Have Some Heart: The Souljazz Orchestra and "Courage"

Today's song, Courage, is by Ottawa-based band The Souljazz Orchestra. Their music is a fusion of soul, jazz, funk, afrobeat and Latin styles. They came to worldwide attention when their 2006 song Mista President was voted into the top 10 of BBC DJ Gilles Peterson's worldwide radio program. They have shared bills with Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder and Femi Kuti, bringing them more attention. They have released seven albums. Courage can be found on their newest 2015 release, Resistance.

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_Souljazz_Orchestra; http://www.souljazzorchestra.com/

Indeed I Do: Los Amigos Invisibles and "Youlikedat"

Los Amigos Invisibles, a band from Venezuela, performs our random tune for today. 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. This short song, Youlikedat, 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

A Lazy Afternoon: Azymuth and "Villa Mariana (de Tarde)

Azymuth performs our random tune for today, called Villa Mariana (de Tarde). A jazz funk trio formed in Brazil in 1973, Azymuth labels their music Samba Doido or "Crazy Samba," and their songs have been remixed and redone by several other artists and musicians. The band has released 28 albums under the Azymuth name, and an additional two before they were known as Azymuth, as well as a film soundtrack and a single. You can find Villa Mariana (de Tarde) on their 2016 album Fênix.

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/Azymuth

Ethiopia's Jazz Master Flash: Hailu Mergia and "Lala Belu"

Today's upbeat song is by Ethiopian jazz musician Hailu Mergia. An accordionist who also plays keyboards, Mergia takes traditional Ethiopian songs and creates modern, funkier versions of them. During the 1970s, he was the keyboardist for The Walias Band, an Ethiopian western-influenced jazz and funk band. He and the band tended to create instrumentals as a way around Ethiopia's strict censorship laws at the time. During this time, he and The Walias Band recorded a seminal album of Ethiopian jazz instrumentals called Tche Belew. On a tour of the United States with the band in 1983, Mergia and other band musicians decided to stay in the US and he enrolled at Howard University. In 1985, while reacquainting himself with the accordion, he laid down 11 improvisational tracks on accordion, electric piano and synthesizer in a studio at Howard. The album was released in Ethiopia under the title Hailu Mergia & His Classical Instrument and was a hit, but wasn't released in the United States until 2013. He currently drives a cab in Washington, DC where he practices keyboard between customers. This song, Lala Belu, is from his new 2018 release of the same name.

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/Walias_Band; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hailu_Mergia_%26_His_Classical_Instrument

Smiling in the Funk: Garotas Suecas and "Eu Vou Sorrir pra Quem É Gente Boa"

Our random tune for today is by Garotas Suecas, a band from São Paulo, Brazil and whose name means Swedish Girls in Portuguese. The band incorporates many styles of sound, including funk, rock and soul. They have released two studio albums and four EPs, and are known for the high production quality of their music videos, which have won awards in Brazil. They also did a multi-country tour of Europe and the US in 2012. You can find this song, Eu Vou Sorrir pra Quem É Gente Boa (the title translates to something on the order of I Smile for Good People), a slow funk song with Beatlesque undertones, on their 2014 album Feras Míticas.

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.

I Will Live for You: Los Amigos Invisibles and "Vivire Para Ti"

Today's tune, Vivire Para Ti, is 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. The band sings this song with Natalia Lafourcade, a Mexican pop-rock singer who has become one of the most successful stars in Latin America. Vivire Para Ti is from Los Amigos Invisibles' 2009 album Commercial.

Get Your Back Up Off The Wall: The Funkees and "Dance With Me"

Uh huh. Today's retro funk song by The Funkees will get your booty off the couch or the office chair - wherever you are it'll be shakin'. The Funkees were formed in Nigeria in the 1960s following the Nigerian civil war, and immediately established themselves as a band delivering funky, upbeat and danceable tunes sung in English and their native Igbo language. They moved to London in 1973 and gained prominence in the West African and West Indian music scene before breaking up in 1977. This song, Dance with Me, can be found on their 1976 album Now I'm a Man and the retrospective compilation album Dancing Time: The Best of Eastern Nigeria's Afro Rock Exponents 1973-77 released in 2012.

Smiling Through the Funk: Garotas Suecas and "Eu Vou Sorrir pra Quem É Gente Boa"

Garotas Suecas, a band from São Paulo, Brazil and whose name means Swedish Girls in Portuguese, brings us the random tune for today called Eu Vou Sorrir pra Quem É Gente Boa (something on the order of I Smile for Good People). The band incorporates many styles of sound, including funk, rock and soul. They have released two studio albums and four EPs, and are known for the high production quality of their music videos, which have won awards in Brazil. They also did a multi-country tour of Europe and the US in 2012. You can find Eu Vou Sorrir pra Quem É Gente Boa, a slow funk song with Beatlesque undertones, on their 2014 album Feras Míticas.

Pioneer: Orlando Julius and The Heliocentrics with "Buje Buje"

Today's random song comes from artist Orlando Julius of Nigeria. Julius is known as an innovator and a crucial personage in the development of modern afro-pop. In the 1960s, he was fusing traditional Nigerian music with American R&B, pop and soul. In the United States, he collaborated with such artists as Lamont Dozier, the Crusaders and Hugh Masekela. His 1966 breakout album, Super Afro Soul, was ahead of its time and possibly influenced the development of funk that was about to sweep over the United States. It also made him a superstar in his native Nigeria where he released a long string of records. However, he was relatively unknown internationally until the re-release of Super Afro Soul in 2000. In 2014 the Heliocentrics, a London-based collective that fuses funk, jazz and hip hop, brought Julius to their studio and backed him on his latest album that consisted of vintage, never before heard tunes and new compositions. This funk/R&B song, Buje Buje, is from that 2014 release entitled Jaiyede Afro.

Funkee Time: The Funkees and "Dance with Me"

Awwwww yeee-aaaah! Get your booty up and get down to this afro-rock from the mid-70s by The Funkees. The Funkees were formed in Nigeria in the 1960s following the Nigerian civil war, and immediately established themselves as a band delivering funky, upbeat and danceable tunes sung in English and their native Igbo language. They moved to London in 1973 and gained prominence in the West African and West Indian music scene before breaking up in 1977. Dance with Me can be found on their 1976 album Now I'm a Man and the retrospective compilation album Dancing Time: The Best of Eastern Nigeria's Afro Rock Exponents 1973-77 released in 2012.

Dancing with the Dead: Ozomatli and "Cumbia de los Muertos"

The random tune for today is by Ozomatli. A seven piece band playing hip hop, Latin and rock, they were formed in Los Angeles in 1995. They sport a wide range of styles, including salsa, jazz, funk, reggae, and rap among other styles. They are also advocates for farm workers rights and immigration reform. The band takes its name from the Aztec calendar, in particular the astrological symbol of the monkey. Ozomatli is also a god of dance, fire, the new harvest, and music. This song, Cumbia de los Muertos, is from their 2007 album Ozomatli.

Space to Surf: Matorralman and "El Taxi del Mañana"

Feel like some electronic surf music with a space theme? Today's random song is just for you! El Taxi del Mañana is from Matorralman's 2010 album Guataque Estelar. The product of Mexican composer and producer Miguel Rizo, the band incorporates surf rock, French yé-yé, psychedelia, and a lot of twang guitar into a type of space pop. Matorralman lists Hammond Grooves, 60's garage, freakbeat, soul, psych, funk, porno beats, exotica, and lounge as influences, and takes as its inspiration European teen sexploitation films of the 1960s and 70s. The music is meant to be party music, says Rizo. Judge for yourself - are you dancing yet?

Dooby Dooby Do: Los Amigos Invisibles and "Dubi Dubi Dubi"

The random tune today just fits my criteria - I will not highlight a tune under a minute - but it still seems a bit short. Still, I gotta go with the randomness. Dubi Dubi Dubi is a short tune 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. Dubi Dubi Dubi is from their 2011 album Not So Commercial, which is a Grammy nominated EP of outtakes from their hit 2009 album Commercial.

Oi Vey!: 8th Day and "Ya'alili"

The random tune is a fun pop tune by a band called 8th Day, an Hasidic band from Los Alamitos, California formed by brothers Shmuel and Bentzion Marcus in 2004. The brothers grew up in a musically inclined, ultra-orthodox Hasidic Jewish home and the original band was formed as a fun family project. However, the band has since become a favorite on the Jewish music scene. The group draws its inspiration from traditional Jewish music, but also incorporates other styles such as power pop, blues and reggae. Bentzion Marcus describes his band as klezmer-funk-rock with additional styles ranging from Middle Eastern, rock, folk, country, jazz and blues. The band has released five studio and one live album. This song, Ya'alili, became a minor YouTube viral hit on its release, and can be found on the band's 2011 album Chasing Prophecy.

Gimme Shelter: Zion Trinity and "Shelter of Yahweh"

We aim a little high today, as the random selection has pointed our eyes to heaven. Shelter of Yahweh is by New Orleans female vocal group Zion Trinity. Established in 1997, Zion Trinity sings in the styles of reggae, funk, jazz, African ritual and others. They have opened for international acts such as Burning Spear, Lucky Dube and Rootz Underground. Shelter of Yahweh is from their 2003 album Eyes on Zion, an album that combines original reggae with traditional Orisha chants.

I am a Closet Disco Dancer: Los Amigos Invisibles and "Vivire Para Ti"

I have a secret. A dirty little secret that I keep way down in the depths of my psyche. It's a secret I tell no one, because I'm afraid that to do so would ruin my reputation, cause all my friends to leave me, and leave a black mark on my life that would never be erased. Up to this time I've never written it down, I've never fully spoken it. But let this just be between you and me, dear reader.

...I like disco.

There. I've written it. It's out there. Ever since I heard that driving steady drumbeat, the bass lines that were a tamed version of funk, and that minimalist electric guitar accompaniment, I like disco. I didn't really care who was singing or not, it was the instrumentation and arrangements that interested me. To me, it was a mix of the unbridled sexual energy of funk crossed with something that could be danced with a partner - a kind of ballroom style funk. And I ate it up. Le Freak by Chic, Donna Summer, A Taste of Honey and Boogie Oogie Oogie, all of these I really enjoyed. I still can't hear a disco beat today without tapping my feet, and sometimes even smiling. Even a Bee Gees song will do it for me.

But I can't give myself away. I have to tamp down my instincts and pretend, along with everyone else, that I hate disco. That I consider it an abomination of music, nothing that any sane, discriminating music fan would listen to. Yet disco is making its own insidious comeback. Witness Daft Punk and Get Lucky. Witness the continuing popularity of songs like We are Family by Sister Sledge and everything by Donna Summer and Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive. And I don't think disco ever died overseas.

Today's song, Vivire Para Ti by Los Amigos Invisibles, is testament to that. Known for disco, acid jazz and funk mixed with Latin rhythms. Los Amigos Invisibles formed in the 1990s in Venezuela as an alternative to the hard rock, metal and punk that was popular in Caracas as the time. They exploded in the club scene in Caracas after their debut album was released and convinced a wide variety of people that one could dance to other types of music than salsa and merengue. In 1996 they were signed to David Byrne's Luaka Bop label after he found and listened to a CD they had planted in a record store in New York. They relocated to New York City and recorded a new album, The Venezuelan Zinga Son, Vol. 1, which is considered their masterpiece. After fulfilling their contract with Byrne's label, they started their own label and released a series of records, culminating with Commercial in 2009, which won a Latin Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album. Post-Grammy, they have released Not So Commercial, an EP of outtakes from Commercial, and in 2013 they released their latest album, Repeat After Me. Vivire Para Ti is from their Grammy winning album Commercial, and when released it debuted at #1 on the Venezuelan charts. This version was recorded live in a radio station studio in Seattle.

You can bet I it on and am dancing...in private and alone, of course...so don't tell anyone...