December 31, 2021

In remembrance 2021

It sure seems to me as though a lot of my favorite musicians died in 2021.  Maybe it's just that I'm getting older.  Maybe it's that I've been thinking more about my own mortality lately.
 
Mostly it's that we're living through a golden era of death -- a (hopefully) once-in-a-century pandemic.  Just in 2021, about 13,000,000 more people died worldwide than would have been expected had there not been a COVID pandemic.  (My source for this number is The Economist's excess deaths model.)  More than a few of the unfortunate have been great musicians.
 
This week on Global A Go-Go (Sunday January 2, 1:00-3:00 PM on WRIR, for two weeks afterwards at wrir.org/listen, check your local listings for airing on other radio stations, and any old time at my podcast site), we'll celebrate the lives and times of 21 musicians from around the world who passed away last year, leaving us to safeguard the evidence of their genius.  And I do mean genius -- just about every track on this show is a stone-cold classic.



Artist | Country | Song | Recording | Label | Year
 
Oliver Lake | USA | Separation | Matador Of 1st & 1st | Passin' Thru | 1997
Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros | England UK | Global A Go-Go | Global A Go-Go | Hellcat | 2001
 
Tinariwen | Mali | Tamodjerazt Assis | Imidiwan : Companions | World Village | 2009
Alèmayèhu Eshèté | Ethiopia | Ayalqem Tèdènqo | Nefas Indaygeba / Ayalkem Tèdènqo - Single | Amha | 1971
Dub Colossus | England UK-Ethiopia | Uptown Top Ranking | Addis Through The Looking Glass | Real World | 2011
 
Black Uhuru | Jamaica | Vampire | Sinsemilla | Mango | 1980
Bunny Wailer | Jamaica | Fighting Against Conviction | Blackheart Man | Island | 1976
The Congos | Jamaica | Children Crying | Heart Of The Congos | Blood & Fire | 1977
Hugh Roy | Jamaica | Your Ace From Outer Space | Version Galore | Treasure Isle | 1971
 
Tabou Combo | Haiti-USA | Respect | Respect … | Mini | 1973
Brother Resistance | Trinidad & Tobago | Crucial Decision ('92 version) | Tonight Is De Night EP | Cree | 2019
Jacob F. Desvarieux / Georges Decimus | Guadeloupe-France | Zouk La Sé Sèl Médikaman Nou Ni | Jacob F. Desvarieux / Georges Decimus | Mini | 1984
 
Johnny Pacheco con Pete (El Conde) Rodríguez | Dominican Republic-Puerto Rico USA | La Esencia Del Guaguancó | La Perfecta Combinación | Fania | 1970
Michi Sarmiento Y Su Combo Bravo | Colombia | Se Apagó | Salsa Con Monte | Discos Fuentes | 1973
Roberto Roena Y Su Apollo Sound | Puerto Rico USA | Consolación | Roberto Roena Y Su Apollo Sound | Fania | 1970
Orchestra Harlow | USA | Gracia Divina | Hommy (A Latin Opera) | Fania | 1973
 
Baobab-Gouye-Gui De Dakar | Senegal-Guine Bissau-Mali-Togo | Mouhamadou Bamba | Mouhamadou Bamba | Productions Jambaar PJ | 1980
African Brothers Dance Band (International) | Ghana | Ebi Te Yie | African Brothers Dance Band (International) | Happy Bird | 1969
Honourable Sir Victor Uwaifo (M.O.N.) And His Titibitis | Nigeria | Aibalegbe | Edo Funk Explosion Vol. 1 | Analog Africa | 1982
Abelardo Carbono Y Su Conjunto | Colombia | Muévela | Abelardo Carbono Y Su Conjunto | Felito | 1982
 
Franco Et Josky Kiambukuta Du T.P.O.K. Jazz | RD Congo | Missile | Tout Feu Tout Flamme | Choc | 1983
4 Étoiles | RD Congo | Doly | Sangonini | Syllart | 1993

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