The Worldmusic Blog (Seckou Kouyate)

WorldBeatUK (24th Show) - Broadcast Notes (17/8/11)

Tagged with: WorldBeatUK Glyn Phillips Makassy Fatoumata Diawara Sona Jobarteh Olefunk Orquestra Arab de Barcelona Folkincats Hurlevent Wesli Gadji-Gadjo Ravid Carles Denia Karamelo Santo Cumba Mela FestiByn DJ Supersonico Criolina Cartagena Soundways WorldMusic.co.uk

WBUK24 (17/8/11) - SHOWNOTES

1 “Intro-Mat” (1:47) by Matchatcha from the album “Nyekesse” (Melodie)

[Welcome.  Music from Colombia, The Balkans, Brazil, Argentina, Andalucia, Catalunya, Canada, Mali, Gambia and the UK.]

Going to kick off with some music from East Africa from the great Orchestra Makassy.  

This was a soukous band that originated in Kampala, Uganda with both Ugandan and Zairean musicians and later was based in Dar-es-Salaam and made up of Tanzanian and Zairean musicians including Kitenzogu "Mzee" Makassy, Mose Se "Fan Fan" Sengo, Tshimanga Assossa and Remmy Ongala.

Signing with Kenyan label AIT in the early 80s they were introduced to Virgin and recorded the album "Agwaya" in Kenya in 1982 - the first time they'd recorded each part individually rather than all at once.  

The album went out of print but has since been relicensed to ARC Records and was released in 2005 as "Orchestra Makassy - Legends of East Africa" with two extra never-been-released tracks as well.  This one's called "Zimbabwe".

2 “Zimbabwe” (5:00) by Orchestra Makassy from the album “Legends Of East Africa” (ARC)

I want to stay with Africa for the next few tracks but cross over to West Africa, to Mali, and this time a preview from a new album about to be released this September on the UKs World Circuit Records.  

This is the beautiful Malian actress and singer Fatoumata Diawara, who recently appeared at Womad and a track called "Bakonoba" from her album simply entitled "Fatou".  

3 “Bakonoba” (3:16) by Fatoumata Diawara from the album “Fatou” (World Circuit)

I’m going to return to Fatoumata Diawara in a few minutes, but first another lady who’s making waves on the seas of African music. 

I first got into African music in the late 70s and early 80s and one of the very first artists I became aware of - through the radio show of my hero Alexis Korner was Amadu Bansang Jobarteh the kora player and griot from Gambia.  The sound of the kora really resonated with me, although I had no idea what kind of instrument it was - no Google in those days folks! 

In the 90s I came across the work of Kora player Toumani Diabate through his work on the Songhai project with Scotland’s Danny Thompson and Spain’s Ketama and also heard Tunde Jegede play kora to accompany the oldest recorded story in the world - “the Tale of Gilgamesh” as recounted by Storyteller Ben Mandelson.  And now here I am listening to a new release from a member of the next generation of kora players.  

Why do I tell you all this? Well, I want to give you an idea of the illustrious pedigree of my next artist.  Kora players tend to come from one of only 10 great Griot families in West Africa (no matter which particular country or variation of spelling of their family name) and Sona Jobarteh of mixed UK and Gambian heritage can lay claim to one of the greatest.  She is the sister of Tunde Jegede of the African Classical Ensemble, the daughter of Sanjally Jobarteh, the cousin of Toumani Diabate (most recently of AfroCubism and Ali Farka Toure fame) and the proud grand-daughter of the great Amadu Bansang Jobarteh.  Kora players on the international circuit are few and far between and female ones virtually unheard of.  

Her new album, “Fasiya” (dedicated to her grandparents Amadu Bansang Jobarteh and Kumbunaa Jobarteh is released this year) is a truly beautiful work with each song featuring contributions from great musicians backing Sona.

She herself plays kora, as well as vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, nkora, udu, calabash, percussion and flute.  I think we can safely says she’s a multi-instrumentalist. 

The album mixes traditional instruments such as djembe, bugarabu, nyanyeru, balafon, sabar, dunduns, udu, Fulani flute, congas etc with drumkit and electric guitars. 

The result works really well, Sona obviously feeling very relaxed at the fulcrum of this mix. 

The album “Fasiya” (which means ‘Heritage’) is released by West African Guild Records.  This is “Bannaya”.

4 “Bannaya” (4:19) by Sona Jobarteh from the album “Fasiya” (West African Guild Records)

And talking of mixes here’s Fatoumata Diawara and a bluesy track called “Clandestin”.  She’s recorded a studio version of this track on her forthcoming album “Fatou” but this is the live version from her 4-track EP “Kanou” released earlier this year as a taster for the album. 

5 “Clandestin (live)” (4:16) by Fatoumata Diawara from the EP “Kanou” (World Circuit)

I’m loving me stylistic mixes at the moment so here’s one from the Andalucian band OleFunk who - as the name suggests - mix flamenco with music of black origin (whether it be soul or funk or jazz). 

From their eponymous album, this is “El Jardin de mi Locura” (The Garden of my Madness”).

6 “El Jardin De Mi Locura” (3:35) by Olefunk from the album “Olefunk”

Yeah, loving that.  Now, we’re going to stay in Spain for a few more numbers, but this time to a cultural mix between Catalunya in the North-East of Spain and Arab North Africa.

This is the group Orquestra Arab de Barcelona and from their album “Maktub” (on Harmonia Mundi Ibérica) a moody track entitled “Mi Tierra” (My Land”).

7 “Mi Tierra” (6:36) by Orquestra Àrab De Barcelona from the album “Maktub”

The next band are also from Catalunya in Spain but they look Northward for their inspiration to the Manouche lands of Northern Europe. 

This quartet adapt traditional Catalan songs and dances by incorporating gypsy jazz into the mix. 

This is a wonderfully laid back piece entitled “La Dama d’Aragó” from their album “Folkincats”.

8 “La Dama d’Aragó” (4:22) by Folkincats from the album “Folkincats”

Last one from Spain for a bit - although we’ll be returning to Catalunya later on in the show. 

This is OleFunk once more and a rocky/funky piece called “Para No Ir Al Infierno” (‘So as not to go to Hell’)

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9 “Para No Ir Al Infierno” (3:47) by Olefunk from the album “Olefunk”

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I’ve been playing quite a bit from Canada recently and I’m going to introduce another four artists today, starting off in a fairly traditional mode with a Quebecois folk from French-speaking Quebec province. 

This is the flute and fiddle fronted quintet Hurlevent and a lovely track called “L’Aurore du Jour”

10 “L’Aurore du Jour” (2:41) by Hurlevent from the album “Amerix Artists”

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Sticking with the French-speaking Canadian theme - here’s something not traditional quebecois

Originally from Haiti the award-winning Montreal-based musician Wesli is riding high at the moment. 

This is a piece of Haitian-Canadian reggae by the name of “Doudou”.

11 “Doudou” (4:19) by Wesli from the album “Amerix Artists”

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[CONTINUOUS]

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12 “Andy’s Ride” (2:36) by Kleztory from the album “Amerix Artists”

You just heard the Canadian Klezmer band, Kleztory - and a track called “Andy’s Ride”.

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And to keep in a similar mood this is the Klezmo-Tzigane sextet Gadji-Gadjo concluding my Canadian corner of the show with a sort of Jewish-Gypsy mash called “Sher Evreiskii Nardnii Tanets” (which means something, something, something ‘Dance’!)

13 “Sher Evreiskii Nardnii Tanets” (3:04) by Gadji-Gadjo from the album “Amerix Artists”


[CHANGE CDs!!!]

[Don’t forget you’re listening to WBUK . . .]

Remember this is my last programme before early September - I’ll be back on air, all things being well, on Wednesday 7th September.

I’m going to go back to Catalunya now for a couple of tracks and this one is a rather sparse but beautiful piece by the artist Ravid Goldschmidt - who left his native Israel to study the world’s newest acoustic instrument, the hang drum

Sounding like a sort of softer, more ethereal steel pan and played with the finger tips Ravid plays the hang accompanied on vocals by the brilliant Spanish cantaora Sílvia Pérez Cruz (who I was blessed enough to see last year with her own amazing all-female flamenco group Las Migas). 

This track is called “Loca” (Crazy)

(1) 14 “Loca” (5:19) by Ravid from the album “Ravid Hang” (QE Records)

[CONTINUOUS]

(2) 15 “Tan Alta Com Va La Lluna” (1:06) by Carles Dénia I La Nova Rimaire from the album of the same name

That was a very short Catalan track called “Tan Alta Com Va La Lluna” by Carles Dénia I La Nova Rimaire from the album of the same name, played as a contrast to the voice of Silvia Perez Cruz in the previous number.

OK change of feel and pace now. 

Time to fly over to South America now and in particular to Argentina

This is by Karamelo Santo who I’ve played before on the show and it’s a remix by Fede Flores of a track called “Han Matado A Un Niño” (They’ve Killed a Child).

(3) 16 “Han Matado A Un Niño (Fede Florez remix)” (4:12) by Karamelo Santo

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[CONTINUOUS]

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(4) 17 “Galinha Zabele (Tumi remix)” (2:21) by Cumba Mela Collective

That was the Cumba Mela Collective and a little slice of Brazil remixed by Tumi and entitled “Galinha Zabele”

And if that didn’t get you bouncing up and down in your seats, then this next one should. 

The balkan band FestiByn and a track called “Dönme Bana Sevgilim”

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(5) 18 “Dönme Bana Sevgilim” (3:16) by FestiByn from the album “FestiByn”

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Any sexy ladies in the mood for some Balkan Dancehall Mashup? 

OK, here’s DJ Supersonico and the Sistema de Sonido Urbano with “Get Busy”. 

Turn your speakers up peeps - but just watch out for Tarzan!

Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

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(6) 19 “Get Busy” (3:22) by DJ Supersonico - Sistema de Sonido Urbano

[CONTINUOUS]

(7) 20 “Lourinha Americana (Criolina Remix)” (2:48) by Criolina Remix

[CONTINUOUS]

(8) 21 “Balkanski Bal (Bucovina rmx)” (3:10) by DJ Supersonico

OK, that was three in a row.  You just heard DJ Supersonico and the Bucovina remix of “Balkanski Bal”; before that was the Criolina remix of “Lourinha Americana” and before all that DJ Supersonico and “Get Busy”.

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Don’t know about you but I fancy finishing off the show with some Old Skool Colombian dance music from the 60s and 70s - all from the great Soundways label. 

First up is El Gran Romancito Y El Super Combo Curro from the album “Cartagena!” and we’re off to “Honolulu”!!

(9) 22 “Honolulu” (4:51) by El Gran Romancito y El Super Combo Curro from the album “Cartagena!” (Soundways)

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And with the help of Michi Sarmiento y sus Bravos we’re going all the way from Honolulu to “Hong Kong” from the album “Colombia!”

(10) 23 “Hong Kong” (3:53) by Michi Sarmiento Y Sus Bravos from the album “Colombia!” (Soundways)

Last up is the Latin Brothers and from the same Soundways album “Colombia!” and a classic track - “La Patrona de los Reclusos”.

(11) 24 “Patrona De Los Reclusos” (6:13) by The Latin Brothers from the album “Colombia!” (Soundways)

WorldBeatUK (20th Show) - Broadcast Notes (13/7/11)

Tagged with: WorldBeatUK Glyn Phillips Adam Rapa Ziroli Winterstein Sound Nomaden Paito Simmer Down Festival Supa Bassie Sam Redmore Skaguitar Kiko Perrone Fissunix Fermin Muguruza Luke Daniels Julio Sosa Lucia de la Cruz Ibrahim Ferrer Altan Festibyn Malavoi

WBUK20 (13/7/11) - SHOWNOTES

1 “Intro-Mat” (1:47) by Matchatcha from the album “Nyekesse” (Melodie)

You’re listening to Rhubarb Radio transmitting live from the Custard Factory, Digbeth, Birmingham - I’m Glyn Phillips and this is WorldBeatUK!  

Coming up on the show tonight: Gypsy Swing, Calypso Jazz, Salsa Dura, Ska, Reggae, Bachata, Gaita, Electro Swing, Tango, Musette, Vals, Blues, and even Brazilian Blues.  

We’ve also got some Son, Folk, Township Jazz, Mashups, Balkan, Biguine and some great SambaReggaeRumbaPatchankaBreakbeat!  Trust me, you don’ wanna miss it tonight!  So fasten your sonic seatbelts, make yourself comfortable and enjoy the ride!

Welcome to the 20th edition of WorldBeatUK!  Yet another jamboree bag of sweeties from around the world - coz yo’ve all bin good boys and girls since the last time I saw ya!  So’s I thought as I’d get yer a bag o’ suck!  

Since last week I’ve had to take a few days out to attend the funeral of a dearly beloved uncle who passed away unexpectedly, so I have not done the same amount of research into the tunes this week that I normally do.  

However, despair not since the quality of the music is just the same and I’ve some right little gems lined up.  So, I’m dedicating the whole of this week’s show to the memory of my Uncle Reg - a top bloke indeed who will be sorely missed by anyone who came into contact with him.  Always upbeat and positive and full of life - what more can I say? - so here’s something to reflect that. This is Adam Rapa and an exuberant track called “Calypso”.

2 “Calypso” (5:00) by Adam Rapa

And to follow that? How about some salsa dura from the album “Boogaloo Pow Wow”?  The band’s the La Playa Orchestra and this track is called “Olvidate De Mi”.  Get yer dancing shoes on - a bailar!!!

3 “Olvidate De Mi” (2:51) by The La Playa Orchestra from the album “Boogaloo Pow Wow”

Breathless?  Here’s a little bit of manouche beauty for you: from the Rough Guide to Gypsy Swing this is the Ziroli Winterstein Ensemble and “Autumn Leaves”

4 “Autumn Leaves” (Ends at 2.20!) (2:26) by Ziroli Winterstein Ensemble from the album “Rough Guide to Gypsy Swing” 

Wasn’t that beautiful.  And so - inevitably - the link: this is Electro-Swing outfit Sound Nomaden and a tune called “Beautiful Music”:

5 “Beautiful Music” (4:16) by Sound Nomaden from the album “Beautiful Music”

[CONTINUOUS]

6 “El Gusto De Las Mujeres” (4:28) by Paíto (Sixto Silgado) from the album “Gaita Negra”

That last track was called “El Gusto de las Mujeres” and was an instrumental piece by Paíto (aka Sixto Silgado) from the album “Gaita Negra”.  Incidentally, I’d better explain what gaita means.  It’s a Spanish word which refers in most instances to bagpipes; it also refers to a piped instrument known in English as a fipple flute which is native to Colombia, Venezuela and parts of Panama and is blown direct (ie rather than using a bag to store a continuous current of air).  As well as that it’s also the name of the Colombian music where the gaitas are often employed and is related to cumbia.  So now you know!

And to follow that some Dominican bachata music by the New York band Fame - who are based in the Bronx - and a track called “Confesiones”

7 “Confesiones” (3:27) by Fame


Big up the Simmer Down Festival - Sat Jul 16th 12midday to 7.30pm in Handsworth Park, Birmingham.  Free.  Ken Boothe headlining and also Rose Capri, Claire Angel, Gabbidon, Reggaebaby Lounge, Hearts Aglow Steelband, Pulse Beat (a Steel Pulse tribute band), Louise Kilbride, Village Well, Glama Wayne, Maria Mour, Bingiman, Unique, Si Hayden, Kokumo, Lee Alexander, Annette Fagon and many more as well as ital food, dhol players, bhangra dancers and zumba dancers.  It’ll be a family affair with plenty of workshops in dance and music and a procession too.  

After the free event in the park the action shifts to The Drum in Newtown where there’s the Simmer Down Festival After Party with Barry Biggs, Ken Boothe, John Maclean, Paul Dawkins, Janet Lee Davis, Rose Capri and Delia all backed by the New Direction Band and also there’ll be DJs Mr Romantic, Gatecrash and Countryman with the Fatal Attraction Sound System. Tickets for that £20 in advance (MOTD).

So to get us in the mood a selection of reggae sounds - but, as ever with me, maybe not quite as you’d expect them!  First up is Supa Bassie from Valencia in Spain and a track from his album “Crónicas de un Viaje” called “Paremos Un Segundo” (Let’s stop for a second).  Trust me, not as you’d expect at all . . .

8 “Paremos Un Segundo” (3:52) by Supa Bassie from the album “Crónicas de un Viaje”

Sticking with the alternative reggae vibe here are a couple of remixes from Birmingham’s very own Sam Redmore.  Firstly his ultra-stripped back version of Bob Marley’s “Is This Love” - beautiful.

9 “Is This Love” (Sam Redmore's Acoustic Takedown) (6:17) by Bob Marley

[CONTINUOUS]

10 “A Day In The Life / Milk & Honey” (3:26) by The Beatles / Prince Fatty (Sam Redmore Remix)

Yeah that was the second in the double-bill of Sam Redmore remixes, in this case a mashup of Prince Fatty with the Beatles: “A Day In The Life / Milk & Honey”.  Absolutely love that one!  Brum’s got talent indeed. 

OK, check this next tune out it’s a version of the old Cuban tune “El Manisero” (known to many people - especially jazzheads - by its English translation as The Peanut Vendor”), but done here in wonderfully nuanced minor form of ska by the band Skaguitar.  Lovely.

11 “El Manisero” (ends at 2.43!) (2:52) by Skaguitar

[Change CD!!!!]

Yes, wasn’t that beautiful!  Don’t forget you’re listening to WorldBeatUK right here on Rhubarb Radio, coming at ya live and direct from the Custard Factory in downtown Digbeth, Birmingham in the heart of England.  My name’s Glyn Phillips and every Wednesday between 7and 9pm I’m your host on a two hour musical journey around the world.

Plenty of good stuff still to come on the show tonight including Biguine, Balkan, Township Jazz, Mashups, remixes, Breakbeats, Musette, Folk, Tango, Vals, Cuban son and even a little ditty by one of Scotland’s most under-rated cultural icons who seems to be having a spot of trouble trying to locate one of his garments . . . 

Maybe he needs a little good luck, something bluesman Mr Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown knows all about.  

1 (12) “Someday My Luck Will Change” (5:32) by Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown from the album “Froots 05”

Yeah, “Someday, My Luck Will Change” by Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown.  

Let’s follow that with some Brazilian Blues - or at least a tune called “Luz Azul” which means ‘Blue Light’. I don’t have a lot of info about it apart from that it was written in London a couple of years ago by the Paulista Kiko Perrone alongside Kita Steur and was influenced by the music of Jorge Benjor.

2 (13) “Luz Azul (aka Blue Light)” (3:45) by Kiko Perrone & Kita Steur

[CONTINUOUS]

3 (14) “Ain’t No Stairway High Enough to Hip Hop Heaven” (3:37) by Marvin Gaye & Led Zeppelin & Gramatik Remashed (Fissunix remash)

Yeah, bet you didn’t see that one coming did you!  That was the Fissunix remash of Gramatik’s remash of Marvin Gaye and Led Zeppelin and a tune called “Aint No Stairway High Enough to Hip Hop Heaven”.  Heavenly Groove indeed!

Ready to rumba?!  Here’s a groove for you, this is the riddim version of “Milakabilaka” by Fermin Muguruza (who’s name incidentally translates as ‘Various Artists’!!) and a thumping piece of Samba-Reggae-Rumba-Patchanka-Breakbeat!

4 (15) “Milakabilaka (Riddim)” (5:32) by Fermin Muguruza from the album “Asthmatic Lion Sound System” {Samba-Reggae-Rumba-Patchanka-Breakbeats}

Well that should have got you all fired-up, so let’s all cool down again with a little musette from Luke Daniels called “Musette a Teresa”.

5 (16) “Musette À Teresa” (3:35) by Luke Daniels from the album “Froots 03”

And because I’m feeling all old schooly and in a criollo mood here’s one of my favourite old school tangueros - no, not Carlos Gardel (who to be perfectly honest, never really did it for me), but el Varón del Tango himself Julio Sosa and a track called “Mano a Mano” (Hand to Hand).

6 (17) “Mano A Mano” (3:17) by Julio Sosa from the album “30 Aniversario 1964-1994”

And if that hasn’t made you nostalgic and romantic enough, this one’ll slay you.  The incomparable Peruvian songstress and larger-than-life character Lucia de La Cruz - a woman whose life is every bit as melodramatic as the songs she sings.  I love her every bit as much as I do Eva Ayllón, no matter how much scandal seems to surround her - she simply lives the life she sings about. This is called “Quiero Que Estes Conmigo” (I Want You To Be With Me).  Straight from the heart, boys and girls, straight from the heart . . .

7 (18) “Quiero Que Estes Conmigo” (3:04) by Lucia de la Cruz

Fantastic.  Now sticking with latin america we’re travelling North from Coastal Perú to the island of Cuba and the sad news that last week the world lost yet another celebrated member of the Buena Vista Social Club as well as being a founder of Los Zafiros (The Sapphires).  I’m talking of the guitarist Manuel Galbán.  Ironically I’d already programmed in the next tune into this week’s show, before I knew about Galbán’s death.  

It doesn’t really feature him as such since he’s just another all-star member of a band backing Ibrahim Ferrer, but he’s there all the same.  If I get a chance at the end of the programme I’ll see if I can find a tune where you can hear Galbán more.  In the meantime this is a storming tune from Ibrahim’s great album “Buenos Hermanos” (Good Brothers) on World Circuit Records.  This is my favourite tune off that album - ‘listen to the advice!’, “Oye El Consejo”:

8 (19) “Oye El Consejo” (3:26) by Ibrahim Ferrer from the album “Buenos Hermanos”

[CONTINUOUS]

9 (20) “Tommy Peoples/ The Windmill/ Fintan McManus’s” (3:16) by Altan from the album “Froots 03”

That was enough to raise the devil - a medley of “Tommy Peoples/ The Windmill/ Fintan McManus’s” by the Irish band Altan.  

Now, from Sconny Botland, is the next artist.  Undoubtedly one of Caledonia’s most under-rated performers and almost forgotten these days, this man put the High into Highland with such classics as “A Scottish Soldier”, “The Muckin o’ Geordie’s Byre”, “I’ve Never Kissed a Bonnie Lass Before”, “The Gallant Forty-Twa”, as well as the song I’m about to play you.  

Now, before the days of Jools Holland’s Hootenanny, television on New Years Eve in the 1960s meant one thing “The White Heather Club”.  Many’s the time I was left alone to see the New Year in with nothing but a load of tartan-kilted Jocks dancing the Highland Fling over a pair of crossed claymores, whilst some dodgy geezer hopped through a studio door on one foot whilst carrying a lump of coal . . .  

Come on, you must know who I’m talking about by now?  Caledonian Cultural Icon Supreme, Mr Andy Stewart of course!  And the tune? Well, that’d be telling, but I’ll give you a clue: he wrote it in 10 minutes whilst sitting on the lav in a recording studio.  Just let the image linger a moment . . . OK, got it?  Oh, and watch out for Elvis half way through!

10 (21) “Donald Where's Your Troosers?” (3:21) by Andy B. Stewart

Ha ha ha!  Well, that was fun!  As is this one: a balkan banger from Festibyn called “Dönme Bana Sevgilim”.  Back on the dancefloor everyone!!  Let’s get balko-funky!

11 (22) “Dönme Bana Sevgilim” (3:16) by FestiByn from the album “FestiByn”

Not long to go now.  And since I’m feeling all warm and loved-up and dancey, I’m going to lay this next one on you.  This is South Africa’s The Soul Brothers and a track called “Thandaza”.  Let’s see you rocking to this one then!

12 (23) “Thandaza” (South Africa) (5:09) by The Soul Brothers from the album “Africa”

OK, thanks for listening to the show . . .

[Shout-outs, reminders, etc, etc]

I’m going to leave you with a particular favourite track of mine - absolutely love this one. It’s from the island of Martinique in the French-speaking Caribbean.  The band is the excellent Malavoi with special guest Jean Philippe Marthely.  The track is called “Zou”!!  

See you all next week at 7pm, or if you’re in Birmingham on Saturday in Handsworth Park for the Simmer Down Reggae Festival.  Good night!

13 (24) “Zou” ('Malavoi Biguine') (5:03) by Malavoi & Jean Philippe Marthely

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