May 30, 2023

Charts May 22-28, 2023

WRIR World's NACC Top Ten
1 SON ROMPE PERA | Chimborazo | AYA
2 SHONO | Kolkhozoy Traktor | CPL
3 JACOBO VELEZ Y LA MAMBANEGRA | Radio Mambo Internacionale AM [EP] | Tambora
4 ENTOTO BAND | Entoto Band | Guitar Globetrotter
5 BOKANTE | "Adjoni" [Single] | Real World
6 PAHUA | "Pa'lante" (feat Acid Coco) [Single] | Nacional
7 REMI KABAKA | Son Of Africa | BBE
8 SIA TOLNO | Baya [EP] | Kingsland/Slow Walk
9 LARRY AND JOE | Nuevo South Train | SideHustle
10 MAHLATHINI AND THE MAHOTELLA QUEENS | Music Inferno: The Indestructible Beat Tour 1988-89 | Umsakazo

May 26, 2023

Future of a 1000 years

I have to admit, I thought the great crate-digging wave had already unearthed all of the notable Afro-funk records that had ever been pressed.  But it missed Son Of Africa by Remi Kabaka.  Now, there's a good reason for this: Son Of Africa wasn't made in Africa at all.  It was recorded in England and released in 1976 by Island Records, who were doubling down on Black international artists following the success of Bob Marley.
 
But the album sank like a stone and has been mostly forgotten until now, when it has been reissued by BBE Records.  This week on Global A Go-Go you'll hear a track from Son Of Africa, which as it turns out is one of the very best Afro-funk albums of the 1970s, plus like-minded African peers Gerardo Pino and Rob, who, oddly, I and other African music enthusiasts know more about than we do of Remi Kabaka, who actually played with the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney & Wings, Steve Winwood and many others.  The world works in mysterious ways.

Also this week (Sunday May 28, 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): new Ethio-jazz from the Netherlands by Entoto Band, guembri three ways, new cumbia from Pahua and Son Rompe Pera, the speedy salsa of Cali Colombia, and throat singers do rock 'n' roll.

May 23, 2023

Charts May 15-21, 2023

WRIR World's NACC Top Ten
1 BOMBINO | "Tazidert" [Single] | Partisan
2 TINARIWEN | Amatssou | Wedge
3 ALI FARKA TOURE | Voyageur | World Circuit
4 ENTOTO BAND | Entoto Band | Guitar Globetrotter
5 DELE SOSIMI | You No Fit Touch Am (Deluxe Edition) | Wah Wah 45s
6 KILTRO | "All The Time In The World" | ONErpm
7 CECILIA NOEL | "El Nino En La Frontera" [Single] | Wild Clam
8 LARRY AND JOE | Nuevo South Train | SideHustle
9 CUMBIAS EN MOOG | "Cumbia De Sal" b/w "Cumbia Sobre El Mar" [Single] | Vampisoul
10 MARIAA SIGA | "Ni Mama" [Single] | Made In Africa

May 19, 2023

They left me naught to dig his grave

Sunday is the 82nd birthday of Martin Carthy, the English singer and guitarist who has done as much as anyone alive today to perpetuate and advance the folk and traditional music of Great Britain.  And he's still going strong, with a gig coming up in Birmingham (England, not Alabama) this week and a tour planned for the fall and winter.  This week on Global A Go-Go we celebrate Martin Carthy by playing two of my favorite songs of his.  Yeah, they're long songs.
 
Also this week (Sunday May 21, 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): The unlikely duo of Venezuelan Larry BellorĂ­n on llanera harp and American Joe Troop on banjo, another new single from Denver Latin-folk-psych combo Kiltro, a set of Afro-reggae and ska, the latest Sahara desert blues from Tinariwen and Bombino, and one more song by Baba Commandant & The Mandingo Band who will be at the Get Tight Lounge on Wednesday May 24.

May 16, 2023

Charts May 8-14, 2023

WRIR World's NACC Top Ten
1 BABA COMMANDANT AND THE MANDINGO BAND | Sonbonbela | Sublime Frequencies
2 REMI KABAKA | Son Of Africa | BBE
3 SIA TOLNO | Baya [EP] | Kingsland/Slow Walk
4 PAHUA | "Espantapajaros" [Single] | Nacional
5 CHEO | "Macumba" [Single] | Nacional
6 CUMBIAS EN MOOG | "Cumbia De Sal" b/w "Cumbia Sobre El Mar" [Single] | Vampisoul
7 ALTIN GUN | Ask | ATO
8 WITCH | "Avalanche Of Love" feat. Sampa The Great [Single] | Desert Daze/Partisan
9 LOS BITCHOS | Pah! [EP] | City Slang
10 FRUKO Y SUS TESOS | Fruko Power Vol. 1: Rarities & Deep Album Cuts 1970-1974 | Vampisoul

May 12, 2023

The opposite of auto-tune

It's not often that Richmonders get a chance to see one of the most original, electric, mind-blowing bands in all of Africa, playing in a venue that resembles the tight, steamy open-air nightclubs of their home town, Ouagadougou in the small West African nation of Burkina Faso.
 
That opportunity comes your way on Wednesday May 24 when Baba Commandant & The Mandingo Band play at the Get Tight Lounge.  If you're considering taking the plunge, tune in to Global A Go-Go this week (Sunday May 14, 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) and hear my choice of three Baba Commandant songs, plus an explanation of why they're my favorite African band right now.
 
Also this week: We celebrate David Byrne's 71st birthday with a set of his most outernational music plus selections from his globalist Luaka Bop record label, new music from sometimes David Byrne associate and former labelmate Cheo, new Afro-funk coming out of Barcelona by Sia Tolno, and a set of electro-cumbia.

May 8, 2023

Charts May 1-7, 2023

WRIR World's NACC Top Ten
1 EASY STAR ALL-STARS | Ziggy Stardub | Easy Star
2 NUSANTARA BEAT | "Djanger" b/w "Borondong Garing" [Single] | Bongo Joe/Lamunai
3 EBO TAYLOR | Ebo Taylor & The Pelikans | Comet
4 EAST AFRICAN HIGHWAY: MORE GEMS FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF BENGA AND RUMBA | various artists | No Wahala Sounds
5 CHEO | "Macumba" [Single] | Nacional
6 MAHLATHINI AND THE MAHOTELLA QUEENS | Music Inferno: The Indestructible Beat Tour 1988-89 | Umsakazo
7 NAMIAN SIDIBE | Namian Sidibe | Sahel Sounds
8 INNA BABA COULIBALY | Djilly Kawral | Remote
9 LAMINE SONKO | "Taamo" [Single] | Hopestreet
10 PLENA LIBRE | Cuatro Esquinas | GN Musica

May 5, 2023

Nusantara beat

Here's something you probably haven't heard yet: A Dutch band, all members first, second or third generation Indonesians, playing trippy rock 'n' roll that's based on Indonesian traditional and popular music.  The band in question is Nusantara Beat, their debut single will be released on May 19, and you'll hear both the A and B sides on this week's edition of Global A Go-Go.
 
Also this week (Sunday May 7, 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): Reggae covers of an artist you've definitely already heard, new traditional sounds from Mali and Senegal, and an hour of African dusties: Ghanaian and Nigerian highlife, mbaqanga from South Africa, and east African Swahili rumba and benga.

May 3, 2023

Charts April 17-30, 2023

WRIR World's NACC Top Ten
1 ALTIN GUN | Ask | ATO
2 PLENA LIBRE | Cuatro Esquinas | GN Musica
3 WITCH | "Avalanche Of Love" feat. Sampa The Great [Single] | Desert Daze/Partisan
4 FRUKO Y SUS TESOS | Fruko Power Vol. 1: Rarities & Deep Album Cuts 1970-1974 | Vampisoul
5 SAMMY MASSAMBA | Propriete Privee | Secousse
6 CHEZIDEK | Never Stop | Irie Ites
7 BARIS MANCO | Dunden Bugune | Turkofon
8 DELE SOSIMI AND THE ESTUARY 21 | The Confluence | Wah Wah 45s
9 MAHLATHINI AND THE MAHOTELLA QUEENS | Music Inferno: The Indestructible Beat Tour 1988-89 | Umsakazo
10 DAWIT YIFRU | Dawit Yifru | Muzikawi