Charts August 25, 2013

WRIR's CMJ New World Top Ten
1 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Saoco! Vol. 2: Bomba, Plena And The Roots Of Salsa In Puerto Rico 1955-1967 | Vampisoul
2 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Daora: Underground Sounds Of Urban Brasil - Hip-Hop, Beats, Afro & Dub | Mais Um Discos
3 FALLY IPUPA | Power (Kosa Leka) | Obouo Music / Because Music
4 MULATU ASTATKE | Sketches Of Ethiopia | Jazz Village
5 ALPHA BLONDY | Mystic Power | VP
6 BIO RITMO | "Picaresca" [Single] | Paris DJs
7 JIMMY CLIFF | The KCRW Session | Universal
8 GOGOL BORDELLO | Pura Vida Conspiracy | ATO
9 THE GARIFUNA COLLECTIVE | Ayo | Cumbancha
10 LES BOUKAKES | Punky Halal | Jules Sonic Prods

Program August 23, 2013

Summer 2013 brought with it a strong crop of reggae releases from all points of the globe: Cote D'Ivoire's Alpha Blondy, Soraia Drummond from Brazil, England's Soothsayers, and the pride of the Bronx, Tarrus Riley.  I'll spin seven of my recent favorites on this week's program, starting with an intimate live acoustic recording by reggae legend Jimmy Cliff (pictured above).

Also this week: African "tradi-mod," where folkloric music meets electonica; salsa under construction in the 1950's; the bluesy sounds of North Africa.

Charts August 18, 2013

WRIR's CMJ New World Top Ten
1 CHICO TRUJILLO | Gran Pecador | Barbes
2 GOGOL BORDELLO | Pura Vida Conspiracy | ATO
3 MULATU ASTATKE | Sketches Of Ethiopia | Jazz Village
4 FAT FREDDY'S DROP | Blackbird | The Drop
5 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Saoco! Vol. 2: Bomba, Plena And The Roots Of Salsa In Puerto Rico 1955-1967 | Vampisoul
6 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Ladies At Joe Gibbs | 17 North Parade
7 THE GARIFUNA COLLECTIVE | Ayo | Cumbancha
8 DUBMATIX | Rebel Massive | Echo Beach
9 GEKO JONES AND ATROPOLIS | Palenque Records Remixed | Dutty Artz
10 ORQUESTA EL MACABEO | Salsa Bestial | Vampisoul

Program August 16, 2013

Ever heard a guy scat-sing Miles Davis in the Akan language?  (Ever been in a cockpit before?  Ever seen a grown man naked?  But I digress: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfgO90yGusI.)

Well this is your lucky week, because I'm in possession of a record by Ghana's Gyedu-Blay Ambolley (pictured above shilling for Google Plus -- don't be evil, Gyedu-Blay) on which he does just that -- it's quite surprising and fabulous.  On a related jazzy tip, you'll also hear a nice long piece from Mulatu Astatke's brand-new album and a beautiful unreleased Hotel X jam.

Also featured this week: global deep soul, mo' cumbia and some Balkan blasters to kick off your weekend -- wash 'em down with slivovitz.

Charts August 11, 2013

WRIR's CMJ New World Top Ten
1 MULATU ASTATKE | Sketches Of Ethiopia | Jazz Village
2 GOGOL BORDELLO | Pura Vida Conspiracy | ATO
3 FAT FREDDY'S DROP | Blackbird | The Drop
4 SEAN TYRRELL | Walker Of The Snow | The Vital Record
5 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Daora: Underground Sounds Of Urban Brasil - Hip-Hop, Beats, Afro & Dub | Mais Um Discos
6 FEMI KUTI | No Place For My Dream | Knitting Factory
7 ORCHESTRE POLY-RYTHMO DE COTONOU | Volume 3: The Skeletal Essences Of Afro Funk 1969-1980 | Analog Africa
8 ALPHA BLONDY | Mystic Power | VP
9 BIO RITMO | "Picaresca" [Single] | Paris DJs
10 CHICO TRUJILLO | Gran Pecador | Barbes

Mulatu Astatke | Sketches Of Ethiopia

ARTIST: Mulatu Astatke
TITLE: Sketches Of Ethiopia
LABEL: Jazz Village
Mulatu Astatke, the father of Ethio-jazz, is best known for his seminal 1970s recordings that were introduced to the rest of the world on the Ethiopiques series, and then made famous in Jim Jarmusch’s film Broken Flowers.

Program August 2, 2013

70-year-old Mulatu Astatke (pictured above) is the father of Ethio-jazz; his 1970's recordings were famously reissued on Francis Falceto's Ethiopiques series and were brought to the (art-house) masses in Jim Jarmusch's film Broken Flowers.

Astatke is far from resting on his laurels -- he's still writing and recording new music, and his forthcoming Sketches Of Ethiopia (August 27 release date) is one of the highlights of his career.  You'll hear a track from it this week on Global A Go-Go.