Monday February 25

The final Monday of every month, we present Global Village at the Savannah Music Festival, a monthly concert series showcasing top world music artists and groups who have appeared at the prestigious annual festival that takes place each spring in Savannah, Georgia.

This time, in conjunction with the February Harp feature, it’s the harp-like sound of the African kora, played by one of the masters of the instrument, Ballake Sissoko. His work as a leader, with kora legend Toumani Diabate and bluesman Taj Mahal, and as part of an elegant duo with French classical cellist Vincent Segal have won Sissoko international attention and acclaim. We’ll hear the Malian master in an entrancing solo performance this time from the Savannah Music Festival.

Tuesday February 26

Global Village highlights music from the Grammy and Latin Grammy nominated (and winning) Musas Vol.2 album from acclaimed Mexican singer and songwriter Natalia Lafourcade for her birthday. Plus more harps for the February feature from Veracruz (Grupo Mono Blanco) and Spain (Rodrigo Romani) and music from our top pick of 2018, Samurai Accordion, with a song written by Kepa Junkera from the group, who is on the road to recovery from a stroke he suffered last month.

Wednesday February 27

It’s Independence Day in the Dominican Republic and the climax of a month of carnival celebrations that goes on there every year. Global Village celebrates with classic and contemporary merengue and bachata from Juan Luis Guerra, Wilfredo Vargas, Luis Vargas and more. Plus music from Red Baraat, DJ Dolores, and some blasts from the past from BeatleJazz and Jesse Winchester.

Thursday February 28

Global Village marks birthdays of the great Latin jazz and Latin soul percussionist Willie Bobo, and pioneering Danish world-jazz guitarist Pierre Doerge. The show also wraps up the February Global Harps feature with music from Celtic Harp master Alan Stivell (with Youssou N’Dour), pioneering jazz harpist Dorothy Ashby, and there’s new music from the Franco-Ethiopian group Ukandanz and from Mali’s Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba.

Friday, March 1

It’s New Month/New Music time in the Global Village. Each month, Global Village devotes an entire show to the best of recently released and forthcoming world music albums. 

Sunday, February 24

Hear new music from history-making contemporary gospel artist Kirk Franklin. He’s sold over 10 million records worldwide and is still going strong. The 12-time Grammy winner, musician, songwriter, producer and choir director has a new single out called “Love Theory.” Franklin also plans to host what called the “biggest night in gospel music,” the 34th annual Stellar Awards, in Las Vegas on March 29. Join us for Soulsations Sunday night at 6 p.m. on KMUW.

 Here’s the official music video for Kirk Franklin’s new single “Love Theory:”

Friday, February 22  

Best Days is the debut recording from Cartwheel, featuring Kristyn Chapman, Will Erickson and Riley Day. We’ll hear selections from that release as well as music from Hands Like Glaciers, the newest from Old News.

We'll also remember musician and actor Peter Tork (of The Monkees), who died Thursday at the age of 77.   

Saturday, February 23

We mark the 75th birthday of guitar legend Johnny Winter with music from his solo career and his work with Muddy Waters. 

Monday, February 25

Released in 1990, And The Horse They Rode In On was the fifth studio album from Soul Asylum and the group’s final before its breakthrough 1992 release, Grave Dancer’s Union. We’ll hear selections from And The Horse They Rode In On as well as music from Bob Mould’s 1990 effort, Black Sheets Of Rain.

Tuesday, February 26

Listen for selections from Hot Boxing, the 1994 effort from the band Magnapop, produced by Bob Mould, as well as music from Neil Young’s Sleeps With Angels.

Wednesday, February 27

Inspired by his stepson’s interest in loud rock ‘n’ roll bands such as Camper Van Beethoven, John Hiatt abandoned his singer-songwriter sounds for the 1993 album Perfectly Good Guitar. We’ll hear music from that recording as well as Paul Westerberg’s solo debut from that same year, 14 Songs.

Thursday, February 28

In the early 1980s, Ohio elementary school teacher Robert Pollard bought a chick for his son as an Easter present. The chick grew into a frightening rooster that Pollard and his family dubbed Big Daddy. The rooster came to grace the cover of Devil Between My Toes, the 1987 album from Pollard’s band, Guided By Voices. We’ll hear selections from that release as well as music from Come On Pilgrim, the Pixies’ effort from the same year. Both artists are featured throughout March on Strange Currency.