Between the Spreadsheets: Deolinda and "Fado Notário"

Today's song brings us to Portugal with the song "Fado Notário." Deolinda 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. The band is best known for performing a song called Parva que Sous at their early concerts which was a social criticism of Portugal and the lack of opportunities for young people. 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 the genre of 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. Fado performers often dress in black when performing, but Deolinda does not follow this tradition either. Their music has thus been described as "neofado." "Fado Notário" is from their 2010 release Dois Selos e um Carimbo, and is reflective and sad song about a woman's affair with a notary "between files and cabinets."

She Gave Birth to Us All: The Power of One Soundtrack and "Mother Africa"

The song for today comes from the soundtrack of a movie about South Africa. The Power of One, adapted from a novel by Bryce Courtenay, is the story of a young English boy in South Africa and his complicated relationships under apartheid with others in the country, both black and white. German composer and music producer Hans Zimmer composed much of the music for the movie in collaboration with Lebo M, a South African vocalist and composer who arranged and performed music for The Lion King movies and stage productions. This song, Mother Africa, can be found on The Power of One soundtrack, released in 1992.

I Want to See You Dance Again: Bebel Gilberto and "Harvest Moon"

Today's random tune is beautiful! An amazing Neil Young tune, Harvest Moon, is covered by Brazilian singer Bebel Gilberto. A popular singer often associated with bossa nova, she is the daughter of João Gilberto and the singer Miúcha. Born in New York City in 1966 while her parents lived there for a brief time, she traveled as a child with her father and eventually settled in Rio de Janeiro with her mother, traveling back and forth between her parents in Rio and New York. Through her father she became acquainted with his collaborators Caetano Veloso, David Byrne, and Stan Getz. She also began singing with her mother, and at age seven made her debut on her mother's first solo album, Miúcha and Antônio Carlos Jobim. In 1979 she performed with her mother and Stan Getz at Carnegie hall. She released her first album, an EP, in 1986, and her first full-length album of electronic bossa nova in 2000. She redefined her style in her second album, Bebel Gilberto, to an acoustic lounge style. In her third album, Momento, she fused both electronic bossa nova and acoustic lounge together. She continues to perform and record. Harvest Moon can be found on her 2014 release titled Tudo.

Spanish Celtic: Carlos Núñez and "Tro Breizh (Danzas Macabras)"

Today's random tune is by Spanish/Galician musician Carlos Núñez Muñoz, who usually goes by Carlos Núñez. A multi-instrumentalist, he plays the gaita, the Galician bagpipe, Galician flute, ocarina, Irish flute, whistle and low whistle. He was born in Vigo, Spain and began to play bagpipes at eight. He met Paddy Maloney of The Chieftains in his late teens and performed with the band, becoming known as the band's 7th member, as well as appearing with them on their album Santiago which focused on Galician music. He continues to tour, play in large and small venues and release recordings. This video is of a live performance of his Tro Breizh (Danzas Macabras), which can be found on his 2014 album Inter-Celtic.

Jesus Loves You: The Mediaeval Baebes and "Love Me Broughte"

Now you've done it! The Global Music Randomizer has gone mediaeval on your keesters for today's tune by the Mediaeval Baebes. Love Me Broughte is from their 2003 album Mistletoe and Wine. The Mediaeval Baebes began in 1996 when a group of friends led by Katherine Blake of Miranda Sex Garden broke into a North London cemetery and sang a capella in flowing white robes and leaf garlands. They soon became an ensemble, and their first album, Salva Nos, shot to number two on the classical charts. It didn't hurt that they were all beautiful and very talented. The group has since had many incarnations. They sing in an array of obscure and ancient languages, and have placed three albums in the top ten of the classical charts and participated in the BBC's television series The Virgin Queen. The songs lyrics translate to a love song sung by humanity's savior to humankind.

Favela Romance: Luisa Maita and "Maria e Moleque"

Luisa Maita, a Brazilian singer-songwriter, brings us our random tune today. Born into a musical family in Sao Paolo, Brazil, she learned to sing samba and bossa nova as well as her father's compositions, and her professional career began at age seven singing jingles. She founded her first band, Urbanda, in 1999 and began collaborating with musicians from her generation. A collaboration with Brazilian singer Virginia Rosa, who recorded two of Maita's songs for one of her albums, encouraged Maita to continue writing songs. In 2010 she recorded her solo album Lero-Lero, which led National Public Radio to hail her as the "New Voice of Brazil." Her music draws inspiration from the samba, but also pop influences such as Michael Jackson, Prince and Stevie Wonder. This song, Maria e Moleque, is from her 2010 release Lero-Lero.

Stinging: BeauSoleil and "Bee's Blues"

Today's tune is Bee's Blues by BeauSoleil. BeauSoleil was founded in 1975, released its first album in 1977 and became one of the most well-known groups from playing traditional and original music in the Creole tradition of Louisiana. They have also gone beyond the traditional, incorporating rock and roll, jazz, blues, calypso and other genres. They are an extensive touring band, and they sing in both English and Colonial Louisiana French. The band takes its name from Joseph Broussard dit Beausoleil, who led the Acadian resistance to British deportation from Canada and led 193 exiles to safety in Louisiana. The band almost didn't come to be - Michael Doucet, one of the founders, was going to New Mexico to study the Romantic Poets, but he won a Folk Arts Apprenticeship sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. As he puts it: "I traded William Blake for Dewey Balfa," and he sought out every living Cajun/Creole performer to learn what he could about Cajun music and their techniques. He even encouraged some to resume performing. BeauSoleil are one of the few Creole/Cajun groups to win a Grammy. Bee's Blues can be found on their 1997 album The Best of Beausoleil.