January 30, 2011

Charts January 30, 2011

CMJ New World Top Ten
1    G.R.A.S.S. | G.R.A.S.S. On Fire | Mighty Gowanus
2    SAMBA MAPANGALA & ORCHESTRA VIRUNGA | Maisha Ni Matamu | Virunga
3    NOUVELLE VAGUE | "Où Veux-Tu Que Je Regarde" [Single] | Barclay
4    VARIOUS ARTISTS | Free Africa | Le Son Du Maquis
5    AFROCUBISM | Afrocubism | World Circuit/Nonesuch
6    FRED HO AND THE GREEN MONSTER BIG BAND | Year Of The Tiger | Innova
7    MOUSSU T E LEI JOVENTS | Putan De Cancon | Le Chant Du Monde
8    THE PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS | Psycho African Beat | Academy
9    WAYNE WALLACE LATIN JAZZ QUINTET | To Hear From There | Patois
10    VARIOUS ARTISTS | Angola Soundtrack: The Unique Sound Of Luanda 1968-1976) | Analog Africa

CMJ New World Adds
1    NATACHA ATLAS | Riverman Remixes | Six Degrees
2    VINICIUS CANTUARIA AND BILL FRISELL | Lagrimas Mexicanas | eOne Music
3    DHOAD GYPSIES OF RAJASTHAN | Roots Travellers | World Village
4    MAMADOU DIABATE | Courage | World Village
5    FRED HO AND THE GREEN MONSTER BIG BAND | Year Of The Tiger | Innova

New & Recommended At WRIR
AfroCubism | AfroCubism | World Circuit/Nonesuch
Angola Soundtrack | (various artists) | Analog Africa
Aurelio | Laru Beya | Sub Pop/Next Ambiance
Bedouin Soundclash | "Mountain Top" | Nat Geo Music
Chico Mann | Analog Drift | Wax Poetics
Depedro | Nubes De Papel | Nat Geo Music
Free Africa | (various artists) | Le Son Du Maquis
G.R.A.S.S. | G.R.A.S.S. On Fire | Mighty Gowanus
Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica | The Unforgettable Sounds Of Esquivel | self-released
Nouvelle Vague | "Où Veux-Tu Que Je Regarde" | Barclay
Rochereau, Tabu Ley | The Voice Of Lightness, Volume 2 | Sterns
Sound Of Siam, The | (various artists) | Soundway
Tradi-Mods Vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes On Congotronics | (various artists) | Crammed Discs
Velan, Chris & Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars | "Inez" | Cumbancha

January 27, 2011

Program January 28, 2011

Here in Virginia, George (Macaca) Allen announced this week that he'll try to reclaim a U.S. Senate seat in 2012.  Separately, Femi Kuti has a brand-new song where he says "nobody begged you to be senator."  I couldn't resist the obvious -- a George Allen - Femi Kuti mash-up, mixed live for you this week on Global A Go-Go.

Also in the way of new music, you'll hear a band from Brooklyn called the Gowanus Reggae And Ska Society (yes, that acronym is GRASS), Afrobeat from Portugal (Terrakota) and England (Ariya Astrobeat Arkestra), and the latest single from the clever French cover band Nouvelle Vague.

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

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/48995

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

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


January 24, 2011

Gowanus Reggae And Ska Society | G.R.A.S.S. On Fire

ARTIST:  Gowanus Reggae And Ska Society (G.R.A.S.S.)
TITLE:  G.R.A.S.S. On Fire
LABEL:  Mighty Gowanus
REVIEW:  I’ve long believed that jazz improvisations on top of a solid, cracking reggae rhythm section sounds great, but it’s just not something I hear often enough.  Now comes a new Brooklyn-based band dedicated to just that concept, playing the songs of Bob Marley & The Wailers’ Catch A Fire.  Some of the tracks here are a little too sleepy and smooth for my taste.  But when the rhythm section gets up a righteous head of steam (as on tracks 1 and 9 and the latter part of track 7) and the soloists cut loose (especially trombonist Mark Miller throughout, and guest guitar-shredder Brad Shepik on 9), that’s when this album delivers everything I want out of a jazz-reggae fusion.  It’s nice to see a new generation of musicians working out this concept; I hope they stick with it because they’ve got a good thing going here.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    1    7    9

Bedouin Soundclash, Chris Velan, Nouvelle Vague


ARTIST | TRACK | LABEL: 
Bedouin Soundclash | "Mountain Top" | Nat Geo Music
Chris Velan & Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars | "Inez" | Cumbancha
Nouvelle Vague feat Emily Loizeau | "Ou Veux-Tu Que Je Regarde" | Barclay

REVIEW:  Here are three recent international singles, all pop enough to sound great on the radio (especially on many of WRIR’s rock and AAA shows), and none of them has a snowball’s chance in hell of ever being played on an American commercial radio station.  And folks wonder why the audience for commercial radio declines every year?

First up is Canadian reggae-rock band Bedouin Soundclash with a song that could have been an outtake from the Police’s Reggatta De Blanc album (that’s a compliment in my book), catchy as hell with just enough skanking rhythm to qualify for the world music section.

Next is Canadian singer-songwriter Chris Velan, who teams up with Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars (he produced their first album) on a breezy, pan-African-influenced track that will remind you of several songs from Paul Simon’s Graceland (also a compliment).

Last comes France’s popular Nouvelle Vague – their new album re-imagines French post-punk hits from the 80’s, and they remake Noir Desir’s 1987 debut single using the lush production and harmonies of Lambchop, a brilliant outside-the-box combination.

REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti

P.S.  Chris Velan's "Inez" can be downloaded for free here:  http://inez.chrisvelan.com

January 23, 2011

Charts January 23, 2011

CMJ New World Top Ten
1    VARIOUS ARTISTS | Angola Soundtrack: The Unique Sound Of Luanda 1968-1976 | Analog Africa
2    VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Sound Of Siam: Leftfield Luk Thung, Jazz And Molam In Thailand 1964-1975 | Soundway
3    VARIOUS ARTISTS | Free Africa | Le Son Du Maquis
4    MR. HO'S ORCHESTROTICA | The Unforgettable Sounds Of Esquivel |self-released
5    AFROCUBISM | Afrocubism | World Circuit/Nonesuch
6    CHICO MANN | Analog Drift | Wax Poetics
7    THE PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS | Psycho African Beat | Academy
8    WAYNE WALLACE LATIN JAZZ QUINTET | To Hear From There | Patois
9    ASMARA ALL STARS | Eritrea's Got Soul | Out|Here
10    AURELIO | Laru Beya | Sub Pop/Next Ambiance

CMJ New World Adds
1    GO-RAY & DUKE | The Yoga Sessions | Yoga Organix
2    G.R.A.S.S. | G.R.A.S.S. On Fire | Mighty Gowanus
3    NOUVELLE VAGUE | "Ou Veux-Tu Que Je Regarde" [single] | Barclay
4    SIDI TOURE | Sahel Folk | Thrill Jockey
5    CHRIS VELAN & SIERRA LEONE'S REFUGEE ALL STARS | "Inez" [single] | Cumbancha

New & Recommended At WRIR
AfroCubism | AfroCubism | World Circuit/Nonesuch
Angola Soundtrack | (various artists) | Analog Africa
Aurelio | Laru Beya | Sub Pop/Next Ambiance
Chico Mann | Analog Drift | Wax Poetics
Depedro | Nubes De Papel | Nat Geo Music
Free Africa | (various artists) | Le Son Du Maquis
Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica | The Unforgettable Sounds Of Esquivel | self-released
Rochereau, Tabu Ley | The Voice Of Lightness, Volume 2 | Sterns
Sound Of Siam, The | (various artists) | Soundway
Tirogo | Float | QDK Media
Tradi-Mods Vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes On Congotronics | (various artists) | Crammed Discs

January 18, 2011

Program January 21, 2011

I've been a fan of the Analog Africa label and its enterprising founder Samy Ben Redjeb (pictured above in Benin with a cache of 45s) ever since I picked up on its first title some time toward the end of 2006.

I've learned that you can count on each Analog Africa release to deliver the goods: criminally underheard music (usually previously unreleased in Europe or the USA), high quality production and mastering, vintage photos and intelligent essays in a well-designed package that's well worth owning, with each song fully licensed so the artists receive the royalties they deserve.

This week on Global A Go-Go, the entire program is devoted to Analog Africa's nine-release catalog.  I'll play you some of my favorite tracks from each of Samy's projects, with a special emphasis on his latest, Angola Soundtrack: The Unique Sound Of Luanda 1968-1976.

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:



January 16, 2011

Charts January 16, 2011

CMJ New World Top Ten
1 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Free Africa | Le Son Du Maquis
2 AURELIO | Laru Beya | Sub Pop / Next Ambiance
3 MR. HO'S ORCHESTROTICA | The Unforgettable Sounds Of Esquivel | self-released
4 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Sound Of Siam: Leftfield Luk Thung, Jazz And Molam In Thailand 1964-1975 | Soundway
5 AFROCUBISM | Afrocubism | Nonesuch
6 CHICO MANN | Analog Drift | Wax Poetics
7 THE PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS | Psycho African Beat | Academy
8 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Radioclit Presents: The Sound Of Club Secousse Vol. 1 | Crammed
9 BROWNOUT | Aquilas And Cobras: Remixed And Regrooved | Six Degrees
10 METHOD OF DEFIANCE | Jahbulon | M.O.D. Technologies

CMJ New World Adds
1 EMPRESARIOS | Sabor Tropical | Fort Knox
2 MAGIC SYSTEM | "Ambiance A L'Africaine" [single] | Virgin France
3 MASTER MUSICIANS OF JAJOUKA | The Source | Le Son Du Maquis
4 SROENG SANTI | "Iron Man" [single] | Finders Keepers
5 WAYNE WALLACE LATIN JAZZ QUINTET | To Hear From There | Patois

New & Recommended At WRIR
AfroCubism | AfroCubism | World Circuit/Nonesuch
Angola Soundtrack | (various artists) | Analog Africa
Aurelio | Laru Beya | Sub Pop/Next Ambiance
Chico Mann | Analog Drift | Wax Poetics
Depedro | Nubes De Papel | Nat Geo Music
Free Africa | (various artists) | Le Son Du Maquis
Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica | The Unforgettable Sounds Of Esquivel | self-released
Rochereau, Tabu Ley | The Voice Of Lightness, Volume 2 | Sterns
Sound Of Siam, The | (various artists) | Soundway
Tirogo | Float | QDK Media
Tradi-Mods Vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes On Congotronics | (various artists) | Crammed Discs

January 13, 2011

Program January 14, 2011

I generally like my reggae music conscious-style, with deep rhythms and heavy lyrics.  But there are plenty of great reggae novelty songs as well, and I'll play you a new one (pictured above; it's really dancehall if you want to be precise) that has had me chuckling all week.  And I'll surround it with some of those more serious tracks that I usually play ...

Also this week: some rock en espanol from all over the Spanish-speaking world; the Garifuna-Senegal connection; and smoking-hot African dance music that draws its inspiration from Congolese soukous.

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

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/48616

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

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


Free Africa

ARTIST:  various artists
TITLE:  Free Africa
LABEL:  Le Son Du Maquis
REVIEW:  2010 marked the 50th year of independence for 17 African countries, and prompted some superb reissues focusing on the music of the post-colonial period.  Sterns’ 18-CD set Africa - 50 Years Of Music deserves all the praise (and little of the nitpicking) that it’s received.  At less than a quarter of the price, this French-released 4-disc package is a worthy budget-conscious alternative.  It doesn’t have the deluxe booklet, insightful notes, archival photos or crystal-clear audio of its pricier competitor (most of the tracks sound quite good, but a few have clearly been mastered from less-than-mint vinyl copies).  But what it does have is 50 historically significant tracks from all across Africa, recordings made from the mid-60’s (Miriam Makeba’s signature “Pata Pata”) to today (a selection from Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba’s breakthrough 2010 album I Speak Fula).  Many of Africa’s most famous and important artists are represented – Le Grand Kalle, Mulatu Astatqe, Tabu Ley Rochereau, the Rail Band, Manu Dibango, Etoile De Dakar, Bembeya Jazz, Orchestra Baobab, Alpha Blondy, Salif Keita, Baba Maal, Angelique Kidjo and Amadou & Mariam are all here.  But for me the highlight of this set is the selection of tracks from great artists who are less-known to unknown in the USA and Europe:

-  The stately Mande music of Orchestre National Du Mali (disc 1-track 7)
-  Togolese singer Bella Bellow, whose selection here is reminiscent of French ye-ye rock (1-11)
-  Ethiopian singer Muluquen Mellesse, less known but no less compelling than his peers Mahmoud Ahmed and Tlahoun Gessesse (2-2)
-  Senegal’s Super Diamono, one of the pioneers of mbalax (2-8)
-  Zao, the brilliant satirical singer from Congo-Brazzaville (3-2)
-  The visionary psychedelic rock of Gambia’s Ifang Bondi (3-10)
-  Reggae singer Tiken Jah Fakoly of Cote D’Ivoire, probably the most important politically-oriented musical artist in all of Africa today (4-6)
-  Cameroon’s Franck Biyong, whose “Afrolectric” sound is taking Afrobeat in a new direction (4-11)

This set is very highly recommended, both as an excellent introduction to African popular music and as the kind of well-curated set that will inspire folks who are already fans to seek out additional sounds.  Nicely done.

REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti

RECOMMENDED TRACKS:
Disc 1:    7    11            Disc 2:    2    8
Disc 3:    2    10            Disc 4:    6    11

January 9, 2011

Charts January 9, 2011

Bonne annee!  Here are the first charts of 2011:

CMJ New World Top Ten
1    THE PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS | Psycho African Beat | Academy
2    VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Sound Of Siam | Soundway
3    MR. HO'S ORCHESTROTICA | The Unforgettable Sounds Of Esquivel | self-released
4    GOGOL BORDELLO | Trans-Continental Hustle | American
5    AURELIO | Laru Beya | Sub Pop/Next Ambiance
6    VARIOUS ARTISTS | Angola Soundtrack | Analog Africa
7    BIO RITMO | "Dina's Mambo / La Muralla" | Electric Cowbell
8    THE BUDOS BAND | III | Daptone
9    TABU LEY ROCHEREAU | The Voice Of Lightness, Volume 2 | Sterns
10   TIROGO | Float | QDK Media

CMJ New World Adds
1    GILAD ATZMON & THE ORIENT HOUSE ENSEMBLE | The Tide Has Changed | World Village
2    AURELIO | Laru Beya | Sub Pop/Next Ambiance
3    VARIOUS ARTISTS | Free Africa | Le Son Du Maquis
4    VUSI MAHLASELA | Say Africa | ATO
5    BALLAKE SISSOKO & VINCENT SEGAL | Chamber Music | Six Degrees

New & Recommended At WRIR
AfroCubism | AfroCubism | World Circuit/Nonesuch
Angola Soundtrack | (various artists) | Analog Africa
Aurelio | Laru Beya | Sub Pop/Next Ambiance
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
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
Sound Of Siam, The | (various artists) | Soundway
Tirogo | Float | QDK Media
Tradi-Mods Vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes On Congotronics | (various artists) | Crammed Discs

January 8, 2011

Aurelio | Laru Beya

ARTIST:  Aurelio
TITLE:  Laru Beya
LABEL:  Sub Pop / Next Ambiance
REVIEW:  The Garifuna (Black Carib) people of Central America are the descendants of West Africans who survived both the 1675 wreck of a slave ship and their expulsion from the Caribbean to the Central American mainland.  Against all odds, Garifuna culture has survived and is now flourishing.  The best-known Garifuna singer, Andy Palacio of Belize, was on the verge of international stardom when he died in 2008.  With this, his second album, Aurelio Martinez of Honduras now establishes himself as the new standard-bearer for Garifuna musical culture.  Garifuna traditional rhythms such as punta (track 5) and the reggae-like paranda (track 11) provide the underpinnings for Aurelio’s beautiful voice and guitar playing.  He’s spent a lot of time in Senegal over the last two years, and this album superbly integrates Senegalese and Garifuna styles on several tracks (4 and 7 for example).  Ivan Duran’s thoughtful production gives just enough (and not too much) of a world music sheen to make the music accessible to first-world listeners.  This album will deservedly make Aurelio a major artist – check him out now.
REVIEWER:  Bill Lupoletti
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:    4    5    7    8    11

January 6, 2011

Program January 7, 2011

It's always an auspicious sign when the first new release of the year is a great one.  The first new thing I heard in 2008 was Venus On Earth by Dengue Fever, and it ended up as my album of the year that year.  2011 got started with Laru Beya by Honduran Garifuna singer Aurelio Martinez -- it's going to be a strong contender for the year's best as well.  You'll hear two tracks from this one on today's program, inside a half-hour set of Garifuna music from across Central America.

Also this week: a little bit of exotica, including a new remake of the extraordinary, inexplicable music of Esquivel; a set of Asian music, from throat singing to psych-rock; and some desert blues-rock, with the emphasis on the rock.

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

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/48455

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

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