December 27, 2013

Angola Soundtrack 2: Hypnosis, Distortion & Other Sonic Inventions 1969-1978

ARTIST: various artists
TITLE: Angola Soundtrack 2: Hypnosis, Distortion & Other Sonic Inventions 1969-1978
LABEL: Analog Africa
The subtitle of this disc is by no means inaccurate, but most important here is the date. These songs, so well composed and presented, so universally accessible today were recorded during the golden age of African music.

Fode Baro | La Verite

ARTIST: Fode Baro
TITLE: La Verite
LABEL: Lusafrica
Guinean singer Fode Baro has been around for a long time. He is best known for his strong voice, but he is also known for being, like Salif Keita of Mali, a musician who comes from outside of the griot or jali caste.

Ze Luis | Serenata

ARTIST: Ze Luis
TITLE: Serenata
LABEL: Lusafrica
Jose Luis aka “Ze Luis” is a Cape Verdean singer of the generation of the late Cesaria Evora. Like Cesaria Evora, he is an incredibly strong and wonderfully expressive morna singer but he is also a gifted guitarist.

December 18, 2013

Program December 20, 2013: The Best of the Rest of 2013

This week, it's the final episode of a three-part series covering my favorite world music recordings of 2013.  And it's my final show of the year as well: tune in next week and hear Sean Lovelace of WRIR's superb late-night program Cosmic Slop do his thing in the early evening.

On this week's show, the focus is on individual songs -- my favorite singles of the year, top tracks from albums that didn't quite make my best-of lists, and great songs hidden on otherwise forgettable long-players.  On a song-by-song basis, I think this week's material is every bit as good as the stuff you heard in the last two weeks -- tune in and decide for yourself.

December 11, 2013

Program December 13, 2013: Top Ten Compilations of 2013

It's time for part 2 of Global A Go-Go's three-part look back at my favorite world music releases of 2013.  This time, we'll be focusing on compilations, reissues and historic recordings.

And it was a banner year in this category -- there are a number of excellent releases that couldn't crack my top ten or the ten additional honorable mentions.  Which means I have lots of great material for you to hear on this week's program -- tune in and hear for yourself.

Click "Read more" to see the winners.

December 9, 2013

Charts December 8, 2013

WRIR's CMJ New World Top Ten
1 THE LIBERATORS | Power Struggle | Record Kicks
2 JUANA MOLINA | Wed 21 | Crammed
3 KAL | Romology | ARC
4 SYSTEMA SOLAR | La Revancha Del Burro | Sambumbia
5 BOBAN AND MARKO MARKOVIC ORCHESTRA | Gipsy Manifesto | Piranha
6 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Red Hot + Fela | Knitting Factory
7 ROKIA TRAORE | Beautiful Africa | Nonesuch
8 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Afrobeat Airways 2: Return Flight To Ghana | Analog Africa
9 FREEDOM FAMILY | Ayentsoo | Academy LPs
10 AZIZ SAHMAOUI | University Of Gnawa | General Pattern SARL

December 5, 2013

Program December 6, 2013: Top Ten New Releases of 2013

With the year winding down to its close, it's time for Global A Go-Go's look at the best world music releases of 2013.  I'll devote three weeks to this subject:
  • This week you'll hear my favorite new recordings of the year: Global A Go-Go's Top Ten, plus an additional ten runners-up
  • On next week's program (December 13), I'll feature my favorite compilations, reissues and historic recordings from 2013
  • And in two weeks (December 20), it's the best of the rest: my favorite songs, top tracks from albums that didn't quite make the list, and hidden gems
Click "Read more" to see the winners.

December 2, 2013

December 2013 Concert Calendar

December's Global A Go-Go picks:
  1. Desert blues guitar shredder Bombino from Niger, whose superb recent album was produced by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, lands at the Hamilton on Tuesday December 3
  2. Gogol Bordello, the kings and queens of gypsy punk (pictured above), spread their unique brand of holiday cheer at DC's 9:30 Club on December 27 and 28
  3. A Balkan brass double bill at Tropicalia: Baltimore's Orchestra Prazevica and Brooklyn's Raya Brass Band on Sunday December 8
Have an event you'd like me to include, or a suggestion for the concert calendar?  Just drop me a line at globalagogoradio [at] gmail [dot] com, or leave me a message right here.

Click "Read more" to see the entire December calendar.

December 1, 2013

Charts December 1, 2013

WRIR's CMJ New World Top Ten
1 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Afrobeat Airways 2: Return Flight To Ghana | Analog Africa
2 TAMIKREST | Chatma | Glitterbeat
3 LIBERATORS | Power Struggle | Record Kicks
4 MAR SECK | Vagabonde: From Super Cap-Vert To Number One | Teranga Beat
5 ABELARDO CARBONO | El Maravilloso Mundo De Abelardo Carbono | Vampisoul
6 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Peru Maravilloso: Vintage Latin, Tropical, And Cumbia | Tiger's Milk
7 FODE BARO | La Verite | Lusafrica
8 REGINALD CYNTJE | Love | self-released
9 ROKIA TRAORE | Beautiful Africa | Nonesuch
10 SIDI TOURE | Alafia | Thrill Jockey