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
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)
WorldBeatUK (3rd Show)- Broadcast Notes (14/03/11)
Tagged with: WorldBeatUK Glyn Phillips Rhubarb Radio Cheik Lô Pressure Sounds Lee Perry Ranglin Jeremy Marre Inner Circle Vampisoul Majid Bekkas Tamikrest Soundways Poly-Rhythmo Owiny Sigoma Watcha Clan Rango Oy Moutinho Fexomat Chalice Gevende
Show Notes for 3rd WorldBeatUK world music radio show with Glyn Phillips
(broadcast on Rhubarb Radio - 14/03/11)
1 Jingle 1
Great show coming up this evening with quite an influence from Africa later on, as well as new releases and pre-releases from Watcha Clan, Lee Scratch Perry, Owiny Sigoma, Soundways, Vampisoul, Tamikrest, Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo, Pedro Moutinho, Sr Ortegon and Chalice.
But first off, some African reggae from Senegal’s Cheik Lô - this is “Warico Dub”.
2 “Warico Dub” Cheik Lô
Now this one’s for the reggae and dub heads out there. Just like to say thanks to Steve Williams of UKVibe for the heads-up on this one. Pete Holdsworth and record label Pressure Sounds have collated and released a very interesting selection of Dub Plate Mixes and Rarities recorded by The Upsetter himself, Mr Lee “Scratch” Perry, dating from 1973 to 1979. The album’s called “The Return of Sound System Scratch” (Pressure Sounds PSCD70) and it’s essentially a compilation of some of Perry’s more obscure - even extreme - recordings, most from the Black Ark period.
As well as Lee Perry there are many different variations of the Upsetters on this album with special guests such as Junior Murvin, Candy Mackenzie, Leo Graham, George Faith, Jimmy Riley and Jack Lord; there are also tracks by Aleas Juve, The Unforgettables and the Silvertones. Some of the tracks are previously unreleased and many are exclusive dub plate mixes; some are very accessible commercial tracks and others are pure Lee Perry fantasy world dub weirdness.
However, the cut I’m going to play is much more user-friendly and you don’t have to be swirling in a haze of holy herbalness to appreciate it. It’s by Candy Mackenzie & the Upsetters and is a previously unreleased track called “Long Enough”
3 “Long Enough” Candy Mackenzie
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4 “54-46” Ernest Ranglin ft Toots Hibbert
That was legendary Jamaican ska and jazz guitarist Ernest Ranglin on one of my favourite numbers “54-46”; I’m also a big fan of 634-5789 (by Eddie Floyd and Steve Cropper), 344-3025 (by Giraldo Piloto)! They don’t write numbers like that anymore… But hey, that just me! Vocals were from the equally legendary Toots Hibbert.
Now, while we’re still on a Jamaican tip, I want to play a very rare track recorded live during a field recording in Jamaica in 1977 for a documentary called “Roots, Rock, Reggae”. The documentary highlighted the real life street level music of Jamaica at a time when, apart from Perry Henzell’s “The Harder They Come” film, there was very little real film of music and life there getting out into the mainstream and even in Jamaica, reggae was viewed with scorn by many in power. And the guy who happened to be in the right place at the right time? Jeremy Marre. M-A-R-R-E.
Ring any bells? No? Well it should do - he’s the film-maker behind the legendary late 70s/early 80s “Beats of the Heart” documentary series on world music (from which this documentary comes) - this was before we even called it world music - an incredibly influential work documenting a seminal point in the global consciousness of the world’s music outside of the mainstream. Those of us involved today owe a big debt to pioneers like this.
Is he resting on his laurels? Nope. Last Month’s “Reggae Britannia” series on BBC was his, as was the brilliant series, “Latin Music USA” and also “Soul Britannia” as well as stuff on James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Phil Spector and more. Jeremy Marre, as they say, knows his onions!
For “Roots Rock Reggae” Marre had to play a sleight of hand trick with the Jamaican authorities at the time and pretend to be making a film about calypso and jazz to be able to get permission to film. Once there the team had to try and establish contact with reggae musicians on the ground amidst many difficulties and a background of gang wars, street violence and the mayhem created by the competing factions of the politicians Michael Manley and Edward Seaga.
It’s a fascinating documentary showing the reality of the late 70s for Jamaicans and the volatility which forged conscious reggae. It’s available (as are many of the re-issued “Beats of the Heart” documentaries) via the DVD label Digital Classics at www.digitalclassicsdvd.co.uk - I’ll try and put details up on my site later.
This track by Inner Circle was recorded live at an afternoon stage show in a Kingston street - complete with vocalist Jacob Miller berating the crowd beforehand for not behaving themselves! This is “Love is the Drug”.
* Inner Circle - “Love is the Drug” (audio from Roots Rock Reggae DVD)
Moving away from Jamaica we’re going to early 60s black urban America and the sound of early RnB from the vaults of King and Federal. Rhythm and Blues as world music. Yep! You’d better believe it.
The fantastic Spanish re-issue label Vampisoul has just released Volume 2 of their series RnB Hipshakers; this album’s entitled “Scratch That Itch” and this track is by a man who later was better known as a comedian, actor and film producer, Rudy Ray Moore. Most famous for his title role as the “uniquely articulate pimp” Dolemite in the 1975 Blaxploitation comedy film, this is Rudy Ray taking us all for a “Buggy Ride” . . .
5 “Buggy Ride” Rudy Ray Moore
Rhythm and Blues grew out of the Blues and here’s an example of how it all links back to Mama Africa. This is the Moroccan gnawa master Majid Bekkas from his 2002 album “African Gnaoua Blues” on the Belgian Sowarex Igloomondo label and a track called “African Blues”.
6 “African Blues” Majid Bekkas
Going south from Morocco over the Sahara you eventually end up in the desert area of northwestern Mali. We’re used to hearing the more southern sound of this vast country, but here’s a track from its Tuareg community 2,000 miles north of Bamako. Tamikrest are a young band who fuse more traditional Tuareg music and the Tamshek language with influences from Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley.
Never underestimate the power of music - the band’s leader Ousmane Ag Mossa didn’t have access to even cassette tapes until 2000 around the time he started learning guitar - and what did he listen to? Dire Straits and Bob Marley. As he said “That changed my musical vision completely and I stopped to classify music. Music is just music, no matter where it comes from”. Amen to that.
Tamikrest’s new album “Toumastin” won’t be out until April 25th but here’s a preview from it. This is “Arantane N Tinariwen”
7 “Arantane N Tinariwen” Tamikrest
Well I’m REALLY excited about this next release - I’ve been jumping up and down for joy for a few days now. The brilliant British label Soundways specialise (amongst other things) in digging out the lost and forgotten recordings of the world’s most vibrant musical cultures. Here they focus on the music of Colombia’s Caribbean coast and the output of Curro Fuentes’ recordings from Cartagena. And this is a gem of an album, with Roberto Gyemant aided by Miles Cleret and Quantic’s Will Holland assembling some diamond moments.
It’s full name is “Cartagena - Curro Fuentes & the Big Band Cumbia and Descarga Sound of Colombia 1962-72” and it’s chock-full of goodies! Anyone who knows me knows my longstanding passion for cumbias (especially from the golden years) and I wasn’t disappointed with cumbia, porro, gaita, merecumbé and tamborera all thrown into the mix; however it was the descargas that really blew me away.
This is the wonderfully named Clodomiro Montes y el Super Combo Curro and a track called Puerto Rico Zuuuuuuumbando!
8 “Puerto Rico Zumbando” Clodomiro Montes y el Super Combo Curro
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9 “Pardon” Orch Poly-Rhythmo
The last track was “Pardon” from the Beninese afrobeat band Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo. Now then, that was a preview track from their new album called “Cotonou Club” which is to be released on the Strut label in a fortnight’s time. Amazingly it’s their first new album in 20 years! With five members of the original 1960s band, two from the 70s incarnation and three new members, they also invited guests Angelique Kidjo, Fatoumata Diawara and member of Franz Ferndinand on their new release.
Here’s another new release. Owiny Sigoma is a new band formed by the combination of a collective of UK musicians brought over to Kenya on a grassroots level cultural exchange programme to work with Nairobi based Joseph Nyamungu who plays the 8 string lyre, the nyatiti and drummer Charles Owoko who specialises in traditional Luo rhythms. The resulting album recorded in a disused factory outside Nairobi has subsequently been championed by Gilles Peterson and is to be released by Brownswood Recordings on April 18th with a special pre-release of the 12” single “Wires” exclusive to Record Store Day - that’s April 16th in case you didn’t know! - backed by a Theo Parrish remix. This is the original version...
10 “Wires” Owiny Sigoma Band
Staying with the London-Africa connection here’s some Township jazz from Barnet, North London by the excellent ‘Rhythm-&-Blues-and-everything-in-between’ band Big Chief recorded live outdoors at the Ealing Blues and Roots Festival last July and on their new album “On Broadway”. This tune is written by them and features a great horn section of John and Chris Fry and Ed Benstead blowing out on “Africa Rag”.
11 “Africa Rag” Big Chief
Now then, think Brazil and you think Samba, Bossa, Baile Funk, Forro, Axe, Maracatú, etc, etc - a whole semi-continent of rhythm. However this next band look Northward to a tiny island far far away - as many of us do - for our inspiration. The Orquesta Brasileira de Musica Jamaicana are part of the latin ska phenomenon currently ripping up latin dancefloors from Argentina to Venezuela. This is from their album “Volume 1” on the Scubidu label and is a re-imagining of “Tico Tico No Fubá”.
12 “Tico Tico No Fubá” OBMJ
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13 “Perfection” Boogat (Geko Jones/N Ron) - cuts before proper end!
14 JINGLE 2
Before the break you heard the track Perfection by Boogat (big shout out going to Geko Jones and N Ron in New York for that one).
Now, remember I was talking earlier about British label Soundways and their new album “Cartagena”? Well it’s so good I’ve just got to play another track. This is Crecencio Camacho y el Super Combo Curro and a tune called “Santana en Salsa”. The background to this cut is that after a night’s playing the band have just finished a gig and are now starting to play just for fun. This is a monster tune with a heavy, heavy, groove. Just intoxicating… Pa’ to’os ellos que le ‘usten la musica colombiana de lo’ años de oro!
15 “Santana En Salsa” - Crecencio Camacho y el Super Combo Curro
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16 “March of the Morons” Oy Division
You just hear the traditional Jewish sounds of the gloriously named Oy Division and “March of the Morons”.
Here’s another brand new release due out on the 4th April here: this time it’s Marseille’s global beat outfit Watcha Clan and a track from their new album “Radio Babel”. They’ll be playing in London tomorrow at the Rich Mix Bar in Bethnal Green Road E1 to promote the new album. This is a wonderful piece of dubsteppy reggae worldness entitled “Im Nin’alu”.
17 “Im Nin’alu” Watcha Clan
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18 “Sawakin” Rango
What you just heard was a track called "Sawakin" from an album entitled “Bride of the Zar” by the Egyptian based but Sudanese descended band, Rango, (no relation to the animated gecko currently at the cinema I might add). Their back story is too long to go into here, but includes mystic healing ceremonies, Sudanese trances, Nubian weddings, a 190 year old xylophone, an Arabian vampire, ghosts, aerosol cans, chickens, sardines and recycled aerosol cans. Intrigued? You will be! Please check them out at www.30IPS.com (which is their label) and the other bands there too.
I’m a sucker for Portuguese music and fado in particular; this is the lovely soothing sound of Portuguese singer Pedro Moutinho - in a duet with the luscious Mayra Andrade from Cabo Verde from Pedro’s album “Lisboa Mora Aqui” on the Uguru label. “Alfama”
19 “Alfama” Pedro Moutinho & Mayra Andrade
OK, let’s up the adrenaline with some heart-pumping salsa dura from the very talented producer, composer and musician, Señor Ortegon from Cali, Colombia. This is right on the money - “Fiesta de la Calle”
20 “Fiesta en la Calle” Ortegon
If you like Gypsy music and also like Breakcore then this one’s for you; some diamond-tipped Balkan Hardcore from Berlin: Fexomat and Sum and a remix of “Golden Days”
21 “Golden Days (rmx)” Fexomat & Sum
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22 “Celick Comak” Gevende
You’re listening to WorldBeatUK with me Glyn Phillips and you’ve just heard a track that I had to move from last week’s show, the Turkish psychedelic folk band Gevende and a track from their first album “Ev” on the Baykus music label called “Celick Comack”:
OK, I’m going to take it down slightly now with some smooth Jamaican soulful reggae, this is Chalice and “Caravan of Love”
23 “Caravan of Love” Chalice
Now last week I got into terrible trouble with my missus, who threatened to beat me around the head with a fryingpan because I played a track with lyrics she didn’t approve of. It was a mash-up between Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” and something by Cobra and Beanie Man with some rather heavy Jamaican Patois. Now, to be fair I didn’t really listen to the lyrics and couldn’t understand much of it anyway, revelling instead in the musical juxtaposition of the sounds and rhythms involved (I am a drummer after all!). How was I to know he wasn’t going on about a small kitten?
So to set matters straight here’s a song with words that I completely understand and it really IS about the singer’s loving relationship with his girlfriend’s faithful feline companion. And if you choose to interpret it in any other way, then that’s your filthy minds, not mine . . . This is Robert Crumb (yes, cartoon fans, he of the steatopygically robust ladies) and the Cheap Suit Serenaders. You’ll pick the title up as you go along!
24 “My Girl’s Pussy” - Robert Crumb and the Cheap Suit Serenaders
Goodbyes, reminders for next week, thank yous, etc
NB: I'd like to thank Marc Reck for letting me have his slot!
I’m going to leave you with a real banger:
25 “Feelin Alright” Joe Cocker (Matty Blades remix)
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