E.T. Mensah & The Tempos | King Of Highlife Anthology

ARTIST: E.T. Mensah & The Tempos
TITLE: King Of Highlife Anthology
LABEL: RetroAfric
Highlife is a seminal style of West African popular music that got started way back in the late 19th century. The classic highlife combo is horn-driven, with guitar and drums in the rhythm section; American jazz, especially big band swing, became a major influence in the mid-20th century.

Live At Portrait House, Friday February 27 9:00-10:30 PM

I rarely DJ outside of WRIR's studio, but I will be doing so at a WRIR event this Friday, February 27, right after my last Friday edition of Global A Go-Go (more on that subject in the post below this one).

The event takes place at Portrait House, 2907 W. Cary Street in Richmond's Carytown.  They'll have the last kegs of Hardywood's WRIR X beer, brewed in commemoration of the station's first 10 years on the air.  A portion of every beer sold will be donated to WRIR, and our goal is to kick all the kegs that night.

I'll be there spinning music from 9:00 to 10:30 PM and celebrating 10 years of Global A Go-Go on Friday nights.  I'll be doing an all-Ethiopian set in honor of the The Nile restaurant, long Richmond's go-to spot for Ethiopian food and now under the same roof as Portrait House.

Following me will be DJ Graybeard ("The Other Black Music" and "The Motherland Influence") at 10:30 mixing Ethiopian and other Afro sounds, and DJ Carlito ("If Music Could Talk") at midnight with international dancefloor booty shakers.  Come down and celebrate with us!

More event info here: https://www.facebook.com/events/604152343049030

Global A Go-Go's New Time: Wednesdays 3-5 PM, Beginning March 4

You may already have heard that WRIR is implementing the biggest schedule change in our 10 years on the air.  Starting on March 2nd, our weeknight music programming will begin two hours earlier, at 3 PM.  For the first time ever, we'll have news and public affairs programming on weekends: one hour on Saturday at 5 PM, and three hours Sunday morning starting at 6 AM.  And we'll be carrying news programs overnight, from 3 to 6 AM on weekdays.

Global A Go-Go will be a part of these schedule changes.  Effective March 4th, my show will be heard on Wednesdays between 3 and 5 PM.

I'm very excited about the changes.  You may not know this, but the 3-5 PM time slot ("afternoon drive-time," in radio lingo) is the most-listened-to two hours in America radio.  We're aiming to make it equally popular at WRIR by moving some of our best music programs into that time slot, so I'm honored to have my show included in that group.

Program February 27, 2015

okayafrica.com

Global A Go-Go closes out its 10-year Friday night run with an all-African program.  You'll hear singer-songwriters from Senegal and Mali, the Walias Band (pictured above) as part of a set of Ethiopian music (kinda like what I'll be spinning later on Friday at Portrait House: https://www.facebook.com/events/604152343049030), classic highlife, and some Afro-funk to wrap things up.

Starting on Monday, WRIR is expanding its music programming to start at 3 PM on weekdays, and Global A Go-Go is part of that expansion.  Please join me every Wednesday from 3 to 5 PM starting on March 4th, either on the air or on the webstream.  And if that time isn't convenient for you, WRIR's listeing portal and my podcasts allow you to listen to me on Friday at 5, or any time you choose.

Charts February 22, 2015

WRIR's CMJ New World Top Ten
1 BKO QUINTET | Bamako Today | Buda Musique
2 BABA COMMANDANT AND THE MANDINGO BAND | Juguya | Sublime Frequencies
3 OS BRAZOES | Os Brazoes | Mr Bongo
4 DENGUE FEVER | The Deepest Lake | Tuk Tuk
5 AZIZ SAHMAOUI AND UNIVERSITY OF GNAWA | Mazal | World Village
6 SWAY MACHINERY | Purity And Danger | 3rd Generation
7 NILSON MATTA | East Side Rio Drive | World Blue
8 RED BARAAT | Gaadi Of Truth | Sinj
9 SAMBA TOURE | Gandadiko | Glitterbeat
10 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Golden Afrique, Vol. 1 | Network

BKO Quintet | Bamako Today

ARTIST: BKO Quintet
TITLE: Bamako Today
LABEL: Buda Musique
Another month, another outstanding release from Mali – we really are living in a new Malian golden age. BKO Quintet calls their style “Trad Actual Malian Sound” which is good shorthand but significantly undersells what they’re doing here.

Os Brazoes | Os Brazoes

ARTIST: Os Brazoes
TITLE: Os Brazoes
LABEL: Mr Bongo
Os Brazoes were a short-lived combo from Brazil’s tropicalia era best known for their temporary role as Gal Costa’s backing band. Their one and only album, released in 1969, was largely forgotten until cratediggers rediscovered it.

Program February 20, 2015

Photo by SWE Photography

Temperatures below zero Fahrenheit may be in the cards tonight, so we could really use a Carnaval Do Brasil, right?  Well, there's one going on at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery this evening -- it features Jailton "Dende" Macedo (pictured above) and his band, plus Bio Ritmo, Capoeira Resistencia and WRIR's own Mike Murphy spinning Brazilian vinyl.

I'll be spinning Brazilian sounds on the air as well: some tropicalia, a track from Dende and two from his former employer, Carlinhos Brown.  Also this week: new music by The Sway Machinery and Aziz Sahmaoui, bands that dig mariachi and banda, and the funky rhythms of Wassoulou.

Charts February 15, 2015

Illustrations by C.S Fossett: http://popcornpicnic.com

WRIR's CMJ New World Top Ten
1 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Afrosound Of Colombia, Vol. 2 | Vampisoul
2 DENGUE FEVER | The Deepest Lake | Tuk Tuk
3 BABA COMMANDANT AND THE MANDINGO BAND | Juguya | Sublime Frequencies
4 VERCKY'S ET L'ORCHESTRE VEVE |Congolese Funk, Afrobeat And Psychedelic Rumba 1969-1978 | Analog Africa
5 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Feedback Madagascar | ARC
6 E.N. YOUNG | Live Love Stay Up | Roots Musician
7 REBEL TUMBAO | Rebel Tumbao | Sacred Rhythm
8 AZIZ SAHMAOUI AND UNIVERSITY OF GNAWA | Mazal | World Village
9 KASSE MADY DIABATE | Kirike | Six Degrees
10 PARADISE BANGKOK MOLAM INTERNATIONAL BAND | 21st Century Molam | Studio Lam

Program February 13, 2015

www.rebeltumbao.com

Global A Go-Go visits Madagascar this week -- the world's fourth largest island and biggest producer of vanilla is also an exporter of a wide variety of outstanding music.

You'll also hear some reggae hybrids: reggae meets salsa, for example, in the case of Rebel Tumbao (pictured above).  But how about reggae meets the synagogue?  Got that too.  Plus new Dengue Fever, Central American garifuna music, Haitian konpa and more.

Charts February 8, 2015

https://www.facebook.com/DengueFever

WRIR's CMJ New World Top Ten
1 DENGUE FEVER | The Deepest Lake | Tuk Tuk
2 RED BARAAT | Gaadi Of Truth | Sinj
3 SAMBA TOURE | Gandadiko | Glitterbeat
4 BABA COMMANDANT AND THE MANDINGO BAND | Juguya | Sublime Frequencies
5 KASSE MADY DIABATE | Kirike | Six Degrees
6 HAILU MERGIA AND THE WALIAS | Tche Belew | Awesome Tapes From Africa
7 CHIMURENGA RENAISSANCE | Kudada Nekuva Munhu Mutema | Brick Lane
8 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Rough Guide To African Rare Groove (Volume 1) | World Music Network
9 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Rough Guide To Psychedelic Salsa | World Music Network
10 SELASEE & FAFA FAMILY | Time For Peace | self-released

Program February 6, 2015

Hardywood's WRIR X beer label, designed by Ed Trask

Tonight is WRIR's tenth anniversary party, the Party For The Rest Of Us, getting underway as soon as Global A Go-Go wraps up at 7 PM.  The festivities take place, as always, at the Renaissance Ballroom, 107 W. Broad Street, right smack in the middle of the First Fridays action.  We're looking forward to seeing all of you there!

And tonight marks the tenth time that Global A Go-Go has provided the prelude to WRIR's anniversary party.  I'll send you on your way to the party with new and old West African sounds, some Latin remixes, Indian and African brass, and a little DC go-go on your way out the door.

Charts February 1, 2015

Art by Sijie Wang: http://www.sijiewang.com/index.html

WRIR's CMJ New World Top Ten
1 DENGUE FEVER | The Deepest Lake | Tuk Tuk
2 REBEL TUMBAO | Rebel Tumbao | Sacred Rhythm
3 RED BARAAT | Gaadi Of Truth | Sinj
4 E.N YOUNG | Live Love Stay Up | Roots Musician
5 PARADISE BANGKOK MOLAM INTERNATIONAL BAND | 21st Century Molam | Studio Lam
6 SAMBA TOURE | Gandadiko | Glitterbeat
7 VARIOUS ARTISTS | The Afrosound Of Colombia, Vol. 2 | Vampisoul
8 HAILU MERGIA AND THE WALIAS | Tche Belew | Awesome Tapes From Africa
9 VARIOUS ARTISTS | 25 Years Of Mr Bongo | Mr Bongo
10 BUDOS BAND | Burnt Offering | Daptone

February 2015 Concert Calendar

Photo by Sarah Lee for The Guardian

February's Global A Go-Go picks:

1. Richmond's own Fado Nosso bring their Portuguese sound to Crossroads Coffee & Ice Cream on Friday February 6
2. Aurelio Martinez, the great hope of garifuna music, returns to our area with a gig at Artisphere in Arlington on Friday February 13
3. It's Brazilian Carnival Night at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery on Friday February 20 with Dende & Band from New York City plus Richmond's own Bio Ritmo and Capoeira Resistencia and WRIR's own Mike Murphy spinning Brazilian vinyl
4. Two South African legends from two different generations, Hugh Masakela (pictured above) and Vusi Mahlasela, team up for a concert at George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium on Sunday February 22
5. Miramar has a Valentine's Month residence every Tuesday night in February at Balliceaux, playing boleros about love and anti-love

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 February calendar.