Monday, April 29
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, it’s a performance from our April featured artist, Richard Thompson. A founding member of the pioneering English folk rock group, Fairport Convention, guitar hero, and powerful songwriter , Thompson has increasingly focused in recent years on live performance, crafting unique, witty, moving and one-of-a-kind concerts, including this one from the Savannah Music Festival.
Tuesday, April 30
Global Village wraps up the April Richard Thompson feature with music from one of his solo projects, with Fairport Convention, and with former wife Linda Thompson. Plus a birthday salute to Jamaican hitmaker Barrington Levy, a tribute to vibes player Dave Samuels, and new music from the International Citrus Band, the Vampires, Mongolian singer Urna with the Polish group Kroke, and Scottish band Shooglenifty with the Rajasthani ensemble Dhun Dhora.
Wednesday, May 1
While in many parts of the world, the first of May is a labor or workers’ holiday, in Hawaii it’s a different kind of celebration. May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii, honoring traditional Hawaiian culture and celebrated across the islands since the 1920s. Here in the Global Village we’ll celebrate with early stars of Hawaiian music, some of the great slack key guitar players, and some different and innovative takes on Hawaiian music. Among the artists featured on the show: King Bennie Nawahi (who recorded the song “May Day is Lei Day”), guitar wizard Sol Hoopii, slack key great Gabby Pahinui, his sons – the Pahinui Brothers (with Ry Cooder), Daniel Ho with the Grasslands Ensemble from Mongolia, and Indian slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya with a tribute to popular Hawaiian artist Tau Moe.
Thursday, May 2
In conjunction with the May International Drum Month feature, Global Village pays tribute to eclectic and adventurous Brazilian percussionist Naná Vasconcelos. The critically acclaimed artist released a series of recordings under his own name and as part of the Codona trio with Don Cherry and Colin Walcott. He was a longstanding partner with both Egberto Gismonti and Pat Metheny, and a much in-demand guest artist, working with such diverse performers as Laurie Anderson, the Talking Heads, the Gipsy Kings, Trilok Gurtu, Gato Barbieri, Paul Simon and more. We’ll highlight music from his own releases and some of his many guest appearances in this special edition of Global Village.
Friday, May 3
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.
Among the highlights this time:
Japan’s Minyo Crusaders, bringing an eclectic and contemporary spin to traditional Japanese folk music
Afro jazz and funk from Tel Aviv’s Hoodna Orchestra
Angelique Kidjo, with a tribute to the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz
Two talented acoustic folk and world trios from Sweden – Kaja and Vasen
And the reggae side of Ecuadorian singer, guitarist, songwriter and activist Eljuri.
