Gathering by the Sea with Friends: Hapa and "E Hele Ana E"

Today's random tune is played by the Hawaiian group Hapa. Hapa means "half," and refers to the fact that one of the members, Barry Flanagan, is a white guy from New Jersey who is currently working with Hawaii natives Kapono Nāʻiliʻili, Tarvin Edwin Lono Makia, and Radasha Ho`ohuli. Flanagan has been a consistent 30 year member of the group. He started out partnering with Keli'i Ho'omalu Kaneali'i. Following Kaneali'i, Flanagan teamed with Nathan Aweau, who eventually left for a solo career. Flanagan then partnered with Hawaiian chanter Charles Ka'upu, who described Hapa's goal as helping revive the Polynesian language and to totally change the way the world perceives Hawaiian music. Unfortunately, Ka'upu died suddenly and unexpectedly in his early 50s in 2011. In its new incarnation Hapa continues to draw from jazz, folk, blues, bluegrass, Latin, flamenco, rock, Irish music and slam poetry as well as traditional Hawaiian music. Hapa's debut CD in 1995 became the biggest selling album ever by a Hawaiian group, and they have since released eight albums. This song, E Hele Ana E, can be found on Hapa's 2002 album In the Name of Love.

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.hapahawaiimusic.com/index.html

Late Winter Carol: Tomás Kočko & Orchestr with "Kračún"

I know, I know, it's a little past Christmas for a carol, but it's still technically the Christmas season. Today's random tune is called Kračún and it is by Tomás Kočko & Orchestr. Tomás Kočko is a Czech singer, songwriter, composer and arranger and also a researcher into the art, history, culture and religion of Moravia and the Slavs. His orchestra combines elements of rock, folk and jazz with traditional music and has won awards for their work. The instrumentation is modern acoustic stringed and woodwind along with percussion and traditional folk instruments. You can find Kračún on their 2011 CD Koleda/The Carol.

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://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomáš_Kočko; http://www.kocko.cz/

A Tangled Web: Fuasi Abdul-Khaliq and "Anansi"

It is delicious irony that on the day of my, Mike's, birthday that the song for today is called Anansi. Anansi refers to the trickster spider god of West African and Caribbean folklore and I happen to be very fearful of spiders. The song is performed by Fuasi Abdul-Khaliq, a Los Angeles clarinetist, saxophonist and flautist who works both as a collaborator with the Pan African Peoples Arkestra and as a solo artist. Anansi can be found on his 2008 album The Abakuá.

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.fuasi.com/

Legendary Bands at Legendary Venues: Franco Luambo and TPOK Jazz Orchestra with "Instrumental Dance Chant"

Today's random tune is by Franco Luambo and the TPOK Jazz Orchestra. A huge figure in African music, Congolese musician Franco Luambo was known for his mastery of rumba and as the founder of OK Jazz, later known as TPOK Jazz, a seminal African music group. Along with other musicians, Luambo founded OK Jazz in 1956 and the band lasted for over 37 years, and its roster of musicians reads like a Congolese musicians hall of fame. This song, Instrumental Dance Chant, was recorded live at the now legendary Zaire 74 concert which featured the cream of the crop of African and American musicians of the time. You can find it on the 2917 album Zaire 74: The African Artists.

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/Franco_Luambo; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TPOK_Jazz

Poplar Trees: Sabahat Akkiraz feat. Erkan Oğur and "Kavaklar"

Sabahat Akkiraz brings us today's random tune, called Kavaklar. A Turkish folk music singer, was raised in Germany before returning to Turkey where she released her first professional album in 1983. She is not only well known for her contributions to Turkish folk music, but also as a politician and a member of the Turkish parliament where she represented Istanbul from 2011 - 2015. She resigned her position following the Soma mining disaster in Turkey and in protest of the ruling Justice and Development Party's response to a call to investigate the mine's safety record. She said at the time that being in parliament did not give her the ability to change the direction of the country. She is joined on Kavaklar by Erkan Oğur, a Turkish guitarist known for his invention of the fretless classical guitar, and his combination of Turkish classical and Turkish folk music with ancient traditional music. You can find Kavaklar on the 2006 various artists collection Homegrown Istanbul, Vol. 1.

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/Sabahat_Akkiraz; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erkan_O%C4%9Fur

Traditional: Christine Salem and "Ti Blé"

Today's random tune is by Christine Salem. Salem hails from the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, a French territory about 120 miles southeast of Mauritius. Her music centers around "maloya," the traditional music made up of work songs and chants of the former African slaves of the island. These songs are percussion driven and of the call and response type and are often used to induce a trance where one communes with their ancestors in a musical gathering called "servis kabaré". The music was illegal on the island until 1981, as it was considered by the Catholic Church to be "devil's music" and by the authorities as a political threat. In fact, a woman singing this type of music upset some of the older generation, because it was also generally seen as "men's music." Salem came upon the music while attending a servis kabaré, and she became hooked. She has received international acclaim for this music, and has performed at WOMAD. This song, Ti Blé, can be found on her 2012 EP Mikonépa, and on her 2013 full CD Salem Tradition.

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.christinesalem.com/

Martial Art: Mestre Saussuna & Dirceu with "A Morte do Capoeira"

Merry Christmas! Our random tune today is from Brazil and is called A Morte do Capoeira. It is performed by Mestre Saussuna & Dirceu. Reinaldo Ramos Suassuna, who also is known as Mestre Saussuna, is the founder and the head of an international capoeira organization called Cordão de Ouro. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art combining dance, acrobatics and music. Saussuna began practicing capoeira in the 1950s as treatment for a physical handicap in his legs. He has since produced many capoeira shows and has released four CDs, as well as conducting workshops in Brazil and internationally. He has also created a capoeira discipline called the Miudinho Game, with a distinctive rhythm based in the berimbau, which has become known as the distinctive discipline of his school of capoeira. You can find A Morte do Capoeira on his album Capoeira - Cordão de Ouro, released in 1994.

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/Reinaldo_Ramos_Suassuna

Gift of Gabby: James "Bla" Pahinui and "Gabby Kai"

Today's random song is by Hawaiian guitarist James "Bla" Pahinui. The second son of legendary guitarist Gabby Pahinui, James built his first instrument at age 10 and then learned to play ukulele starting the following year. He switched to guitar in his teens, and as a left hander he turned the guitar upside down and developed a distinctive style of playing by picking the bass strings with his index finger while playing the other strings with this thumb. He has also developed a signature slack-key style, which in his words, stretch out the notes and take melodies in new directions. Since the early 60s, he has been exploring the music of his Hawaiian roots. This song, Gabby Kai, can be found on his 1997 album Mana (re-released in 2009), and on the Putumayo compilation Music From the Coffee Lands.

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.allmusic.com/artist/james-bla-pahinui-mn0000089511

A Full One: Naked Rhythm and "Moon Over Ala Nar"

Today's song is by Naked Rhythm, a Los Angeles based band that was founded in 2003 by drummer Avi Stills and percussionist Alex Spurkel. Envisioned as an effort to break down borders and bring the world together through cross cultural music and dance, they fuse exotic world music and percussion with contemporary electronic dance, recalling sounds of the Middle East, India, Africa and South America. You can find this song, Moon Over Ala Nar, on Naked Rhythm's 2006 album Frequency.

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.nakedrhythm.com/

Tightly: Cha Wa and "Hold 'Em Joe"

From New Orleans comes today's random tune, called Hold 'Em Joe. The song is performed by Cha Wa, a band that melds New Orleans brass band sounds with the Mardi Gras Indian musical tradition and explores contemporary interpretations of traditional Mardi Gras Indian songs through the vocals of Big Chief Monk Boudreaux of the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indian tribe. Founded by drummer Joe Gelini, the band also features J'wan Boudreaux, grandson of Monk Boudreaux and himself the spyboy for the tribe. The name of the group, Cha Wa, means "we're coming for you" in the Mardi Gras Indian vernacular. You can find Hold 'Em Joe on Cha Wa's debut album Funk 'n' Feathers (2016).

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.chawaband.com/#chawa-section

It Won't Put You To Sleep: The Secret of Roan Inish and "Piper's Lullaby"

The soundtrack from a movie set in Ireland is on tap for today's random tune. The Secret of Roan Inish centers on the tale of selkies - seals that can shed their skin to become human in appearance. The music for the film was written and arranged by Mason Daring, an American composer and musician who is largely known for his scores to films by John Sayles. This song, Piper's Lullaby, can be found on The Secret of Roan Inish soundtrack (1995).

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/Mason_Daring; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_of_Roan_Inish

Traveling: Fiamma Fumana and "Check In"

Our tune for today is from Italy. Check In is by Fiamma Fumana, an Italian world music band that mixes traditional Italian tunes with electronica. To date, they have released four albums. Check In is from their 2006 album Onda, and can be found on the 2008 compilation Putumayo Presents: Euro Groove.

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/Fiamma_Fumana

An Ant on a Rubber Tree Plant Has It: Glen Hansard and "High Hope"

Glen Hansard sings today's random global tune, called High Hope. Glen Hansard is an Irish musician, vocalist, songwriter, and actor. He is the guitarist for the group The Frames, and one half of the folk-rock duo The Swell Season. Hansard quit school at age 13 to start busking on the streets of Dublin. He appeared in the 1991 film The Commitments as guitarist Outspan Foster. In 2007 he starred with The Swell Season partner Markéta Irglová in the film Once. The songs in Once were composed by Hansard and Irglová, and they won an Academy Award for Best Song - the movie was made for only €112,000, but saw significant financial and critical success. Hansard says that his music is influenced by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and Leonard Cohen. He is also a devotee of the Hindu deity Krishna. You can find High Hope on his 2012 album Rhythm and Repose and on the various artists compilation The Music of Ireland, Disc 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: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Hansard; http://glenhansardmusic.com/

Longing for Home: Van Morrison and The Chieftains with "Carrickfergus"

Okay, okay, it looks like I'm violating my rule again, but I'm not. This song is by Van Morrison and The Chieftains, so it's different. The Chieftains are one of the greatest ambassadors of Irish music to the world, and have formed their distinctive sound around the Uileann pipes. Van Morrison, from Northern Ireland, is a singer-songwriter and musician who has been described as mystical and transcendental. Some of his albums have appeared near the top of many lists of the greatest albums of all time. He has released 39 albums. The collaboration between Van Morrison and The Chieftains goes back to at least 1979, when they met at the Edinburgh Rock Festival, and agreed to record an album together. The result, 1988's Irish Heartbeat, received positive critical acclaim, including 4 stars from Rolling Stone and was called one of the best albums of the year by The Village Voice. You can find this song, Carrickfergus, on Irish Heartbeat.

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/Van_Morrison; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chieftains

Ring Ding Dinging: The Chieftains and "The Bells of Dublin/Christmas Eve"

I'm forgoing a rule I have, in which I don't play the same group within the same month. Because it is getting toward Christmas, and a Christmas themed song has come up by the Chieftains, I am going to use it anyway. The Chieftains are an Irish ensemble formed in Dublin in 1962, and they developed their music primarily around the distinctive sound of the uileann pipes. They took their name from the title of a novel by Irish author John Montague. Besides releasing several critically acclaimed albums, they are just as well known for their collaborations with such artists as Van Morrison, The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Sinead O'Connor and Roger Daltry. They have released 44 albums. This song, The Bells of Dublin/Christmas Eve, is from their 1991 album The Bells of Dublin.

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_Chieftains; http://www.thechieftains.com/main/

Because of You: Zlatni Dukati and "Zbog Tebe"

Today's random tune is by a Croatian band called Zlatni Dukati, who later transformed themselves into Najbolji Hrvatski Tamburasi. Playing a style of music called tamburasi, or tamburica music, the band was formed in 1983 in the Croatian district of Slavonia and made a name for themselves on a tour of the United States sponsored by the Croatian Fraternal Union. That tour led them to start composing and playing Croatian patriotic songs coinciding with the breakup of the Yugoslav Republic, the establishment of Croatia as an independent nation and the subsequent war. In 1997, they made their name change to Najbolji Hrvatski Tamburasi, which means The Best Croatian Tambur Band. The band meant to use the name only temporarily, but has kept it. You can find this song, Zbog Tebe, on the Zlatni Dukati album Nek Zvone Tambure (1988) and on the Najbolji Hrvatski Tamburasi album 50 Originalnih Pjesama (Disc 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.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Najbolji_hrvatski_tambura%C5%A1i

It's Laotian: Lo'Jo and "Vientiane"

Today's random song is by Lo'Jo, a French band that performs songs drawing from world music, gipsy music, North African music and French folk songs. Lo'Jo began in 1982 in the French city of Angers and performed locally for several years - with a rotating cast of band members and alongside acrobats, street actors, mimes and dancers. They became known worldwide in the 1990s after touring around Europe and appearing in New York City. In 1995 they solidified their lineup by adding Berber musicians Yamina Nid El Mourid and her sister Nadia - which opened the band to influences from North African music. This song, Vientiane, can be found on their 2012 album Cinéma el Mundo.

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/Lo'Jo; http://www.lojo.org/

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/

Where Do I Come From: ChocQuibTown and "De Donde Vengo Yo"

Today's random tune, De Donde Vengo Yo, is by ChocQuibTown. ChocQuibTown is a hip-hop group from Colombia, whose name comes from the department (Chocó) and city (Quibdó) where Gloria and Miguel Martinez met Carlos Valencia. The three met up again in Cali after having moved there and Valencia told them of his idea to build a hip hop group that would fuse Afro-Caribbean music with hip hop from the perspective of the people who lived in Chocó. The band has been nominated for two Grammy awards, and has been nominated seven times for Latin Grammy's and has won twice. Their most recent win was in 2015 for best tropical fusion album. De Donde Vengo Yo was the 2011 winner for best alternative song, and can be found on their 2010 album Oro.

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.chocquibtown.com/

Let's All Go to the Lobby: Nik Phelps and the Sprocket Ensemble with "Intermission"

Today's song comes from an animated movie called Sita Sings the Blues, which was written, drawn produced and directed by Nina Paley. The film juxtaposes in parallel the plot of the story of Rama and Sita in the Ramayana with Paley's own marriage and relationship. The film has garnered some controversy among some Hindu believers because of its unorthodox portrayal of Rama. This song, Intermission, was written and performed by Nik Phelps and The Sprocket Ensemble. Phelps is a wind instrument performance specialist who has made a career in film composition. He has recorded with musicians such as Tom Waits, and has appeared with Frank Zappa and Tony Bennett. The video shows the various characters, including Rama, Sita, Ravan and Hanuman, heading to the lobby for snacks. If you are interested in the Sita Sings the Blues, which uses music from old Annette Hanshaw recordings as well as original music, you can download it for free at Paley's website.

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/Sita_Sings_the_Blues; http://niksprocket.org/bio_08.html

We're Almost There: The Twain Shall Meet and "Solstice"

The Twain Shall Meet brings us our song of the day, entitled Solstice. The Twain Shall Meet is comprised of Egyptian cellist Ashraf Hakim and guitarist Scott Wurtz. I couldn't find much substantive information on the musicians. Solstice can be found on their 2008 eponymous album The Twain Shall Meet.

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

Like Marco Polo: Tom Teasley and "The Jade Emperor"

Today's song is by Tom Teasley,a multi-instrumental performer who uses instruments from around the world to cross cultural boundaries in his solo performances. As well as being a multi-instrumentalist, Tom Teasley is a State Department cultural envoy, and has given performances with indigenous musicians in various venues around the world. He also shares his experiences in speaking engagements. He has performed with an eclectic set of visual and performing artists, including Nick Cave, and at art museums around the world. The Percussive Arts Society International Convention broke tradition three times to feature his presentations. This song, The Jade Emperor, is from his 2016 album Eastern Journey.

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.tomteasley.com/

Labyrinthine: R. Carlos Nakai and "Resonance: Into the Maze"

R. Carlos Nakai brings us the random tune today. Born in Flagstaff, Arizona, R. Carlos Nakai is of Navajo and Ute heritage. Given that his music is so peaceful, it is hard to believe that he started out his musical career at Northern Arizona University playing brass instruments in a marching band, and that he enlisted in the US Navy as a sophomore so that he might play with the US Navy Band. After passing the audition, he was 28th on the Armed Forces School of Music waiting list, but an auto accident damaged his mouth and made it impossible for him to play brass. Not long after his accident, he was presented with a traditional cedar flute as a gift, and challenged to master it. And master it he has! Drawing from Native tradition but also blending Native music with that of other cultures, Nakai has created the only two Native American albums to be certified gold and platinum. He has worked with musical luminaries such as American composer Philip Glass, Israeli cellist Udi Bar-David, Tibetan flautist Nawang Khechog, American flautist Paul Horn and slack key guitarist Keola Beamer. He has been inducted into the Arizona Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame. This song, Resonance: Into the Maze is on his 1993 platinum album Canyon Trilogy.

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/R._Carlos_Nakai

Wise Like Savages: Sages Comme des Sauvages and "Asile Belleville"

Sages Comme des Sauvages brings us the random tune for today, called Asile Belleville. Other than finding that they are a "Franco-American-Greco-Corsican-Brussels duo", it is hard to get a bio on them. They seem to make folk music using indigenous instrumentation, but this song sounds almost punk in its sensibilities. You can find Asile Belleville on their 2015 album Largue la Peau.

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://sagescommedessauvages.org/

Joanie Loves Tcha Tcho: Koffi Olomide and "Loi"

Today's random tune is by Koffi Olomide, and is called Loi. Koffi Olomide is the performing name of Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba, a Congolese soukous singer, dancer, producer and composer. After studying in Bordeaux, France and obtaining a bachelors in business economics and reportedly a masters in mathematics, Olomide returned to The Democratic Republic of the Congo in the 1970s and joined Papa Wemba's band Viva la Musica where he became lead vocalist. In 1986 he formed Quartier Latin International, and performed with them and solo, along the way developing the slower type of soukous into a genre he called Tcha Tcho. He is not afraid to take on controversial topics in his music, such as current events and taboo subjects, but unfortunately, he has also been controversial and known for assault - he kicked a cameraman at a concert, assaulted his producer, and kicked a female dancer in his show which led to his temporary deportation and a prison sentence. You can find Loi on his 2014 album 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.

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

Guitar Hero: Ali Farka Touré and "Yenna"

The great Malian guitarist and singer Ali Farka Touré brings us today's song, Yenna. Ali Farka Touré was a Malian singer, multi-instrumentalist and one of the most renowned African musicians. His music fits right into the intersection of traditional Malian music and North American blues. Known as the "African John Lee Hooker," he sang in several African languages, and was once ranked by a panel of critics for Rolling Stone magazine at number 76 of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time and was ranked by Spin Magazine in 2012 as number 37 on the 100 Greatest Guitar Players of All Time. In 2004, he became mayor of a small town and spent his own money on improving infrastructure. He died in 2006 of bone cancer.  Yenna can be found on his 1992 album The Source.

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/Ali_Farka_Tour%C3%A9

But I Want to Samba Today: Ballaké Sissoko & Vincent Ségal with "Samba Tomora"

Today's random tune is called Samba Tomora and is performed by Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Ségal. A well-regarded player of the kora, Malian Ballaké Sissoko is the son of renowned griot Djelimady Sissoko. Those born into the griot caste learn music a young age, and Sissoko is no exception - he taught himself kora by watching his father. He has collaborated with Toumani Diabaté, Taj Mahal, and Vincent Ségal with whom he has done three albums. Vincent Ségal, from France, is a cellist and bassist who is known for his interesting collaborations with artists as varied as Elvis Costello, Blackalicious, Cesaria Evora, Sting and others. He is also the co-founder of the down-tempo electronica band Bumcello, with which he won France's prestigious Victoires de la Musique and was named France's Electronic Musician of the Year in 2006. Samba Tomora can be found on Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Ségal's 2015 album Musique de Nuit.

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/Ballak%C3%A9_Sissoko; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_S%C3%A9gal

Looking for Something Sweet: The Luminescent Orchestrii and "Nasty Tasty"

Our random tune for today 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. This song, Nasty Tasty, 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

Oud Prodigy: Mohamed Abozekry & Heejaz with "Sérague"

Today's tune is by Mohamed Abozekry & Heejaz, a quartet of French and Egyptian musicians formed in 2010 that focuses on instrumental music. Led by oud prodigy Mohamed Abozekry, who at age 15 became the youngest professor of the oud in the Arabic world, the seeds of the band formed when he met French artist Guillaume Hogan at a concert in Cairo, where Abozekry was persuaded to continue his musical studies at the University of Lyon. It was there that Abozekry met the other musicians that would form Heejaz. This song, Sérague, can be found on their 2015 album Ring Road.

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/Mohamed_Abozekry_%26_Heejaz; http://mohamedabozekry.com/en/

World Music Pioneer: Pangea and "Mangbetu Girl"

Our random tune today, called Mangbetu Girl, is by Pangea. Pangea was a project of Dan Lacksman, a Belgian composer and sound engineer. He mixed and produced albums in a variety of genres, such as pop, rock, jazz, classic, dance and electronica. He is a co-founder and member of the avant-garde electronica group Telex, and a producer of the world music group Deep Forest. On the whole, Pangea was formed to make world music more accessible to European and American audiences and was one of the early pioneers of the genre. You can find Mangbetu Girl on the 1996 album Pangea.

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/Dan_Lacksman

Dark Seas: Cirque du Soleil and "Mer Noire"

From realms of fantasy and delight comes our random tune for today, by Cirque du Soleil. This song, Mer Noire, 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. Mer Noire can be found on the soundtrack for O, released in 1998.

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