The Case of the Spiritual Journey Through African Folk
Which way Africa? This way, pilgrims.
This week we return to the African Folk theme after a long hiatus. As listeners may remember, this is one genre that is seeing a healthy revival in the modern day, and most of my cuts in today's first hour were produced in the last decade. This set will include music from Malian desert rockers Tinariwen, as well as three tracks from vinyl versions of Rough Trade compilations released for Record Store Day this year.
The second hour this week focuses again on Ghana and Nigeria, homes to the popular Highlife style of African music. Highlife started in the 1950s as an Africanized version of American dancehall jazz, but that's not what we will hear today....
Starting in the late 60s, Highlife music began to morph into a more spiritual music (not unlike American jazz at the time). This form would eventually transform into the deeply spiritual Juju genre popularized by artists such as King Sunny Ade. But today's tracks catch that transformation in mid-stride, while the music retained the energy and structure of Highlife songwriting.
A good set today to contemplate the spiritual side of the motherland... peace be with you.
- 12:03pm Mopti, Niger: Walking by Tucker Martine on Bush Taxi Mali (Sublime Frequencies)
- 12:05pm Segou by Koman Diabate & Kassemadi Kamissoko on Bush Taxi Mali (Sublime Frequencies)
- 12:07pm Jonkoloni by Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba on Segu Blue (Out Here Records)
- 12:12pm Juru Nani by Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba on Segu Blue (Out Here Records)
- 12:18pm Les Medicaments de la Rue by Sidi Toure on Alafia (Thrill Jockey Records)
- 12:22pm Yer Gando by Vieux Farka Toure on Rough Guide to Music of Mali (Rough Guide)
- 12:26pm Ay Takamba by Sidi Toure on Alifia (Thrill Jockey Records)
- 12:32pm Cler Achel by Tinariwen on Aman Iman (Independiente)
- 12:36pm Awa Adounia by Terakaft on The Rough Guide to Music of Mali (Rough Guide)
- 12:41pm Blues Song by Lala Njava on The Rough Guide to African Blues (Rough Guide)
- 12:47pm Renouveau by Traore Ablo on (single) (CVD)
- 12:53pm N'fa by Les Freres Diabate on Discotheque 72 (Syliphone Conakry)
- 1:01pm Odo Ye Wu by CK Mann on Party Time with "Ceekay" (Essiebons)
- 1:03pm Yede Aba Mene Menua Mienu by Dr. K. Gyasi & His Noble Kings on Sikyi Highlife (Essiebons)
- 1:10pm Zinabu by Bunzu Soundz on Bunzu Soundz (Makossa)
- 1:13pm M'atow Abowa by CK Mann on Party Time with "Ceekay" (Essiebons)
- 1:17pm Yeredi Awu by Kwame Nkrumah & Jewel Ackah on Safari and Classical Highlifes (Pan African Records)
- 1:22pm Ta Yanse by Bunzu Soundz on Bunzu Soundz (Makossa)
- 1:25pm Makola Special by Bunzu Soundz on Bunzu Soundz (Makossa)
- 1:28pm Volta Suite by Bunzu Soundz on Bunzu Soundz (Makossa)
- 1:32pm Don't Do Me So by Kwame Nkrumah & Jewel Ackah on Safari and Classical Highlifes (Pan African Records)
- 1:38pm Mma Anyi Egbuna Anyi by Celestine Ukwu & His Philosophers National on Ilo Abu Chi (Philips)
- 1:44pm Elege by Celestine Ukwu & His Philosophers National on Ilo Abu Chi (Philips)
- 1:49pm Ilo Abu Chi by Celestine Ukwu & His Philosophers National on Ilo Abu Chi (Philips)
- 1:55pm Mmefie Adiro Mgbayalu Ama Di by Celestine Ukwu & His Philosophers National on Ilo Abu Chi (Philips)