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Roots Of Chicha 2: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru | Barbes
2 HUUN HUUR TU | Ancestors Call | World Village
3 EBO TAYLOR | Love And Death | Strut
4 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Salsa Explosion!: The Salsa Revolution 1968-1985 | Strut
5 BALKANIZE! | Balkan Eyes | self-released
6 THE APPLES | Kings | Freestyle
7 MOUSSU T E LEI JOVENTS | Putan De Cancon | Le Chant Du Monde
8 ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE BARBES | Rendes-Vous Barbes | Le Chant Du Monde
9 JOAN SORIANO | El Duque De La Bachata | iASO
10 GABRIEL ALEGRIA | Pucusana | Saponegro

CMJ New World Adds
1 BIO RITMO | Dina's Mambo/La Muralla | Electric Cowbell
2 FAT FREDDYS DROP | Live At Roundhouse London | The Drop
3 GROUP INERANE | Guitars From Agadez Volume 3 | Sublime Frequencies
4 THE PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS | Psycho African Beat | Academy
5 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Radioclit Presents The Sound Of Club Secousse, Volume 1: African Dance Music Anthems | Crammed Discs

New & Recommended At WRIR
Antibalas | Who Is This America? | Ropeadope
Apples, The | Kings | Freestyle
Balkanize! | Balkan Eyes | self-released
Bio Ritmo | Dina's Mambo / La Muralla | Electric Cowbell
Bostich + Fussible | Bulevar 2000 | Nacional
Debo Band | Flamingoh (Pink Bird Dawn) | self-released
Fat Freddys Drop | Live At Roundhouse London | The Drop
Huun Huur Tu | Ancestors Call | World Village
Krygier, Axel | Pesebre | Crammed Discs
Matorralman | Guateque Estelar | Nacional
Moussu T E Lei Jovents | Putan De Cancon | Le Chant Du Monde
Orchestre National De Barbes | Rendez-vous Barbes | Le Chant Du Monde
Psychedelic Aliens, The | Psycho African Beat | Academy
Radioclit Presents The Sound Of Club Secousse, Volume 1: African Dance Music Anthems | (various artists) | Crammed Discs
Roots Of Chicha 2, The | (various artists) | Barbes
Salsa Explosion! The New York Salsa Revolution 1968-1985 | (various artists) | Strut
Septeto Nacional | Sin Rumba No Hay Son | World Village
Soriano, Joan | El Duque De La Bachata | iASO
Taylor, Ebo | Love And Death | Strut

The Psychedelic Aliens | Psycho African Beat

ARTIST:  The Psychedelic Aliens
TITLE:  Psycho African Beat
LABEL:  Academy

REVIEW:  Here’s a major find from African music cratedigger extraordinaire Frank Gossner.  The Psychedelic Aliens cut just eight songs -- four on a 1970 EP followed by two 1971 singles.  This is some super-rare vinyl; better still, the music is really interesting.  The Aliens’ Afro-rock sound uses elements from American soul, garage rock and psychedelic rock (especially Hendrix) alongside characteristics Ghanaian rhythms.  They were early with this idea, and they were definitely onto something.  Check track 4 especially, which telescopes just about all their influences into one three-minute workout.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    1    4    6

The Roots Of Chicha 2: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru

ARTIST:  various artists
TITLE:  The Roots Of Chicha 2: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru
LABEL:  Barbes

REVIEW:  The first volume of The Roots Of Chicha was one of the surprise hits of 2007, exposing an unsuspecting public to the peculiar blend of cumbia, twangy guitars and psychotropic drugs that fueled this Peruvian style.  This second volume casts a broader net – where volume one focused primarily on rural Andean bands, this edition is more urban, more Cuban, less psychedelic, maybe a bit mellower and provides a more well-rounded view of a genre that has remained popular since the 70’s in Peru’s slums but has barely been acknowledged in upper-class Peruvian culture.  Compiler Olivier Conan (who leads the revival band Chicha Libre) has put together another superb selection here – kudos to him for more or less singlehandedly bringing this great musical style to the attention of American and European listeners.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    2    4    9    15    16

Radioclit Presents The Sound Of Club Secousse, Volume 1: African Dance Music Anthems

ARTIST:  various artists
TITLE:  Radioclit Presents The Sound Of Club Secousse, Volume 1: African Dance Music Anthems
LABEL:  Crammed Discs

REVIEW:  Radioclit (Frenchman Etienne Tron and Swede Johan Hugo) definitely have the hot hand right now as remixers, recording artists (their band The Very Best has two excellent recordings), and as club DJs.  In the last role, they’ve been spinning lots of current African dance music, very little of which is released in the USA.  So this compliation is an excellent survey of what’s new in Africa, especially in an electronic vein.  You get Iviorian coupe decale (track 7), funana from Cabo Verde (12), South African shangaan electro (14, a track that’s not on the Honest Jon’s Shangaan Electro compilation), popular-all-over zouk (15), and kwaito kwassa from Botswana  (17, a blend of house music and Congolese ndombolo believe it or not).  There’s a whole lot of really cool stuff here, and you will undoubtedly be among the first folks you know who’re listening to it if you check this out.  Definitely one of my favorite compilations of 2010.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    7    12    14    15    17

Fat Freddys Drop | Live At Roundhouse London

ARTIST:  Fat Freddys Drop
TITLE:  Live At Roundhouse London
LABEL:  The Drop

REVIEW:  New Zealand’s Fat Freddys Drop is one of the most remarkable and uncategorizable groups you’ll ever hear.  Are they a funk band?  A live dub act?  A jam band?  Jazz improvisers?  Yes to all of the above, and then some.  Described simply, they lay down some of the funkiest grooves anywhere and use them as springboards for always surprising, always soulful long-form songs and improvisations.  Here they’re in their favorite format, playing live; they’re working out the material that would soon become their second album Dr. Boondigga And The Big BW.  I’ve raved about their first two releases, and this one is equally brilliant.  It’s especially enjoyable to hear Chris (DJ Fitchie) Faiumu’s live electronics in a concert setting – this band is no studio creation, in fact it’s just the reverse in that their studio albums are more like an attempt to condense the live FFD experience.  This is just great stuff, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    1    2    4    6

Bio Ritmo | Dina's Mambo / La Muralla

ARTIST:  Bio Ritmo
TITLE:  Dina’s Mambo / La Muralla
LABEL:  Electric Cowbell
REVIEW:  For those of us who are eagerly anticipating Bio Ritmo’s next full-length releases (now expected in early 2011), here’s a new single from Richmond’s salsa machine. It’s on the all-vinyl Electric Cowbell label, run by former Bio Ritmo member Jim Thomson (also ex of GWAR, Alter-Natives and Tulsa Drone), who’s now based in Brooklyn. If you’ve heard Bio Ritmo recently, you know they’ve been emphasizing their funkier side, and that’s reflected on these two sides. Dina’s Mambo is a catchy, sinuous instrumental that features a variety of Marlysse Simmons’ old-school keyboard sounds. La Muralla is a vocal number that starts out as classic horn-driven midtempo NYC salsa, veers off briefly into cumbia and an introspective Simmons electric piano solo, and closes with a rousing coro vocal. This band is everything that salsa should be – danceable, soulful, surprising, eclectic. And they’re Richmond’s own, a point of pride for our musical community.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    1    2

October 21, 2010

Program October 22, 2010

Chicha is a popular Andean corn-based fermented beverage, and it's also the name of a musical style that swept across Peru in the 1970's.  (That's chicha band Los Shapis toasting you with the eponymous beverage.)

Frenchman Olivier Conan, now based at the Barbes nightclub and record label in Brooklyn, has made it his personal mission to introduce American and Europe to this remarkable blend of cumbia, surf and psychedelia -- his second Roots Of Chicha compilation is now in stores, and you'll hear a track from it on this week's edition of Global A Go-Go in a set of twangy music from around the world.

Also this week: throat singing and other Asian vocal music, more branches of Cuban son, and bangin' electronic dance music from across Africa.

Click "Read More" for today's tracklist; click here for a podcast of today's program:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/46518

The complete catalog of Global A Go-Go podcasts is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go


October 14, 2010

Program October 15, 2010

74 year old Ebo Taylor (pictured above) is one of the most important artists in the development of Afrobeat, right up there with Fela Kuti.  Believe it or not, this Ghanaian musical giant finally has his first internationally distributed solo album; you'll hear a track from it on this week's show as part of an all-Afrobeat set.

I just couldn't let the passing of Solomon Burke, my all-time favorite soul singer, go by without a commemoration, so we'll do a Soul Spot (a very occasional feature of this program) in his honor, including a not-to-be-missed 10-minute-long live recording that's as much preaching as it is singing.  The subject of Bishop Burke's homily: "The Women Of Today."

All that and much, much more on Global A Go-Go this week.  Click "Read More" for today's tracklist; click here for a podcast of today's program:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/46319

The complete catalog of Global A Go-Go podcasts is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go


October 10, 2010

Reviews and charts October 10, 2010

ARTIST:  Moussu T E Lei Jovents
TITLE:  Putan De Cancon
LABEL:  Le Chant Du Monde

REVIEW:  Moussu T E Lei Jovents is a band from Marseilles, France whose music fuses some of the wide variety of sounds heard in that worldly port city: local and Provencal traditions, American blues and jazz, the sounds of the Caribbean, and especially the music of Brazil.  They’re led by vocalist Tatou, founder of the legendary Marseilles reggae-rock band Massilia Sound System; the real star here is string player Blu (also a Massilia alumnus), whose work on various guitars and banjos is just stunningly tasteful throughout.  Three percussionists back them up, laying down subtly Brazilian-influenced rhythms.  These are mature, confident, virtuoso musicians and songwriters who make this complex fusion of styles seem natural and effortless – the overall vibe is one of a jam session or street busking.  This is the kind of album that Manu Chao or Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hutz will want to make when they’re tired of the road and ready to settle down.  Two thumbs way, way up for one of the best releases I’ve heard in 2010.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    1    3    6    7    10

Excellent new records by Ebo Taylor and Huun Huur Tu are reviewed inside, and WRIR's world music charts are there as well.  So take the jump ...


October 4, 2010

Reviews and charts October 3, 2010

ARTIST:  various artists
TITLE:  Salsa Explosion! The New York Salsa Revolution 1968-1985
LABEL:  Fania/Strut

REVIEW:  Salsa is one of the USA’s great contributions to 20th century music culture.  Yes, I said the USA – although many if not most of the genre’s key figures were born outside the 50 states, salsa is essentially the product of musicians working in New York City.  Starting from the deep well of Cuban popular music (off-limits to most Americans after the 1962 Cuban embargo), seasoned with pan-Caribbean folkloric traditions (especially those of Puerto Rico) and with the players’ experience in American jazz and R&B bands, these musicians developed a style that has folks around the world dancing to this day.  Fania Records released more NYC salsa records than any label; they’ve just started a licensing program with Strut Records in the UK who specialize in hip, danceable global reissues and this CD is their first joint venture.  It’s a delicious single-disc sample of quintessential tracks from the various subgenres found in American salsa.  Every track’s a winner here.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    1 (Afro-Latin)    5 (Latin soul)    9 (son montuno)    12 (boogaloo)    13 (salsa dura)

That's the only review this week, but inside are WRIR's world music charts, as per usual ...

September 30, 2010

Program October 1, 2010

Siemon Allen (pictured above, with one of the pieces in his Records series) is a South African artist, now living in Richmond, whose work deals with the images his home country presents when the rest of the world views it.  Siemon's current show, Imaging South Africa: Collection Projects By Siemon Allen, fills all three floors of Virginia Commonwealth University's Anderson Gallery and is on view until October 31.

Siemon has put together a remarkable, unique collection of South African recordings, everything from 78s to 8-track tapes to mp3 files, covering just about every style of music his homeland has to offer.  On this week's program, Siemon will be my in-studio guest and we'll play nothing but music from his collection.  Almost everything you hear is likely to be new to your ears, because hardly any of these recordings have ever been released in the USA or Europe.

I've been looking forward to doing this show for a long time; I think it will be a great experience for listeners, and I know it will be for Siemon and me.

BTW, Siemon has just launched an ambitious new South African discography project.  It's still in its earliest stages, but it's well worth a look:

http://flatinternational.org

Click "Read More" for today's tracklist; click here for a podcast of today's program:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/45932

The complete catalog of Global A Go-Go podcasts is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go

September 26, 2010

Panel discussion on September 29, 2010

I'm pleased to announce that I'll be participating in a discussion about collecting African music that's happening at Virginia Commonwealth University's Anderson Gallery on Wednesday September 29 at 6 PM.  See the poster above for more details, or visit the Anderson Gallery's website:

http://www.vcu.edu/arts/gallery

My fellow panelists will be Siemon Allen, whose show Imaging South Africa is up at the Anderson Gallery right now; and my WRIR colleague David Noyes, host of Ambiance Congo and co-host of The Motherland Influence.  With those two guys, you can be sure that the conversation is going to be lively and challenging.

Also, Siemon Allen will be my guest co-host on Global A Go-Go on Friday October 1 from 5 to 7 PM.  We'll talk about Imaging South Africa and we'll play selections from Siemon's vast archive of rare South African recordings.

By the way, if you're at all interested in African music and culture, make sure to see Siemon's show at the Anderson Gallery before it closes on October 31.  It's a truly mind-blowing experience.

WRIR's Julia McCauley recorded our conversation; if you weren't able to be there, you can download the recording here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/45934

Reviews and charts September 26, 2010

Brand-New Reviews
ARTIST:  Balkanize!
TITLE:  Balkan Eyes
LABEL:  self-released

REVIEW:  Balkanize! describe themselves as “Richmond, Virginia’s only ensemble of old world Turko-Balkan folk music.”  This is their first recording, and it’s an excellent debut.  Performing other peoples’ folk music is fraught with issues, and this band navigates them quite effectively.  For starters, they’re quite facile on many of the exotic instruments that you typically hear in the region, like darbuka (the hand drum commonly used in this kind of music), saz and oud (two different styles of lutes, relatives of the guitar and mandolin).  Vocals can really be a challenge in this type of ensemble, especially when you’re singing in foreign languages.  But vocals turn out to be one of Balkanize!’s strengths: both Nancy Smith and Julie Bright are strong singers, and their harmonies (very much in the style of Hungarian bands like Muzikas) are truly superb.  Eight songs from eight different countries (perhaps in eight different languages?), all related but distinctly different, all performed with skill, energy and obvious pleasure and totally accessible to a general audience.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    1    2    7    8

Inside, there's a review of the new album by Argentina's Axel Krygier, and WRIR's world music charts for the last week.  Just click "Read More" ...

September 23, 2010

Program September 24, 2010

First of all, Siemon Allen's appearance as my guest co-host, where we'll be playing music from his remarkable South African collection, has been postponed until next week's program on October 1.  Before that happens, you'll be able to hear Siemon, WRIR's own David Noyes and yours truly discuss collecting African music on Wednesday at 6 PM at the Anderson Gallery here in Richmond:

http://www.globalagogo.com/2010/09/panel-discussion-on-september-29-2010.html

Today's program starts with a new recording from Balkanize! (pictured above), who describe themselves as "Richmond, Virginia's only ensemble of old world Turko-Balkan folk music."  For now, anyway.  They're playing on Monday night at The Camel along with two other Richmond-based world music bands in what promises to be a major ear-opener of a show.

Also this week: son habanero, the Cuban root of today's salsa; cumbia from Mexico and Colombia (claro que si), Argentina and Germany (que?); a few of my favorite groovin' new releases.

Click "Read More" for today's tracklist; click here for a podcast of today's program:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/45778

The complete catalog of Global A Go-Go podcasts is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go

September 19, 2010

My brand-new website is under construction


Welcome to the brand-new Global A Go-Go website. Not all of the content from my old site is here yet; I'll be moving it over as soon as I can. In the meantime, if you're looking for an older post you can find it here:

http://wrir.org/x/modules/news/index.php?storytopic=9

Reviews and charts September 19, 2010


ARTIST:  Bostich + Fussible
TITLE:  Bulevar 2000
LABEL:  Nacional

REVIEW:  Bostich and Fussible are two of the four members of the Tijuana-based band Nortec Collective, whose mash-up of Mexican popular music (like norteno) with urban club beats (like techno, hence the band name) has virtually become its own musical genre.  Working as a duo, they’re more focused on songcraft and less on dancefloor impact, so what they have here is kind of a Mexican-American intelligent-dance-music project that could just as easily be filed in RPM or rock as in world.  Their club-oriented sound is in effect in places (track 3, for example), but the highlights here are their collaborations with other songwriters (2 features Kylie Swenson of the band Loquat, 10 features Bryce Kushnier aka Vitamins For You).  9 is a lovely atmospheric track that’s really quite different from both Nortec and B+F’s previous work; 10 is terrific all around, one of the best new Halloween (well, El Dia De Los Muertos, to be precise) songs I’ve heard.  Good stuff.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    2    3    9    10

Click "Read More" for a review of Debo Band's debut recording, and WRIR's world music charts for the week.


September 16, 2010

Program September 17, 2010

Debo Band (pictured above) may be headquartered in Boston, but they channel the sound of 1970's Addis Ababa as well as any band I've heard.  They're coming to Richmond to perform at Balliceaux on Saturday night in collaboration with Fendika, an Addis-based music and dance troupe (trust me, you haven't lived until you've seen Ethiopian traditional dance in action -- you'll get a backache just watching them).  I just received a copy of Debo Band's forthcoming EP -- you'll hear a track from it along with a bunch of songs from Ethiopia in the 70's on this week's program.

Also on tap: a set of bachata from the Dominican Republic including the USA debut release of Joan Soriano, Latin music from the psychedelic era and some current artists who are updating that sound; a quick sample of four African bands with direct USA connections.

Click "Read More" for today's tracklist; click here for a podcast of today's program:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/45609

The complete catalog of Global A Go-Go podcasts is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go

September 12, 2010

Reviews and charts September 12, 2010

ARTIST:  Septeto Nacional Ignacio Pineiro
TITLE:  Sin Rumba No Hay Son!
LABEL:  World Village

REVIEW:  Continuity with the tradition is a prized value in Cuban music.  And few bands offer more continuity than Septeto Nacional, founded by namesake Ignacio Pineiro in 1927 and now on its fourth generation of members.  Pineiro is the guy who added trumpet to rural son music, infused folkloric rumba rhythms and produced the urbanized sound called son Habanero, the direct predecessor of today’s salsa explosion.  Although this group plays a number of Pineiro’s compositions (tracks 4, 9 and 13) and carries his name, it’s not merely a revival or tribute ensemble.  This is a living musical tradition with elements being added and changed all the time.  USA audiences got a taste of Septeto Nacional’s sound earlier this year on their first American tour since 1933 (!!), and now here’s a fine new recording that adds to their legend.  Check out the terrific guest vocal by Bertha Portuondo (Omara’s younger sister) on track 9.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    1   9   11   13

Click "Read More" for another review and lists of WRIR's new recommendations and most-played recordings from the world of world music.

September 9, 2010

Program September 10, 2010

There's a small group of very noisy Americans (like the guy pictured above, and a fleet of Republican demagogues) who all of a sudden, nine years after the World Trade Center attack, have decided that Islam is engaged in a holy war with the USA (and that the Burlington Coat Factory outlet in lower Manhattan is a sacred site, but I digress).

Well, about 1.5 billion Muslims call B.S. on that notion -- they loathe their fundamentalist extremists the same way that I loathe the guy pictured above.  You'll hear from a few of those Muslims on today's program, because it's time for the first-ever all-Islamic edition of Global A Go-Go.

You'll hear great contemporary music from Iran and Afghanistan, some hot North African rock, Sufi and Baul music from the Indian subcontinent, Bosnian sevdah, and much more.  Oh, and one song at the end of the program from a non-Islamic artist that speaks directly to "Rev." Terry Jones and his ilk.

Click "Read More" for today's tracklist; click here for a podcast of today's program:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/45468

The complete catalog of Global A Go-Go podcasts is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go

P.S.  That can't be a real mustache, can it?

August 29, 2010

Reviews and charts August 29, 2010


ARTIST:  Matorralman
TITLE:  Guateque Estelar (Stellar Party)
LABEL:  Nacional

REVIEW:  I recently compared the Budos Band’s sound to blaxsploitation soundtracks.  This album makes a good complement – it could be the soundtrack to another Austin Powers movie.  This Mexico City band channels the classic space-age bachelor pad sound of Esquivel (also a Mexican native) but gives it more of a muscular rock framework with pounding 4/4 drums (well, sampled drums anyway) and lots of twangy guitar a la Linc Wray or Duane Eddy.  All the tracks are instrumentals (many have sampled spoken word intros) and they’d work great as bed music for the right kind of DJ or board operator.  It’s a fun listen all the way through, stylistically very consistent with no bad tracks gumming up the works.  And I predict these guys will be able to license the hell out of this material for commercials and movies, natch.  WRIR has a bunch of DJs who like this kind of knowingly loungey thing – this one is definitely for them.  Oh, behave!
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    1    2    5    7

A whole lot more reviews, plus this week's WRIR world music charts, await inside.  Just click "Read More" ...

August 26, 2010

Program August 27, 2010

Here in Richmond, we have three really interesting South Africa-themed art exhibitions in museums right now.  Darkroom: Photography And New Media In South Africa Since 1950 opened at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts last week and opens at the Visual Arts Center Of Richmond Friday evening, and Imaging South Africa: Collection Projects Of Siemon Allen also opens Friday evening at Virginia Commonwealth University's Anderson Gallery.  Here are links for all three venues:

http://www.vmfa.museum/Exhibitions/Darkroom
http://visarts.org/exhibitions
http://www.vcu.edu/arts/gallery

With all this South African activity, I thought I'd pitch in with a set covering over 50 years of South African recording history, from Miriam Makeba (pictured above with the Manhattan Brothers) to the Tshetsha Boys (you gotta see this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyBVh48zS4I).

Also this week:  a couple of sampler/samplee pairs, the early years of Franco & Le TPOK Jazz, and some wild Balkan tunes.

Click "Read More" for today's tracklist; click here for a podcast of today's program:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/45218

The complete catalog of Global A Go-Go podcasts is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go

August 22, 2010

Reviews and charts August 22, 2010

ARTIST:  The Apples
TITLE:  Kings
LABEL:  Freestyle

REVIEW:  The Apples are a nine-piece band from Tel Aviv, Israel playing a unique style of global funk, soul and instrumental hip hop that’s equally influenced by middle eastern music, James Brown, dub and J Dilla.  Cool instrumentation: four horns, bass violin, drum kit, two turntablists and live effects at the soundboard (no digital samplers or digital anything) is a great configuration for their clever writing (for example, track 2 is a composition that grows out of a sample from the Meters-Toussaint-Lee Dorsey classic “Occapella”) and groove-based improvisations.  On this release (their second for Freestyle), they collaborate with two disparate musical giants: trombonist Fred Wesley (tracks 1-4), famous for his work with both James Brown and George Clinton, and vocalist Shlomo Bar (tracks 5-8), whose band HaBrera HaTeevit was a pioneer of world music in Israel.  This band is new to me and I’m totally impressed – big ideas plus funky grooves plus killer horn lines and solos equals a totally Global A Go-Go concept.  Bravo!
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    2    4    6    7

To see the charts, click "Read More."