Saturday, March 31, 2018

At the Peace Cafe: Thomas Fersen and "Au Café de la Paix"



French singer-songwriter Thomas Fersen sings the random tune for today, entitled Au Café de la Paix. From Paris, Fersen started out as a punk rocker but then began playing piano in café-theatres. A poet, he he likes to take as subject matter everyday life and things, as well as personal explorations of the faults, failings and dreams of ordinary people. His albums range in styles from rock, folk-rock, jazz and blues. He released his first album in 1993 and has since put out 13 albums in total - the latest in 2017. You can find Au Café de la Paix on his 1995 album Les Ronds de Carotte and on the various artists compilation Putumayo Presents: Paris (2006). The song is about a man waiting for a date at a cafe.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Fersen

Friday, March 30, 2018

If You Can Whistle It: The Luminescent Orchestrii and "How to Play Romanian"



Today's random tune is called How to Play Romanian. It is performed by The Luminescent Orchestrii, an experimental group based in the United States and active from 2002 - 2012. Their oeuvre consisted of music influenced by Middle Eastern, gypsy, and traditional European music along with Appalachian fiddles, hip hop beats and an attitude often found in punk bands. They often used instruments that they had modified to create their sound. How to Play Romanian can be found on their 2009 album Neptune's Daughter.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Luminescent_Orchestrii

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Just the Way I Like It: Los Amigos Invisibles and "Easy Going"



Our random tune for today is a short little ditty called Easy Going. It is performed by Los Amigos Invisibles of Venezuela. Known for their blend of disco, acid jazz and funk mixed with Latin rhythms, the band was formed in 1991 in Caracas. Los Amigos Invisibles gained the attention of David Byrne's Luaka Bop label after they discovered a CD that the band had surreptitiously planted in a New York City record store, and Luaka Bop released the band's second album in 1996 which garnered many positive reviews. Their third album received a Grammy nomination as Best Latin Alternative album, and with it's success the band relocated to New York City permanently, eventually starting their own label. Easy Going is from their 2011 album Not So Commercial, which is a Grammy nominated EP of outtakes from their hit 2009 album Commercial.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Amigos_Invisibles

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

A Mystery: Unknown Artist with "Coyote Night"



The luck of the draw brings us another Native American-themed song, this one called Coyote Night. I have not, for the life of me, been able to determine who does this song. It is on a various artists CD called Indian Collection, Vol. 2, released by Itwhy Records, but I can't even find the label online. So, you'll just have to enjoy the mystery and the song.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

It's a Rough Iiná: Def-I and "Tour Life"



Some rap on tap for today. Tour Life is performed by Def-I, an Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Native American rap and hip hop artist. A member of the Diné Nation (Navajo), Def-I ranges his styles from hip hop to spoken word to contemporary Native American acoustic. He recently formed a fusion quartet called DDAT and has performed around the country on tour and at festivals. He is also an active member of the community, leading workshops for students ranging in age from elementary school to college in creative writing, song creation and the art of hip hop recording and hip hop culture. He was an active supporter of the Standing Rock protests and helped raise $1.8 million dollars to support the cause with the aid of celebrities such as Taboo from the Black Eyed Peas. His example has made him a model and inspiration for a new generation of indigenous artists. You can find Tour Life on his solo CD Arrow-Rhymanics, released in 2017.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://dreamwarriors.co/artists/def-i/

Monday, March 26, 2018

Invented Beauty: Cirque du Soleil and "Gamelan"



Today's random tune is from Cirque du Soleil. Gamelan, along with the entire soundtrack of Cirque du Soleil's Las Vegas (Bellagio Hotel) water and stage show O, was composed by Canadian Benoit Jutras. Jutras' eclectic music combines worldbeat, classical, rock, trip hop and electronica, and the score of O is no exception, with instrumentation that includes classical Western, erhu (Chinese violin), bagpipes, African guitar, African kora (harp), Colombian guitar, cello, ancient woodwinds and a wide variety of percussion instruments. Gamelan can be found on the soundtrack for O, released in 1998. The song's title refers to a specific type of music from Indonesia, usually played with bronze percussion instruments. Many of Cirque du Soleil's lyrics are often in an invented language.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirque_du_Soleil; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beno%C3%AEt_Jutras

Sunday, March 25, 2018

They Might Be Hangry: The Wicked Tinkers and "The Rant"



This song, The Rant, is by the Wicked Tinkers, an American Celtic group formed in 1995 at the Celtic Arts Center in Los Angeles. They appear to often incorporate a didgeridoo into their Celtic music. They have appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (Ferguson accompanied them on drum during that performance) and on the show Arrested Development. In addition, MMA fighter Keith Jardine has used one of their songs as his entrance music. They have released nine studio albums. The Rant can be found on their 2007 album Rant.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked_Tinkers

Saturday, March 24, 2018

Collective Bliss: The Touré-Raichel Collective and "Touré"



Our random tune for today is by the The Touré-Raichel Collective and is called Touré, featuring Frédéric Yonnet on harmonica. The Touré-Raichel Collective developed out of a chance airport meeting between singer and guitarist Vieux Farka Touré of Mali and pianist Idan Raichel of Israel. Promising to perform together, they fulfilled the promise in 2010 at the Tel Aviv Opera House. An impromptu session the day after at a recording studio led to three hours of improvised musical recordings and was the birth of the collective. French musician Frédéric Yonnet is known as "Prince's killer harmonica player" for his work with the musical icon, and he has also performed legendary harmonica duels onstage with Stevie Wonder. You can find Touré on The Touré-Raichel Collective's 2012 debut release The Tel Aviv Session.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tour%C3%A9-Raichel_Collective; https://www.fredyonnet.com/

Friday, March 23, 2018

The Eyes are the Prize: Yungchen Lhamo and "Nyebe Nilam"



Yungchen Lhamo brings us our random tune for today, called Nyebe Nilam. A Tibetan exile in New York City, Lhamo's name translates to "Goddess of Song," and was given to her by a lama after her birth in Lhasa. Fleeing Tibet in 1989, she first lived in Australia and then in New York. She tours extensively, singing unaccompanied, and has collaborated with artists such as Annie Lennox, Billy Corgan, Sheryl Crow, Michael Stipe and Peter Gabriel, to whose label, Real World Records, she is under contract. Nyebe Nilam can be found on her 2008 album Ama. The title of the song translates to "Eyelash Girl" and is the plea of a young man to a beautiful woman to notice him because he is too shy to approach her.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yungchen_Lhamo; https://worldmusiccentral.org/2006/08/28/interview-with-tibetan-singer-yungchen-lhamo/

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Korean Masquerade: Black String and "Mask Dance"



Today's random song is by South Korean group Black String, who creatively fuse traditional Korean music with other contemporary elements such as jazz in both improvised and composed pieces. Founded in 2011 as part of a Korean-UK cultural exchange, they have played at WOMEX as well as a number of other international music festivals. They build their sound around traditional Korean instrumentation such as the geomungo, bamboo flutes and percussion and incorporate jazz guitar. You can find this song, Mask Dance, on their 2016 album of the same name. However, we got it from a various artists compilation CD called Music of Korea, though I was not able to find a date of release.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Sources: http://sori.nyc/blackstring/

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Tribute to Women: Salif Keita and "Moussolou"



From Mali comes our random song for today, called Moussolou. It is performed by Salif Keita, an albino afro-pop singer from Mali known as "the golden voice of Africa" and a direct descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire. Cast out by his family because of his albinism (a sign of bad luck in his culture) Salif Keita moved to Bamako where he joined the renowned Super Rail Band de Bamako and then the famous Les Ambassadeurs. He moved to Paris in 1994 to reach a wider audience. In his music, he combines traditional West African styles with influences from Europe and the Americas, and uses a variety of African traditional instrumentation along with more modern instruments. He has since returned to Mali where he continues to make music and has released critically acclaimed albums. Moussolou can be found on his 2002 album Moffou.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salif_Keita; http://www.salifkeita.net/en/

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Moored by Faith: Puerto Plata and "Amarrao Con Fé"



Our random tune for today is courtesy of Puerto Plata, the stage name of Dominican musician José Cobles. Puerto Plata's music and singing is reminiscent of guitar music heard in the Dominican Republic in the 1930s and 40s, before it was stigmatized by dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo, who preferred accordion-heavy merengue tipico. By the 1960s, after Trujillo's assassination, Dominican guitar music began to develop into bachata. Plata does not play bachata, however, but a music closer in style to contemporary Cuba, even though it is inspired in the Dominican past. In addition, Plata's band features some of the Dominican Republic's finest musicians, such as guitar legends Edilio Paredes and Frank Mendez. This song, Amarrao Con Fé, can be found on Plata's first internationally distributed CD, Mujer de Cabaret, released in 2007.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Plata_(musician)

Monday, March 19, 2018

Caledonia Dreamin': Dougie MacLean and "Caledonia"



One of Scotland's premier singer-songwriters, Dougie MacLean, performs the random tune for today. Also a composer and multi-instrumentalist, Dougie MacLean was a driver for Doc Watson and Merle Watson during their tour around Europe in the 1970s. He has been a member of multiple folk bands, including The Tannahill Weavers in 1976 and Silly Wizard in the 1980s. He went solo in 1981 and has released numerous albums under his own name. He is most well known for composing The Gael, which was the theme song for the 1992 film The Last of the Mohicans, and for this song, Caledonia, which has been called Scotland's unofficial national anthem. In 2011, he was invested as an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) and in 2013 BBC 2 gave him a lifetime achievement award for contribution to songwriting. You can find Caledonia on the Alan Roberts and Dougie MacLean 1978 studio album Caledonia, on MacLean's 1983 solo album Craigie Dhu, on his 2014 album Till Tomorrow (recorded with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra), and on numerous other collections. I found it on the Putumayo Presents: Celtic Tides collection (1998). The song makes me ache for Scotland, and I've never been there.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dougie_MacLean

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Life's a Carnival: King Posse and "Retounen"



Today's tune is called Retounen, and it was performed by King Posse, a Haitian band rap, ragga and carnival band that was active in the 1990s and that has roots in Haitian carnival. They sang in Haitian creole and created songs that are Haitian carnival staples. But, I couldn't find a bio of the band with any detail, only testimonials about how great they were. At least two of the band members have passed away. Retounen is from their 1997 album I Like It and can also be found on the 2001 various artists compilation Putumayo Presents: Carnival.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://ht.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Posse

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Finding Poetry in the Gutter: Vusi Mahlasela with Dave Matthews and "Sower of Words"



Today's random tune is by Vusi Mahlasela. Sometimes called "The Voice of South Africa" for his work in African folk music, Vusi Mahlasela served as an inspiration for the anti-apartheid movement with songs that focused on freedom, forgiveness and reconciliation. He has collaborated with musicians such as Dave Matthews, Josh Groban and Taj Mahal, has performed at many famous live concert events such as Live 8 and Live Earth, and sang for Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday celebration in London. ITV used one of his songs as their theme song for their World Cup coverage in South Africa, and he also performed at the South Africa World Cup kickoff concert. This song, Sower of Words, is from his 2007 CD Guiding Star - that album garnered him Best Male Artist in the South Africa Music Awards. The song features the South African-born American singer-songwriter Dave Matthews.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vusi_Mahlasela

Friday, March 16, 2018

Nonsensical: Deolinda and "Sem Noção"



To Portugal we go with today's random song called Sem Noção. The song is performed by Deolinda, a Portuguese band formed in 2006 when the brothers Pedro da Silva Martins and Luis José Martins asked their cousin Ana Bacalhau to sing on a few songs they had written. Realizing that her voice fit perfectly with their songs, they began Deolinda and rounded out the band with her husband José Pedro Leitã. Their first album, Canção Ao Lado (2008), reached number 3 on the Portuguese charts, and their followup album, Dois Selos e um Carimbo (2010), hit number 1. During this period, the band performed a song called Parva que Sous at their concerts which was a social criticism of Portugal and the lack of opportunities for young people. Most of Europe was going through a financial crisis, and youth unemployment was enormous, especially in poorer EU countries. The song became an anthem among economically affected youth in Portugal and went viral on social media, with bootleg copies of concert performances shared in great numbers. The band's style is inspired by fado, but they have made numerous departures from the form. While traditional fado utilizes Portuguese guitar, the band does not. Deolinda's songs are often contain social criticism, and can be lively, upbeat, ironic and humorous which does not fit the usual melancholy style of fado either. Fado performers often dress in black when performing, but Deolinda does not follow this tradition either. Their music has thus been described as "neofado." Sem Noção (the title translates as "nonsense"), is from their 2010 release Dois Selos e um Carimbo.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deolinda; http://www.deolinda.pt/

Thursday, March 15, 2018

I've Heard of Christmas in July, But...: The Carnival Steel Drum Band and "Winter Wonderland"



Why are you getting a Christmas song in March? Well, I take whatever the randomizer gives me, and this might give you some ideas for some music to play next holiday. Today's song is by the Carnival Steel Drum Band and is a cover of the old holiday classic Winter Wonderland on, you guessed it, steel drums! The band is based in Florida, but have performed around the world playing their orchestral quality steel drums, with touches of flute, guitar and Latin percussion. You can find Winter Wonderland on the 2004 album Carnival Steel Drum Christmas Classics, Vol. 1. A winter wonderland looks and sounds slightly different in the tropics. If you're interested in non-holiday music, they also play that too!

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://www.amazon.com/Carnival-Steel-Drum-Collection-Vol-1/dp/B0008ENIZ2

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Black Rug: Ara Ketu and "Tapete Negro"



We have a little bit of a Carnival atmosphere today with the random song - Tapete Negro by Ara Ketu. Ara Ketu are a band founded in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. They were founded in 1980 and are derived from the Carnival "bloco" of the same name and became popular in Europe before reaching popularity in Brazil. They present a percussive heavy Afro-Bahian dance groove with vocals by lead singer Tatau. Tatau left to form his own band, giving way to vocalist Larissa Luz until 2012 when Tatau returned to the band. Ara Ketu has been praised by artists such as David Byrne and Quincy Jones. Tapete Negro can be found on the Putumayo compilation CD Carnival (2001).

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ara_Ketu

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Eighth Avatar: Bikram Ghosh and "Krishna"



Today's random tune is by Indian tabla player Bikram Ghosh. While he is trained in various styles of tabla music, and performs Hindu classical music, he also is well known in the style of Indo-fusion music between the Hindu classical and other forms such as rock, new-age, and film music. Ghosh has performed with some of the greatest names in classical music, including Ravi Shankar with whom he performed for over a decade. However, he has also made his own name, establishing the band Rhythmscape and composing for 21 feature films. You can find this song, Krishna, on his 2011 album Drum Invasion.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bickram_Ghosh

Monday, March 12, 2018

Loves Labour Lost: Kobo Town and "Road to Fyzabad"



Today's random song is by Kobo Town. Founded by Trinidadian/Canadian Drew Gonsalves in 2004, Kobo Town refers to the neighborhood in Port Au Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, where calypso was conceived and first performed. Kobo Town blends calypso music with other Caribbean music, as well as genres such as ska, reggae, dub, rapso, zouk and hip hop. Gonsalves moved to Canada from Diego Martin, Trinidad & Tobago with his mother when he was thirteen. She was a Canadian citizen who was escaping her abusive marriage. He turned to music and poetry to deal with his situation and feelings of exile. He studied history and political science at Carleton University before taking up music as a career. This song, Road to Fyzabad, can be found on Kobo Town's 2013 album Jumbie in the Jukebox. The song remembers a failed labor uprising centered around the town of Fyzabad in Trinidad and which spread throughout the West Indies.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobo_Town; http://www.cumbancha.com/files/artist_pdfs_general/KoboTown_JumbieInTheJukebox_DigitalBooklet.pdf

Sunday, March 11, 2018

Swords, Sandals and Duduks: Djivan Gasparyan and "Your Strong Mind"



Today's tune, Your Strong Mind, is written and performed by Armenian musician Djivan Gasparyan. Gasparyan also contributed music to the movie Gladiator and it is very haunting. In particular, every time Russell Crowe's character flashes back to the that he is walking through a field of wheat, a haunting melody is playing. That melody was Gasparyan, who plays an instrument called the duduk. Gasparyan is widely thought of as "The Master of the Duduk," a double reed woodwind instrument related to the oboe. Gasparyan has received the WOMEX Lifetime Achievement Award and has collaborated with many artists, including Hossein Alizadeh, Sting, Erkan Ogur, Michael Brook, Peter Gabriel, Brian May, Lionel Richie, Derek Sherinian, Ludovico Einaudi, Boris Grebenshchikov, David Sylvian, Hans Zimmer and Andreas Vollenweider. Gasparyan and Hossein Alizadeh were nominated for a Grammy Award in 2006 for their album Endless Vision and Gasparyan is the oldest person to be featured in a Eurovision song performance. Your Strong Mind can be found on his 2013 album I Will Not Be Sad In This World.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djivan_Gasparyan

Saturday, March 10, 2018

Naked Truth: Ángel Parra and "Desnuda"



Today's song, Desnuda, is by Chilean singer-songwriter Ángel Parra. The son of Violeta Parra, who pioneered the Nueva canción chilena genre and the brother of Isabel Parra, who is a singer-songwriter and interpreter of musical folklore, Ángel Parra has an extensive and famous musical pedigree. He made it his mission to travel abroad and keep the Nueva canción chilena, which helped fuel the upheavals against dictatorship in Spain, Portugal and Latin America, prominent among Chilean expatriates in Europe, North America and Australia. Unfortunately, Parra died of lung cancer in Paris in March, 2017 at the age of 73. You can find Desnuda on his 2012 album Ángel Parra Chante Pablo Neruda: Solo el Amor, an album that puts the poetry of Pablo Neruda into song. The song and the poem celebrate a nude lover.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%81ngel_Parra; https://www.euroresidentes.com/Poemas/desnuda.htm

Friday, March 9, 2018

How Did You Sleep?: Samite and "Wasuze Otya?"



The random tune for today is Wasuze Otya? by Samite. Samite Mulondo is a Ugandan percussionist who grew up in the city of Kampala as a member of a socially prominent family. Though his mother's side of the family was musical, his father took a dim view of a musical career. Samite continued, and after Idi Amin's rule he fled the country (his brother was killed during this time). He ended up in Nairobi, Kenya where he became a musician. He taught himself the saxophone in six days after lying to the African Heritage Band about his ability to play it. He eventually turned to the thumb piano and kalimba of his native Uganda. While in Nairobi, he met his American wife and eventually moved to upstate New York. In 1997 he returned to Uganda as part of a PBS documentary, and was reunited with his family. His father asked him to speak at his brother's memorial service, and he asked if he could play his flute instead. His father reluctantly agreed, and then cried when he heard his son play for the first time and gave him his blessing. Wasuze Otya? can be found on Samite's album Silina Musango (originally released in 1996) and can also be found on the Putumayo compilation Music from the Coffee Lands (1997). The song title translates roughly to "how did you sleep?"

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samite_%28musician%29

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Getting Some Vibes: Bob Marley and "Positive Vibration"



Today's song, called Positive Vibration, is by Bob Marley and the Wailers, a reggae and ska band formed by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer in 1963. Many of the band's early songs were recorded with the aid of Lee "Scratch" Perry and his studio band The Upsetters. The Wailers were known for recording some of the most notable reggae songs in history. Tosh and Wailer left the band in 1974, leading to a revamped Wailers lineup. Marley died in 1981 of malignant melanoma, and Tosh was killed in a gang holdup at his home in 1987. You can find Positive Vibration on Bob Marley and the Wailers' 1976 album Rastaman Vibration.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Marley_and_the_Wailers

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

But Do They Wear Kilts?: Auli and "Zemzeme"



Our random tune for today is by Auli, a Latvian band formed in 2003 as a drum and bagpiping group, which is a bit of an oddity for that country. Some of its members came from the first drum and bagpiping group in Latvia, Dudinieki, which preceded them by 10 years. Latvia is not known for a tradition of drum and bagpiping, but Auli draws on folklore indicating that those instruments were frequently present in historical Latvia. Auli develops the sound of what they think Latvian bagpiping might have been, and combines it with drums, including one of the biggest tree trunk drums in the Baltics. Auli started out playing dance and bagpipe melodies and incorporating tunes and drum pieces of other European peoples, but they have since branched out, developing their own melodies and style to set them apart from other mediaeval piping groups in Europe. You have to admire their creativity! This song, Zemzeme, is from their 2010 release Etnotranss.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: http://auli.lv/

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

What People Say: Kassé Mady Diabaté and "Ko Kuma Magni"



Today's random song is by Kassé Mady Diabaté, a singer from Mali descended from the Malian griot musical caste. Realizing that Kassé Mady may have inherited his family's musical prowess, they schooled and encouraged him. As lead singer of the Orchestre Régional Super Mandé de Kangaba, Kassé Mady won the Biennale music competition in the Malian capital of Bamako. He caught the eye of a group of Malian musicians who had gone to Cuba to study music - they asked him to join their group as lead singer. The group, the Maravillas, later known as the Bandema National, became famous throughout West Africa due to their music...Cuban style with a touch of Malian Manding. In 1988 he left Mali for Paris and recorded his first solo record - he spent ten years there and made influential albums in collaboration with other artists such as flamenco group Ketama, blues artist Taj Mahal and Toumani Diabaté, before moving back to Mali. This song, Ko Kuma Magni, can be found on his 2014 album Kiriké. The song warns about the dangers of gossip.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: http://www.kassemadydiabatemusic.com/

Monday, March 5, 2018

See Ya!: Esteban Copete y su Kinteto Pacifico and "Adios Morena"



Today's random song is called Adios Morena, and is performed by Esteban Copete y su Kinteto Pacifico. An award-winning Colombian musician who is the grandson of legendary composer Petronio Álvarez, Copete is from the city of Chocó, and formed the Kinteto Pacifico in 2008. Using traditional Colombian instrumentation enhanced by guitar, bass guitar and soprano saxophone, the band creates a unique sound by fusing the contemporary with traditional African rhythms. Adios Morena can be found on their 2012 album Esteban Copete y su Kinteto Pacifico.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://www.womex.com/virtual/borojo_music/esteban_copete_ysu

Sunday, March 4, 2018

Sing to Me: Jua Cali with Enika and "Niimbe"



Today's random tune is by Kenyan hip hop artist Paul Julius Nunda, better known by his stage name of Jua Cali. He is very well known for forming a recording studio called Calif Records, which is responsible for turning out many East African hits. Jua Cali himself raps in Swahili and Sheng (a form of Kenyan slang derived from Swahili and English), and in a popular style of Kenyan rap called genge which was invented by artists at his recording studio. He released his first single in 2001 and has put out three solo albums and has garnered many Kenyan and African music awards. This song, Niimbie, can be found on his 2015 album Ngeli Ya Genge. It features Enika, a Tanzanian R&B singer, and the song is a remembrance of a time in the singers' lives where they worked hard, before they became well known and famous.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jua_Cali; http://mauriyambo.blogspot.com/2017/01/jua-cali-and-enika-in-nostalgic-call.html

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Deep Purple: Beltuner and "Améthyste No. 2"



Our random tune for today is by Beltuner, a French band started in 2001 by four young self-taught musicians. First concentrating on gypsy swing, Parisian bal musette, tango, Yiddish and Balkan music, they found a unique sound by mixing the styles and adding in jazz, classical, rock, world music and funk. They are also known for their free-wheeling and energetic concerts. This song, Améthyste No. 2, can be found on their 2010 CD Album #2.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beltuner_(groupe)

Friday, March 2, 2018

We've Had a Dry Winter: Afro Celt Sound System and "Beautiful Rain"



Happy birthday to my co-DJ and spouse, Megan Kamerick! Today's song is called Beautiful Rain and is performed by The Afro Celt Sound System, which fuses modern electronic dance rhythms with traditional Irish and West African songs. The Afro Celt Sound System were formed by British producer Simon Emmerson and afro-pop star Baaba Maal in 1991. Since then they've been proclaimed a world music supergroup, and have collaborated with Peter Gabriel, Sinead O'Connor, Robert Plant, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Ayub Ogada and many other pop and world stars. Beautiful Rain can be found on their 1999 release Volume 5: Anatomic.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afro_Celt_Sound_System

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Could Elvis Sing This?: Aki Kumar and "Eena Meena Deeka"



Our random tune for today is called Eena Meena Deeka, and is performed by Aki Kumar, an Indian-born blues musician now living in San Jose, California. Aki Kumar moved from Mumbai to Oklahoma City in 1998 to study computer science. He finished out his degree at San Jose State University and worked at Adobe. However, he had also studied keyboards and harmonica and listened to Bollywood music and US "oldies" music while growing up in India. After moving to the Bay Area, he got turned on to the blues after going to blues bars and nightclubs, and he eventually joined a band playing harmonica. When Adobe closed his department, he decided to concentrate full time on a career in music, and quickly found a niche blending Bollywood music with the blues. He has released three albums. Eena Meena Deeka can be found on his 2016 album Aki Kumar Goes to Bollywood. The song is a Hindi song from the 1957 Bollywood film Aasha, and is considered the first rock and roll song used in a Bollywood movie. One version of the song in the movie is sung by the great playback singer Asha Bhosle, and another version is sung by another great playback singer, Kishore Kumar. The song was inspired by the children's game Eeny Meeny Miney Moe.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aki_Kumar; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eena_Meena_Deeka_(song)