Program August 1, 2018

We're celebrating the birthday of the Republic of Benin on this week's edition of Global A Go-Go.  The little West African country formerly known as Dahomey has long punched above its weight in the world of music.  You'll hear the most famous Beninoise musicians -- Angelique Kidjo, Gnonnas Pedro, Orchestre Poly-Rythmo -- and we'll dig deep for regional and local favorites as well.

Also this week: four modern sides cut at Havana's Estudio Areito, plus some unlikely cumbia covers of rap and metal.

Charts July 22, 2018

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 ANGELIQUE KIDJO | Remain In Light | Kravenworks
2 ORLANDO "CACHAITO" LOPEZ | Cachaíto | World Circuit
3 DIALI CISSOKHO AND KAIRA BA | Routes | Twelve | Eight
4 NICOLA CONTE AND SPIRITUAL GALAXY | Let Your Light Shine On | MPS
5 DE'ANZA | Cosmic Dream | Fusion Beats
6 CHANCHA VIA CIRCUITO | Bienaventuranza | Wonderwheel
7 LES POULES A COLIN | Morose | self-released
8 PIERRE SANDWINI | Le Troubadour De La Savane - 1978/1982 | Born Bad
9 EDDIE PALMIERI | Full Circle | Ropeadope
10 DEBADEMBA | Sanikoya | Dankama

Orlando 'Cachaito' Lopez | Cachaito

ARTIST: Orlando ‘Cachaito’ Lopez
TITLE: Cachaito
LABEL: World Circuit
World Circuit has been reissuing much of its catalog, giving you a new reason to hear this one-of-a-kind 2001 album.

Program July 18, 2018

July 18, 2018 is the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's birth.  And July 18 every year is Nelson Mandela International Day, when all are encouraged to remember this piece of his wisdom: "What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived.  It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead."  Learn more about the Mandela Day movement here: https://www.mandeladay.com.

In this week's first hour, Global A Go-Go celebrates his life and legacy with songs about Nelson Mandela from South Africa and around the world.  And in our second hour, I'm joined by my new colleague Jennifer, who'll be premiering her new program of French-language music later this summer.  She'll spin some reggae en Francais and Ivoirian coupe decale for your listening and dancing pleasure.

Charts July 15, 2018

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 ANGELIQUE KIDJO | Remain In Light | Kravenworks
2 BOMBINO | Deran | Partisan
3 ABU OBAIDA HASSAN | Abu Obaida Hassan & His Tambour: The Shaigiya Sound of Sudan | Ostinato
4 ALPHEUS | Light Of Day | Liquidator
5 JUPITER AND OKWESS | Kin Sonic | Everloving
6 AFRICAN SCREAM CONTEST 2 | various artists | Analog Africa
7 SIDI TOURE | Toubalbero | Thrill Jockey
8 KING KONG | Repatriation | VP
9 REGGAE SAX RIDDIM | various artists | Reggae Vibes
10 MYSTERY OF THE BULGARIAN VOICES, THE | BooCheeMish | Prophecy

Alpheus | Light Of Day

ARTIST: Alpheus
TITLE: Light Of Day
LABEL: Liquidator
British reggae singer Alpheus and Spanish producer Roberto Sanchez have been working together since 2006. Alpheus is an oddity in modern reggae: a mid-career singer who only works with vintage rhythms – ska, rocksteady and early reggae.

Program July 11, 2018

July 11 is the 71st birthday of the late John Holt (pictured above in a painting by Oliver Martin), one of my favorite reggae singers.  We'll celebrate with five selections from the man who was the prototype for lovers rock.

And July 11 is also the 37th birthday of Richmond's Plan 9 Records.  We'll celebrate that one by giving away a $37 Plan 9 gift certificate during Global A Go-Go to a caller who can correctly answer any one of these Plan 9 trivia questions (answers added after the contest ended; congratulations to our winner, David):

• How did Plan 9 Records get its name?  From "Plan 9 From Outer Space," frequently cited as the worst movie ever made.
• What was the address of Plan 9's first location?  2905 W. Cary Street, today the left side of Citizen Burger Bar.
• What infamous Richmond city councilman endorsed Plan 9 in a TV advertisement?  H.W. (Chuck) Richardson, who would subsequently be arrested for heroin distribution while serving on City Council.
• What legendary Richmond band was fronted by long-time Plan 9 employee Bob Schick?  The mighty post-punk band Honor Role, Richmond's analogue to Fugazi, the Minutemen and Husker Du.
• What radio station had Plan 9 as its landlord?  Channel 36 / Color Radio, the radio station that "broadcast" on the last channel of Richmond's brand new cable TV system starting in 1982; their motto was "Better radio through television."

Also on this week's program: new music by Bombino, who'll perform in DC on July 12; Sudan's irresistible dance music; and some Afro-funk deep cuts.

Charts July 8, 2018

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 ANGELIQUE KIDJO | Remain In Light | Kravenworks
2 JUPITER AND OKWESS | Kin Sonic | Everloving
3 MYSTIC BOWIE | Mystic Bowie's Talking Dreads | MTMB Entertainment
4 ABELARDO CARBONO Y SU GRUPO FEAT QUANTIC | "La Pina Madura" [Single] | Names You Can Trust
5 RED BARAAT | Sound The People | Rhyme & Reason
6 DIALI CISSOKHO AND KAIRA BA | Routes | Twelve | Eight
7 EL DUSTY | Cumbia City | Aftercluv
8 BOMBINO | Deran | Partisan
9 YENI NOSTALJI | Yeni Nostalji | Ropeadope
10 EL HIJO DE LA CUMBIA | Genero Genero | Nacional

Program July 4, 2018

I'm the grandson of immigrants from one of the sh*thole countries of the early 20th century: Italy.  For my grandparents, the 4th of July was the best holiday of the year.  That was the day they celebrated the nation that took them in, let them make something of themselves, and gave their children and grandchildren the opportunities their homeland couldn't provide.

It seems like a lot of Americans have lost touch with their immigrant roots, or maybe they're just in denial.  As a public service to the many Americans who've forgotten that their families too were immigrants, this special 4th of July edition of Global A Go-Go will feature two hours of great American music made by people who chose to come to this country.  These are the people, like my grandparents, who have made America great always.  Today's the right day to celebrate them, and us.

Jupiter & Okwess | Kin Sonic

ARTIST: Jupiter & Okwess
TITLE: Kin Sonic
LABEL: Everloving
In a just world, Jean-Pierre (Jupiter) Bokondji would be the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s first international rock star.

Red Baraat | Sound The People

ARTIST: Red Baraat
TITLE: Sound The People
LABEL: Rhyme & Reason
Here’s the fifth album by Red Baraat, the brassy combo led by dhol (Indian barrel drum) player Sunny Jain that’s one of the most invigorating live acts today in any genre.

Program June 27, 2018

Jupiter Bokondji is the rare Congolese musician who isn't steeped in rumba Congolaise and soukous.  He grew up in East Berlin, and he and his band Okwess (pictured above) are making Central African rock 'n' roll.  Hear them, and some of their Afro-rock peers from the 70s to today, on this week's edition of Global A Go-Go.

Also this week: the high Andes sound; another cumbia dance party; and Red Baraat's world jazz, Punjabi stylee.

Charts June 24, 2018

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 NICOLA CONTE AND SPIRITUAL GALAXY | Let Your Light Shine On | MPS
2 BOMBINO | Deran | Partisan
3 NICKODEMUS | A Long Engagement | Wonderwheel
4 LISTEN ALL AROUND: THE GOLDEN AGE OF CENTRAL AND EAST AFRICAN MUSIC | various artists | Dust-To-Digital
5 IMARHAN | Temet | City Slang
6 VIBRONICS | Woman On A Mission | SCOOPS
7 DJENEBA AND FOUSCO | Kayeba Khasso | Lusafrica
8 ROOTZ RADICALS | "Bad Government" [Single] | Fett Music
9 BROWNOUT | Fear Of A Brown Planet | Fat Beats
10 BALOJI | 137 Avenue Kaniama | Bella Union

Program June 20, 2018

Desert blues superstar Oumara "Bombino" Moctar (pictured above), the "Sultan of Shred" from Agadez in Niger, has just released his sixth album.  It's the first in ten years that he's recorded in Africa -- there's no celebrity stars or crossover narrative here, just the best in Sahara Desert guitar.  You'll hear a track from it this week on Global A Go-Go, along with other artists from inside and north of the desert.

Also this week: vintage recordings from Central and East Africa, the Ethiopian tinge in jazz, and some hot dancehall and soca for this hot weather.

Charts June 17, 2018

WRIR's NACC World Top Ten
1 DIALI CISSOKHO AND KAIRA BA | Routes | Twelve | Eight
2 ANGELIQUE KIDJO | Remain In Light | Kravenworks
3 YENI NOSTALJI | Yeni Nostalji | Ropeadope
4 LOS TEXMANIACS | Cruzando Borders | Smithsonian Folkways
5 ALI FARKA TOURE | The Source (Remastered) | World Circuit
6 CAMARAO | The Imaginary Soundtrack to a Brazilian Western Movie (1964-1974) | Analog Africa
7 BROWNOUT | Fear Of A Brown Planet | Fat Beats
8 LA DAME BLANCHE | Bajo El Mismo Cielo | Nacional
9 LUCIBELA | Laco Umbilical | Lusafrica
10 SEUN KUTI AND EGYPT 80 | Black Times | Strut