On this week's program, I'll pay tribute to Jayne Cortez (pictured above) who died on December 28. Jayne was one of America's most remarkable spoken-word artists, as much a musician as a poet.
Although her work may seem like it has little to do with "world music," in my mind it has everything to do with my radio program, why I do it and what I'm trying to accomplish. If you've never heard Cortez's poetry and music, prepare to be amazed.
Also this week: a few other spoken world artists from around the world who are in debt to Jayne Cortez; sounds of the Mande tradition from across West Africa; North African grooves and messages.
WRIR's CMJ New World Top Ten
1 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Diablos Del Ritmo: The Colombian Melting Pot 1960-1985 | Analog Africa
2 TIM MAIA | World Psychedelic Classics 4: Nobody Can Live Forever: The Existential Soul Of Tim Maia | Luaka Bop
3 VARIOUS ARTISTS | For Whom The Cowbell Tolls | Electric Cowbell
4 ANTIBALAS | Antibalas | Daptone
5 CHICHA LIBRE | Canibalismo | Barbes
6 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Best Of Buena Vista | ARC
7 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Santiago De Cuba: La Reina Del "Son" | Fremeaux & Associes
8 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Jukebox Mambo: Rumba And Afro Latin Accented Rhythm And Blues 1949-1960 | Jazzman
9 SOOTHSAYERS | Human Nature | Red Earth
10 ROYAL BAND DE THIES | Kadior Demb | Teranga Beat
ARTIST: Moh Alileche TITLE: When The Dust Settles (Tamdit B’Wass) LABEL: Flag of Freedom Productions
Moh Alileche is probably America’s best-known Amazigh (Berber) musician. This is his fifth album of traditional grooves with rock ‘n’ roll-like drive and Alileche’s politically committed lyrics, and it’s another excellent one.
ARTIST: Nuru Kane TITLE: Exile LABEL: Riverboat
Nuru Kane is a Dakar-born singer, songwriter and guitarist whose wide range of musical interests are woven through this album, his second for Riverboat.
ARTIST: various artists TITLE: Santiago De Cuba: La Reina Del “Son” LABEL: Fremeaux & Associes
In a word: AMAZING! If you liked the original Buena Vista Social Club studio recordings made in Havana in 1996, you will love this new CD.
ARTIST: Sekouba Bambino TITLE: The Griot’s Craft LABEL: Sterns
Sekouba “Bambino” Diabate is best known for his years singing with Guinee Conakry’s number one band, Bembeya Jazz National, and for his work with pan-African salsa combo Africando.
ARTIST: various artists TITLE: The Rough Guide to the Music of Senegal LABEL: World Music Network
With so much great music of some many types to choose from, it’s hard for an anthologist to go wrong on a single-disc compilation of Senegalese recordings.
It's become a Global A Go-Go tradition to start the new year with a program of vintage music, in large part because there are usually so few new releases around the Christmas-New Year's holidays.
Not this year though -- I've already received tons of good new stuff. But the new stuff will have to wait for a week, because just like Fox News I want to keep intact those few traditions we still have, the ones that made this country great.
So get ready to enjoy some classic Brazilian samba-soul, African bands playing Latin music their own way, great Jamaican deejaying (you might call it rapping) from the 60's through the 90's, and the indestructible beat of South Africa and Zimbabwe. I know Bill O'Reilly will approve.
This week it's the third and final installment of Global A Go-Go's review of the best releases of 2012, and my last program of the year -- the Rev. Noah will be rocking you a week from today in this time slot.
The focus this time will be on individual songs -- my favorite singles of the year, plus top songs from recordings that didn't quite make my best-of lists. You'll also hear a few standout tracks from albums that otherwise had few redeeming features, because you never know where you're going to find that hidden gem.
Nothing puts me in the holiday spirit quite like a New Orleans bounce version of a Hanukkah song. So enjoy Gypsyphonic Disko and Katey Red's version of "Dreidel Song," and I'll be back with more charts after New Year's. Happy holidays!
New & Recommended At WRIR
Best Of Buena Vista | (various artists) | ARC
Bomba Estereo | Elegancia Tropical | Polen
Cumbia Beat, Volume 2 | (various artists) | Vampisoul
Diablos Del Ritmo: The Colombian Melting Pot 1960-1985 | (various artists) | Analog Africa
Jukebox Mambo: Rumba And Afro Latin Accented Rhythm & Blues 1949-1960 | (various artists) | Jazzman
Lijadu Sisters, The | Horizon Unlimited | Knitting Factory
Lopez, Martin Y Sus Estrellas | Cocinando | Masstropicas
Lopez, Roberto Afro-Colombian Jazz Orchestra | Azul | Curura Musique
Maia, Tim | World Psychedelic Classics 4 - Nobody Can Live Forever: The Existential Soul Of Tim Maia | Luaka Bop
Rita | My Joys | NMC Music
Royal Band De Thies | Kadior Demb | Teranga Beat
Soko, Robert | BalkanBeats Soundlab | Piranha
Son De Barrio De Puerto Rico | Que Nadie Te Quite Lo Bailao | self-released
Soothsayers | Human Nature | Red Earth
Souljazz Orchestra, The | Solidarity | Strut
Stern, Leni | Smoke, No Fire | self-released
ARTIST: various artists TITLE: Best Of Buena Vista LABEL: ARC Son cubano from Cuba’s easternmost region is one of the Western hemisphere’s most crucial and influential musical styles – much of what we describe today as “Latin music” is built on a foundation of son.
It's my second of three programs recapping the best releases of 2012 -- this time my favorite compilations, reissues and historic recordings that came to the marketplace in the last 12 months.
Click Read More to see my top ten plus ten more honorable mentions, and tune in to hear songs from the 1950s to the day before yesterday, from 17 different countries, this week on Global A Go-Go.
WRIR's CMJ New World Top Ten
1 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Cumbia Beat Vol. 2: Tropical Sounds Of Peru 1966-83 | Vampisoul
2 TIM MAIA | World Psychedelic Classics 4: Nobody Can Live Forever: The Existential Soul Of Tim Maia | Luaka Bop
3 DEBO BAND | Debo Band | Sub Pop / Next Ambiance
4 EBO TAYLOR | Appia Kwa Bridge | Strut
5 BLACK BAZAR | Black Bazar | Lusafrica
6 CHICHA LIBRE | Canibalismo | Barbes
7 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Diablos Del Ritmo: The Colombian Melting Pot 1960-1985 | Analog Africa
8 LIJADU SISTERS | Horizon Unlimited | Knitting Factory
9 BOMBA ESTEREO | Elegancia Tropical | Polen
10 ROBERTO LOPEZ AFRO-COLOMBIAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA | Azul | Curura Musique
It's time for me to reveal my top ten new releases of 2012 -- the Mayan edition, if you will. I'll play a track from each of them on this week's program, plus as many of the runners-up as time permits. Click Read More to see the winners.
WRIR's CMJ New World Top Ten
1 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Diablos Del Ritmo: The Colombian Melting Pot 1960-1985 | Analog Africa
2 BOMBA ESTEREO | Elegancia Tropical | Polen
3 SUPER HI-FI | Dub To The Bone | Electric Cowbell
4 LIJADU SISTERS | Horizon Unlimited | Knitting Factory
5 RITA | My Joys | NMC Music
6 SON DE BARRIO DE PUERTO RICO | Que Nadie Te Quito Lo Bailao | self-released
7 LENI STERN | Smoke, No Fire | self-released
8 VARIOUS ARTISTS | Jukebox Mambo: Rumba And Afro Latin Accented Rhythm & Blues 1949-1960 | Jazzman
9 ROBERTO LOPEZ AFRO-COLOMBIAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA | Azul | Curura Musique
10 ROBERT SOKO | BalkanBeats Soundlab | Piranha
