Bass Off: Hapa and "Twinkletoes"

Today's random tune is 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, TWinkletoes, can be found in a live version on Hapa's 2005 album Maui, and is a bass solo by Nathan Aweau.

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

Somethin' Stupid: Najbolji Hrvatski Tamburasi and "Nešto Glupo"

Najbolji Hrvatski Tamburasi covers an American song for today's random tune. Playing a style of music called tamburasi, or tamburica music, the band was formed in 1983 as Zlatni Dukati 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, Nešto Glupo, on their 2003 album Divne Godine, on their 2007 album Zlatna Kolekcija and on the Najbolji Hrvatski Tamburasi 2017 greatest hits compilation 50 Originalnih Pjesama (Disc 2). You may recognize the song as Somethin' Stupid, which was memorably recorded by Frank and Nancy Sinatra in 1967.

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

Shake That Thing: Oumar Konaté and "Ayéré Yéré"

Today's tune is called Ayéré Yéré and is by Malian electric guitarist Oumar Konaté. Konaté started music at an early age, astounding his hometown of Gao with nightly performances on an old bucket, helmet and drum outside his family's home. He joined the Orchestra of Gao while in high school and accompanied them on their national tour. While in the orchestra, he was introduced to guitar. He went on to enroll in the National Institute of Arts in Bamako and recorded his first album there which brought him to the attention of many artists such as Vieux Farka Touré, Sidi Touré and Khaira Arby. He has performed in numerous festivals all over the globe, and has received accolades worldwide for his music. Ayéré Yéré can be found on his 2014 CD Addoh.

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.clermontmusic.com/oumar-konate/

Party Down: Old Blind Dogs and "A Wild Rumpus"

Today's partying tune is by Old Blind Dogs who sing about A Wild Rumpus. Old Blind Dogs are a Scottish band which plays traditional Scottish and Celtic music with influences from rock, reggae, jazz, blues and Middle Eastern music. They are known for performing songs unique to northeast Scotland and singing in the unique Doric dialect of the Aberdeen area. A Wild Rumpus can be found on their 2003 album The Gab O May, and on their 2006 live album Play Live.

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/Old_Blind_Dogs

You're Flawless: Emrah and "Kusursuzsun"

From Putumayo Presents: Turkish Groove (2006) comes today's random song by Emrah, a singer and actor of Kurdish origin. A pop star in Turkey from the age of 13, Emrah became known for Arabesk songs that were high on sentimentality and themes of grief and suffering. He was the first Turkish artist to fill the Inönü Stadium in Istanbul (50,000 seats), has appeared over two dozen films and has been in nine television series, including some in the leading role. As he grew older, his pop became lighter and this song, Kusursuzsun (Acoustic Version) is an example, which first appeared on his album of the same name in 2004. The lyrics say "Believe me, you're perfect, you make me wild. It is impossible to say no to you. What kind of being are you? My soul is shaking."

Here is Emrah's music video that goes with the non-acoustic version of the song.



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/Emrah_(singer), Putumayo Presents: Turkish Groove liner notes

French Colonies a World Away: Beausoleil and "Bamako"

Beausoleil brings us today's random tune, called Bamako. 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 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. They are one of the few Creole/Cajun groups to win a Grammy. Bamako can be found on their 2013 CD From Bamako to Carencro. The title refers to the capital city of Mali.

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/BeauSoleil

Riding to My Man: Chirgilchin and "Dyngyldai"

Chirgilchin and their song Dyngyldai are today's random tune. Chirchilchin is a group performing traditional Tuvan music. Formed in 1996, Chirgilchin are master throat singers and instrumentalists, and have as members multiple winners of throat singing competitions and music awards, who have made a name for themselves on the strength of their music and on the strength of their international performances and collaborations with other artists. They have collaborated with avante-garde performance artist Laurie Anderson on her album Homeland, and guest performed Puerto Rican singer Residente's song Somos Anormales (warning, video is explicit) in 2017, which may have made them one of the most unlikely groups to win a Latin Grammy. You can find Dyngyldai on their 1999 album Aryskan's Wind. The song says "I will mount the horse of the heavenly color to get to my beloved man."

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/Chirgilchin

Pretty Love: Los Texmaniacs and "Amor Bonito"

Today's random tune is performed by Los Texmaniacs. From San Antonio, Texas, Los Texmaniacs were created in 1997 by Max Baca to play traditional conjunto and tejano music but also to incorporate rock and jazz while honoring the old traditions. Baca was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and followed his grandfather and father in learning the accordion beginning at age 5. He was invited by one of his idols, the great Flaco Jiménez, to play in Jiménez' band in San Antonio where he learned to play the bajo sexto (bass) using all six sets of strings in the traditional style. In forming Los Texmaniacs, Baca wanted to keep alive the style of another groundbreaking band, The Texas Tornados. This song, Amor Bonito, can be found on their 2012 CD Texas Towns and Tex-Mex Sounds. The song was composed by Tejana pioneer Lydia Mendoza who dedicated it to her husband.

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/Los_Texmaniacs;

Tener Miedo: Fèmina and "El Guacho"

Argentine rap and hip hop group Fèmina brings us today's random tune, called El Guacho. Fèmina, based in Buenos Aires, is made up of three women from Argentina's Patagonia region. They classify themselves as a fusion rap group, bringing female voices into a mixture of rap and regional styles that creates something new in the global music scene. They released their first album in 2011, which was a selection of tunes performed live in Buenos Aires and other cities in Argentina. El Guacho is from their second album Traspasa (2014). The song is about feeling lost, fearful and even broken in this world.

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/F%C3%A9mina

In Love with a Gazelle Because of Her Graceful Gait: Aromates and "Demarche Voluptuese - Epris d'une Gazelle"

Today's random tune is called Demarche Voluptuese - Epris d'une Gazelle, and is performed by Aromates, a French ensemble Aromates led by percussionist Michèle Claude. The ensemble fuses the ancient and contemporary, uses old and new instruments, and explores into gypsy and Cuban rhythms and jazz in its music. Its first album, Jardin des Myrtes (Garden of Myrtles - 2005), features traditional Arab-Andalusian songs played by the musicians on traditional instruments. The music takes you straight back to an Umayyad court in Spain - you might even be in the presence of the Caliph himself. Demarche Voluptuese - Epris d'une Gazelle can be found on Jardin des Myrtes (2005).

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://www.facebook.com/pages/Ensemble-Aromates/343839478960228; http://www.globalart-kulturmanagement.org/en_projekte_aromates.html

Blue Rampart: Capercaillie and "Am Mur Gorm"

Today's random tune is by Capercaille. Capercaille is a Scottish folk band formed in the 1980s and named after the Scottish wood grouse. They perform traditional Gaelic songs along with songs in English of their own composition or by others, and often mix traditional songs with modern recording techniques, rhythms and instrumentation. At first sticking fairly closely to traditional styles and instrumentation, in the 1980s Capercaille added funk bass lines, synthesizers and electric guitar to traditional songs. In 1992, their EP A Prince Among Islands was the first Gaelic language record to reach the top 40 of the UK singles charts They have since been moving back toward more traditional music while retaining a slight fusion sound. This song, Am Mur Gorm, is from their 1997 album Beautiful Wasteland. The song refers to a pair of mountain ranges collectively known as The Cuillin on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

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/Capercaillie_(band)

Tramp Steamer: The Klezmatics and "Going Away to Sea"

Today's song is a klezmer song set to the lyrics of an American folk icon. Going Away to Sea is a song by The Klezmatics, written to match lyrics penned by Woody Guthrie but never set to music. Based in New York City and formed in 1986, The Klezmatics are a Grammy award winning group that mixes older Yiddish tunes with contemporary styles of music. They have also recorded songs in Aramaic and Bavarian. Going Away to Sea is from their album of Woody Guthrie lyrics with original music titled Wonder Wheel (2006).

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/Klezmer

Putting on the Ball and Chain: Raissa Hafida and "Ayan Dar Illa Zine"

Raissa Hafida, a Berber Moroccan pop star and wedding singer, belts out today's random tune with the help of a little auto-tuning (which I normally don't like that much). While I couldn't find much about Hafida personally, apparently Berber weddings in Morocco are a really big deal and a significant source of income for musicians. This video shows some of the things about such weddings, including henna tattoos and dancing men with huge mustaches and knives. There are also some animated butterflies. These YouTube clips are important means of advertising for the musicians. You can find this wedding song, Ayan Dar Illa Zine, on Hafida's 2011 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.

Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jan/14/the-playlist-middle-east-and-north-africa-hafida-mazen-kerbaj

Maori Electronica: WAI and "He Kanikani Mahau"

Our random song for today is called He Kanikani Mahau, and is performed by New Zealand band WAI. WAI was started in 1999 by Mina Ripia and Maaka McGregor, and they released their debut album in 2000. They were immediately hailed in New Zealand and beyond as groundbreaking and bringing a new sound to music from the Pacific Rim. In 2007, the duo went on hiatus to focus respectively on having a family and to work on new songs for an album. They have since evolved into a five piece outfit that sings in Maori, and uses traditional Maori music as a base to create what they call Maori electronica roots world music which also is infused with jungle, funk, reggae, hip-hop and deep house. You can find He Kanikani Mahau on their 2000 debut release, WAI 100%.

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.kapa-productions.com/wai/; https://www.waimusic.co.nz/

Bread and Circuses: Ani Cordero and "Panis et Circenses"

Today's song is by a rising star in the Latin music world. Panis et Circenses by Ani Cordero, a Puerto Rican-born musician who started her music career in Tucson, Arizona fronting a band bearing her own last name, Cordero. In 2000, accompanied by her husband, musician Chris Verene, Ani Cordero moved to New York, reformed the band and toured nationally with Calexico and Los Lobos, among others. By 2005, she had become quite well known in the New York rock scene, and she joined a new Latino pop and folklorico group called Pistolera. Panis et Circenses is from her first solo album Recordar: Latin American Songs of Love and Protest, in which she sings eleven songs of political and social significance in Latin America. It was released in April of 2014, and Panis et Circenses was written by the famous Brazilian artists Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil and originally performed by Brazilian psychedelic group Os Mutantes.

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/Ani_Cordero; https://www.anicordero.net/

Road Trip: Modena City Ramblers and "Clan Banlieue"

Today's song is by Italian band Modena City Ramblers. Started as a hobby in 1991 by a group of friends that wanted to play Irish music together, the Modena City Ramblers (or MCR) is an Italian folk band heavily influenced by Celtic themes and is often classified as folk rock. A band with an open lineup, they have had several people leave and return sporadically. They are outspoken in their left wing politics, and their lyrics often speak out against the Mafia and fascism. They have released 14 albums and 5 EPs. This song, Clan Banlieue, is from their second album, 1996's La Grande Famiglia. The song is about a group of friends that take an old van around Europe.

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/Modena_City_Ramblers

There He Comes: Luisa Maita and "Aí Vem Ele"

Today's random tune is Aí Vem Ele by Luisa Maita, a Brazilian singer-songwriter. Born into a musical family in São Paulo, 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. You can find Aí Vem Ele on her 2010 release Lero-Lero.

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/Lu%C3%ADsa_Maita

Below the Equator: Paolo Conte and "Sudamerica"

Today's random song is performed by Paolo Conte. Conte was born in Asti in the Piedmont region of Italy, and he began his music career as a vibraphone player traveling in local and touring bands. He started writing songs early on in his career with his brother Giorgio but eventually began writing on his own. His star rose in the 60s and 70s as he was the main creative songwriter behind hits of other well-known Italian artists. His solo career commenced in 1974. His songs are known for being evocative of colorful and dreamy Italian and Mediterranean sounds. His music is often jazzy, reminiscent of South America and French singers, and filled with a wistful melancholy. His music has also been used in many movies. This song, Sudamerica, can be found on his 2003 CD Reveries. The video shows an encore during his performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival.

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/Paolo_Conte

This Girl: Martial and "Cette Fille"

Martial Tricoche, a French musician, rapper, singer, solo artist and the leader of the group Manau, brings us today's random tune called Cette Fille. From Saint-Denis, Martial formed the hip hop and slam group Manau with Cédric Soubiron after becoming inspired by Celtic stories and legends. He has also done his own solo work. I couldn't find much more on him that doesn't intermingle with Manau, which has won many awards and is now over 20 years old. You can find Cette Fille as a 2003 single and on the various artists compilation Putumayo Presents: Euro Groove (2008).

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://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_Tricoche

Petrivka: Inna Zhelannaya and "Петривка"

It's too bad I couldn't find this on YouTube, but it is a really cool song on Bandcamp too! It is sung by Inna Zhelannaya, a Russian singer-songwriter best known as the frontwoman for the band Farlanders, who were included on a Putumayo World Music compilation CD, toured the US and were part of the 1996 Olympic opening ceremonies. She has also released solo albums starting in 1995, and her solo music has been described as containing elements of jazz, progressive rock, electronic, trance and psychedelia with which she reworks old folk songs, some as old as 1000 years. This song, Петривка, can be found on her 2014 double album titled Изворот (Izvorot). And yes, if you're wondering why the song abruptly ends - it's supposed to.

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/Inna_Zhelannaya

Ragamuffins: Baraka Moon and "Raga Bayragi"

Raga Bayragi - with Baraka Moon from Ken Adams on Vimeo.


Today's randomtune is a fusion of Indian raga and Sufi trance music. Raga Bayragi is by Baraka Moon, a Pakistani, Indian, Australian, American band which fuses the above with 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. Raga Bayragi 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.

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

College of Trance: Aziz Sahmaoui and the University of Gnawa with "Salabati"

Today's random song is by Aziz Sahmaoui and the University of Gnawa. A Moroccan multi-instrumentalist and singer of gnawa, ancient African Islamic spiritual and religious songs and rhythms, Sahmaoui takes gnawa music and stays true to its essence while also bringing in influences of jazz and fusion. After school, Sahmaoui settled in France where he helped found the world music group The National Orchestra of Barbès where he introduced audiences to music of the Maghreb. In 2010, he started his current group The University of Gnawa, which aims for, in their website's words, a music that ferments trance in a reconciliation of the musical geniuses of both Africa and the Sahara. You can find this song, Salabati, on Aziz Sahmaoui and the University of Gnawa's eponymous 2012 album.

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://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aziz_Sahmaoui; http://www.azizsahmaoui.com/

Burial: Emel Mathlouthi and "Dfina"

Emel Mathlouthi brings us today's random tune. A Tunisian singer-songwriter originally well known in France, Emel Mathlouthi became the voice of popular uprising in Tunisia when she penned and recorded two songs, Ya Tounes Ya Meskina and Kelmti Horra, that became anthems for the Tunisian Revolution. She began writing songs as a student, but became frustrated by the lack of opportunities and the political apathy of her classmates. Eventually she moved to Paris after the Tunisian government banned her songs from radio and television. However, bootleg copies of her performances in France circulated through Tunisia, and her songs had an impact on the 2010 uprising against the government. You can find this song, Dfina, on her debut album, Kelmti Horra, released in 2012 to critical acclaim.

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/Emel_Mathlouthi

Magic on 21 Strings: Ashwin Batish and "Sitar Magic"

Ashwin Batish, an accomplished sitar and tabla player, brings us today's random tune. Originally from Mumbai, India Batish is the son of composer and Bollywood playback singer Pandit Shiv Dayal Batish. Ashwin Batish was a child prodigy who started playing music on the dholak drum, then the tabla at age 10, but he fell in love with the sitar at age 12. He began to learn sitar through lessons taught by his mother and by listening to Ravi Shankar albums. He also learned some guitar and enjoyed playing Western music by The Beatles, Pat Boone, Cliff Richard and others of the 60s era. After joining his father in England, he began to learn North Indian classical music and composition. His training was rigorous, but Ashwin realized he had to study diligently because he found himself uncomfortable playing in front of audiences. Batish moved to the US in 1973 with his father, and played music with him at their family restaurant. In 1986, he released his debut album called Sitar Power #1. A sitar fueled fusion of Indian and Western rock music, it brought him much attention and a recording contract. He currently runs his own record label that focuses on publishing all of his family's music, and he teaches music in Santa Cruz, California at his Batish Institute of Music and Fine Arts. This song, Sitar Magic, can be found on his 1986 release Sitar Power #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.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashwin_Batish

Ganesh Is Fresh: MC Yogi and "Elephant Power"

Our random tune for today is by MC Yogi, the stage name of Nicholas Giacomino, a yogi (yoga practitioner) and instructor who is based out of Point Reyes, California. As a hip-hop artist, MC Yogi focuses his music around the tenets, philosophy and spirituality of Hinduism. 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. At times, even when he is doing nothing but beatboxing, his songs can sound like mantras or prayers. Currently, MC Yogi has two released albums, Elephant Power (2008) and Pilgrimage (2012) and there is also a remix album called Elephant Powered Remixes (2010). This song, Elephant Power, is off of his first album of the same name, and provides some insight into the Hindu god Ganesh. The song features Bhagavan Das, a bhakti yogi who is also a singer and teacher and who was the guide for Ram Dass in his spiritual journey in 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/MC_Yogi

Or Misremembered: Orla Fallon and Moya Brennan with "Forgotten"

Our tune today is sung by Moya Brennan and Órla Fallon. Moya Brennan, also known as the First Lady of Celtic Music, first achieved fame with the band Clannad which was formed in 1970. In 1992 she released her first solo album. She has since released 12 albums as a solo artist or in collaboration with others and three live albums, as well as her work with Clannad. She also has been a vocal advocate for the blind and nature preservation, as well as those struggling with addiction based on her own struggles with alcohol and drugs as recounted in her autobiography. Órla Fallon is a harpist who first achieved musical success with the group Celtic Woman. She is also a member of the chamber choir Anúna. She released her first solo album in 2000 and joined Celtic Woman in 2004 as a founding member. She left the group in 2009 to have a break and focus on her family, but in 2010 she became the first former member of Celtic Woman to star in her own TV special, Celtic Christmas on PBS. She also released two Christmas albums that year, and another solo album in 2011. You can find this song, Forgotten, on the double album The Music of Ireland: Welcome Home (2011) released by Readers Digest and which was a PBS Special.

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/Moya_Brennan; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%93rla_Fallon

Forgive Me: Ana Costa and Oswaldo Cavalo with "Pra Que Pedir Perdão"

Today's random tune is by Ana Costa.  A singer of samba, the lively Brazilian music that provided the basis for bossa nova, Ana Costa is one of the newer voices carrying the samba torch. She started in rough bars in a region just north of Rio de Janeiro, and was one of the founders of the all-female samba group Roda de Saia, later known as O Roda. She joined Martinho Da Vila's daughter Mart'nalia in a band and toured Brazil, the US and Europe, and began eventually to write songs.  This song, Pra Que Pedir Perdão, can be found with just her voice on her 2005 album Meu Carnaval, and this version with Oswaldo Cavalo, about whom I couldn't find much information, on the various artists compilation album Putumayo Presents: Brazilian Cafe (2009).

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.thenewblackmagazine.com/view.aspx?index=2324

Headwind: Silver Sepp and "Tuul Võttis Mind Pääle"

Today's beautiful, simple song is by Estonian singer-songwriter Silver Sepp. Known for his use of almost everything to make music, such as bikes, nails, water-filled wash basins, coffee cups, and more, he fashions his own instruments out of such materials to incorporate into his music. You can find this song, Tuul Võttis Mind Pääle, on Silver Sepp's 2013 album Mis Asi See On?

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://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Sepp

A Prayer: Tiwa Savage and "Adura"

Today's random tune comes from Nigeria from Tiwatope Savage, who performs under the name Tiwa Savage. Born in Nigeria, Tiwa Savage's family moved to London when she was eleven years old. She was a trombone player in her school's band and performed as a backup vocalist to George Michael when she was 16, but she graduated with a degree in business administration and worked at the Royal Bank of Scotland after university. During this time she was also lending vocals to other famous performers, like Mary K. Blige, Chaka Khan, Kelly Clarkson and Andrea Bocelli, and she performed onstage with Sting, 50 Cent, The Black Eyed Peas and others. She eventually enrolled in the Berklee College of Music, graduating at 27. She moved back to Nigeria with hopes of starting her musical career there, but her initial experiences were rocky and she was discouraged by some and ridiculed by others who told her she would never make it. However, she persisted, appearing on the UK X Factor, singing background on Whitney Houston's album I Look to You, and co-hosting Nigerian Idol. She was signed to a contract by Sony Music and has had great success in Nigeria and around the world. She also has been an active participant in social initiatives across Nigeria, including breast cancer screening, youth empowerment, and school building. You can find this song, Adura, on her 2016 album R.E.D. The song is a prayer to "the Heavenly King" who alone, not politicians, not traditional religious figures, can save those who are suffering and hungry.

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/Tiwa_Savage

Beloved Gregory: Mac-Talla and "Griogal Cridhe"

A veritable Scottish supergroup, Mac-Talla, brings us today's random tune, called Griogal Cridhe. Formed in 1987 and made up of some of the foremost Scottish musicians, including Eilidh Mackenzie, Christine Primrose, Arthur Cormack, Alison Kinnaird and Blair Douglas, the group was backed by the involvement and support of the An Comunn Gàidhealach America, the Gaelic Society of America. You can find Griogal Cridhe on their only album, 1994's ...Mairidh Gaol Is Ceol and on the 2001 various artists compilation The Rough Guides: Music Rough Guides. The song is a lament for a lord that was put to death.

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/Mac-Talla_(band)