Monday, January 20
Global Village celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day with songs dedicated to him, music inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, and pieces that reflect human rights themes as performed by artists from around the globe, including Mavis Staples, the Soweto Gospel Choir, Toots & the Maytals, Stevie Wonder, and more.
Tuesday, January 21
Global Village marks birthdays of Richie Havens and Edwin Starr, and continues the January Best of 2019 feature with show favorites (including contemporary highlife artist Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, Russian band Otava Yo, Australian/Mongolian group Equus, and the blues-reggae set Red, Gold, Green & Blue), along with music from brass band Dobranotch and Tuvan band Huun-Huur-Tu (both winners in this year’s Russian World Music Awards), and one of this year’s Grammy nominated groups, the Gullah band Ranky Tanky, who will be featured on the next Global Village at the Savannah Music Festival show the last week of this month.
Wednesday January 22
Global Village takes a little side excursion to Italy for a variety of different sounds from the pioneering neo-folk accordionist Riccardo Tesi, to the Napoli Mandolin Orchestra (with spaghetti western music!), along with Stefano Saletti with his Piccola Banda Ikona group, folk/ jazz saxophonist Enzo Avitabile, and the traditional pipes group Zampogneria.
Thursday, January 23
Global Village celebrates the birthday of gypsy jazz guitar great Django Reinhardt with music from the master himself and from his Hot Club of France partner – violinist Stephane Grappelli. We’ll also hear from some of the many contemporary artists and groups inspired by his music who offer both traditional and contemporary forms of his trademark ‘gypsy jazz’ sound, including Tchavolo Schmitt, Bireli Lagrene, Pearl Django, the Hot Club of San Francisco, the Hot Club of Detroit, and Hot Club Sandwich.
Friday, January 24
Throughout the month, Global Village has been looking back at significant music of the past year. In this special edition of the show, it’s a look back at some of the significant losses, paying tribute to musicians from around the world who passed away in 2019. Among the artists remembered are Zimbabwe’s Oliver Mtukudzi and Dorothy Masuka; South Africa’s Johnny Clegg; Lord Burgess who wrote hit songs inspired by the Caribbean for Harry Belafonte; vibes player Dave Samuels who headed up the acclaimed Caribbean Jazz Project; Brazil’s bossa nova pioneer Joao Gilberto and Godmother of Samba Beth Carlvalho; Kehinde Lijadu of Nigeria’s Lijadu Sisters; and Egyptian percussion master Hossam Ramzy.
