A Great Time of Day: Sergio Mendes and "After Sunrise"

Today's tune is by the master of Brazilian inflected pop, Sergio Mendes. Sergio Mendes came along at just the time that bossa nova, a genre that combines samba with jazz, was becoming popular and he was mentored by and played with one of the founders of bossa nova, Antonio Carlos Jobim. It wasn't until Mendes came to the United States and started recording and touring, however, that he started to attract attention. Signing with producing legend Ahmet Ertegun and Atlantic Records, he cut some jazz albums in Portuguese which had low sales. After moving over to A&M Records and taking the advice of his partner Richard Adler, he began recording material in English and included a backing group of women who could sing in both English and Portuguese. He also began touring with A&M cofounder Herb Alpert, which helped with exposure. Various incarnations of his group, including Brasil '65, Brasil '66 and Brasil '77 cut massive hits - often covering American and British hit songs with a bossa nova/flair but also bringing contemporary Brazilian tunes, like Jorge Ben's Mas Que Nada, to an American audience. He has also worked with a who's who of American musicians, such as Herb Alpert, Stevie Wonder and The Black Eyed Peas. Mendes is still working, and was nominated for an Oscar as recently as 2012 for his composition Real in Rio for the animated film Rio. You can find this song, After Sunrise, on his 1972 compilation album Four Sider, and on his 1972 album Primal Roots.

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/S%C3%A9rgio_Mendes

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

Emirati Patsy Cline: Balqees and "Majnoun"

Emirati singer Balqees, the performing name of Balqees Ahmed Fathi, brings us today's random tune, a pop tune from her 2013 debut album Majnoun. Her father, a Yemeni musician, gave her the musical genes and she started music with instruments and singing at a young age. She has released three albums. This song's title, Majnoun, translates to "Crazy" and is the singer asking herself why she is so crazy in love over someone.

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/Balqees_Ahmed_Fathi

No Ifs, Ands or Buts: Wael Kfoury and "Ma Fi Law"

Today's song is by Lebanese pop artist Wael Kfoury, considered one of the most popular figures in Arabic music. Known as the "King of Romance," or sometimes as just "The King," Wael Kfoury was born into a Melkite Greek Catholic family and learned music by studying solfeggio at a private Catholic university in Lebanon. He has released at least sixteen albums. You can find this song, Ma Fi Law, on his 2015 album Wael. The song is an person's expression of undying love to another.

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/Wael_Kfoury

I Even Painted My Toenails: Lena and "Satellite"

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Today's song is a bit pop, and is performed by Lena Meyer-Landrut of Germany. Also known as Lena, she won the 2010 Eurovision song contest with this song, called Satellite, which the BBC called the first pop hit that the Eurovision song contest had produced in decades. Lena was a clear favorite to be the German entry for the Eurovision contest on the basis of her strong performance in the German national competition. Raised an only child, Lena grew fond of singing and appeared as an extra in German television programs without any formal acting or singing training. After winning the Eurovision contest, she has released five albums, performed in television programs, and has been a judge for televised singing contests. Satellite can be found on her first album, My Cassette Player, released in 2010.

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/Lena_Meyer-Landrut

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

Hiding Truth in the Heart: Paola and "Krivo Alitia"

Paola, a singer from Greece, is the performer of today's random tune, called Krivo Alitia. Born Pagona Karamitsou, Paola Foka came from a musical heritage as both of her parents were musicians. She followed in their footsteps at 14 years old at the suggestion of a shopkeeper, and by 19 she was singing in a nightclub in Thessaloniki. She has released six albums since 2005. Krivo Alitia can be found on her 2015 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/Paola_Foka

Tell Me What to Do: Ragheb Alama and "Sahorony Ellil"

Today's random tune comes with a video that has cheesy animation! The song is called Sahorony Ellil, and it is by Lebanese singer, dancer, composer, television personality, and philanthropist Ragheb Alama. Alama began his career in the 1980s as a contestant on a talent show. Participation in the show brought him exposure and he began putting out albums on a yearly pace and hitting number 1 several times in the Lebanon music scene. Born into a Shiite family in Beirut, he began learning the oud at eight years old. He was head of the jury for Arab Idol in 2011-2013, and he was also the first Arab artist to have a CD sold at Starbucks. You can find Sahorony Ellil on his 2001 album of the same name, and on the various artists compilation Putumayo Presents: World Groove (2004). He is joined on the song by Faudel, a French-Algerian raï singer and actor. As you can see from the video, the song is about a lover trying to win back the object of his affection.

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/Ragheb_Alama

A Little Red Package: Sven-Ingvars and "Ett Litet Rött Paket"

We have a fun one for our random global tune for the day! The tune is called Ett Litet Rött Paket and is by the 60s-era Swedish pop and rock group Sven-Ingvars. Formed in 1956, Sven-Ingvars was extremely popular in Sweden during the 1960s and their popularity was such that in 1963, the opening act for the band was The Beatles. In the 1970s, the band moved more toward dance band music, which has become popular in the Scandinavian countries and which focuses on music that can be danced to in pairs - for rock oriented bands the music tends to be rock music of the 50s and 60s. Ett Litet Rött Paket was originally released as a single in 1963, but can be found on the 2016 Sven-Ingvars album Svensk Julmusik. Technically a holiday song, Sven-Ingvars changed some lyrics so that the month of December is changed to February, and the song describes the city of Uppsala.

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/Sven-Ingvars; https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sven-Ingvars

Rhythm & Rhyme: The Maxwell Implosion and "Follow My Riddim"

Today's random tune is by The Maxwell Implosion. The Maxwell Implosion is really German DJ Torsten Heller, whose music mixes soundtracks from the 60s and 70s with jazz, lounge and bossa nova. He performed as a DJ in many countries before recording his own material, which due to his exposure as a DJ often includes contributions from well-known artists from around the world. This song, Follow My Riddim, can be found on his debut album Small Circle of Friends (2002).

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.allmusic.com/artist/the-maxwell-implosion-mn0000866423

Hands Amidst the Conflict: Heartbeat and "Take My Hand"

Some hope of peace in an increasingly violent world goes into our random tune for today. Take My Hand is performed by Heartbeat, a mixed group of Israeli and Palestinian youth who come together to build critical understanding and transform conflict through the power of music." Working to build awareness, trust and and respect, while also building on the tools of nonviolence for self expression and social change, Heartbeat has brought together over 100 youth musicians from both cultures all over Israel and the Palestinian Territories. 95% scholarship based, Heartbeat not only focuses on music but also retreats, workshops, camps, field trips, overseas exchanges, and the development of ensembles. They also teach video and audio production, and Heartbeat youth participate in performances. Take My Hand can be found on their 2013 album Heartbeat: Amplifying Youth Voices. The youth musicians on this track are Dana Herz, Guy Gefen, Dave Kirreh, and Palestino Musalam.

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://heartbeat.fm/

Popera: Sertab Erener and "Buda"

Turkish pop music singer Sertab Erener brings us our random tune for today, called Buda. Best known for winning the 2003 Eurovision song contest, Erener was born and raised in Istanbul where she first studied opera. However, she began working with Turkish pop idol Sezen Aksu, and released her first album in 1992. She has performed hit songs for Turkish dubbed versions of Disney movies, and in 2004 she released her first English language album. In 2005 she recorded a much lauded version of Madonna's Music which was featured on the soundtrack to the documentary Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul. Buda can be found on her 2005 album Aşk Ölmez, and on the 2006 various artists compilation Putumayo Presents: Turkish 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.

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

Just the Way I Like It: Los Amigos Invisibles and "Easy Going"

Our random tune for today is a short little ditty called Easy Going. It is performed 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. Easy Going 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

The Spell is Broken: Kirsty MacColl and "Nao Esperando"

Nao Esperando, our random tune for today, is brought to us by Kirsty MacColl, an English singer-songwriter who recorded many pop hits in the 1990s and made notable appearances on other hits. Married to producer Steve Lillywhite, MacColl sang backup vocals on the recordings of many of the artists that he produced. She died in 2000 in a tragic accident in Cozumel, Mexico. While diving in an area restricted for swimming only, she was hit by a speedboat that had strayed into the area - she died saving her son who was in the boat's path. To give you an idea of the esteem she is held in, Billy Bragg always includes extra verses she wrote in covering his song A New England, a memorial bench has been placed in her honor at the southern entrance to Soho Square in London, and she is always heard on her guest vocal in The Pogues' Fairytale of New York, which has been voted as the fan favorite Christmas song on the VH1 video channel. Nao Esperando, can be found on her 2000 album Tropical Brainstorm.

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/Kirsty_MacColl

That Day Will Come: Ebru Gündeş and "Bir Gün Olacak"

Today's random tune takes the flavor of Turkish pop. Born in Istanbul, Ebru Gündeş was forced to discontinue school after her primary years because of financial difficulties. Luckily, her voice was discovered when one of her relatives took her to be heard by a record label executive, who was impressed and introduced her to music producers. Gündeş sings tragic arabesque songs which lie at the core of Turkish pop. She is not only popular in Turkey, but also in Azerbaijan. She is also highly regarded in Iran due to the large Turkic minority there and has been called one of Iran's favorite singers. Most of her albums have been highly successful. Not only has she appeared on television as a singer, she is now an actress in a Turkish comedy series and was host of the hugely popular Mega Show, which was your standard variety show. She also was a guest judge on Popstar Alaturka, a talent show along the lines of American Idol or The Voice. Her career has been somewhat hampered by health issue - she suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in 1999 entailing two operations - but she is back in full health. This song, Bir Gün Olacak, can be found on her 2011 album Beyaz.

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/Ebru_G%C3%BCnde%C5%9F

Fantastic Fox: Kuma Lisa with "Summer Dream"

Happy New Year! Our first song to start off the new year, on what for many of you may be a cold winter day, is called Summer Dream by Kuma Lisa. An international trio based in East London, the band's name is based on a fox from folktales from Eastern European countries. The members are Mariana Bogdanova on lead vocals, percussion and acoustic guitar, Rupert Gillett on 6 & 12 string guitars, double bass, cello, salaw (a stringed instrument from southeast Asia), bass pedals and vocals, and Rob Stutterheim on piano, accordion and vocals. The band mixes folk from eastern and western Europe with pop and jazz influences. You can find Summer Dream on their 2013 album Kuma Lisa.

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.kumalisa.co.uk/

Pretty Cool: Jaywon and "Kule Lori"

Today's random tune is by Nigerian superstar Jaywon, and features Reminisce and Seriki. The song is called Kule Lori. Singer, songwriter, performer, producer and actor Jaywon was born Iledare Oluwajuwonlo, and is known not only for his music but for establishing Next World Music in 2013. He is also a multiple award winner for his music during his career, which started in 2005 in Lagos. He has released one album and a number of singles. You can find Kule Lori on his 2016 album Oba Orin. He is joined on the song by Nigerian rapper Remilekun Abdulkalid Safaru, also known as Reminisce, who in 2014 was named by Time Magazine as one of the seven world rappers you should meet. Also featured is another Nigerian rapper, Ibiyemi Seriki, who goes by his last 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.

Folk Rock Gold: Trad.Attack! and "Kullakarva"

Our random tune for today is by Trad.Attack!, an innovative band from Estonia that starts from a base of Estonian traditional folk songs and adds modern rock and pop influences as well as looping of past voices in Estonian music and culture. Trad.Attack! is a multi-year multiple winner of the Estonian Music Awards. Formed in 2013, the band has a goal of performing in every country in the world. At last count they were up to 31. You can find this song, Kullakarva (Shimmer Gold), as the title song on their 2017 CD of the same name. Apparently, Bandcamp defaults to another song, so if you want to hear Kullakarva skip ahead to track 12...however, this is a very nice album in its entirety.

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.

She Loves Him: Nancy Ajram and "Yalla"

Today's random tune is by Nancy Ajram. From Lebanon and born into an Eastern Orthodox tradition in Beirut, she is a singer, multi-platinum recording artist and a three-time winner of the World Music Awards. She is one of the best-selling Middle Eastern artists of all time, with over 30 million records sold worldwide. She began singing at eight years old and soon began participating in contests. After studying music in her early teens, she released a couple of albums in the late 90s and early 2000's, but her big breakthrough came when she signed a contract in 2002 with noted Lebanese producer Jiji Lamara, who began to move her away from her "decent girl" image. The rest is history. This song, Yalla, can be found on her 2014 album Nancy 8.

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.

Two Moons: Amr Diab and "Amarain"

Today's random tune is by Amr Diab, who is an Egyptian singer and composer of pop music. A winner of the multiple music awards, he is known as the "Father of the Mediterranean Sound," referring to his blend of Egyptian sounds and textures with Western rhythms and instrumentation. When you listen to his music, you can catch touches of flamenco and raï blending with Western pop and traditional Arabic music. He is also a pioneer in video, being the first Egyptian artist to appear in music videos and helping to popularize them in the Arab world. Diab has also appeared in film. He was criticized during the Arab Spring uprisings in Egypt for maintaining his silence and moving to London during the tumult, but after Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak was deposed he recorded a song called Masr A'let (Egypt Has Spoken) and released it in conjunction with a video showing many of those who had died, and established a charity to help rebuild Egyptian society. He has released 30 official albums. This song, Amarain, can be found on his 1999 album of the same name, and on the Putumayo Presents:Arabic Groove CD (2001). The song's title refers to the singer comparing his lover's eyes to two moons.

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.