Raise the Roof: Bene & Saletico with "Balkan in da House"

A little dance music based on Balkan beats is on tap for you today with the random song. Balkan in da House is by Bene & Saletico, but unfortunately I can't find any biographical information on them other than they may be from Germany. You can find Balkan in da House on the second disc of the various artists compilation The Balkan Club Night Vol. 2 (2011).

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: Not much...

Going South: Gotan Project and "Vuelvo al Sur"

The random tune for today is by the Gotan Project. Vuelvo al Sur is from their album Rasa Mello II (2003). Gotan Project, formed in 1999, is based in Paris and their music uses tango as a base but also incorporates samples, beats and breaks. Their name is a play on a famous tango compilation album called Tango Project released in 1982. The band's songs have been used in American film and television, and the band itself appeared on Dancing with the Stars in 2012. The band has released three studio albums, a couple of live albums, and has been included on many compilations.

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://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotan_Project; http://www.gotanproject.com/

Carnatic Connection: Bombay Jayashri and "Zara Zara"

Today's song is called Zara Zara and is performed by Indian vocalist Bombay Jayashri. A vocalist in the Carnatic tradition, as well as a music composer, violinist and an Academy Award nominee, Jayashri was raised in a Tamil family in Mumbai and began her music learning at an early age. She has participated in artistic dialogues and exchanges with other artists in music and dance, and she has also done collaboration across cultures with artists such as Egyptian singer Hisham Abbas and Senegalese singer Thione Seck. She also participated in an Indo-Finnish collaboration where she sang ancient poems from Sangam literature. Her Academy Award nomination came from her music on Ang Lee's The Life of Pi. She also believes in the healing power of music and has been working with institutions in Tamil Nadu that serve autistic children. You can find Zara Zara on the 2009 various artists compilation Putumayo Presents: India.

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/El%C3%A4kel%C3%A4iset

Melange: Baraka Moon and "Jai Radhe Shyam"

A little Indian raga mixed with a generous helping of Sufi trance music makes a song by today's random artist, Baraka Moon, a Pakistani, Indian, Australian, American band which fuses the music listed above with a dash of didgeridoo, global drums and guitar to create music that transcends boundaries. Legend has it that they were founded on the night of a full moon eclipse in 2008. This song, Jai Radhe Shyam , can be found on their 2011 CD Baraka Moon.

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://www.barakamoon.com/home.html

Hotel Humppa: Eläkeläiset and "Hotelli Helpotus"

How about some Finnish humppa, in the form of a cover of well-known southern California rock band, for our tune of the day? Finnish band Eläkeläiset plays a form of music called humppa, which is a type of jazz played at the speed of a very fast foxtrot. Primarily playing covers of famous pop and rock hits in a fast humppa or a slow jenkka style, Eläkeläiset often sounds like a Finnish version of Weird Al Yankovic. This song, Hotelli Helpotus, may be recognizable as their cover of The Eagles' Hotel California, and can be found on their 1999 album Verbung, Baby!

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/El%C3%A4kel%C3%A4iset

I Used to Have a Big One: MC Yogi and "Bhakti Boombox"

MC Yogi brings us today's random tune. MC Yogi is a Bay Area hip hop artist and yogi who promotes themes of Hindu religion and philosophy in his music. Nicolas Giacomini, who took the performing name of MC Yogi, began rapping at 13. While living in home for at-risk children at age 17, he became a practitioner of yoga after his father took it up. His songs are often bhajans, or devotional songs, celebrating one or another of the Hindu deities. At other times, he provides interesting history lessons on the lives of important historical figures within Hinduism, such as Gandhi. Even when he is doing nothing but beatboxing, his songs can sound like mantras or prayers. This song, Bhakti Boombox, can be found on MC Yogi's 2008 album Elephant Power.

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/MC_Yogi

Yugoslav Icon: Goran Bregović and "Te Kuravle"

Bosnian guitarist Goran Bregović is performs today's random tune with his Wedding and Funerals Orchestra. Bregović grew up in a divided family after his Croatian father and Serbian mother divorced due to his father's alcoholism. Bregović originally started music on the violin, but was deemed untalented. In high school he took up bass guitar, and eventually became a member of a number of bands, in particular the iconic Yugoslav rock band Bijelo Dugme where he was lead guitar and the main creative force. When that band began to experience troubles, he entered the world of film music as well as embarking on a solo career where he collaborated with musicians such as Sezen Aksu and George Dalaras. His music was featured extensively on the film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. He also tours with his Weddings and Funerals Orchestra, which features small (10 member) and large (37 member) versions. His musical style is based on themes found in countries as varied as Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Romania, Serbia, Albania, Italy and Turkey, as well as Romani music. He combines these themes with popular music, traditional polyphonic music, tango and brass band sounds. This song, Te Kuravle, can be found on his 2002 album Tales and Songs from Weddings and Funerals.

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://www.goranbregovic.rs/; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goran_Bregovi%C4%87