Well, well, well. Back again with a track attack of good global grooves; not only for the Sound Travels that happens on the 88Nine airwaves every Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m., but also here on the blog spot.
The first hour of this Sunday's show leans Brazilian, has a reggae focused middle and then dips tropical towards the end. Highlights in the hour for me — and I hate to play favorites — include new music from Céu, Reyna Tropical, Bomba Estereo and a fun discovery from an outfit from Vancouver, Empanadas Ilegales (yes I love empanadas!).
Céu is one of the best-selling Brazilian artists in the United States, Reyna Tropical is coming to Milwaukee in May, and Bomba Estereo is one of the best bands to come from Colombia in my humble opinion.
Hour two is different but with just as much flame to the fire. If I had to pick the vibe, definitely Afrobeat (in the Fela vein). It simmers with Ethiopian jazz to start and somewhere around the 20-minute mark syncopates Afrobeat vibes — both from venerated and newer artists. It’s an easy hour to like.
If I had to pick three, check out the father of Tuareg guitar, Abdallah Oumbadougou, Orlando Julius is fire (even if the song is old), and the new one from the blind couple from Mali, Amadou & Mariam, absolutely pops at the end.
Track list for April 28
Hour 1
- Lucas De Moro, “Vila Velha”
- Céu, “Gerando na Alta”
- C+C=Maxigross, “Dois Palitos Fofinhos”
- Hyldon, “Balanco Do Violao”
- Natty, “Ascension”
- L.A.B, “Take it Away”
- Subatomic Sound System, “Get High”
- The Utopians, “I Was Wrong”
- Naâman, “Lucky Day”
- Protoje, “Legend Legend”
- El Búho & Nickodemus, “Diablada Disco”
- Arnau Obiols & KAYYAK, “Faith”
- Tuyo & Luedji Luna, “Paisagem”
- Reyna Tropical, “Cartagena”
- Bomba Estéreo, Monte & NATURE, “Algo Esta Cambiando”
- Empanadas Ilegales, “La Primera Pachanga en Marte”
- KOFFIE, “Bossa”
Hour 2
- Meklit, “Ethio Blue”
- Fawda, “Menelik”
- Afel Bocoum & Alkibar, “Ali Farka”
- Abdallah Oumbadougou, “Imidwan”
- Franco Luambo, “Mambu Ma Miondo”
- Tony Allen & Adrian Younge, “Don’t Believe the Dancers”
- Sefi Zisling, “The Sky Sings”
- RAH & The Ruffcats, “Agidi”
- Orlando Julius, “In the Middle”
- Arnau Obiols & KAYYAK, “Faith"
- Jembaa Groove, “Asem Ben”
- L’Osmose, “Maggiore 800"
- Amadou & Mariam, “Mogolu”
- King Promise, “Paris”