Reviews and charts June 27, 2010

Inside: reviews of the Fela! original cast recording and the big boy pictured above (the latter is certain to be in my Top Ten of '10), plus WRIR's complete world music charts for the week.

Program June 25, 2010

Image credit: Ben Rubin (http://www.justseeds.org/celebrate_peoples_history/02emmag.html)

June 27th is the 141st anniversary of Emma Goldman's birth. Goldman, probably America's best-known anarchist, is famous for a great quote that she never actually said: "If I can't dance, it's not my revolution." (The actual quote, from her 1931 autobiography Living My Life, can be found near the end of this article: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Emma_Goldman. The one-liner is a lot catchier, but it is a pretty good synopsis of what she actually wrote.)

In Emma's honor, I've put together a two-hour show that I think she'd approve of -- music that's both highly political and makes you want to get up and dance.  I'm calling it the Emma Goldman Memorial Dance Party.

Click "Read More" for the tracklist.  Podcast is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/43729

Reviews and charts June 20, 2010

Over the last two weeks, this was the most-played world music recording at WRIR.  Pretty cool.  No reviews this week, but plenty coming over the next two.  See all the charts inside ...

Program June 18, 2010

The man who put the beat in Afrobeat is Tony Allen, the drummer and musical director of Fela Kuti's Africa 70. He launched his own bandleading career in 1975 and left Fela for good in 1979.  On this week's show you'll hear a set of music from Tony Allen's solo career, including a track from his new album Secret Agent.

Also this week: calypso and steel bands from across the Caribbean, the invention of mbalax music in Senegal circa 1979, and Latin rock 'n' roll made in the USA.  Click "Read More" for today's tracklist.  Podcast is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/43549

Reviews and charts June 6, 2010

For the third week in a row, WRIR's #1 world music recording is this one pictured above.  Sexy time!  Click "Read More" for reviews of Next Stop ... Soweto, Volume 2 and the new reissue of a very young Youssou N'Dour & Etoile De Dakar.

Program June 4, 2010

You're looking at Zakumi, mascot for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The eyes of the world will be on South Africa starting next week, so let's turn your ears there today.

I'll be playing nothing but music from South Africa -- a capella singing, kwela, mbaqanga, township jive, modern jazz, kwaito -- you'll hear all of these and more on today's very special edition of Global A Go-Go. Oh yes, and go Bafana Bafana.  Click "Read More" for the tracklist.  Podcast is here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/43213