Blog - World Music

WorldBeatUK (19th Show) - Broadcast Notes (6/7/11)

Tagged with: WorldBeatUK Glyn Phillips Colombiafrica Professor Elemental Zeca Pagodinho Zulu 9.30 Lisandro Meza Etubom Rex Williams Strut JuJu Ikebe Shakedown Shazalakazoo Slamboree Goy Karamelo Tommy McCook Letta Mbulu Supa Bassie Joe Claussell Nuyorican Soul Tea Sea

WBUK19 (6/7/11) - SHOWNOTES

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

Hi there, you’re listening to WorldBeatUK on Rhubarb Radio, transmitting around the world from the Custard Factory in Digbeth, Birmingham - all done through the magic of digital technology. Such times we live in! My name’s Glyn Phillips and for the next two hours I’ll be playing you my own idiosyncratic collation of the best in world music from around the globe; from the past and present - and looking toward the future.

This week it’s all about the soul and the funk, the grist and the groove - and there’s a definite African and Colombian flavour to much of tonight’s sonic banquet. So, just grab hold of yer eating irons and get stuck into the musical feast that awaits you . . .

In fact this week’s show is slightly different from normal - there’s very few new releases this time, so I thought I’d rustle through some interesting oldies, almost-newies and the ‘ones that got away’ - and in doing so I’ve managed to dig up some seriously funky-ass grooves to get you shaking yer tushes to!

But let’s not rush it, we’ll just put the pot on to boil, gently warm up the pan and put the pulses in to soak. You can’t rush good food. We’ll just get you nicely simmered up for the first part of the show and, indeed, first up is the point where the South American country of Colombia (bordered by the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Amazon Jungle) meets Africa (culturally speaking anyway).

Colombiafrica - The Mystic Orchestra is a project that takes some of the best afro-colombiano musicians Viviano Torres, Luis Towers and Justo Valdez and teams them up with African musicians such as Dally Kimoko, Nyboma, Sekou Diabaté, Rigo Star and the brilliant Diblo Dibala (who, incidentally is the man behind my theme music for this show!). The album is called “Voodoo Love Inna Champeta-Land” and this track is called “No Habla Na’” (Don’t Say Nuthin’!)

2 “No Habla Na’” (4:43) by Colombiafrica - The Mystic Orchestra from the album “Voodoo Love Inna Champeta-Land” (Riverboat Records/World Music Network)

Well, that was all rather splendid, don’t you think? Professor Elemental certainly thinks so!

3 “Splendid (Tom Caruana remix)” (3:02) by Professor Elemental from the album “More Tea (Remixes)” (Tea Sea Records)

Yes that was the wonderfully eccentric Englishman Professor Elemental and a track from his recent album “More Tea (Remixes)” called “Splendid!” - check the video out on YouTube if you can, and remember you can get his tracks direct from his website:

www.professorelemental.com.

And if you’re listening Prof, hope the baby’s coming on a treat! And stay tuned for more Elemental eccentricity later on in the show!

Last week I had a little bit too much to say (as usual!) so unfortunately I ran out of time and had to drop a track from my playlist. Well don’t say that I don’t try and put things right straightaway. Here’s that track a great feelgood samba tune called “Vai Vadiar” by the great Zeca Pagodinho from his album “Sem Limite”. Goza os meus amiguinhos!

4 “Vai Vadiar” (4:07) by Zeca Pagodinho from the album “Sem Limite” (Universal Import)

OK, let’s nip across to Barcelona for the first of two visits tonight. This is the home of the really talented Spanish band Zulu 9.30 who are amongst the current wave of European mestizo music - a style that often mashes up latin, Jamaican, flamenco, folk, jazz, rock, punk and, well, all kinds of stuff into a danceable world groove. It’s all grist to the mill! This is from their album “Huellas” (which means ‘footprints’) on the Kasba label and is a salsa-based piece called “Te Llevo Conmigo” (I’m taking you with me!).

5 “Te Llevo Conmigo” (3:36) by Zulu 9.30 from the album “Huellas” (Kasba)

And that sets us up nicely to go back over to South America for a lovely slice of 1980s cumbia from the great accordionist Lisandro Meza - probably the first cumbiambero I ever came across when I first pitched up on the shores of South America over a quarter of a century ago. What a great sound he has. So slap on the sombrero, sharpen your machete and mount up your burros because Lisandro is taking us to meet “Las Africanas” . . .

6 “Las Africanas” (2:18) by Lisandro Meza from the album “Lisandro’s Cumbia” (World Circuit)

[CONTINUOUS]

7 “Illusion de Amor” (4:13) by Los Chapillacs (Listen Recovery RENZ mix)

First you heard the sound of Colombian cumbia from accordionist Lisandro Meza and that was followed by psychedelic 1970s Peruvian chicha music (which is based on cumbia) by Los Chapillacs subtly remixed by Listen Recovery RENZ.

Let’s follow that with some more old school sounds - this is from a wonderful recent compilation of old Nigerian tunes from the 1970s.

The album is on the Strut Records label and is called “Sweet Times…”; from that is this sublime slowburner “Ama Mbre Ewa” by Etubom Rex Williams & His Nigerian Artistes. Just kick back and let this one flow over you . . .

8 “Ama Mbre Ewa” (5:38) by Etubom Rex Williams & His Nigerian Artistes from the album “Sweet Times” (Strut Records)

Wasn’t that good? Very trance-like feel - and talking of which this next track is from a recent album on Real World Records called “In Trance” by the Anglo-Gambian duo of Justin Adams and Juldeh Camara.

And please note Justin and Juldeh will be performing right here in Birmingham the day after tomorrow at the mac, in Edgbaston, in the open air arena. That’s going to be a real treat indeed! I saw them a couple of weeks ago down in Devon at the HOME Festival doing an acoustic set - a real mindblower!

Juldeh is from Gambia in West Africa and is a real virtuoso on the ritti or nyanyeru (the traditional one-string fiddle of West Africa). Doesn’t sound very inspiring? Trust me, this guy really knows what he’s doing! Amazing licks and he can make it sound like lots of different instruments too - all on just ONE string and no fretboard!! He also sings really well and has real presence.

Justin’s no slouch either - he’s served time with Jah Wobble and has also produced and co-written with Robert Plant. Justin plays some mean blues guitar and banjo and sings too.

If you want to hear where the blues comes from, where the Gambia meets the Mississippi, where West Africa meets the Celtic World, then check these guys out. Highly recommended!

So that’s this Friday at the mac (7.30pm and the support band is the African Roots Fusion Band)

OK, so here’s a taster for that - a laidback bluesy piece called “Halanam”

9 “Halanam” (7:09) by JuJu (Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara) from the album “In Trance” (Real World Records)

So, from the ethereal sound of the one-string fiddle to the simultaneously ‘in-yer-face’ but ‘so-laid-back-it’s-almost-horizontal’ sounds of afrobeat-funk band Ikebe Shakedown from Brooklyn, New Yoik! Love their sound!

And that cowbell! That’s exactly how I’d play it too . . . Hmmmm! Not so much ‘music in the key of life’ as ‘groove to the universal pulse’.

This is the “Kumasi Walk” from their album also called ”Ikebe Shakedown” on the Ubiquity label.

10 “Kumasi Walk” (4:42) by Ikebe Shakedown from the album “Ikebe Shakedown” (Ubiquity)

OK, WAKEY-WAKEY!! Balkanbeat madness to the max! This is “Marock” by Shazalakazoo.

11 “Marock” (3:54) by Shazalakazoo

[CONTINUOUS]

12 “Moon Monkeys” (1:15) by Professor Elemental from the album “More Tea (Remixes)” (Tea Sea Records)

[CONTINUOUS]

13 “Prokofiev” (3:20) by Slamboree

I bet that cleared yer sinuses out! OK first of all in that little medley you heard a modern piece of Balkanbeat madness from Shalakazoo followed by a little interlude of Professor Elemental lunar monkey business and then, no it’s not those tossers from The Apprentice - it is of course the Russian genius Prokofiev’s “Dance of the Knights” from Romeo and Juliet - given a peculiarly British Dubstep treatment by Slamboree, a collective that includes Rhubarb Radio and Birmingham’s very own DJ Marc Reck (AKA DJ Narrative).

So in true WorldBeatUK fashion, from the ridiculous to the sublime...

From the 1980s a glorious fusion of Andalusian flamenco with a Moroccan orchestra - Juan Pena El Lebrijano and the Orquesta Andalusi de Tanger.

I first bought this album “Encuentros” on vinyl and fell in love with the album sleeve, the rather dapper looking silk-cravatted Paco Cepero on guitar, the open-shirted, medallion-chested singer Juan Pena El Lebrijano both seated in front, and behind them two Moroccan women and five blokes in neck-to-ankle pure white shifts and - joy of joys - each one wearing a red fez! It was better than a Tommy Cooper convention!

Aah, but you think I jest too much methinks! Let me tell you however the music is fabulous! Here’s the opening tune from the album. It’s called “Vivir Un Cuento De Hadas” (living a fairytale) and I think you’ll see what I mean

14 “Vivir Un Cuento De Hadas” (5:08) by Juan Pena Lebrijano and the Orquesta Andalusi de Tanger from the album “Encuentros” (Ariola)

[CHANGE THE CDS OVER!]

Wasn’t that sumptuous! Ok, let’s take it up again a notch. This is a cumbia-based track with a reggaeton feel and andean folkloric overtones mixed with hip-hop; originally written by the Argentine band Karamelo Santo and featured in the Latin American film “Caño Dorado”; here it’s remixed by Goy Karamelo (now a solo musician). I’m really loving some of the stuff that’s been coming out of Argentina recently and this is no exception. “Que No Digan Nunca”

(1) 15 “Que No Digan Nunca” [Ends at 3.48] (4:03) by Karamelo Santo (Caño Dorado film music - remix by Goy Karamelo) from the album “Mi CD”

[BEWARE: Ends at 3.48!!]

OK, two in a row now; same song but for some reason with different names. I’ll tell you after, what the details are, but if any of you say Lily Allen I’ll never talk to you again!

(2) 16 “Reggae Merengue” (2:16) by Tommy McCook & The Supersonics

And now another version . . .

(3) 17 “Cójeme La Caña” (3:00) by Pedro Laza Y Sus Pelayeros (Mixticius)

So, first one was an old version by Jamaican saxophonist Tommy McCook and the Supersonics called - for some bizarre reason on the version I’ve got - ‘Reggae Merengue’ (although it’s obviously a cumbia to me!) and that was followed by the Colombian bandleader Pedro Laza y sus Pelayeros and the same tune but called “Cójeme La Caña” - and that was a remix by Mixticius; you can find more of his work on Soundcloud.

Well, a real treat now - I absolutely love this! From the “Gilles Peterson in Africa - The Soul” album this is South African singer Letta Mbulu and some tasty, tasty funk called “Mahlalela”. Brilliant!

(4) 18 “Mahlalela” (4:45) by Letta Mbulu from the album “Gilles Peterson in Africa - The Soul” (Ether)

[CONTINUOUS]

(5) 19 “Original Cumbiamuffin” (4:57) by Supa Bassie

Ha ha ha! Love that one!! That was reggaeman Supa Bassie from Valencia and a tune called “Original Cumbiamuffin” - a cumbia reworking of his hit “Original Raggamuffin” from the “Crónicas de un Viaje” album.

And since I’m in that remixing mood how about this little mashup from young Mexican mixer Outsider8301 - this is Sidestepper’s groovalicious “Papaya” vs Wreckx-n-Effect’s 1992 butt-wobbling “Rumpshaker”, with a little MIA thrown in for good measure. You can start bouncing now ladies!

(6) 20 “Papaya vs Rumpshaker” (5:29) by Wreckx + M.I.A. vs Sidestepper (Oscar Outsider 8301)

[Talk over intro to next track]:

OK, we’re definitely in the groove now, brothers and sisters! And time to lay this one on you. This is where latin meets soul, meets jazz meets funk. Eddie Palmieri is both a giant and a living legend in the annals of New York latin jazz and here his amazing “Mi Congo Te Llama” gets a very liberal deconstruction by Joaquin “Joe” Claussell from the brand new album “Hammock House - Africa Caribe” on the Fania label. 7 minutes of stone-solid groove, babies!

[BEWARE - LONG QUIET START!!]

(7) 21 “Mi Congo Te Llama” (Joe Claussell Remix) (6:59) by Eddie Palmieri from the album “Hammock House - Africa Caribe” (Código/Fania)

OK and that’s the end of the show . . .

[SHOUT-OUTS TO ALL AND ANNOUNCEMENTS - reminder about Justin and Juldeh at mac]

I said at the top of the show that tonight was all about the funk and the soul, the grist and the groove. Well, I’ve tried to give you that tonight and I hope you agree. If you don’t feel so, then at least you should be able to with this final track.

This is the fantastic Jocelyn Brown and Nuyorican Soul and a track from the Masters At Work album “Nuyorican Soul”. Turn up your speakers as loud as they’ll go and say after me: “It’s Alright, I Feel it!”

(8) 22 “It’s Alright, I Feel It!” (3:22) by Jocelyn Brown & Nuyorican Soul from the album “NuYorican Soul” (Talkin Loud)

WorldBeatUK (18th Show) - Broadcast Notes (29/6/11)

Tagged with: WorldBeatUK Glyn Phillips Mabon HOME Festival Dartington Thomas Brooman WOMAD WOMEX Fernhill Phil Stanton Rough Guide Coope Boyes Simpson Ian King Professor Elemental Uxia Ceu Seckou Keita Rory McLeod Farka Toure B B King Legouix Max Pashm Zeca Pegadinho

WBUK18 (29/6/11) - SHOWNOTES

WorldBeatUK 7-9pm this evening: Some folkin' good Folk with some folking good folkers, string driven things with veritable kings of African kora and a genuine King of Blues, Galician cuckoos, Brazilian café, Balkan Pashm, Sunflowers from Lola, a cracking Cuban big band, some very Rude Love from Mexico and a gentlemanly tannophile & his orang-utan butler . . .

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

Welcome to the show and first off: Happy 7th Birthday to my youngest son, Lewys! Hope you’re having a lovely day! And if it’s a birthday that must mean a party! So without further ado, let’s join Welsh folkers Mabon for a Schindig!

2 “Schindig” (5:00) by Mabon from the album “Live at the Grand Pavilion”

Yeah that was the Welsh based Mabon - one of the most exciting folk bands on the UK circuit at the moment - I had the pleasure of seeing them last year at the Womex conference in Copenhagen and that was a tune called “Schindig” off their Award Winning album “Live at the Grand Pavilion” released last year. The newly reformed Jamie Smith’s Mabon will be playing at Womad in Charlton Park in about four weeks time on the BBC Radio 3 stage. So catch them if you can.

And from one Festival to another. I’ve recently come back from a brilliant small festival in Devon called the HOME festival which took place at Dartington Hall in Devon over one and a half days. It was co-founded by Thomas Brooman - one of the original founders of Womad - alongside a chap called simply Drum.

The idea behind the HOME festival is to try and present top-flight world music acts in a more intimate setting and in particular to present at least half of the performances completely acoustically. And when I say acoustic - I mean just that: NO amplification whatsoever! Hard to believe? Trust me it worked!

The venue was a 14th century hall in an old manor house and for many of the bands it was their very first time performing without mikes and speakers etc - but it was a resounding success. The audience needed to be silent but it was amazing how quickly everybody adapted.

And one of the bands who performed like this were the Welsh folk band “Fernhill”. Believe me, a great band to see live - the delicacy of the pieces, the seeming simplicity of the delivery, the strength of the arrangements all combined into a breathtaking concert. I’ve got to big up the voice of Julie Murphy in particular - in this large, incredibly high medieval hall her voice took on an almost 3-dimensional quality and took flight above our heads.

So here’s a flavour of Fernhill. This is from their album "Canu Rhydd" (which roughly translates as freeform poetry) and is a track called "Diddan". Oh and a big thank you to Jane Brace and Katrina Hurford of Dartington for looking after me and my brother - looking forward to next year already.

3 “Diddan” (5.53) by Fernhill from the album “Canu Rhydd”

and from Welsh Folk to English Folk...

Whilst at Home Festival I met Phil Stanton, the boss of World Music Network (the people that put out the Rough Guide series of CD - and “Introducing…”) . There are two new CDs from the RG range, to be released …when?…. - English Folk and Brazilian Cafe.

Explain concept of RG and of the bonus CDs.

I’m going to deal with the folk album first coz we’re still in the British folk section of tonight’s show. This track is actually from the bonus CD which comes free with the RG TO EF - and is a compilation devoted to the work of Yorkshire acapella singers Coope, Boyes & Simpson.

- explain about Jerusalem and Froots etc.

This is a short piece called “Uttoxeter Souling Song”

4 “Uttoxeter Souling Song” (1.18) by Coope, Boyes & Simpson from the album “RG To English Folk” (Network)

From main album: explain when I first heard this tune (early 80s - Sheffield, Oscar The Frog etc, …

5 “Adieu to Old England” (4.41) by Ian King from the album “RG To English Folk (Network)

Link from saying goodbye to Old England to the Prof and his quest for the golden frog.

remind people of Prof’s website www.professorelemental.com and that the remix album “More Tea” is due out on Monday July 4th…

6 “The Quest for the Golden Frog” (Tom Caruana remix) (3.49) by Professor Elemental from the album “More Tea (Remixes)

[CONTINUOUS]

7 “O Cuco a Cantar” (3.26) by Uxia (with Fred Martins) from the album “Meu Canto” (do Fol Musica)

Explain about Uxia - then Brazilian connection, into the second of WM Network’s Rough Guides - Brazilian Café (concept about café)

8 “Comadi” (3.33) by Céu from album “RG to Brazilian Café” (Network)

Mention Home Festival again. . . and Seckou 50% of sales to Red Cross charity. Explain 'Silimbo'.

9 “Mande Arabe” (6.08) by Seckou Keita Quintet from the album “The Silimbo Passage” (World Artventures)

Flag up Rory McLeod at the Kitchen Garden Café - Sunday 3rd July - Rory McLeod - Kitchen Garden Cafe, 17 York Road, KH, Bham (World Unlimited) 7.30pm

Here’s what I said about RORY MCLEOD a few weeks ago, worth repeating:
“He carries with him that same mixture of idiosyncracy and integrity as people like Ash Mandrake, Roy Harper etc. I think it’s safe to say that Rory is an underground legend. Described variously as an amazing folk artist, traveller, troubadour extraordinaire and a one-man folk orchestra, Rory plays a multitude of instruments including trombone, harmonica, spoons, djembe, bandorea, guitar, finger-cymbals and tapshoe-driven stomp-box! He’s played and recorded with people like Ani Di Franco, Taj Mahal, Kathryn Tickell and Ali Farka Toure amongst many others.

I urge you to go along - you will be drawn into his unique world and emerge with your senses buzzing.”

10 “Going Song” (5.52) by Rory McLeod from the album “Travelling Home” (Cooking Vinyl)

Here’s Rory with Ali Farka Toure:

11 “Roucky” (8:19) by Ali Farka Touré from the album “The Source”

The Source = the source of the blues and here’s how most of us remember the blues - BB King and the “Thrill is Gone”

12 “The Thrill is Gone” (4:58) by B.B.King from the album “The Best Of Blues”

Back to Africa and Ali Farka Toure - combined with the King of Kora, Toumani Diabate - the last album they recorded together ...

13 ”Sabu Yerkoy” (4:09) by Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté from the album “Ali & Toumani” (World Circuit)

FLAG UP: Monday 4th July - Vieux Farka Toure - UK release, new album “The Secret” on Six Degrees Records

14 “The Secret“ (6:51) by Vieux Farka Touré from the album “The Secret”

[CHANGE THE CD!!]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Change of mood and pace - leave Africa and come back to the UK - explain about Alexandra and her fusion stuff - here more latiny

(1) 15 “Time to Go” (3:33) by Alexandra Legouix & the Sunflowers from the album “Lola”

Flag up SUBVERT at the W&H: this Saturday 2nd July- Johnny Kowalski and the Sexy Weirdos (Balkan Gypsy with brass and fiddle, and the Damnbusters (Ska Classics), Lobster (Ska/punk, Sam Maloney (acoustic) plus DJs… 8 til late (£2 b4 10pm / £4).

Balkan bit leads into Max Pashm (& replug Home Fest)

(2) 16 “Manea K” (4.47) by Max Pashm from the album “Never Mind the Balkans”

[CONTINUOUS]

(3) 17 “Gettin Down” (3.06) by The Brand New Rhythm from the album “Let’s Boogaloo Vol 3”

Last one just a bit of fun - no plugs to do for the rest of the night; so over to Brazil first for Zeca Pagodinho and his song “Vai Vadiar” which roughly translates as ‘going astray’.

(4) 18 “Vai Vadiar” (4.07) by Zeca Pagodinho from the album “Serie Sem Limite” ()

(5) 19 “Rude Love” (4.57) by Althea & Donna vs Rihanna (Outsider 8301 remix)

[SHOUTOUTS, thank yous, announcements, etc]

Happy Birthday to Lewys!

(6) 20 “Tumbao a Peruchin” (4.40) by Alfredo Rodriguez from the album “Cuba Linda” (Hannibal / Rykodisc 1996)

WorldBeatUK (17th Show) - Broadcast Notes (22/6/11)

Tagged with: WorldBeatUK Glyn Phillips Calan Tom Martin Cheka Aly Keita Tamikrest SMOD Manu Chao Super Cayor Hakim Ghazi Abdel Baki Charbel Rouhana Fareeq Al Atrash Awatiñas Professor Elemental Swing Gadje Antwerp Gypsy Ska Ot Azoy Tirana Caravana Fantasma Canteca

WBUK17 (22/6/11) - SHOWNOTES

1 “Intro-Mat” (1.47) by Matchatcha from album “Nyekesse” (Melodie)

Welcome once again to WorldBeatUK on Rhubarb Radio with me Glyn Phillips taking you on a musical journey for the next two hours around the planet’s musical hotspots!

This week we start in the UK but then travel to West Africa to visit Guinea, Cote D’Ivoire, Mali and Senegal.

We take in stops at France via San Antonio, Texas, straddle the straits of Gibraltar with a foot in both Morocco and Spain, cruise the Med and then disembark for an extended stay in Lebanon,

We scale the Andes of Bolivia, gatecrash an English summer fete, head off to the continent to visit the Gypsy and Jewish cultures of France, Belgium and Holland, and even re-imagine Coventry in the metropoli of South America . . .

. . . and finally party off into the sunset in Spain and New York. I hope you’ve packed your passport and some clean underwear!

Kicking off the show we’re making a hop, skip and a jump from Brum to Wales. One of the leading bands of the Celtic folk renaissance amongst young musicians is Calan. This is from their album “Bling” (on the Sain label) and it’s a track called “Calan”.

2 “Calan” (3.33) by Calan from the album “Bling” (Sain)

Now this weekend you can catch one of Birmingham’s finest sing-songwriters, Tom Martin, who hails originally from Ireland but has put his roots down in Brum - so much so that he owns and runs his own live music venue, the excellent “Tower of Song” on Pershore Road South, in Cotteridge, South Birmingham.

He’ll be performing there this Saturday 25th June, singing his own beautifully crafted songs and accompanied by the wonderful cellist Helena Rosewell. Tom’s a mean guitarist too - a man truly at one with his instrument.

It’s only £3 on the door, runs from around 8pm till midnight and there’ll be a support act beforehand - it’s always a lovely atmosphere there too. Well worth checking out. Here’s an idea of what you can expect from Tom and Helena. This is a track called “Slowburner” from Tom’s solo album “Prime Time”:

3 “Slowburner” (3.07) by Tom Martin from the album “Prime Time” (Tom Martin Music)

Beautiful!

Last week I played you some music from African exiles in Canada and the States. This time it’s the turn of Guinean singer Cheka Katenen Dioubate who now lives amongst the snows of Canada. This is a track from her album “Dielilou” entitled “Diagne”. Cheka describes it thus: "Being alone can be painful, but distance cannot change the power of true love. The mere sound of a lover's voice can feel like his kiss".

4 “Diagne” (5.02) by Cheka Katenen Dioubate from the album “Dielilou” (Tamala KCD29081)

Another African resident in a foreign country is the Ivorian musician Aly Keita who plays the balafon - a large wooden marimba-like instrument common in West Africa. Aly now lives in Belgium, but his music evokes timeless images of Africa. Here he teams up with the legendary balafonist Keletegui Diabate for a track off his album “Farafinka” (on the Contre Jour label). This is called “Bamana Folie”:

5 “Bamana Folie” (5.56) by Aly Keita (ft Keletegui Diabate) from the album “Farafinka” (Contre Jour CJ026)

I’ve featured a lot of Malian artists recently, including this next band, and with good reason. We’re all finally waking up to the rich diversity of sounds and traditions and great musicianship within this huge country.

Tamikrest are from northern Mali, where the forests and plains to the south give way to the southern Sahara desert. They are ethnically Tuareg and their music reflects that - although combined with the rock influences so prevalent amongst the younger Tuareg.

You can see them this weekend right here in the UK! They’ll be performing at the “Home Festival” of world music in Dartington, Devon this Saturday - I’m going to cover the festival and I hope to bring back some great music from there for the show. This track is called “Arantane N Tinariwen” from their new album “Toumastin” (Glitterhouse Records).

6 “Arantane N Tinariwen” (3.47) by Tamikrest from the album “Toumastin” (Glitterhouse Records GRCD 721)

And from Malian desert rock to Malian rap. SMOD are a group made up of three young rappers and musicians called Sam, Ousco and Donsky. Originally there was another one, with the initial ‘M’, hence SMOD: S-M-O-D.

Anyway the ex-Radio Bemba performer Manu Chao just happened to be producing the 2005 album “Dimanche a Bamako” by Amadou & Mariam - when he discovered the youngsters jamming on the rooftop of the house. It turned out that one of them was Amadou & Mariam’s son Sam. Manu Chao was so impressed that he produced this, their third album called simply “SMOD”.

They sing in both French and Bambara and their sweet sound often disguises some hard-hitting issues such as this track: “Dirigeants Africaines” which is aimed at corrupt and incompetent African leaders - “Wordy speakers, money eaters, African leaders are like this”

7 “Dirigeants Africains” (3.59) by SMOD from their album “SMOD” (Because Music)

And it’s only right that we acknowledge Manu Chao himself - but as ever with a twist. This is a remix by Sonora of one of Manu’s iconic tracks “Bongo Bong” - this is called “King of the Bongo”.

8 “King of the Bongo” (5.04) by Manu Chao (Sonora Remix)

[CONTINUOUS]

9 “Xamsa Bopp” (4.15) by Super Cayor de Dakar from the album “African Salsa” (Earthworks)

That last track was a load of Mbalax wasn’t it? No, really it was! M-B-A-L-A-X, mbalax. The track was called “Xamsa Bopp” by the Senegalese band Super Cayor de Dakar from the 2006 compilation album “African Salsa” on the Earthworks label. Lovely!

Hakim - full name Abdelhakim Bouromane - is a Moroccan-Spaniard singer, born in Casablanca, now resident in Malaga in Andalusia. Hakim mixes pop, flamenco and arabic music and sings and writes in both Spanish and Arabic, as on this track from his double-platinum 1998 album “Como Suena” (How’s It Sound) - this track is called “Nur Lain” but is more popularly referred to by its hookline “Habibi”.

10 “Nur Lain (Habibi) (4.11) by Hakim from the album “Como Suena” (Sony Epic)

Staying in an arabic mood now we’re going to travel around the other side of the Mediterranean, from Spain and Morocco, eastwards to the Levant and in particular to the country of Lebanon where the next three tracks come from, each one very different, but each one produced by Ghazi Abdel Baki and is on the Forward record label.

And first up is the composer, arranger, guitarist and singer himself, Ghazi Abdel Baki. This is a track from his 2009 album “The Last Communiqué”. The whole album is full of great ideas and interesting sounds. Abdel takes all kinds of influences and puts them into his tracks - you can hear pure funk and jazz, classical and filmscore, rock and blues all blended into music that is still very Levantine and Arabic too.

The track I've selected is called “Majnoun Leyla”. It's based on the legend of Macnun and Leyla of two star-crossed lovers whose families start feuding with each other (sound familiar?) and eventually when Leyla is married off to someone else Mecnun goes mad and wanders about the desert writing poetry until he dies young as does Leyla. Some stories have them dying together, others being buried together and others as them running off together to live in a village in Rajasthan.

The epic story is based on a real life 7th century Bedouin poet Qays ibn al-Mulawwah who fell in love with a certain Layla bint Mahdi ibn Sah'd. The tale was made famous five centuries later by the great Persian poet Nizami. And improbable as this might sound it resonates today because Leyla is the very same woman that appears in Derek and the Dominos (aka Eric Clapton)’s love song “Layla” - the woman who epitomises the forbidden and impossible love. You see, you learn something new every day!

11 “Majnoun Leyla” (3.36) by Ghazi Abdel Baki from the album “The Last Communiqué” (Forward)

Still in Lebanon an oud duet by Charbel Rouhana and Elie Khouri from Gharbel’s meditative labour of love “Doux Zen” an album which took him 3 years to finish. It's also, like the previous track, an album steeped in Arabic passion. As the liner notes by Marcel Khalife say:

"Charbel ... passionately surrenders to the lust of the plectrum and fingers, deeply thrusts himself into the Oud's chest ... a melting resonance where boundaries between the pluck and melody intermingle on the verge of a velvety string, like the body of a woman touched by love ... fingers fall and fondle them, then with the edge of the sharp plectrum, embrace, wound and devour them."

Ooh er, missus! Now then if you don’t know, the oud is an Arabic stringed instrument with 5 pairs of strings and a fat bulging body like a large gourd chopped in half from the top to the bottom. Unlike the electric guitar which is unashamedly male, the curvaceous oud along with the Spanish guitar are seen as very much female in character, to be caressed and stroked in order to coax forth the sweet melodies . . .

I’m currently playing in a band called ‘Flamenco Conspiracy’ where we use the oud alongside Spanish guitar, so I’m getting into this great instrument in a big way. This track is called “Basma”.

12 “Basma” (3.53) by Charbel Rouhana from the album “Doux Zen” (Forward)

And finally before we leave Lebanon here’s a track from the younger generation of Lebanese musicians who, like so many young people around the world, are heavily influenced by rap and hip-hop. This is Fareeq Al Atrash from the album of the same name and a track called “Sharqi”.

13 “Sharqi” (3.39) by Fareeq Al Atrash from the album “Fareeq Al Atrash” (Forward)

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Don’t forget you’re listening to Glyn Phillips and WorldBeatUK, right here on Rhubarb Radio, transmitting from the Custard Factory in Digbeth, Birmingham all over the world. Join me every Wednesday between 7pm and 9pm UK time for 2 hours of the best in world music from the four corners of the globe - yes, I know it’s technically impossible, but it makes for a good phrase doesn’t it . . . !

OK, Imagine we’re going whizzing over the Med, over the Atlantic Ocean, over the Amazon Jungle and up the Andes, higher and higher, above the clouds to the Bolivian altiplano where we will find the Aymara people from the lands around Lake Titicaca.

This next track is not a recent one, there’s no re-issue, no tour, no normal reason for it to appear on radio, apart from the fact that I rather like it and I think you might too. Going back in the 80s and early 90s you might have heard this sort of music a lot more, but (like East European polyphonic choirs) it seems to have gone our of fashion. No matter, I don’t give a stuff about fashion.

The group is called Awatiñas and this track is from their album “El Inka Atahuayllpa” (named after the most famous of the Inca kings). The sub-title to the album is the catchily named Aymara phrase: “Wiñaypachjakapxañanakasakipunirakiwa” (try saying that after 3 bowls of chicha!), which translates as ‘we will live forever’; I knew that Aymara phrasebook would come in useful somewhere!

There are many different indigenous rhythms and music forms in Bolivia, let alone South America and this one is a ‘saya’, which is often associated with Bolivian carnavales and in particular the Caporal dance. I’ve seen this danced in the streets of La Paz - the highest capital in the world - at the Festival of Gran Poder and it’s quite a sight! This track is set in the coca-growing regions of Las Yungas on the side of the Andes where they drop down towards the Amazon jungle and it’s called “En Los Cocales”.

(1) 14 “En Los Cocales” (3.24) by Awatiñas from the album “El Inka Atahuayllpa”

Now, latin americans are world-famous for throwing carnivals and fiestas, aren’t they? But this is how we do it in England. And as yesterday was the Summer Solstice, the longest day in the year (yes, check it out!) I’ll leave you with the idiosyncratic Professor Elemental as he takes a little walk around the vicar’s lawn and prepares for the annual village fete. No, please, this is no laughing matter, in fact: It’s a “Fete Worse Than Death”!

(2) 15 “Fete Worse Than Death” (2.18) by Professor Elemental from the album “More Tea?”

I say, wouldn’t catch those damned Frenchies putting on something so quintessentially English, What?! No, they’d probably mix it up in a gypsy-stylee with a little bit of Arab funny business, if you’ll pardon my French . . .

(3) 16 “Kriss Romani” (4.32) by Swing Gadje from album “Rough Guide to Gypsy Swing” (Rough Guide)

That was a track called “Kriss Romani” by the band Swing Gadje from the compilation album “Rough Guide to Gypsy Swing” (Rough Guide label). And let’s keep with the gypsy mood - but this time moving north from France to Belgium and the Antwerp Gypsy Ska Orchestra this is called “Duj Sandala”.

(4) 17 “Duj Sandala” (3.51) by Antwerp Gypsy Ska Orchestra

Going North again, but just a short distance to Amsterdam where we’ll find the Ot Azoj Klezmer Band and their Molvanian rendition of “Disco Katala”.

(5) 18 “Disco Katala” (4.20) by Ot Azoy Klezmer Band

Nah, I aint finished with the whole gypsy-cum-klezmer-cum balkan thing yet! And I think it’s time to chuck in a little cumbia seasoning too. This is the band La Tirana Caravana and the Add On De Bass remix of “Fanfarri Cumbia”.

(6) 19 “Fanfarri Cumbia” (3.17) by La Tirana Caravana (Add on de Bass remix)

Now then 30 years ago this week back in 1981, a tune was released by a Coventry band that almost more than any other caught the zeitgeist of the time. A harsh, rightwing Conservative Government, massive unemployment, stagnant economy, discontent, anger, violence, poverty and the breakdown of society whilst a certain grocer’s daughter told us “There is no such thing as Society”.

Businesses were going under, shopfronts were all boarded up, inequality was rife, racial tensions were at breaking point, the inner cities were rioting, and everything seemed bleak. The band was The Specials. And the song?

The spectral, haunting “Ghost Town”. In recognition of an iconic piece of music and social history - I give you a remix; this is an Argentine re-imagining of “Ghost Town” by the nu-cumbia pioneers “Fantasma”:

(7) 20 “Ghost Town” (3.23) by Fantasma from the album “Cabeza! 006”

And from some nu-latin music to some nu-flamenco. From Spain the wonderful Canteca de Macao and a tune from their “Camino de la Vida Entera” album (Warner Music Spain) called “Backstage”.

(8) 21 “Backstage” (3.38) by Canteca de Macao from the album “Camino de la Vida Entera” (Warner Music Spain)

OK, nearly at the end of the show now, so let’s have some fun! From one of my favourite remixers around (all the way over in Adelaide, Australia) this is Matty Blades’s re-working of Ray Charles’s “I Got a Woman”.

(9) 22 “I Got A Woman” (2.36) by Ray Charles (Matty Blades remix)

[Shout outs and thankyous and reminders - see separate sheet with events listings]:

From ‘I got a woman’ to a track called “La Mujer Latina” - the latin woman - ¡Ay, que bellas que son! Pues si eres una latina, esto es para ti mujer!

From the compilation album “Salsa Selecta: a taste of Nu-Yorican Latin Flavours” on the Nascente label, this is 6 minutes and 15 seconds of pure joy. Just flow with this tune by the 14-piece all-female band, Latin Fever, produced by Larry Harlow of Fania, as it goes from rumba to latin-rock to samba to salsa before ending in a full-on descarga-style work out on timbales. I love it! Enjoy, mi gente, goza, goza!

(10) 23 “La Mujer Latina” (6.14) by Latin Fever from the album “Salsa Selecta: a taste of Nu-Yorican Latin Flavours” (Nascente)

WorldBeatUK (16th Show) - Broadcast Notes (15/6/11)

Tagged with: WorldBeatUK Glyn Phillips Battlefield Band Rachel Harrington Tanja Tzarovska Perunika Trio Nisos Max Pashm Quiné Kerieva Krar Collective Samuel Yirga Krosscolor Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars Cumbancha Brassafrik Barriobeat Saa Andrew Dartington Home

WBUK16 (15/6/11) - SHOWNOTES

1 "Intro-Mat"by Matchatcha from the album "Nyekesse" (Melodie)

Hi there! You're listening to WorldBeatUK on Rhubarb Radio - I'm Glyn Phillips and I've got two hours of great music lined up for you this evening -including: electroswing from Italy, acapella from Bulgaria, Greco-Turkish fusion from the Czech Republic and americana from, well, America!

There's also a Macedonian chanteuse who sings in English, a British gypsy who sings in Roma, a Portuguese percussionist steeped in Mozambican rhythms, electrified Ethiopian harp, dancehall reggae from Sierra Leone via Canada, soukous from Sierra Leone via the USA and more latino-balkan fusions than you can shake a brass band at!

If that wasn't enough, I've some drum'n'brass afrofusion from Belgium, wonderful ethiojazz from Addis Abbaba, a focus on the music of South America's only English-speaking country Guyana (both jazz and reggae) and the UK's Ska Cubano and DJ Max Pashm jump aboard the Orient Express!

But before all that, welcome to the show and straight up I’m previewing a forthcoming new album from Scotland’s famous folkers - and torchholders for over four four decades for Caledonian Celtic music - The Battlefield Band.

The Battlefielders have recently recruited a new member, multi-instrumentalist highlander, Ewen Henderson and is mostly, as you would expect, traditional Scottish folk music. And very good it is too, although they also do an interesting reinterpretation of an Otis Redding Soul classic, “That’s How Strong My Love Is” as well as tunes from Ireland and Brittany.

The album, called “Line Up” is due to be released on July 25th this year and is on the Temple Records label This is the opening track - a medley of three tunes: “Raigmore”, “Long Run” and “The Clansmen Mourning”:

2 “Raigmore / Long Run/ The Clansmen Mourning” by the Battlefield Band from album “Line Up”) - www.battlefieldband.co.uk

The term ‘americana’ has gained a lot of credence recently as a catch-all for american folk music both modern and traditional. And there’s nothing wrong with that; like terms such as ‘world music’ and ‘salsa’ and ‘jazz’, it’s a useful thumbnail label when approaching an unfamiliar and vast musical territory, or equally for beginning to market and promote complex musical and cultural developments to people who otherwise might run a mile.

Oregon-raised Rachel Harrington’s music can be said to encompass many aspects of ‘americana’ - from traditional folk tunes brought over from Europe and American country laments, to gospel, bluegrass and modern acoustic tales.

Rachel (who by the way has a loyal following over here in the UK due to her acclaimed live performances and is also a close friend of Lindisfarne’s Rod Clements) sings, plays guitar and also guitjo - yes, that’s right, a guitjo: a cross between a guitar and a banjo! I actually own one - I can’t play it, but it makes me feel good just knowing I’ve got one!

This is from her first album “City of Refuge” (Skinny Dennis Records) - a jaunty little tune to get you tapping your feet, called “Truman”.

3 “Truman” by Rachel Harrington from the album “City of Refuge” (Skinny Dennis Records)

Incidentally the album that the last tune was taken from - “City of Refuge” - has been described as “a homage to the people who have slipped through the cracks of modern music: dreamers, thieves, drunkards, sinners and good-old fashioned romantics”. You can find out more about Rachel Harrington at her website: www.rachelharrington.net.

Rachel’s got a new album out at the moment called “Celilo Falls” (Skinny Dennis Records) and from that I’ve chosen a track called “House of Cards”:

4 “House of Cards” by Rachel Harrington (Celilo Falls)

Macedonian singer/songwriter, Tanja Tzarovska, released her latest album “No Record of Wrong” last month. It’s sung entirely in English, has some covers of tunes by people like Nick Drake and Leonard Cohen, etc, but also has elements of East European music floating through it, like a scent caught on the wind. This track is called simply “Home”.

5 “Home” by Tanja Tzarovska from the album “No Record of Wrong” (Amaris River/Cadiz Music)

To the east of of the mountainous state of Macedonia, lies Bulgaria and from there we come across a wonderful tradition of choral acapella groups - especially all-female ones. Going back in the 80s and 90s Bulgarian and East European female groups were all the rage in world music circles (think Trio Bulgarka for instance), but you don’t hear them so often now, but here’s your chance to see what all the fuss was about.

This is a young Bulgarian group called Perunika Trio. Their name stems from the Slavic god of Thunder, Perun and his beautiful young wife Perunika, so beautiful that the Slavs named the Iris after her. The Perunika Trio are well named - and that’s all I’m saying on that point.

Musically, they perform perfect harmonies and hauntingly evocative pieces from the great slavic traditions of Bulgaria, Macedonia and Russia. The girls are based in London now, but that doesn’t detract from the sonic pictures they create of the great plains, vast forests and mountain ranges of Eastern Europe.

They are on extensive tour of the UK this Summer so look out for them - I shall be looking forward to hearing them at the HOME Festival at Dartington, Devon (Fri 24th and Sat 25th June). This is from their album “Introducing… Perunika Trio” and it’s a track called “Rekoh Ti, Tsone”:

6 “Rekoh Ti, Tsone” by the Perunika Trio from the album “Introducing… Perunika Trio” (World Music Network)

And of course, south of Macedonia and Bulgaria lie Greece and Turkey and it’s from here and Asia Minor in general that the next band draw their inspiration. Nisos are a relatively new band formed originally by clarinettist and composer Nikos Koulouris and percussionist and kaval player Tomas Rossi. The name Nisos means 'island' in Greek and refers to the physical and cultural isolation of where the band currently resides in the Czech Republic, far away from their homelands.

However, they carried their passion for the Greek and Byzantine music and culture of Asia Minor with them and have since added lyricist and vocalist Sofia Prusali as well as members who play bouzouki, saz, ney, oud, bass, and Cretan Lyre and Cretan Lute. Their professed aim is to speak to the heart by the means of music, regardless of the language. You be the judge. This track is called “Piji” from their album “Nisos”:

7 “Piji” by Nisos from the album "Nisos"

A final geographical link now in my Eurasian chain: the engine’s steaming, the luggage is firmly strapped onto the racks and the guard’s got his whistle to his lips! All aboard! This is the Night Train to Istambul!!

8 “Istambul (Not Constantinople) (Max Pashm remix) - Ska Cubano - “Ajiaco! the Remix Album”

Well, I enjoyed the ride anyway! That was a 21st Century version of the 1930s classic “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)”, here performed by Ska Cubano but given a remake-over by veteran British remixer Max Pashm, who I’m also looking forward to seeing at the Home Festival in Devon in a couple of weeks.

Now then, from Portugal, Joaquim Teles aka Quiné is a percussionist and composer. This next track is from his 2008 debut solo album called “Da Côr Da Madeira” which loosely refers to ‘wood-coloured music’, in which Quiné uses the Timbila (a Mozambican xylophone) amongst other organic woody sounds to take us on a percussive fusion journey from Portugal to Mozambique. Also on the album are the flautist Paulo Marinho and a quartet of backing vocals. This is called “Maputos”

9 “Maputos” by Quiné from the album “Da Côr Da Madeira” (Quiné - 2008)

Don’t forget you’re tuned into Rhubarb Radio transmitting from theCustard Factory in Birmingham, England. My name’s Glyn Phillips and you’re listening to WorldBeatUK a weekly journey around the globe in search of the best in world music and the sorts of sounds you wouldn’t normally come across on the radio. Don’t forget to join me every Wednesday 7-9pm as I take you around the world in weighty grooves.

Now, over the last couple of weeks I’ve mentioned the Celebrating Sanctuary Festival to be held in London on 19th June on the South Bank as part of Refugee Week, and I’ve ben playing music from some of the musicians taking part in that. Well, to round off my focus on that I’ve got a couple of tracks lined up.

First off is one of the new voices of the UK Roma scene, Kerieva who I understand is of mixed Irish Romany and Manouche gypsy descent. You can find out more about her and the issues she’s passionate about as well as her music at these two sites: www.kerieva.blogspot.com and www.soundcloud.com/kerieva.

Kerieva often sings in Romany and this one’s no exception. It’s from her 2010 album “Stand Aside” on Rala Records and besides Kerieva on vocals, strings, guitar, tacaneo, palmas, harmonium, accordion and Irish harp, the album features Indo-jazzer Arun Ghosh on programming, keys, and clarinet, Rastko Rasic on drums and Dr Das on bass. This is called “Ceraina” (Chera-INa)

(1) 10 “Ceraina” by Kerieva from the album “Stand Aside” (Rala Records CD001 June 2010)

[CONTINUOUS]

(2) 11 “Gurugenya” by the Krar Collective from the album

And that last track was also by a group playing at the Celebrating Sanctuary Festival in London this weekend, the Krar Collective, originally from Ethiopia and now based in London. The krar refers to the Ethiopian harp played there by Temesgen Taraken and with the traditional kebero drums played by Amare Mulugeta and vocals by Genet Asefa. That track was called “Gurugenya”.

And from that funky and electrified, but still quite traditional Ethiopian performance to some right on the money Ethiopian jazz with a dub sensibility.

This is the excellent young Ethiopian pianist Samuel Yirga, who’s part of the brilliant Dub Colossus who I’m very excited about indeed (and have been booked for this year’s Womad at Charlton Park). Samuel’s due to release an album in his own name later on in the year called the Habasha Sessions, so here’s a little taster of how it might sound. This track is called “Habasha Diaspora (Addis Piano Mix)” and I’m majorly loving it! You’ve been told!

(3) 12 Habasha Diaspora (Addis Piano Mix) by Samuel Yirga

[CONTINUOUS]

(4) 13 “Jazz” by Colgrain Whyte

And from one piece of great ethiopian jazziness to a slice of Guyanese jazz pan heaven. That last track was by a steelpan jazzman by the name of Colgrain Whyte who hails from Guyana in South America.

Now Guyana’s one of those countries that many people are not sure where exactly it is or really anything about it. You could be mistaken for thinking it’s in the Caribbean, but it’s actually far away on the Northeastern coast of South America facing the North Atlantic and sandwiched between Venezuela, Brazil and the former Dutch colony of Suriname.

But it seems to look towards the English-speaking Caribbean islands rather than it’s Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch-speaking neighbours for cultural influence. And so soca and reggae are very much in evidence in this large English-speaking outpost as well as indo-guyanese chutney music.

The next track is by Eze Rockliffe also from Guyana and it’s a lovely piece of laid-back reggae from a singer who’s been gently rocking it since the 1970s at least. This track is called “Suki Bajendo”.

(5) 14 “Suki Bajendo” by Eze Rockliffe

[CONTINUOUS]

(6) 15 “No Love” by Tennicia

And at the other end of the age range to Eze Rockcliffe, in the last of my trio of Guyanese musical treats, that was the lovely young singer, Tennicia and a reggae number called “No Love”.

All three of these artists, jazzpan player, Colgrain Whyte, and singers Eze Rockliffe and Tennicia are on Guyana’s own Krosscolor label and agency and you can find out a bit more about them and other artists at www.krosscolor.com.

Ok, ready for some soukous? But this time from Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars. They’re in the UK at the moment and you can catch them on Sunday 19th June at the Africa Oye Festival in Liverpool and also performing in Hull as part of the Refugee Week celebrations there on Wednesday the 22nd June - that’s if you’re not listening to me on my next show!

This is from their last album “Rise and Shine” on the Cumbancha label and a track called “Tamagbondirsu” - get yer dancing shoes on kids! It’s time to soukous!!

(7) 16 “Tamagbondorsu” by Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars from the album “Rise and Shine” (Cumbancha)

[CONTINUOUS]

(8) 17 “Djamaa” by Brassafrik from the album “Brassafrik” (A-Shams)

That was a track called “Djamaa” by the Belgian-based afro-fusion band Brassafrik from their eponymous album on the A-Shams label. With a four-piece African percussion core led by the tama and djembe player Babs Jobo and trombonist Stefaan Blancke heading the 6 piece brass section they create explosive skin and horn dance music.

They’ll also be in the UK this summer - certainly at the Durham International Brass Festival (4-8th July) and you can find out more about them at www.met-x.be

Returning to Sierra Leone for a moment here’s another African refugee making music in a foreign land. This time it’s Saa Andrew Gbongbor a young singer who fled Sierra Leone, spent time in a refugee camp in Gambia and eventually being rehoused in a small Canadian town in New Brunswick.

Saa like so many people around the world has been very influenced by the music of Jamaica and prefers to play a form of dancehall reggae. This is his tune “Butunneh Banda” from the album of the same name.

(9) 18 “Butunneh Banda” by Saa Andrew from the album (Butunneh Banda)

OK we’re heading into the last furlong of the show, so let’s get the party started! A couple of tracks by a remixer whose work I’m really loving at the moment.

This is Rude Hi Fi of Barriobeat fame and a catchy little bit of latinobalkandubrap-ting-and-ting called “Niente Minkia Cacata!” - just grab yourself a dance partner, hold ‘em close, very close and start rocking it, y’hear!

(10) 19 “Niente Minkia Cacata!” (ft Rude Hi Fi & Don Skal by Barriobeat)

[CONTINUOUS]

(11) 20 “Santo Precario” (Balkan Cumbia remix) by Barriokatz/Fat Kat Disco (Barriobeat).

Yeah, yeah, wasn’t that a groove?! Barriobeat’s Balkan Cumbia remix of “Santo Precario”.

Don’t forget you can hear Brummie Ska band the Heels this Sunday 19th June at the Leamington Peace Festival which is a free one-day festival 11am-6pm at the Pump Rooms in Leamington Spa near Warwick.

This is the last one - those Italian electro-retro cool-cats Mixer Pirillo and the Sweet Life Society want you to swing it babies! This is “Artichaut (Chinese Man)”. Enjoy and see y’all next week!

(12) 21 “Artichaut” (Chinese Man) mixer Pirillo edit by The Sweet Life Society

WorldBeatUK (15th Show) - Broadcast Notes (8th June 2011)

Tagged with: WorldBeatUK Glyn Phillips JuJu Frigg Kadialy Kouyate Gnawa Super Khoumeissa Doa Bonovo Balfa Brothers Timbalada Juçara Marçal Kiki Dinucci Luna Itzel Imam Baildi Goy Karamelo Poly Rythmo Rob Roy Ikebe Shakedown Mixticius Songhai Pedro Laza Strut Analog

WBUK15 (8/6/11) SHOWNOTES

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

Hi, this is WorldBeatUK, I’m Glyn Phillips and you’re listening to Rhubarb Radio - coming at you loud and clear from The Custard Factory, Digbeth, Birmingham. Welcome to the show that brings the sound of a planet to your living room.

Lots of goodies on the show tonight, including: some classic world fusion from the 1980s - courtesy of Ketama, Toumani Diabate and Danny Thompson’s Songhai project.

Notwithstanding: kora - a 21-string Senegalese harp, gimbri - a 3-string guitar and ritti - a one-string fiddle.

And how can you resist when Michael Jackson goes Cumbia, Pedro Laza goes Swing, and The Big Apple goes Afrobeat.

As well as all that we’ve got music from Beninese vodoun afrobeat maestros Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo’s last album in 2010 and from their first ever album in 1973, Ghanaian afro-funk from 1977, remixed Greek rembetiko and Serbian hasaposerviko, Mexican waltz, Brazilian rumba & carimbó, samba-reggae from Timbalada, and some classic cajun from the Balfa Brothers.

Sprinkle all that with Medieval tales of Arthurian romance from Spain’s celtic corner as well as contemporary Galician fusion, traditional Takamba music from northern Mali, Gnawa Sufi trance music from Morocco, and some Nordic fiddling and you’ve got the basis of tonight’s show.

However, I’m going to kick off with a band I played last week called JuJu which includes English guitarist/composer Justin Adams (who amongst other things was a member of Jah Wobble’s Invaders of the Heart, produced Tinariwen’s first and third albums and co-wrote Robert Plant’s 2005 album) along with the Gambian singer and one-string fiddle player Juldeh Camara (who has previously been part of Ifang Bondi, has played with the Blind Boys of Alabama and also been part of Tunge Jegede’s African Classical Ensemble).

JuJu also includes Billy Fuller on bass and Dave Smith on drums. This is from their new album (“In Trance” about to be released on Monday 13th June by Real World Records) and it’s a suitably trance-like blues called “Jombajo”:

2 “Jombajo” (6:58) by JuJu (Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara) from album “In Trance” (Real World Records)

And continuing in a suitably laid-back vein I offer you this piece by the nordic string band Frigg (named after the Scandinavian mother goddess and wife of Odin and incidentally where we get the name of Friday from in English) made up of musicians from Norway and Finland, playing between them four fiddles, mandolin, guitar and bass. From their album “Grannen”, this is called “Amurin Tiikeri”:

3 “Amurin Tiikeri” (4:53) by Frigg from album “Grannen” (Frigg00007)

As I said last week, the Celebrating Sanctuary Festival 2011 will be taking place in London on the 19th June on the South Bank, as part of Refugee Week (which is the 20th-26th June) and to flag that up I’m featuring some of the artists involved this week and next. Last week I featured Rory McLeod and this week it’s the turn of Bravo Bravo. Normally this is a duo formed out of the Trinidadian steel pan maestro Fimber Bravo and the Senegalese kora player, Kadialy Kouyate.

This next track is from their album “Small Talk”; however it features just Kadialy on his own on one of his own compositions called “Kilonding” (which means ‘orphan’). The song tells how shortly after giving birth to a son a mother is killed by the King Manfati when she is caught stealing his water. Years later the son goes from village to village searching for the king to take his revenge . . .

4 “Kilonding” (4:22) by Kadialy Kouyate from BravoBravo’s album “Small Talk”

We’re going to go North from Southern Senegal, past Gambia and North Senegal, Mauretania, and Western Sahara to Morocco, where we find the Gnawa musicians of Essaouira. The Gnawa follow a branch of mystical sufi Islam that also incorporates elements of much older West African divinity.

The Gnawa musicians are famous for practising healing rituals and holding ceremonies on the night of the Leela which involve deeply hypnotic trance music led by a master musician or ‘maallem’ and his troupe, assisted by a ‘moqadeema’ female healer, to the melodies of the 3-stringed gimbri, the clapping of hands driving the rhythm forward, the rising and falling chants and the relentless clash of the ‘krakeb’ (the large metal castanets).

In this recording - made during one such healing session in 2003, you can hear the maallem Mokhtar Gania and his ensemble performing “Arrahb Alahmar Essaouria”, part of a much longer piece called “Sidi Hamou”, which represents the butcher who leads the sacrifice, his colour being, of course, blood-red . . .

5 “Arrahb Alahmar Essaouria” (3:14) by Maallem Mokhtar Gania from album Gnawa “Sufi Trance - Music Of Morocco” (Standard Records)

[BEWARE!! ENDS ABRUPTLY! FADE after 3 mins ie about 15 secs before end]

And from one trance-like piece to another - this is Super Khoumeissa a group of six musicians and four dancers from Gao on the banks of the River Niger in Northern Mali. They’ve been around in various formats for around 20 years but this is their first official release. The music they play is known as Takamba (the commonest musical form in Northern Mali) and refers also to the graceful dance which accompanies it. Super Khoumeissa play the heavily amplified three-stringed tahardent, also known as the ngoni (and also very similar to the gimbri of the previous track) alongside huge calabash gourds which they strike a bit like the Indian ghatam pot and are fronted by a female singer, Zerena Maiga.

This track is from a 12” Limited Edition album on the FatCat Records label called “Split Series No 21” due to be released on the 21st of August this year. It’s called the Split Series because they share the album with the LA based vocal and percussion quartet Foot Village who will be touring the UK this July (including Brum’s Hare and Hounds). We’ll have to wait a bit to see Super Khoumeissa who should be accompanying the singer Khaira Arby, but in the meantime this is a track by them called “Khoumeissa”.

6 “Khoumeissa” (6:32) by Super Khoumeissa from album “Split Series #21” (FatCat Records)

[FADE AROUND 2-3 mins max!!]

OK, so far tonight I’ve played a rather laid-back show - which is fine, it’s good to take time to listen to stuff that I could never play in a club situation. So here’s one more reflective piece, before I start to change the gears musically speaking. This is from a new release on the Spanish Fol Musica label (part of the bigger Boa Music España group) which specialises in the music of the Galicia region of North-Western Spain.

Followers of this show will have heard me play plenty of music from this vibrant Celtic region, both traditional and contemporary fusion. So I’ve got two tracks lined up to represent both ends of the musical arc there.

First up is the group Doa who have been around for over 30 years now and tend towards exploring the traditional and ancient musical history of Galicia. They’ve just released a new album called “A Fronda dos Cervos” (The Horns of the Deer) which is entirely devoted to medieval Galician poetry set to music. No don’t run away! It’s good, honestly! This track is based upon the breton lays which deal with the Arthurian legends - in this case the story of Sir Tristan the Irish king Malhout. This track is called “O Maroot”.

7 “O Maroot” (3:28) by DOA from album “A Fronda Dos Cervos” (Fol Musica)

And now the other side of Galician folk music - some fusion from the trio Bonovo - which incidentally was formed by the zanfoñeiro Oscar Fernandez, one of the current members of the last band we just heard, Doa. Oscar plays the zanfoña - a galician hurdy-gurdy - and this is teamed up with accordion and drums and samplers to create a sort of electro-acoustic dancefloor folk reminiscent of early Afro-Celt Sound System, but with a more defined Galician sound.

The track is called “Sexta”, from the self-titled album “Bonovo” (also on the Spanish Fol Musica label). It’s like a cross between folk-rock, prog-rock and jazz-fusion - and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that in my book!

8 “Sexta” (4:03) by Bonovo from album “Bonovo” (Fol Musica)

Well, we’ve had lots of fiddlers already on tonight’s show and this next one is no exception. It’s not a new band or even a new album - I’m just playing this for the sheer love of it - this is for Dylan coz I know he loves cajun music: The Balfa Brothers from Mamou, Louisiana and the “Acadien Two Step”.

9 “Acadien Two Step” (3:09) by Balfa Brothers from album “World of Music Sampler” (Nascente)

Don’t forget you’re listening to WorldBeatUK right here on Rhubarb Radio, transmitting from Birmingham right across the world! If you’ve got an internet connection then we can reach you! My name’s Glyn Phillips and you can join me every Wednesday (7pm-9pm UK time) on a musical journey around the world.

Now, it’s very strange that even though I’ve spent various months in Brazil going back and I was a founder member of various Brazilian music ensembles in Birmingham from the late 80s onwards that I haven’t played a lot of music from there on this show. Well let’s try and redress the balance a bit - though as ever with a bit of a twist.

This next track is from samba-reggae giants Timbalada and one of my favourite numbers of theirs “Beija-Flor” (Hummingbird). Of course with me I always like to put a different slant on things - so this is Timbalada remixed with some ragga lyrics in English (possibly by someone called ‘British Bulldog’ - I just can’t tell, I’ve tried to track it down but to no avail - if you know the answer, contact me); I have no other details apart from it’s taken from the 2000 album “Brazil: The Essential Album” (on the Manteca label):

10 “Beija-Flor” (5:02) by Timbalada from album “Brazil: The Essential Album (Disc 2)” (Manteca)

[CONTINUOUS]

11 “Engasga Gato/Casa Barata” (3:26) by Juçara Marçal e Kiko Dinucci from album “Padê”

OK, that jaunty samba track was by the Brazilian paulistino duo of Juçara Marçal and Kiko Dinucci from their debut album “Padê” (which is a Yoruba word which means ‘finding’ and also refers to the opening ceremony of a candomble session where the first orixa to be called is always Exu the messenger). The track was a mixture of rumba and carimbó made from the medley of two songs “Engasga Gato” and “Casa Barata”.

And from one giant nation of Latin America to another - ¡OYEN! Sres y Sras - vamo’ a Mexico! Sí, Sr. ¿Cómo no? Dele por ‘echo… Llamando a todo’ lo mexicano’ y las mexicanas - desde Tijuana a Cancún - que bellas y riquísimas que son!

Now then, Luna Itzel comes from Mexico and is an interpreter of classic Mexican songs and traditional styles especially the notoriously difficult huapango style (you can look her up at www.lunaitzel.com). However, in the track I’m going to play for you she sings a lilting waltz.

This is taken from her fourth album “Frida Volumen 2 - El Venadito” which is dedicated to Mexico’s most celebrated visual artist the great, nay the legendary, Frida Kahlo. If you’ve never come across the artwork of Frida Kahlo - or indeed her even more unbelievable life story - then I urge you to investigate further.

In the meantime, the beautiful Luna Itzel is going to ensare us with her voice. This is called “La Bruja” (The Witch).

12 “La Bruja” (3:55) by Luna Itzel from album “Frida (Vol 2) - El Venadito” (2008 - Tratore)

[CONTINUOUS]

13 “De Thelo Pia Na Xanarthis” (3:34) by Imam Baildi from album “Imam Baildi” (2007 Emi Greece and 2009 Kukin Music)

[CHANGE CD!!]

You’re listening to WorldBeatUK on Rhubarb Radio with me, Glyn Phillips, taking you on a musical journey around the world from 7pm to 9pm every Wednesday evening.

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The last tune you heard was by the Greek remixers, refixers, producers and bandleaders Imam Baildi. Formed by two brothers Orestis and Lysandros Falireas in the mid-noughties, they specialised in taking old recordings - especially Greek rembetiko ones - and refixing them with a contemporary aesthetic - new rhythms, style clashes, rap overlays, hip-hop, trip-hop, drum & bass etc. Not surprising when you realise that their father owned a record label and shop specialising in old rebetiko.

That track was from their first album called simply “Imam Baildi” which incidentally means the ‘The Fainting Imam’ (or Fainting Priest) and is also the name of a Middle Eastern stuffed aubergine dish! The track was called “De Thelo Pia Na Zanarthis” and features the vocal talents of Meri Lida (aka Mary Linda) and her husband, Greece’s most famous bazouki-player, singer and composer Manolis Hiotis (aka Manolis Chiotis) - all remixed by the Falireas brothers, Imam Baildi.

Since that first album, the brothers have been inundated with requests to form a live band to tour their remixes and so they’ve put that together and also in the meantime worked on a new album called appropriately enough “Cookbook” (EMI Greece). They added more strings to their remixing bows by mashing in Balkan and Latin elements to their Greek rebetiko base. This uptempo Serbian inspired track is called “Ki Allo Hasaposerviko” (which just means ‘yet another hasaposerviko’).

1 (14) “Ki Allo Hasaposerviko” (2:57) by Imam Baildi from album “The Imam Baildi Cookbook” (EMI Greece)

[CONTINUOUS]

2 - Reggae City Ad Jingle (1:05) -

[CONTINUOUS]

3 (15) “Cumbiapunkreggae Party” (4:12) by Goy Karamelo & Los Kangrejos from album “Remedio De Mi Corazon” (Cangrejo Records)

That track was the uplifting and very danceable “Cumbiapunkreggae” from the album “Remedio De Mi Corazon” (Remedy from my Heart) by the Argentinian musician, producer and remixer Goy Karamelo originally from Mendoza, now in Buenos Aires - you can check him out on Soundcloud. And I loved the little nod to La Colegiala in there too!

And talking of Cumbiapunkreggae Party - that seems like a good time to thank everyone that turned up to the Wagon and Horses in Digbeth last Saturday for Subvert where a slew of great reggae and dub DJs played some fabulous tunes and a packed crowd got into the wonderful dub tunes of Relative - very impressive outfit indeed - with special guests including Bongo Damo also turning up on bongo.

In particular I’d like to thank all the people who gave my new band Kilombo a rapturous reception on our debut gig. Relative were not an easy act follow, but we threw ourselves into it - all 9 of us cramped up on the stage and props to Greg for managing to eek some kind of sound from a very difficult situation.

However, you, the crowd just blew us away as we moved from cumbia to rumba to rhythm and blues and jazz and funk and township, bolero and reggae and each time you just hopped, bopped and skanked along to every tune - even the slow ones. And then to not let us leave the stage - even though we’d got no more tunes to play! Too much, guys, too much!

OK, last week I played you a new tune by the Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara and she’s back this week on the show but as a special guest of the great Beninese vodoun afrobeat band Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo who’ve recently released their first new album in about 20 years called “Cotonou Club” (on the Strut Records label). Fatoumata joins them on vocals for this tune called “Mariage/Ou C’est Lui” - this one’s for ma petite soeur Virginie lá en Le Havre avec gros bisous:

4 (16) “Mariage/Ou C'est Lui” (5:05) by Orchestre Poly Rythmo from album “Cotonou Club” (Strut Records)

And from their most recent album to their very first album! This is Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo from 1973. In an exciting development the record label Analog Africa are launching a new series of albums called “Analog Africa - Limited Dance Edition” dedicated to releasing African and tropical records in strictly limited editions which concentrate on single artists that have had an impact on the label in one way or another.

The first two releases feature the first LP of Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo simply entitled “Le 1re album” and also a cosmic compilation by the legendary Ghanaian funkster Rob “Roy” Rainsdorf - usually just referred to as Rob.

Both albums are released on Monday 13th June and I strongly urge you to seek them out. They come as either CDs (as a sixpage digipack) or as a vinyl LP - both distributed by Proper Records and the vinyl also distributed by F-Minor. Don’t forget, these are limited editions - when they gone, they gone!

The first track I’m going to play is by Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo and it’s called “Egni Miton? Nin Mi Na Wa Gbin” (Analog Africa)

5 (17) “Egni Miton? Nin Mi Na Wa Gbin” (6:13) by Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou from album “The First Album”

[CONTINUOUS]

6 (18) “Boogie On” (4:15) by Rob "Roy" Raindorf from album “Funky Rob Way” (Analog Africa)

Yep, you just heard the Ghanian funky afrobeat maestro Rob “Roy” Raindorf and a track called “Boogie On”.

And that’s exactly what we’re going to do - this is a band I also played last week called Ikebe Shakedown from Brooklyn, New York, who play some really shit-kicking funk, boogaloo and afrobeat! This track’s from their eponymous album and it’s called “Sakonsa”:

7 (19) “Sakonsa” (2:32) by Ikebe Shakedown from album “Ikebe Shakedown” (Ubiquity)

Right, anybody wanna dance? Let’s get this party started! One of my favourite cumbiamberos Pedro Laza with his Pelayeros and a Mixticius cumbia-swing remix of the track “Cójeme La Caña” . . .

8 (20) “Cójeme La Caña” (3:00) by Pedro Laza Y Sus Pelayeros (Mixticius remix)

Now, didn’t that do you the world of good!? Certainly did it for me. This is almost the last track so let’s keep grooving and dancing - in fact as Mixticius has it in this fabulous cumbia crash-up: don’t stop till you get enough!

9 (21) “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” (2:55) by Mixticius

That’s the end of the show, boys and girls, hope you enjoyed it.

[Shout-outs, reminders, etc]

I’m going to leave you with a slice of classic world music history - well in my mind at least. At the beginning of the 90s three different cultures got together to search out common ground together - the young Spanish flamenco group at the head of the nu-flamenco movement, Ketama, the jazz and folk double-bassist with the amazing warm sound, Danny Thompson of Pentangle fame and the as then little-known, in Europe at least, Malian musician Toumani Diabate and his then very unusual african harp, the kora.

What they created still stands the test of time - two beautiful, life-affirming records Both called Songhai. Although I love the first album, this is from the second album (“Songhai 2”) and also reunites Ketama with their former vocalist José Soto and includes Keletigui Diabate on the marimba-like balafon.

This track’s called “Sute Monebo” (which translates as ‘Shouting Won’t Raise the Dead’) and it’s going out to Big Neil and to Dylan and to all those who love great world music. Good night all and sweet dreams!

10 (22) “Sute Monebo” (4:56) by Ketama, Toumani Diabate & José Soto from album “Songhai 2” (Hannibal Records)

WorldBeatUK (14th Show) - Broadcast Notes (1st June 2011)

Tagged with: WorldBeatUK Glyn Phillips Rory McLeod Owiny Sigoma Fatamouta Diawara Saucejas Dagadana Los de Abajo Ikebe Shakedown Olufemi Vieux Farka Toure Barbad Gil Scott Heron Cedric Brooks Omi Akwaaba Karlon Rootsmamas Babayaga Canelason Pornoson Brownout

WBUK14 (1/6/11) - PLAYLIST

1 “Intro-Mat” (1:47) by Matchatcha from album ‘Nyekesse (Aimer La Danse)’ (Melodie)

You’re listening to Rhubarb Radio, my name’s Glyn Phillips and welcome to WorldBeatUK - 2 hours of the best world music from around the globe. Coming up on the show tonight we’ve got music from the USA, France, Spain, Jamaica, Iran, Portugal, Mali, South Africa, Kenya, Mexico, Sweden, Poland, Latvia, Russia and the UK. So stay tuned to WorldBeatUK as I take you around the world in weighty grooves . . .

Now first off a little plug for a gig that’s happening right here in Birmingham, this Saturday the 4th June - just around the corner from where I’m sitting in the Custard Factory in Digbeth, Birmingham - at the Wagon & Horses, Adderley Street. I’ve been rehearsing with a new nine-piece band recently called Kilombo and it will be our debut gig. The band plays a mixture of afro-centric based musics including merengue ska, soca-cumbia, bolero, bossa, rumba, jazz-funk and rhythm & blues and we formed it just for some fun - the chance to play the music we like without having to fit into some kind of marketing label.

If you fancy coming along, then the night starts at 8, goes on till 3am and will also feature dub band Relative and a fistful of DJs including Skeleton, Marc Reck, the Jam Jah DJs and more. And it’s all FREE!

For a little taste of what Kilombo play, here’s one of the tunes we’re going to be performing on Saturday. This is a ska version by the St Petersburg Ska-Jazz Review of the Zimbabwean classic “Skokiaan”:

2 “Skokiaan” (3:23) by St Petersburg Ska-Jazz Review from album “Too Good To Be True” (Megalith Records)

Another plug now, this time for the Celebrating Sanctuary Festival 2011 in London on the 19th June on the South Bank. As the name suggests it refers to raising awareness of the plight of refugees during Refugee Week (which takes place 20th -26th June). I’ll be featuring some of the artists involved in the Festival over the next couple of weeks or so on this show and first up is the UK’s Rory McLeod.

He carries with him that same mixture of idiosyncracy and integrity as people like Ash Mandrake, Roy Harper etc. I think it’s safe to say that Rory is an underground legend. Described variously as an amazing folk artist, traveller, troubadour extraordinaire and a one-man folk orchestra, Rory plays a multitude of instruments including trombone, harmonica, spoons, djembe, bandorea, guitar, finger-cymbals and tapshoe-driven stomp-box! He’s played and recorded with people like Ani Di Franco, Taj Mahal, Kathryn Tickell and Ali Farka Toure amongst many others.

I had the pleasure of performing with him back in the 90s right here in Birmingham - a great musician, and a true gent to boot. Luckily for us here in Brum he’s come down from the Orkneys and will be performing next month at the Kitchen Garden Café, Kings Heath, courtesy of World Unlimited. I urge you to go along - you will be drawn into his unique world and emerge with your senses buzzing. And talking of buzzing - this is Rory McLeod and a track from his new album (“Swings and Roundabouts”) called “Lassooing the Bees”!

3 “Lassooing the Bees” (4:00) by Rory McLeod from the album “Swings and Roundabouts” (Talkative Music - Talk004)

Wasn’t that fun! OK yet another plug now! Over the last few weeks I’ve been playing material from the debut album of an anglo-kenyan band called Owiny Sigoma. They are having their inaugural concert on Monday June 6th at Café OTO in Dalston, London. So here’s a track from their album - also called Owiny Sigoma, on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings label - this is a tune sung in English called “Here On The Line”.

4 “Here On the Line” (4:12) by Owiny Sigoma Band from album ‘Owiny Sigoma Band’ (Brownswood Recordings)

Meanwhile over in West Africa we come across the Cote D’Ivoire born, Mali raised singer Fatoumata Diawara (who I first came across last year singing backing vocals on the AfroCubism CD). Fatoumata will be playing the support slot for AfroCubism at their Royal Albert Hall concert on 27th June this year, but in the meantime here’s a preview from her forthcoming album (“Fatou”) to be released by World Circuit in September. This track is called “Kanou” and it’s just been released as an EP on digital download (check iTunes, Amazon, etc).

5 “Kanou” (3:56) by Fatoumata Diawara from EP ‘Kanou’ (World Circuit)

Ok let’s leave Africa for a while, and travel far to the North of Europe to the Baltic Sea for the next few numbers. First up is a choir called Saucejas from the small country of Latvia sandwiched between Lithuania and Estonia. They specialise in choral folk music and this tune is called “Nekukoji, Dzeguzite” which translates as ‘Stop calling, Cuckoo’.

6 “Nekukoji, Dzeguzite” (Stop Calling, Cuckoo) (2:50) by Saucejas from album ‘Native Music 5 - Latvia’ (Latvian Music Information Centre)

Just down from Latvia and Lithuania is Poland where you can find the young folk-pop trio Dagadana (formed by Dagmara Gregorowicz and Dana Vynnytska). A few months ago I featured them in an article that I wrote for WorldMusic.co.uk on the state of Polish world music after hearing their album “Malenka” (Offside Records 005) which was awarded the Polish Fryderyk Award for Folk/World Album of the Year 2010.

They’ve just contacted me to tell me about their forthcoming album “Dlaczego Nie” (which translates as “Why Not?”) and to share the first single from the album : “Wszystkie Maja Po Chlopoku” (Every girl has a man) which is their innovative and very jazzy take on a folk song sung to them by their mothers when they were just kids. The album won’t be released until Autumn, but here’s a taste of what they do.

7 “Wszystkie” (Every Girl Has a Man) (4:13) by Dagadana from album ‘Dlaczego Nie (Why Not?)’

Meanwhile on the other side of the Baltic Sea lies Sweden. This next band is a trio formed by Pelle Björnlert on Fiddle, Johan Hedin on Swedish nyckelharpa and Eric Pekkari on zither, two-accordion and fiddle. They tend to specialise in very old Swedish folk music and this is no exception. This tune is called “Flageolettpolska”.

8 “Flageolettpolskan” (2:58) by Pelle Björnlert, Johan Hedin & Erik Pekkari

Staying in Sweden but with a far more contemporary approach to folk is the duo Jonas Knutsson and Johan Norberg. In fact it’s almost folk-jazz, especially because for this album they’re joined by the wonderful German double bassist Eva Kruse who contributes this piece of Bavarian folk to their repertoire. This is called "Schwarzer Bua”.

9 “Schwarzer Bua” (3:15) by Jonas Knutsson & Johan Norberg from album ‘Skaren: Norrland III’ (Act)

OK, enough Nordic intensity for the moment - let’s have some fun. Everybody aboard the long-haul flight to Mexico City for the next one - Mexico’s ska-punk rebels Los de Abajo (Those From Below) and a rather groovy track full of swagger and street attitude called, naturally enough, “Actitud Calle”:

10 “Actitud Calle” (4:59) by Los De Abajo from the album “Actitud Calle” (Wrasse Records)

And from one great New World metropolis to another, New York! But maybe not as you expect. Most people associate afrobeat with West Africa - especially Nigeria and Ghana, but this next band are from the Big Apple itself and mix very, very convincing afro-beat with afro-funk, cinematic soul, deep disco and boogaloo that features a mighty horn section anchored by tight deep-pocketed grooves. The band - from Brooklyn - is called Ikebe Shakedown, the album is also called “Ikebe Shakedown”, it’s on the Ubiquity record label and this track is called “Asa-Sa”:

11 “Asa-Sa” (5:06) by Ikebe Shakedown from album ‘Ikebe Shakedown’ (Ubiquity)

[CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS]

12 “Ori Mi” (5:03) by Olufemi from album ‘Just In Newtown’

[ - Change CD! - Change CD! - ]

The last track was by the South African based, Nigerian saxophonist and composer, Olufemi from his debut album “Just in Newtown” and a track called “Ori Mi”.

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Now, there can’t be many world music fans who haven’t heard of Ali Farka Toure the Malian guitar maestro who was very much responsible for the initial successes of British record label World Circuit. Ali died 7 years ago, however, in that time his son Vieux Farka Toure has gradually emerged from the giant shadow of his father to become a respected musician in his own right.

Last year he performed to a television audience of a billion people in Johannesburg, South Africa during the World Cup. Vieux will be performing in the UK next month - 16th July at the Larmer Tree Festival and 30th July at Womad in Charlton Park.

Vieux has a new album out next month on the 4th July on the Six Degrees record label. It’s produced by Soulive’s Eric Krasno and features contributions from Derek Trucks of the Allman Brothers, John Scofield and Dave Matthews. The album is called “The Secret” and I have a preview of one of the songs right here for you. This track features Derek Trucks and is called “Aigna”:

(1) 13 “Aigna” (Feat. Derek Trucks) (4:53) by Vieux Farka Touré from album ‘The Secret’ (Six Degrees)

[CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS]

(2) 14 “Duet Flamenco” (2:13) by Vahid Hajikamali from album ‘Duet Flamenco’ (Barbad Records)

You just heard a track called “Duet Flamenco” from an album of the same name from - of all places - Iran! I have next to no details apart from the name Vahid Haji-kamali and that it was released by Iran’s Barbad Records sometime between 2007 and 2009. But I like it!

Also from my same Persian sampler is the following excerpt, originally from a soundtrack album for the box-office breaking Iranian film “M for Mother”, the music for which was composed by Arya Aziminejad who has worked with people like Peter Gabriel and Jocelyn Pook. This is called “As Time Goes By”:

(3) 15 “As Time Goes By” (1:43) by Arya Aziminejad from album ‘M For Mother’ (Barbad Records)

So beautiful and wistful and sad!

And here’s some sad news. It is with a profound sense of loss that I have to report the death on Saturday last of the great poet and singer Gil Scott Heron. He died at the age of 62 after returning from Europe from a virus, I think, that he picked up over here. A young age to die, but a man who in his years did as much as any and more than many to raise the consciousness of all those that came across his music and message.

A man of deep thought and incisive observation, Gil crafted magnificent opuses of life-changing and life-affirming positivity which he often set against minimal percussion and backing. The internet has been awash since Saturday when the news broke of his death with people of all ages and backgrounds testifying to the effect that Gil had on their lives, me amongst them.

The teacher is dead, but his lesson goes on. For a world music show like this, what other song than his reggae-based homage to the power of music and word; from the 1983 album “Reflections”, this is “Storm Music”:

(4) 16 “Storm Music” (4:59) by Gil Scott-Heron from album ‘Reflections’ (Sony)

[CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS]

(5) - Reggae City Ad Jingle (1:05)

[CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS]

(6) 17 “Mun-Dun-Gu” (3:16) by Cedric Brooks (Bamboo)

That last majestic track was “Mundungu” by the Jamaican saxophonist and flautist Cedric Brooks famous for his work with The Skatalites, The Light of Saba and - of course Count Ossie’s rasta outfit the Mystic Revelation of Rastafari. Cedric recorded that track under the moniker Sound Dimension - and it’s a killer! “Mundungu”!

If you like that track, then you can hear it played live by my new band, El Combo Kilombo, which - as I mentioned at the top of the show - is playing its debut gig at the Wagon & Horses, right here on Adderley Street, Digbeth in Birmingham this Saturday 4th June.

Kilombo play a mixture of musics from afrocentric bases including soca-cumbia, merengue-ska, nyabinghi-reggae, Township-jazz, bolero, rumba, bossa, jazz-funk and rhythm & blues.

It’s a free event starting at 8pm and going on till about 3am; it’s called Subvert and besides Combo Kilombo there’s the live dub band “Relative” and DJs including Rhubarb’s very own DJ Marc Reck, as well as Skeleton the Jam Jah DJs Robin Giorno and Bongo Damo as well as Christy, Dodgy Greg and Stalingrad - so there’ll be plenty of Reggae and Dub magic to keep you happy - and it’s all FREE! Yep not a penny on the door!

Ok, let’s go to Jamaica and to a new artist - to me at any rate. This is Omi who’s just been signed to Clifton Dillon’s Shang Records label and a love song called “Cheerleader”:

(7) 18 “Cheerleader” (2:56) Omi (Shang Records)

Now, the Akwaaba record label have been very active recently and one of their recent projects was to celebrate last week’s Africa Day which took place on the 25th of May. They decided to release an EP called “Mama Africana” in homage to one of the most emblematic figures of Africa - the Woman, the mother with her baby on the back carrying and selling goods, bringing food to the table at the end of the day.

Mpula from the band Batida took a hook from a classic 1960s Angolan Semba “There Goes Maria” and then challenged some of his favourite MCs to build a poem around this concept. The three versions selected are on the EP.

Here’s the contribution of Portuguese afro-rapper Karlon (aka Kota K) who talks about the generosity of the women in his life and his neighbourhood, mostly immigrants from Cape Verde.

This is “Lá Vai Maria” - There Goes Maria:

(8) 19 “Lá Vai María” feat. Karlon (3:36) by Batida from EP ‘Mamã Africana’ (Akwaaba)

Here’s an interesting cumbia refixed by Goy Karamelo; originally by the Barcelonian duo of Susana Abellán and Diana Feria - better known as the Rootsmamas, whose philosophy is “Life is simple, all is love, enjoy in peace”. And you can’t say fairer than that! This is “La Trampa”

(9) 20 “La Trampa” (4:04) by Rootsmamas (Goy Karamelo refix)

A nice bit of cumbia-pop there. And now some Balko-Klezmer fusion from Clermont Ferrand - this is a track called “Yvan Oreille D’Ours” by the French band Babayaga:

(10) 21 “Yvan Oreille D’Ours” (3:22) by Babayaga from “1er Album”

Staying with the French connection this is a track by the French latin-hip-hop band Canelason from their album “Sin Pasaporte” (without passport) and a track featuring Racko, called “La Rumba”. Let’s see if this gets you in the mood for moving . . .

(11) 22 “La Rumba” (Featuring Racko) (3:31) by Canelason from album ‘Sin Pasaporte’

OK, almost at the end of the show. And appropriately enough - since this is going to be the XXX rated part . . . 'What’s he going on about?' I can hear you thinking.

Well this next band are from New York and started out as a salsa and timba band led by the Cuban bassist and timbero Danny Rojo; however after a few years of playing standard fare, Danny started changing the lyrics of their tunes in the heat of the moment whilst doing gigs and, shall we say, ‘spicing’ up the words and commenting on the dancers in front of him. His new lyrics really added to the sexually charged atmosphere on the dancefloor and went down well with their fans.

From that moment they’ve never looked back and so they changed their name to Pornoson. Yep, that’s what I said, Pornoson. Just be careful when you’re googling it - you might get more than you bargained for… missus! Their stage show apparently makes Cuban timba legends, La Charanga Habanera look like choirboys - which makes the mind boggle, since I saw La Charanga Habanera on a couple of occasions in the 90s and can attest to their effect on the libido!

For those of a delicate disposition, fear not - it’s all in Spanish - so you’re safe (or deprived, judging on how you see it!) unless you’re a Spanish speaker in which case: disfruta a las delicias de la salsa pornografica! However, the music - which they describe as afro-cuban funk rock - is good quality whatever your attitude to the lyrics including people like Eddie Venegas on trombone and violin, Batanga on tres and electric guitars and the great Luisito Quintero on drums and percussion. So here you go, great music, raunchy lyrics - this is Danny Rojo y su Pornoson and “Nena La Playera”. Enjoy!

(12) 23 “Nena La Playera” (5:50) by Pornoson from album “Ah Sing Are” (Dan Red Music)

OK, that’s it for this week. Thanks . . .

(Shoutouts, don’t forget Kilombo at Wagon & Horses this Saturday, etc)

I’m going to leave you now with a wonderful bit of descarga workout from Texan latin funksters Brownout - this track is “Homenaje” from the album of the same name. Trust me, this is some serious groove. Good night!

(13) 24 “Homenaje” (3:28) by Brownout from abum "Homenaje" (Freestyle Records)

WorldBeatUK (13th Show) - Broadcast Notes (25/5/11)

Tagged with: WorldBeatUK Glyn Phillips Rhubarb Vampisoul Chico Trujillo La Big Landin Palmeras Kanibales Hamilton Loomis Roger Innis Jamie Little Sondorgo Lena Kovacevic Joanne Vance Sexto Sentido Olufemi Hijaz Va Fan Fahre Zephyrus Ieye Yeska Gypsy Sound System Strut

WBUK13 (25/5/11) Show Notes

1 “Intro-Mat” (1:47) - Matchatcha - ‘Nyekesse’ (Melodie)

You’re tuned into Rhubarb Radio, I’m Glyn Phillips, and you’re listening to WorldBeatUK - two hours of the best world music from around the globe!

On the show tonight - for your delectation and delight - I’ve got music from Cuba, Texas, Serbia, Nigeria, Belgium, South Africa, Ecuador, Hungary, Jamaica, Ghana, South Africa, Iran, California and Poland.

But we’re kicking off tonight with a couple of tracks from some re-issue compilation albums that I’ve been featuring over the last couple of weeks. The first track is from the album “Highlife Times Vol 2” which features Highlife music from Ghana and Nigeria from the 1950s and 1960s. It’s a compilation on the Spanish Vampisoul label and this track is a fusion of Highlife and Charanga by the band the Ramblers International, it’s called “Muntie”.

2 “Muntie” (5:21) - The Ramblers International - ‘Highlife Times Vol 2’ (Vampisoul)

Same vein, but this one’s from the album ‘Nigeria 70: Sweet Times, Afro-Funk, Highlife & Juju from 1970s Lagos‘ on the Strut Records label and this is Ali Chunkwumah and his Peace Makers International and a number entitled “Henrietta”.

3 “Henrietta” (4:40) - Ali Chunkwumah & His Peace Makers International - ‘Nigeria 70: Sweet Times’ (Strut)

Well you don’t have to go to Nigeria or Ghana to hear some good highlife or afrobeat because Holland’s very own Mdungu have got it going on over here in Europe. This is the title track of their album on the Zimbraz label. Afro What!?

4 “AfroWhat!?” (4:55) - Mdungu - ‘Afro What!?’ (Zimbraz)

[CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS]

5 “Los Luchadores Jump” (4:42) - Los Flamers feat. House of Pain (Le Cumbianche Disco Remix)

That was a little bit of glitch-cumbia from Los Flamers featuring House of Pain called “Los Luchadores Jump” - all about the Mexican wrestling phenomenon known as ‘lucha libre’ where fat blokes dressed in silly costumes and lycra-covered faces jump around all over each in heavily choreographed performance-fights . . .

Nothing new to those us of brought up on Saturday afternoon British Wrestling during the 1960s and 70s through the likes of Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks, Mick McManus, Catweazle and of course, the Mystery Man himself: Kendo Nagasaki! (or just plain old Peter Thornley to his neighbours!)

Ok sticking with some wonderfully cheesy cumbia now, this is another example of the new wave of cumbia from South America’s Southern Cone countries - in this case, Chile’s Chico Trujillo - one of the leaders in la cumbia chilombiana and latin ska. This track is from their album "Chico de Oro" (Golden Boy) and a number entitled “Sombrero”:

6 “Sombrero” (4:48) - Chico Trujillo - ‘Chico de Oro’

Like many people who listen to this programme, I like me ska. Oh yes! I’m not a big fan of the 3rd wave of ska - the sort of million-miles an hour, shouty-punky stuff; I much prefer first wave Jamaican ska - more laid back: sort of Skatalites, Jackie Mittoo, Don Drummond, you know who I’m talking about.

However, there’s some great stuff, now coming out of South America, so I offer you a couple of bands from Venezuela. First up from their 2007 album “Skaterriza” is La Big Landin Orquesta and a piece of latin ska based on a very old Brazilian choro tune called “Proezas de Solon”:

7 “Proezas De Solon” (4:02) - La Big Landin Orquesta - ‘Skaterriza’

[CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS]

8 La Culebra (4:02) - Palmeras Kaníbales - ‘La Ruta’

So, first up was La Big Landin Orquesta from Venezuela and “Proezas de Solon”; and after that the wonderful Palmeras Kaníbales also from Venezuela, and from their 2006 album “La Ruta” an old Cuban tune called “La Culebra”. Wasn’t that magnificent! Just the kind of band I’d love to see live.

Talking of which, after last week’s show I went up to the Adam and Eve pub right here in Digbeth to see a band on spec that I’d never seen before. I knew the bass player, the highly talented and very funny Roger Innis - who I’d spent the afternoon doing photoshoots with, along with the rest of our new band The Funkawallahs - more of which in weeks to come! - and he’d said he was playing that evening with a blues/funk/rock band and to come along after my show.

And boy, oh boy, was I glad that I did! The band consisted of Roger Innis on bass, Birmingham’s own Jamie Little on drums and two Americans - a Mr Strat Doyle on sax and the most excellently named Hamilton Loomis from Texas on guitar, vocals and gob-iron (that’s harmonica for those of you who don’t come from the Black Country!). Easily, but easily one of the best live bands I have seen in years . . . Easily!

What a night! The band were tighter than a duck’s backside - and that’s watertight! The sax player could almost have blown up an entire tornado in the pub and Hamilton was just outstanding. Perfect. Just perfect, in everything he did. Half the crowd there were excellent Brummie musicians themselves - enough to form 3 or 4 more bands - a tough crowd under normal circumstances; but this band were just stupidly good!

And it was all free!! Honestly, Brum’s a great place for music - you jus’ gotta search it out. I won’t go on, except to say that this next track is by the aforementioned Hamilton Loomis Band from their album “Live in England” (on Ham-Bone Records). Obviously, as with all live recordings, it is but a pale imitation of the real experience, but it’s all I got. This is called “Best Worst Day”.

9 Best Worst Day (4:23) - Hamilton Loomis Band - ‘Live In England’ (Ham-Bone Records)

You’re listening to WorldBeatUK right here on Rhubarb Radio, with me Glyn Phillips bringing you 2 hours of great world music every Wednesday evening between 7-9pm UK time.

From Digbeth to Dakar, from Birmingham to Belgium, from England to Ecuador WorldBeatUK brings a whole planet to your ears!

[mention ChatnGo/Facebook, shout-outs etc]

Söndörgo are a group from Hungary and this is taken from the forthcoming album “Tamburising: Lost Music Of The Balkans” on the World Village UK label. The release date for this has recently been confirmed as 27th June 2011 here in the UK on CD and digitally worldwide.

Their trademark instrument is the tambura - not the stringed drone instrument of Indian music - but a small mandolin-like instrument of the Serbian and Croatian communities resident in Hungary. In fact the band’s whole sound is distinct from the usual fiddle-led line-up of Hungarian tradition. This track is called “Opa Cupa”:

10 Opa Cupa (3:48) - Söndörgõ - ‘Tamburising: Lost Music Of The Balkans’ (World Village UK)

Yep, the wonderful traditional sound of the balkan tambura and vocals as played by Söndörgö from their album “Tamburising: Lost Music of the Balkans”. Well, I’m going to play three rather beautiful contemporary tracks from female singers now.

Staying in the Balkan area, the first one is an artist I played last week, the lovely Serbian singer Lena Kovacevic. Last time I played her singing in Srpksi; but she’s also pretty nifty in English too! So this is from her 2009 English language album “Haunt Me” and a jazzy track called “Shine Your Light”.

11 “Shine Your Light” (4:18) - Lena Kovacevic - ‘Haunt Me’

Lovely! Now, this next artist is the Ecuadorian singer, guitarist and composer Joanne Vance (not to be confused with the English painter of the same name). Yes, I know, it’s not the most hispanic sounding of names, but whilst her mother is Ecuadorian born and bred, her father was from North America.

Joanne makes mature jazz-tinged music which I would call pop, except that her songs have a greater depth and resonance than what you would normally expect from that term. You can hear the influences of people such as Ani DiFranco, Tori Amos, Jeff Buckley etc on the one hand and South America’s homegrown acoustic rockers such as the Argentinians Luis Alberto Spinetta and Pedro Aznar (both of whom I used to listen to back in the 80s) on the other.

But be under no illusions, this is no throwback or copycat music; Joanne is very much her own boss and this comes over in the confidence of her delivery and the maturity of her compositions. She’s a complete modern woman.

Which for me, is a strange thing to come to terms with since, I have to confess, I used to know her when she was just 10 years old (some 20 or so years ago!). Joanne and her sister Carrie and their lovely mother, Cecilia spent a year or so living right here in Birmingham whilst Ceci studied at the University. Jo’s mother would come along to the now legendary latin all-nighters at Los Andes where I cut my teeth DJing in the late 80s/early 90s. Happy times indeed.

So I was stunned when after two decades I made contact with Ceci and realised that little Jo (all goofy glasses and braces on her teeth when I knew her) had grown up - and to be a wonderful musician too.

So, I think they are listening to the show right now, out there in one of my favourite cities of the world, Ecuador’s capital, Quito - the second highest capital on the planet - way up in the South American Andes. Pues, chicas, Jo, Carrie y Ceci - besos de mi, saludos desde Birmingham y espero vertes un dia de estes!

This track is from her album “Silencios Incómodos” (Uncomfortable Silences) and it’s called “Versión Editada”:

12 “Versión Editada” (3:42) - Joanne Vance - ‘Silencios Incómodos’

[ CHANGE THE CD OVER!! - CHANGE THE CD OVER!! ]

Beautiful! Joanne Vance from Ecuador. You can find out more about Joanne from her website: www.joannevance.net.

And now the third in my trilogy of lush female singers. This time we’re going North from Ecuador to the Caribbean and touching down in La Habana, Cuba. And that’s where we’ll find one of my absolute favourite bands of the moment, the four girl vocal phenomenon that is Sexto Sentido (Sixth Sense in English).

I’ve played them quite a bit on this radio show and on the one I used to co-present before, and shall continue to do so. Quality is quality and these girls have it by the bucketful. They’re currently riding high in Cuba after having had their single “Guajiro” at No 1 in the Cuban charts for 7 weeks - which I also played on my last show.

Just to let you know the music you’re hearing is a UK exclusive - I’m the only person to be allowed to broadcast the music from their forthcoming album in this country, after hearing and writing about the band when I met them last year in Copenhagen.

Sexto Sentido are four Cuban singers and multi-instrumentalists, composers, arrangers to boot. Very, very talented ladies indeed. Oh, and beautiful too! You can read my review of their concert at Charlie Scott’s Jazz Bar in Copenhagen at www.worldmusic.co.uk/reviews if you want.

In the meantime this is from the soon to be released album “The Way” - which they’ve produced entirely themselves and is a mixture of lush, complex and sophisticated self-penned English and Spanish songs in a variety of styles. This is a jazzy bossa entitled “En Tu Cuerpo” (In Your Body):

(1) 13 “En Tu Cuerpo” (4:08) - Sexto Sentido - ‘The Way’

Sexto Sentido there from Cuba - and definitely more from them in the weeks to come.

OK, let’s move on and get some more Highlife dancing music in. This is an old track from West Africa - Ghana’s Melody Aces (not to be confused with the Belfast dance band of the same name!) from the album “Stars of West Africa - Highlife Hits” and a lovely lilting track - probably from the 1950s or maybe early 60s - called “Emase Puro O” [ ‘émashay puro-oh’]:

(2) 14 “Emase Puro O” (2:48) - Melody Aces - ‘Stars of West Africa - Highlife Hits’

Now, this next track popped onto my mat a few days ago entirely unsolicited and I thought, ‘Ok? Let’s see’. And what a pleasant surprise it was. The artist is called Olufemi, originally from Lagos, Nigeria and now operating out of South Africa - a singer, saxophonist and composer - and plays what he calls African South West Fusion. This is Olufemi’s debut album; it’s called “Just in Newtown” (referring to a part of Johannesburg I think).

It’s a good album, with a variety of musical styles - although I’m not yet sure whether that is its strength, or its weakness. It goes from straightahead jazzy soprano sax pieces (which wouldn’t sound out of place on a David Sanborn or Kenny G album - or at times even like Brum’s own Alvin Davis or Julian Smith aka Joolz Gianni) - right up to soukous-tinged dance pieces and afrobeat-fused workouts. Definitely a pan-african approach to his music.

However, the musicianship is good and there’s some very enjoyable tracks on it - including this one, which has a distinctly South African flavour. This is Olufemi and a track called “Thando Lwami”:

(3) 15 “Thando Lwami” (4:12) - Olufemi - ‘Just In Newtown’

Change of flavour and place on these next few tracks. I’ve been digging into my Persian music albums recently and came up with these offerings from a sampler entitled “Persia: Ancient Roots of Music”. The first piece is called “Agitation” and is by Kazem Davoudian from his album “Pearl”.

(4) 16 “Agitation” (2:02) - Kazem Davoudian - ‘Pearl’

[CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS]

(5) 17 “Blue of Dream” (2:02) - Farivar Kosrhavi - ‘Abi-e Ro’ya’

The track you just heard was by the Iranian Farivar Kosrhavi from his album “Abi-e Ro’ya” and translates as “Blue of Dream”.

Moving from Iran, but still staying in the Middle East by association is this next piece, by the band Hijaz. This is a six-piece group based in Belgium but consisting of various nationalities and cultural influences. Their music draws upon North Africa, The Mediterranean, India, the Middle East and European jazz traditions and infuses their latest album with a richness and a palette of flavours which allows them to endlessly serve up tantalisingly different musical courses.

This is probably the most jazzy piece I’m playing tonight and features the piano of Greco-Belgian Nico Deman - but for the non-jazzers amongst you, don’t let that put you off. It’s very accessible still - there’s some great oud playing from Moufadhel Adhoum and Indian tabla pitted against kit drums and bass as well. This piece is called "Mr J.P.S." from Hijaz’s album “Chemsi” (which means Sun) on the Belgian Zephyrus label.

If you’re in London or the South East of England this weekend you can actually see Hijaz live in concert at the Union Chapel, London this Saturday 28th May. This is their debut in the UK and their manager tells me that they’re very excited about performing over here.
[ The link for that is here: http://bit.ly/eDOjp5 ]

(6) 18 “Mr J.P.S.” (5.31) - Hijaz - ‘Chemsi’ (Zephyrus)

And also on the Zephyrus label from Ghent in Belgium here’s their flagship band Va Fan Fahre and a track from their last album - “Al Wa Debt” - which did really well on the European world music charts last year. It’s often been described as ‘balkan brass goes Arabic’. Zephyrus have just announced that they are now allowing free downloads of five of the tracks from the album.

[Just go to the following link to download that:
http://www.vafanfahre.be/database/index.php?q=node/23 ]

So here are Belgium’s Va Fan Fahre with the Arabic singer Aicha Haskal and a track called “Ya Habibi Taala”:

(7) 19 “Ya Habibi Taala” (3:04) - Va Fan Fahre - ‘Al Wa' Debt’ (Zephyrus)

[CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS]

(8) 20 “La Kumbia de Los Peregrinos” (3:52) - Grupo Kual (Le Cumbianche Disco Remake)

Couldn’t resist a bit of electro-glitch-cumbia ! That was the Le Cumbianche Disco Remake of Grupo Kual’s “La Kumbia de Los Peregrinos” - just to get you all stirred up!

And now a jingle to promote the forthcoming Reggae City 2011 Festival here in Birmingham on Saturday 11 June at the Rainbow - just round the corner from where I’m sitting here in the Custard Factory, Digbeth.

(9) 21 Reggae City Festival Ad Jingle (1:05)

[CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS]

(10) 22 ”I Know” (3:15) - Ieye - ‘Fever Grass’ (Shengen Clan)

OK, that was one of my favourite female reggae singers of the moment - Ieye from Jamaica - and a track called “I Know” from her album “Fever Grass” on the Shengen Clan Imprint Label. Lovely stuff.

Quick couple of announcements now: Birmingham’s own ska and reggae favourites, the Heels will be performing mid-afternoon at next week’s Lord Mayor’s Parade on Bank Holiday Monday 30th May - so keep an eye out for them if you like your ska in a Skatalites stylee!

Also the following weekend you can catch the debut of el combo Kilombo - a brand new band formed from members of both the Heels and Flame Of Fervour at the Wagon and Horses in Adderley Street in Digbeth - again just around the corner from the Custard Factory.

That’s on Sat 4th June and it’s a night called Subvert, featuring also the dub band Relative, DJs Skeleton, Marc Reck (also from Rhubarb Radio), the Jam Jah DJs Robin Giorno and Bongo Damo, as well as Christy, Dodgy Greg and Stalingrad.

And it’s all FREE! Yep, not a penny for all that music! Keep an eye out for Kilombo’s drummer - he’s a right dodgy geezer. I’m sure I’ve seen and heard him before somewhere . . .

In the meantime, here’s one from the Gypsy Sound System’s Psio Crew from Poland - a little number from the “Iskra” album - this is “Dobry Gooral”:

(11) 23 “Dobry Gooral” (2:51) - Psio Crew - ‘Gypsy Sound System - Iskra’

Just got time now for goodbyes etc . . .

[THANK YOUS, SHOUT OUTS, REMINDERS, ETC]

I’m going to leave you with a brilliant latino band from Los Angeles. They are called Yeska (which is a play on the words ‘Yes!’ and ‘Ska’ and is also the Chicano slang word for ‘weed’).

Their music is what you get when you cross jazz with afro-cuban music with ska! Skafrocubanjazz of course! And that’s the name of the album that this track, “Skaliente”, is from. Don’t be fooled by the gentle ska montuno beginning - because about 3 and a half minutes in this bubbling piece of latin ska turns into an absolute monster!!

(12) 24 “Skaliente” (6:32) - Yeska - ‘Skafrocubanjazz’ (Aztlan)

WorldBeatUK (12th Show) - Broadcast Notes (18/5/11)

Tagged with: WorldBeatUK Glyn Phillips Rhubarb Radio World Music Juanafe Moneyman Julio Sosa JuJu Kim Sinh Tlahoun Gessesse Vampisoul Strut Mdungu Lena Kovacevic Svang Ieye Sexto Sentido Almeida Girl Easy Star Monosonicos Paratiisin Pojat El Hijo de la Cumbia

WBUK12 - SHOW NOTES (18/5/11)

1 Intro-Mat (1:47) Matchatcha from album 'Nyekesse'

Welcome - Coming up . . .

2 La Makinita (3:48) Juanafé - ‘La Makinita’ (Oveja Negra; 2010) - Cumbia

Chile to Argentina

3 La Mara Tomaza (3:53) El Hijo de la Cumbia - ‘Freestyle de Ritmos’ - Cumbia Argentina

Staying in Argentina

4 Mano A Mano (3:17) Julio Sosa - 30 Aniversario 1964-1994 - Tango

Still in Argentina . . .

5 Chacarera Del Puestero (2:27) Los Puesteros - Chacarera

Due to technical probs last week … going to replay “Life” - Moneyman - Nigeria 70" album

6 Life (6:17) Moneyman And The Super 5 International - ‘Nigeria 70: Sweet Times’ (Strut Records) - African (Nigeria)

And from Nigeria to Gambia - or more correctly where Gambia meets the UK. The next band is called JuJu and includes Britain’s Justin Adams on electric guitar, bendir and backing vocals) and Gambian Juldeh Camara (on lead vocals, ritti and talking drum - and here I must apologise because last week when I played another track from JuJu I confused the nyatiti which is a harp with the ritti which is the one-string fiddle which Juldeh is an expert on). So this next track is also from their forthcoming album “In Trance” on the Real World Records label and will be released in the UK on the 13th June. This bluesy track is called “Waide Nayde”.

7 Waide Nayde (5:09) JuJu (Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara) - ‘In Trance’ (Real World)

A real treat now - the guitar work of the Vietnamese multi-instrumentalist Kim Sinh, has been the stuff of legend and cult status for a a few years now - but mostly amongst American rock and jazz guitarists, who can’t see how this septuagenarian Vietnamese gentleman who has not been brought up on blues seems to be steeped in the Delta sound! The truth is that his music is actually from a traditional vietnamese theatre music called Cai Luong first created in the 1920s.

Kim was born in 1930 in Hanoi, Vietnam and plays all manner of instruments both traditional as well as violin, hawaiian guitar and specially tuned guitars that are reconstructed to use Vietnamese music scales. Enough talk, just listen to this. The track is “Liéu Duong Hoang Thiên Khúc” and it’s from the album “Music from Vietnam 4” on Caprice Records. Eat your heart out Jimmy Hendrix!

8 Liéu Duong Hoang Thiên Khúc (4:35) Kim Sinh - ‘Music from Vietnam 4’ (Caprice Records) - Vietnamese Guitar music

9 Tule Meilla Vaan - Come On Over (3:32) Paratiisin Pojat - ‘Paratiisin Pojat’ (Poko Records; 2008) - Finn-Mex

Another treat from a forgotten age now as we hear the Ethiopian singer Tlahoun Gessesse who died just over two years ago, being accorded a state funeral attended by tens of thousands. Regarded as one of the most popular of Ethiopia’s Golden Age in the 60s, he was known just as ‘The Voice’. This is a track called “Sema” (and thanks to Rhubarb Radio’s own Soesmix Edan for introducing this to me) and is from the album ‘Ethiopiques 3, Golden Years Of Modern Ethiopian Music 1969-75’ on the Buda Musique label.

10 Sema (4:19) Tlahoun Gèssèssè - ‘Ethiopiques 3, Golden Years Of Modern Ethiopian Music 1969-75’ (Buda Musique)

Last week I played you a track from Nottingham’s own tropical band, Monosonicos, and here’s another from the multicultural, multinational band, which mixes afrobeat and latin rhythms with Spanish lyrics and steelpans etc. Very interesting. This is called “Sin La Luna” (or Without The Moon).

11 Sin La Luna (4:23) Monosonicos - Latin/afrobeat

The next two tracks come off an album I received recently from the excellent Spanish re-issue label Vampisoul. The album’s called “Highlife Times Vol 2” and is another one of the recent releases of excellent 1960s and 70s highlife from Ghana and Nigeria which is currently enjoying a renaissance in popularity. The first track I’m going to play is by “Bobby Benson & his Combo” and reminds me of old Jamaican rhythm and blues in a way. This one’s called “Taxi Driver”

12 Taxi Driver (3:25) Bobby Benson & his Combo - ‘Highlife Times Vol 2’ (Vampisoul 129) - Highlife

[CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS]

13 Ogiobo (5:43) Sir Victor Uwaifo & his Titibitis of Africa - ‘Highlife Times Vol 2’ (Vampisoul 129) - Highlife

The last track you heard was also sfrom the album “Highlife Times Vol 2” on the Vampisoul label and was called “Ogiobo” from the wonderfully named Sir Victor Uwaifo & his Titibitis of Africa! Yep, that’s what I said.

Sticking with the whole afrocentric groove - here’s a modern take on it. From Holland the band is Mdungu and taken from their album “Afro What?!” on the Zimbraz label this is "Boolow Gambia".

14 Boolow Gambia (5:36) Mdungu - ‘Afro What?’ (Zimbraz/Music & Words MW3035) - Afro

15 S’ Mediterana (3:41) Lena Kovacevic - ‘Dobar Dan Za Pevanje’ - Serbian Jazzy

Balkan Connection

16 Haidukka (4:53) Svang - “Sväng” (Aito Records AICD005; 2004) - balkanesque

Bill Withers tune (Gil Scott Heron also)

17 Mama’s Hand (3:50) Ieye - ‘Fever Grass’ (Shenghen Clan) - Reggae

Jamaica

18 Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (4:33) Easy Star All-Stars Feat. Frankie Paul - Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band (Easy Star Records 1018)

also for Lucy

19 Barfly (4:25) Almeida Girl & Descarga - ‘Llanita’ (KAMOCD1) - Salsa

20 Guajiro (3:22) Sexto Sentido - ‘The Way’ - RnB Cubana

Sexto Sentido and the succes of "Guajiro" in Cuba: seven weeks at No 1 in Cuba and another 7 weeks at No 3 (just behind Don Omar’s Danza Kuduro and Shakira!); the video of this won the Lucas Award (like a Cuban Oscar for videos) and hit international latin american charts too - and that’s without being released on an album or available digitally yet! The girls intend to release their third album called “The Way” with this track on, in the summer in Europe. So I’ll be playing more from them in the run up to that over the coming weeks.

OK, here’s another angle on the Latin scene - the mashup between traditional afro-latin forms such as cumbia with contemporary electronic-driven styles such as dubstep; this is a tune by Tony Camargo entitled “Año Viejo” (the old year) refixed by bootlegumachine into a piece of ‘raverton’. Enjoy!

21 Año Viejo (5:44) Tony Camargo (bootlegumachin refix) - Raverton

Thank yous and goodbyes. Announce the Rea River Soul night.

22 Oye El Consejo (3:26) Ibrahim Ferrer - ‘Buenos Hermanos’ (World Circuit WCD065; 2003) - Son

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WorldBeatUK (11th Show) - Broadcast Notes (11/5/11)

Tagged with: WorldBeatUK Glyn Phillips Sierra Leone Monosonicos Sergent Garcia Zulu 9.30 Canteca de Macao Blind Boys of Alabama Johnny Cash Maria Kalaniemi Mariza Neblina Sound JuJu Maguaré Juicebox Vetex Slivo Electric Club Zephyrus Hippo Cumbancha Strut Aito Fexomat

Justin Adams, Juldeh Camara, Peter Gabriel

ShowNotes for WBUK11 - 11/5/11

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

WELCOME BACK to another edition of WorldBeatUK - the 2 hour world music show that brings you the best music from around the globe, from today, yesterday and often even a glimpse into tomorrow! I’m Glyn Phillips, you’re tuned into Rhubarb Radio coming live from the Custard Factory in Digbeth, Birmingham, England and this is WorldBeatUK!

First up this evening is a track from a new CD which was only released yesterday. It’s an album of remixes by DJ Logic - and the original album they were taken from was called “Rise and Shine” which came out last year on the Cumbancha label, by Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars.

I’ve played some of their stuff before on the show, which is a mixture of traditional West African music with roots reggae. The band has a fascinating history, having first formed in one of the refugee camps during and following the wars in Sierra Leone. They’re now based in the United States and enjoying some well-deserved respect and attention and are currently on tour around the States.

The “Rise and Shine” album was quite a big hit for them worldwide last year and so they’ve teamed up with DJ Logic to do so remixes for this sort of extended EP called “Rise and Shine Remixes” (also on Cumbancha) which was released yesterday on iTunes and Amazon. This track is one of the more traditional offerings; it’s called “Muloma”.

2 “Muloma” by Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars & DJ Logic from album “Rise and Shine Remixes” (Cumbancha)

And staying with Africa this is Moneyman and the Super 5 International from an excellent album called “Nigeria 70 - Sweet Times: AfroFunk, Highlife and JuJu from 1970s Lagos” which is due to be released on the 23rd May by Strut Records. This track is called ”Life”

3 “Life” by Moneyman and the Super 5 International from the album “Nigeria 70 - Sweet Times: AfroFunk, Highlife and JuJu from 1970s Lagos” (Strut Records)

And from Lagos, Nigeria to Nottingham, England! There are so many bands out there now being influenced from the incredible explosion of music now available from all over the world, and often mixing up all kinds of different influences, rhythms and instruments into their sound.

I came across these guys called Monosonicos on SoundCloud a few weeks back and was taken by one of their latin-meets-afrobeat tracks; but here I’m going to play you a sort of soca-cumbia with some romantic vocals and their trademark steelpan (which I love).

It’s a pity the sound’s a bit low and slightly muddy, but it’s enough to know that they’ve put a lot of thought into the music and are probably well worth seeing live. So, this is the Monosonicos from Nottingham in the UK and a track called “Loca”.

4 “Loca” by Monosonicos

CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS

5 “Yo Soy Salsamuffin” by Sgt Garcia from album “Una y Otra Vez (Cumbancha)

Ok that was the great Sargento Garcia, one of the leading lights of the whole European Mestizo sound. I’ve been following his work for some years now and he always manages to produce some really interesting pieces.

For this new album, he’s signed to a new record label - the North American world music specialists, Cumbancha. The album is entitled “Una y Otra Vez” (Time and Again) and was released in Europe in March and will be in the Americas next week.

As ever El Sargento sings in a mixture of Spanish, English and French and mixes up salsa and dancehall reggae in his trademark salsamuffin style (as you just heard) as well as experimenting with rumba, rock, punk, bolero, and much more. I wouldn’t say it was necessarily a better album than any of his previous ones, but it’s just as good - which is praise enough!

OK, let’s stay with more of this European mestizo sound - where Latin America meets Reggae and Dub meets Rock and beyond, for the next two tracks.

The next band have carved themselves out a name in Europe and especially in their native Spain. This is Zulú 9.30 from Barcelona - who I played last week - and the track that I promised from their new album “Tiempo al Tiempo”. This is “La Tierra Tiene Hambre” - The Land is Hungry!

6 “La Tierra Tiene Hambre” by Zulu 9.30 from album “Tiempo al Tiempo”

CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS

7 “Green Yin” by Canteca de Macao from album “Agua Pa’ La Tierra”

First you heard Zulu 9.30 and “La Tierra Tiene Hambre” and that was followed by another band from Barcelona, Canteca de Macao (which, when I first came across them, I assumed to refer to a choral group from the Portuguese enclave of Macao near China - but which I found out later was actually a spoonerism of ‘manteca de cacao’ or cocoa butter in English!).

Anyway, that was their track “Green Yin” (presumably a seasick Billy Connolly . . . !) from their 2009 album “Agua Pa’ La Tierra” on Warner Music Spain.

We’re going to leave Europe behind now and get some religion in our lives! Come on boys and girls, let’s go to Church! All the way to the rich red soil of Alabama in the Southern United States and the most excellent Blind Boys of Alabama!

For seven decades this band has been wowing audiences with their amazing gospel choral sound. They only have one original member of the band left now, but it doesn’t change their pedigree and quality one iota.

The Blind Boys have teamed up with young Country singer and Producer, Jamey Johnson to make an album of Country-Gospel (released two days) called “Take The High Road” (on Saguaro Records and Proper Records) - No! Don’t run away - it’s really good!! Seriously!

Here the Blind Boys team up with the Oak Ridge Boys on the title track “Take The High Road”.

I’ve written a full in-depth review about it on the world music website: www.worldmusic.co.uk - check it out.

8 “Take The High Road” by The Blind Boys of Alabama from album “Take The High Road” (Saguaro/Proper Records)

Wasn’t that wonderful! The Blind Boys of Alabama in conjunction with the Oak Ridge Boys and “Take the High Road” from the album of the same name - just released two days ago.

Hey, the service ain’t over yet! Sit back down in that pew, you sinners! You all look like you could do with your own “Personal Jesus"; Johnny Cash certainly does, and Goofee’s the man to supply him . . .

9 “Personal Jesus” by Johnny Cash (Goofee Remix)

CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS

10 “Hold To God’s Unchanging Hand” by Irma Thomas from album ‘Rough Guide To Louisiana”

Yeah, that was Irma Thomas from Louisiana and a track called “Hold on To God’s Unchanging Hand” from the album “Rough Guide to Louisiana”.

Very much a change of place now - we’re flying over to the Finland by the light of a silvery moon to hear the wonderful Maria Kalaniemi, a singer and accordionist of Swedish and Finnish descent who will play us a tango from her new album “Vilda Rosor” (that’s Wild Rose in English) which was also released a couple of days ago on the 9th May in the UK, (from Aito Records).

This track is called “Under Fullmanen” (under the full moon) . . .

11 “Under Fullmanen” by Maria Kalaniemi from album “Vilda Rosor” (Aito Records)

And if it that wasn’t beautiful enough. Just listen to this. In every show I try and include at least one song of almost indescribable beauty, one that hits you at every emotional and spiritual level and this next track is one of those; by one of my all-time favourite singers, the queen of heart-string pulling fado and saudade - who else but, Mariza.

If you were really lucky you would have had the chance to see her live last night right here in Birmingham. I was unable to go, sadly! And I’m trying not to think about it too much; but if you’ve never heard her before, just open your heart and let this song in.

It’s one of my favourite songs of hers “O Gente da Minha Terra” (the people of my land) but delivered in a very unusual way - not to the usual and bewitching background of Portuguese guitars, double bass etc that I’ve heard her sing it to before - but to nothing but the subtle piano accompaniment of Tiago Machado. This is true sonic beauty . . .

12 “O Gente da Minha Terra” by Mariza from album “Fado em Mim” (World Connection)

CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS -

13 “You Don’t Know My Name” by Alicia Keys (Jejah mashup)

[CHANGE THE CD HERE!!!!]

You’re tuned into Rhubarb Radio and are listening to “WorldBeatUK” with me Glyn Phillips at the helm for two hours of the best world music from around the planet.

First up you heard Mariza’s “O Gente da Minha Terra” and then after that Jejah’s reggae mashup of Alicia Keys’ You Don’t Know My Name” - I love Alicia Keys and I also love that remix using Neblina Sound’s Operator Riddim!

While we’re in that reggae vibe let’s stick with the Spanish mashers and mixers for the next couple of numbers coz this is Barcelona’s Neblina Sound System again and a laid back Spanish language song by “Oli” called “La Mente” which utilises the Zurie Riddim.

14 “La Mente” by Oli (Neblina Sound)

OK final reggae mashup of the night. It’s by Spain’s Neblina Sounds again; this time from their album “Intergalactic Mashups” and, you’d better believe it, it’s none other than Bob Marley that gets the Beastie Boys treatment! “Could YOU be Intergalactic?”

15 “Could You Be Intergalactic” by Bob Marley vs Beastie Boys (Neblina Sound)

This next one’s a promo taster from an as yet unreleased album called “In Trance” by the band JuJu - a collaboration between the UK guitarist Justin Adams and Gambia’s ritti master Juldeh Camara - it’s sort of Gambian Rhythm and Blues with a metal edge - but trust me, it’s very good! The album’s going to be released in the UK next Tuesday on May 17th by Real World Records; this is a track called “Nightwalk”.

16 “Nightwalk” by JuJu (Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara) from album “In Trance” (Real World Records)

West Africa again and going right back in time 30 years now! From the 1981 album “Show Me Your Love” this is some lovely old Ghanaian Highlife from the Opambuo International Band of Ghana and a track entitled: “Hu Anim Ase Nkyene”.

17 “Hu Anim Ase Nkyene” by Opambuo International Band of Ghana from album “Show Me Your Love”

CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS

18 “Navidad Negra” by Maguaré from album “Retro-Cumbia” (Zephyrus Records)

One of my favourite afro-colombian tunes there, “Navidad Negra” (Black Christmas), in a 2010 remake by the Belgian based band Maguaré and their wonderful Colombian singer Paola Marquez - I do love her voice - from their album “Retro Cumbia” on the Belgian Zephyrus label - besotes a mis zefiranas: Paolita y La Marangita!

And to follow that, from the Dutch label Hippo Records, this is a funky piece of retro-boogaloo from Juicebox off their album “Canned Boogaloo”; this is called “New York Soul”. Yeah, Baby! Aúuuuuuuuu! Take your latin swing and just add that afro-thang!!

19 “New York Soul” by Juicebox from album “Canned Boogaloo” (Hippo Records)

Back to Belgium and some Balkan style brass from the huge brass band Orchestre International du Vetex - this is “Vetex on Fire III” -

20 “Vetex on Fire III” by Orchestre International du Vetex

We’re firmly in Tipsy Gipsy territory all you tsiganophiles! Fancy a drink?

21 “Hey Hey” by Fexomat

Ha ha ha!!! Loads of you couldn’t handle last week’s offering of gypsycore from Fexomat, so maybe you found that a little easier on the palatte - slightly more quaffable perchance?

OK, that’s about it . . .

[Goodbyes etc]

Just time to leave you with this from France’s Slivo Electric Club. A lovely bit of contemporary gypsy style music called “Gypsy Kopath”. Enjoy!

See ya’ll next week. Spread the words, peeps, tell all yer friends. And remember: it’s all about the music!

22 “Gypsy Kopath” by Slivo Electric Club

WorldBeatUK (10th Show) - Broadcast Notes (4/5/11)

Tagged with: WorldBeatUK Glyn Phillips Julius Essoka Yami Jimmy Omonga Joan Soriano Carmina Cannavino Atlantidha Heider Moutinho Morozova Zohreh Jooya Renato Martins SpokFrevo Los Chinches Olefunk Zulu 9.30 dunkelbunt Chico Trujillo Fexomat Gypsyphonic Cordobestia

WBUK10 (4/5/11) Playlist

1 “Intro-Mat” (1.47) by Matchatcha from album ‘Nyekesse’ (Melodie)

Welcome, etc

Coming up on the show tonight: some lush Angolan-Portuguese lusophonic loveliness, achingly romantic bachatas from la Republica Dominicana, feisty retro-cumbia 21st C style, nostalgic Mexo-Peruvian landó, Ghanaian reggae to dance to, Portuguese fado to die for, as well as Portuguese Tango (yes, Portuguese!), Mexican Tango (yes, you heard that right too!), traditional Afghani music, Russian folk-rock, Anglo-Kenyan fusion, Catalan salsa-samba fusion, Spanish soul-flamenco fusion, not to mention samba, frevo, mambo, chicha, and a dash of funky electro-swing! And if that wasn’t enough, some seriously hardcore Balkan breakdowns. It’s enough to make a grown man weep!

Trust me, when I say two hours of the best world music from around the globe, I’m not messing!

First up, a track I’ve been meaning to play for weeks now, but I kept allowing to fall off the list, because it never seemed to comfortably fit in with what I’d got planned. So I’m going to play it first instead! This is Julius Essoka, from Cameroon, from his album “Epassi n’Epassi” and a jazzy piece called “Foolish Men”.

2 “Foolish Men” (4.12) by Julius Essoka from album ‘Epassi n’Epassi’

SHOUT OUTS ETC

This next track is by a musician called Yami based in Lisbon, Portugal, of mixed Portuguese-Angolan ancestry. It’s from his album “Aloelela” on the HM Musica label and is a beautiful, dreamy, romantic tune with echoes of Brazil and Cabo Verde as well as Portugal and Angola. Sit back, make yourself comfortable, close your eyes, and let Yami sail you out over the horizon towards a setting sun. I can’t help it, I’m a romantic at heart! This is “Kananga do Amor”.

3 “Kananga do Amor” (4.04) by Yami from album ‘Aloelela’ (HM Musica)

Keeping it in a mellow mood, now this is Jimmy Omonga from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo and a relaxing African reggae track from his 2007 “Destin” album on Hippo Records, called “Nakonda”

4 “Nakonda” (4.33) by Jimmy Omonga from 2007 album ‘Destin’ (Hippo Records)

This next track is dedicated to my dear friends el chileno mayor, Eddie Olguin (AKA DJ Sabroso) and the lovely Andrea - and in particular to their brand new baby girl, Ellie, con cariño y mucho amor. Felicitaciones a las tres!

This is a beautiful bachata from the Dominican Republic. It’s from the album “El Duque de la Bachata” on Iaso Records (a brilliant company specialising in the music of the often looked-over Caribbean country of La Republica Dominicana) and is by the wonderful singer and guitarist Joan Soriano (the Duke of Bachata himself) and - I think - features the voice of his own little baby; this is “Amor de Niño”:

5 “Amor de Niño” (3.38) by Joan Soriano from album ‘El Duque de la Bachata’ (Iaso Records)

Wasn’t that beautiful? Sticking in the mid-Americas region we’re going to go over to Mexico for a couple of numbers now. The singer is the Perú-born, Mexico-raised, Argentine-derived Carmina Cannavino. The track is - as far as I can make out - an afro-peruvian landó, so if you like the music of people like Susana Baca or my personal favourite, Eva Ayllón, la Reina del Landó, then you’ll love this track.

It’s from Carmina’s album “Patria Granda” which is dedicated to the work and life of one of the greatest of Peru’s legendary pantheon of female singers - and the one that probably initiated my love affair with the musica criolla of that wonderful country - Chabuca Granda. This track is called “Dónde Estás Adelita” (Where are you, Adelita?).

6 “Dónde Estás Adelita” (3.02) by Carmina Cannavino from album “Patria Granda’

CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS

7 “Lo Que Vendrá” (3.48) by Orquesta Mexicano del Tango

First you heard “Donde Estas Adelita” by the Mexican based Carmina Cannavino and then straight after that a lovely piece of traditional orchestral tango called “Lo Que Vendrá” (That which will come) - and boy do I love tango! However, that was not performed by an Argentine orchestra as you might expect but was the work of the Orquesta Mexicano del Tango from Mexico!

And since I’m feeling in such a magical mood at the moment, let me share this with you. Portugal, like most of the countries that border onto the North Atlantic, has it’s own tales of the mystical land of Atlantis. And so I offer you a piece by a band called Atlantihda, set up specifically to explore the story of the lost land, from the album of the same name on the HM Musica label this is their lush Portuguese take on tango, entitled: “Na Calma dos Teus Olhos” (In the Calm of Your Eyes).

8 “Na Calma Dos Teus Olhos” (3.00) by Atlantihda from album ‘Atlantihda’ (HM Musica)

And since I can’t get enough beauty this evening, I’m sticking with Portugal, and the most exquisite and delicate fado. This is by the singer Helder Moutinho from his album “Que Fado e Este Que Trago?” (What Fado is this that I bring?) again on the HM Musica label from Lisbon and a track called “Nem Ventos Nem Madrugadas” (Neither Wind nor Dawns):

9 “Nem Ventos Nem Madrugadas” (4.28) by Helder Moutinho from album ‘Que Fado E Este Que Trago?’ (HM Musica)

Wasn’t that beautiful? Aah, fado, meu fado! Well from the sublime to the noisy I suppose! I’d better wake you all up a bit. The next track comes from Moscow in Russa and is a piece of Russian Folk Rock with a slight psychedelic metal edge! Don’t worry, it’s quite good really!

The band is called Morozova - named after their female singer and hurdygurdy player; I’m not sure what the album’s called - I really make an effort to try and check out the details of all the music and bands I play, often spending hours chasing elusive leads in different languages, but this one defeated me. However, I can tell you this, the track’s called “Pavlin” which I think means ‘peacock’!

10 “Pavlin” (3.54) by Morozova from album ‘Morozova’ (Greenwave Music)

CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS

11 “Mikham Beram Koh” (4.02) by Zohreh Jooya & Ustad Hossein Arman from album ‘Afghan Music’ (ARC Records)

Well, I thought you needed a bit of otherworldly beauty again so that last track was from an album on the ARC Recordings label called “Afghan Music” by the talented and really rather gorgeous Afghani-Irani songstress Zohreh Jooya in duet with the Afghani singer Ustad Hossein Arman.

The whole album is an attempt by Zoohreh and the Afghan Ensemble to try and preserve the traditional music of Afghanistan before it gets swamped. Due to the lack of opportunities for musicians to learn their own music in their own country due to all the troubles of the last couple of decades, a whole generation were in danger of missing out. The track was called “Mikham Beram Koh”, which is an invitation to someone called Leyly to go up into the mountains and look for gazelles. I’m assuming dating opportunities are thin on the ground in Afghanistan…

Change of place now - from the mountains of Central Asia to the mountains of East Africa; Kenya to be exact and here’s an album I’ve been featuring for the last couple of weeks. It was released two days ago on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings label; it’s by an anglo-kenyan collective called Owiny Sigoma, it’s from the album of the same name and this is a very brazilianesque number called “Hera”:

12 “Hera” (4.23) by Owiny Sigoma Band from album ‘Owiny Sigoma’ (Brownswood Recordings)

[CHANGE THE CD HERE!!]

[Remember, you’re listening to WorldBeatUK with me Glyn Phillips, right here on Rhubarb Radio, etc

You can check all the details for any of the tracks tonight on my website www.worldmusic.co.uk/radio

Do some shout-outs, etc, time check]

That last track had a Brazilian feel to it and that leads nicely into the next track! You might remember a few weeks back I had as special guest the brilliant percussionist Renato Martins in the studio, being interviewed, playing some stuff from his CDs and doing a live number just on udu pot alone! Stunning.

Well I’m going to play a track from his latest project with the Belgian classical guitarist, Boris Gaqueres, from their album “Tempo Feliz” which features Boris’s accomplished guitar work and Renato switches from udu pot to cajón, the wooden box drum of afro-peruvian origin. This lovely track is called “Carioca”

13 “Carioca” (2.59) by Goris Gaquere & Renato Martins from album ‘Tempo Feliz’ (www.renato-martins.com/projectsduo.htm)

Wonderful - passion combined with inventiveness and metronomic exactitude! OK, sticking with Brazil, now but going right up North to Recife, to the homeland of the manic, acrobatic, umbrella-waving, hundred-miles-an-hour dance music of Pernambuco state, the Frevo! This is the excellent SpokFrevo Orquesta and the title-track from their album “Passo de Anjo” on the Biscoito Fino label. I defy anyone to sit still through this!

14 “Passo de Anjo” (2.54) by SpokFrevo Orquesta from album ‘Passo de Anjo’ (Biscoito Fino)

CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS

15 “Babarabatiri” (2.33) by Beny Moré from 2008 album ‘The Best of Mr Bongo’ (Mr Bongo Records)

Wonderful mambo madness from El Bárbaro del Ritmo (the Wild Man of Rhythm) himself, Cuba’s Beny Moré - played just for the sheer hell of it; you can find that track all over the place - my copy is from the album “The Best of Mr Bongo”, the legendary UK latin specialists, once resident in a little basement in London’s Soho, but now you’ll have to find them online instead.

Moving swiftly on and staying with the London latin connection, this is the UK’s Los Chinches and their take on the Peruvian chicha music phenomenon (an amalgamation of Colombian cumbia rhythms with the feel of 1960s and 70s Peruvian Amazonian psychedelia). Yep! That’s what I said! This is called “Chicha Love”:

16 “Chicha Love” (2.53) by Los Chinches from album ‘Chicha Love’

CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS - CONTINUOUS

17 “Bandidos” (3.45) by Zulú 9.30 from 2008 album ‘Huellas’ (Kasba Music)

Lovely piece of latin fusion entitled “Bandidos” from Barcelona’s Zulú 9.30 from their 2008 album “Huellas” (which means ‘footprints’) on the Kasba Music label. I hope to play something from their 2011 album “Tiempo al Tiempo” soon; watch this space!

And staying in Spain, the next track is by a band I came across a few years ago and really deserve to be better known. I made quite a point last week of talking about the sheer amount of creativity coming out of Spain during the last decade or more and this is another example of what I’m talking about. The band is called “Oléfunk” as is the album and as you’ve probably guessed they fuse flamenco with funk and soul. I love this. This track is called “No Me Des Candela”

18 “No Me Des Candela” (4.25) by Oléfunk from album ‘Oléfunk’

You're listening to WorldBeatUK on Rhubarb Radio, with me, Glyn Phillips - two hours of the best world music from around the globe, every Wednesday 7-9pm.

Time for some Balkan bounce now with one of the heaviest Balkan orchestras out there at the minute. This is the Boban & Marko Markovic Orkestar - soon to be seen travelling Europe in a double-bill, all-star, heavyweight extravaganza with rivals Fanfare Ciocarlia to see who is the biggest, baddest Balkan Brass Band of all!! See if this helps you make up your mind. From the 2009 album “Devla - Blown Away To Dancefloor Heaven” on the German Piranha label, this is called “Maruska”!

19 “Maruska” (3.16) by Boban & Marko Markovic Orkestar from 2009 album ‘Devla - Blown Away to Dancefloor Heaven’ (Piranha)

That was the unadulterated sound of Balkan brass music, but there’s a lot of interest out there amongst mixers and mashers of remixing all kinds of musics. Balkan remixes are very popular - and I’m going to play an unbelievable track later on - as are cumbia and RnB mashups (again, just watch this space).

However, one of my favourite genres is that of electroswing, which roughly speaking takes classic jazz (20s, 30s, 40s, etc) and gives it a 21st C repaint. This track is by the ubiquitous remixer [dunkelbunt] and is from his 2009 album ‘Raindrops and Elephants’ on the Piranha label - esto es para todas aquellas chicas con piel color de canela. Saben bien quien son. This is called “Cinnamon Girl” -

20 “Cinnamon Girl” (4.07, but finishes at 3.52!) by [dunkelbunt] from 2009 album ‘Raindrops and Elephants’ (Piranha)

[ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS / SHOUT OUTS ETC]

[Announce the Honeycomb Club featuring B’ham’s own Alternative Dubstep Orchestra tomorrow night at H&H; also Freddie Pirotta’s Hip Operation on Saturday; The Urban Voodoo Machine at the H&H on May 12th (Bourbon soaked Gypsy Blues Bop’n’Stroll) ]

Going to go with some Cumbia Chilombiana now - that’s Chilean cumbia if you didn’t know; Cumbia originally comes from the Caribbean coast of Colombia in the North of South America but since the 1960s has spread in popularity all over the latin World and even outside of the americas. It’s main bedrock of support has been amongst working class people - and even in such Eurocentric countries as Chile and Argentina it was taken to heart by the clase obrera and due to the attentions of a whole newer, younger generation it's once again spreading it's wings.

The Chilean band Chico Trujillo here give us a retro-big band experience with a big bouncy track called “Varga Varga” from their album “Chico de Oro” on the Barbes Records label.

21 “Varga-Varga” (3.12) by Chico Trujillo from album “Chico de Oro” (Barbes Records)

From retro-cumbia to an up-to-date fix-up of an old tune from the heyday of cumbias about half a century ago. This is the well-known track “La Subienda” and a reworking by El Sonidero Cordobestia from the Cabeza album “Cumbias Momificadas”

22 “La Subienda” (4.51) by Sonidero Cordobestia from album ‘Cumbias Momificadas’ (Cabeza!)

Back to the Balkans now - well, almost because this comes from New Orleans in the USA of all places. it’s the Gypsyphonic Disco and a rather cheeky mashup entitled “Gypsy Milk”

23 “Gypsy Milk” (3.24) by Gypsyphonic Disco

Well, you’ve waited long enough - or at least I have! It’s time for “The Wonderdrug”. I’ve been dying to drop this one on you all night. Hot off the press yesterday, this is the digital equivalent of a door-to-door delivery; I’m not sure it’s even released officially yet, but I’ve got permission from the music’s producer to play this on the show.

This is the Ultimate, the Zenith, the Epitome of Balkan Breakcore Madness. As Spinal Tap would say: turn your speakers up to 11 and prepare to be rocked. This track comes with a Government Health Warning: Guys, girls, empty your stomachs and your bowels before mounting the ride, put your safety helmets on, strap yourselves in and make sure you keep all limbs inside the carriage, brace yourselves, seriously.

Of all the hardcore Gypsy/Balkan remixers out there, there is but one who I would call the King of Gypsy Breakcore, and that’s: Fexomat from Berlin. I offer you “The Wonderdrug”. Be scared, oh yes, be very scared!

24 “The Wonderdrug” (3.13) by Fexomat

[Thanks to one and all etc; Coming up next is: ]

Time to go and I’m going to leave you with this fantastic old bachata from Juan Batista on the excellent album “Bachata Roja” (no, not Bachata Rosa!- this is the real McCoy!) on the Iaso Records label. See you all next week I hope. This is “Estoy Aqui Pero No Soy Yo” (“I’m here, but I’m not me” - work it out yourselves!). Chau, babies!

25 “Estoy Aqui Pero No Soy Yo” (3.40) by Juan Batista from album ‘Bachata Roja’ (Iaso Records)

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