Slightly Off: Zap Mama and "Miss QN"

Today's song is by Belgian artist Zap Mama, and is called Miss QN. Zap Mama is the music act of Belgian artist Marie Daulne. Daulne sings in polyphonic and Afro-pop styles, infusing harmony with African vocal techniques, as well as throwing in some hip hop. Much of her musical inspiration comes from her roots in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where her Belgian father was killed during the Congo Crisis. Her Congolese mother and all the children were airlifted to Belgium, where she grew up in a household infused with Congolese culture but also in a society where there were few black people. Her first musical influences were African songs her mother sang, European music, especially French, and later blues, reggae and hip hop. In 1984, she returned to the Congo to learn about her heritage and trained in pygmy onomatopoetic techniques. First conceived of as an a capella quintet, Zap Mama has evolved to just Daulne's voice and instrumentation. Miss QN can be found on Zap Mama's 2004 CD Ancestry in Progress.

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/Zap_Mama

Desert Dreaming: The Afro Celt Sound System and "Mojave"

Today's random tune is by the Afro Celt Sound System, which is a world group mixing African and Celtic sounds and which fuses modern electronic dance rhythms with traditional Irish and West African songs. The Afro Celt Sound System was 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. This song, Mojave, can be found on their 1999 release Volume 5: Anatomic.

Avoid the Pit: Dokkerman and the Turkeying Fellaz with "Mango Season"

How many times have we heard you clamoring for some Hungarian afro-funk for your random tune? Pray no more! Nine piece outfit Dokkerman and the Turkeying Fellaz recycle gritty grooves from the 60s and 70s of the type that only DJs now spin, and in doing so serve as Hungary's only representative in the deep funk revival. You can find this song, Mango Season, on their 2015 CD Illegal Move.

Here It Is: Salif Keita and "Here"

Salif Keita performs today's random song, called Here. Salif Keita is 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) he 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. Here can be found on his 2002 album Moffou.

Jackamo Fee Na Nay: Zap Mama and "Iko Iko"

Zap Mama re-imagines a New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian tune for today's random song. Zap Mama is the music act of Belgian artist Marie Daulne. Daulne sings in polyphonic and Afro-pop styles, infusing harmony with African vocal techniques, as well as throwing in some hip hop. Much of her musical inspiration comes from her roots in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where her Belgian father was killed during the Congo Crisis. Her Congolese mother and all the children were airlifted to Belgium, where she grew up in a household infused with Congolese culture but also in a society where there were few black people. Her first musical influences were African songs her mother sang, European music, especially French, and later blues, reggae and hip hop. In 1984, she returned to the Congo to learn about her heritage and trained in pygmy onomatopoetic techniques. First conceived of as an a capella quintet, Zap Mama has evolved to just Daulne's voice and instrumentation. This song, Iko Iko, can be found on Zap Mama's 1999 CD A Ma Zone.

One Man Ambassador: Salif Keita and "Iniagige"

Today's random song is 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) he 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. This song, Iniagige, can be found on his 2002 album Moffou.

Not a Miscue: Zap Mama and "Miss QN"

Today's song is by Belgian artist Zap Mama, and is called Miss QN. Zap Mama is the music act of Belgian artist Marie Daulne. Daulne sings in polyphonic and Afro-pop styles, infusing harmony with African vocal techniques, as well as throwing in some hip hop. Much of her musical inspiration comes from her roots in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where her Belgian father was killed during the Congo Crisis. Her Congolese mother and all the children were airlifted to Belgium, where she grew up in a household infused with Congolese culture but also in a society where there were few black people. Her first musical influences were African songs her mother sang, European music, especially French, and later blues, reggae and hip hop. In 1984, she returned to the Congo to learn about her heritage and trained in pygmy onomatopoetic techniques. First conceived of as an a capella quintet, Zap Mama has evolved to just Daulne's voice and instrumentation. Miss QN can be found on Zap Mama's 2004 CD Ancestry in Progress.

Pride of Guinea: Bembeya Jazz National and "Sabou"

Happy New Year! Today's random tune to start your year off right is by Guinean group Bembeya Jazz National, which began as a government-sponsored regional band in southern Guinea. The group gained fame in the 1960s for their afro-pop and are considered an important group in Guinean music. Basing their music in Guinean folk, particularly Manding music, they infused the traditional with jazz and afro-pop styles. After launching the careers of many musicians, including Sekou Diabaté and Sekouba Bambino Diabaté, they disbanded in 1991. However, they reformed in 2002 and recorded their first album in fourteen years. Their importance in Guinean music history was also the subject of a documentary. This song, Sabou, can be found on their 2011 album Bembeya and on Disc 1 of the BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music (2002).