Exploring Connections: Carlos Núñez and "Feira de Mangaio"

Your random tune today is by Carlos Núñez Muñoz, a Spanish/Galician musician who usually goes by the name Carlos Núñez. A multi-instrumentalist, he plays the gaita, the Galician bagpipe, Galician flute, ocarina, Irish flute, whistle and low whistle. He was born in Vigo, Spain and began to play bagpipes at eight. He met Paddy Maloney of The Chieftains in his late teens and performed with the band, becoming known as the band's 7th member, as well as appearing with them on their album Santiago which focused on Galician music. He continues to tour, play in large and small venues and release recordings. This song, a well-known Brazilian song called Feira de Mangaio, can be found on his album Alborada do Brasil (2009) and on his 2014 album Inter-Celtic.

Before Uber: Sharlene Boodram and "Joe Le Taxi"

Today's random song, Joe Le Taxi, is sung by Sharlene Boodram of Trinidad and Tobago. I couldn't find much information on Sharlene Boodram other than she is the daughter of one of Trinidad's most famous auto racers, Frankie Boodram. She apparently blends British and and American styles with the music of Trinidad and the Caribbean. She also began her singing career at ten years old, scoring a hit song in Trinidad. She gets some accompaniment on this song from Trinidadian rapper Mysta Vybe. We found Joe Le Taxi on the compilation Rough Guides: A Guide to the Rough Guide Music Series (2001).

Take In the Beautiful Air: The Chieftains with Sinead O'Connor and "He Moved Through the Fair"

Whatever you may think about Sinead O'Connor - she has a set of pipes. This beautiful song, title changed from the feminine to the masculine, is called He Moved Through the Fair. It is performed by O'Connor with The Chieftains. Sinead O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter who rose to fame in 1990 on the strength of her rendition of Prince's Nothing Compares 2 U. She has been known as much for her controversial statements, gestures, and opinions as she is known for the strength of her music. O'Connor began her career as lead singer for the band Ton Ton Macoute, which was inspired by world music but which thrived on O'Connor's stage presence and singing. She was soon signed to a recording contract, and put out her first album, The Lion and the Cobra, in 1987. It reached gold record status and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. She has since released nine more albums, the latest in 2014. The Chieftains are an Irish ensemble formed in Dublin in 1962 who 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, including Sinead O'Connor, such artists as Van Morrison, The Rolling Stones, Madonna, and Roger Daltry. They have released 44 albums. He Moved Through the Fair can be found on The Chieftains' 1995 album The Long Black Veil, and is an air of some antiquity found in many versions throughout Ireland and Scotland. It has been recorded many times by a wide variety of artists such as Fairport Convention, Richard Thompson, Alan Stivell, Art Garfunkel, Mary Black and Josh Groban - a solo O'Connor version can be found on the soundtrack to the movie Michael Collins.

The Beauty Inside: Golem and "Miskayt"

So what happens when two people, unfortunately challenged in looks, happen to meet? Today's song, called Miskayt, answers that question. The song is presented by rock-klezmer band Golem, which was created in 2000 in New York City by Annette Ezekiel Kogan, who serves as bandleader, vocalist and accordionist. The band describes their music as Eastern European Jewish folk-rock, and combines elements of rock, punk, and klezmer with lyrics in mainly English, Yiddish and Russian. The name of the band refers to the monster created out of clay to protect the Jewish people, and turned back to clay when it got out of control. The band calls themselves a collective monster that approaches traditional music with respect, but without timidity and resistance to change. Miskayt can be found on Golem's 2014 CD Tanz.

Tango in the Dark: Hugo Diaz and "Mi Buenos Aires Querido"

Today's tune is a tango by Hugo Diaz called Mi Buenos Aires Querido. Hugo Diaz was born in 1927 in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, and lost his sight at age 5 after being hit by a soccer ball. He learned to play harmonica, and two years later after surgery restored his eyesight, he was already playing for a local radio station. He played mostly with friends from his youth, and after his debut in 1944 he scored a series of record contracts. He worked mainly in tango with deep roots in rural music. In the 1970s his musical legacy reached its apex. His daughter, Maria Victoria, was an important part of the Argentine rock and roll scene of the 1980s. Hugo Diaz died in 1977. Mi Buenos Aires Querido can be found on the 2012 retrospective album Tangos, on the 2006 various artist compilation Tango and Tangueros, and on Putamayo Presents: Tango Around the World (2007).

Completion: Moreno Veloso and "Um Passe a Frente"

Today's random song is called Um Passo a Frente and is sung by Moreno Veloso. The son of Brazilian musical legend Caetano Veloso by his first wife, Moreno Veloso had stellar musical influences including his godmother Gal Costa. He studied physics at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, but turned to music as his profession. While his songwriting debut was at age 10, it wasn't until 2000 that he released his first album. Um Passo a Frente can be found on his 2014 album Coisa Boa.

People Watching: Zaz and "Les Passants"

Les Passants is the title of the random song of today. It is sung by French singer-songwriter Isabelle Geffroy, known by her stage name as Zaz. Mixing jazzy style, French variety, soul and acoustic genres, she became famous on the strength of her first album, the eponymously named Zaz (2010). After a childhood steeped in music education she started her musical career in 2001 singing in musical groups and as a backup singer. She released Zaz in 2010 to great acclaim, especially her single Je Veux, and has since won awards and has toured extensively. She has released two more albums since, Recto Verso and Paris. Les Passants can be found on her debut album Zaz (2011).