Monday April 14
Global Village marks the solar new year with music from several countries in Asia that celebrate the holiday; celebrates the birthday of acclaimed Indian sarod player Ali Akbar Khan; and continues the April Hidden Gems & Lost Treasures Feature with music from ErsatzMusika, a group of Russian expats who recorded some intriguing releases in Berlin in the early 2000s.
Tuesday April 15
This time in the Global Village, we remember Amadou Bagayoko who passed away recently. The Malian singer and guitarist was known for his work in Amadou and Mariam, the internationally acclaimed husband-and-wife duo whose music was a distinctive contemporary blend of Malian styles and instruments with influences and sounds from around the world. We’ll hear music from their first international release, a Grammy-nominated recording, and a set with special guest Manu Chao. Plus more sounds from Mali from Orchestra Gold (a Mali/Bay area blend) and Sinimuso (an all-female lineup of Finnish and Malian musicians), Afro beat from Seun Kuti (Fela’s son) and KonKoma, and the most recent compilation in the Zanzibara series, highlighting Congolese bands who made their careers in Dar Es Salaam.
Wednesday April 16
SPECIAL: This time in the Global Village, we celebrate World Voice Day, a special day to highlight the importance of the human voice and to support artistic voice training, treatments for vocal problems, research and more. We’ll feature a wide array of great singers and vocal groups for the occasion - including the Cuban doowop group Los Zafiros; Cuban acapella group Vocal Sampling; Cuban-Haitian vocal group Grupo Vocal Desandann (now known as the Creole Choir of Cuba); vocal pop and doowop groups the Ink Spots, Mills Brothers, and Silhouettes; the meeting of Persian singer Mahsa Vahdat and soul great Mighty Sam McClain; and some Mongolian and Tuvan throat singing from Batsukh Dorj, Huun Huur Tu (with the Bulgarian vocal group, Angelite), and Khoomei Beat.
(Night Train also has a special show tonight for World Voice Day.)
Thursday April 17
SPECIAL: Global Village celebrates the birthday of percussionist, teacher, and folklorist Chief Bey in this special edition of the show. Bey was featured on a number of early influential world- influenced works in the ‘60s – including recordings from Olatunji, Miriam Makeba, Herbie Mann, and Art Blakey – and later innovative world jazz music from Hamiet Bluiett (of World Saxophone Quartet fame), Ahmad Abdul-Malik, and Randy Weston.
Friday April 18
SPECIAL: Global Village marks Independence Day in Zimbabwe with music from a number of artists from that country, including the legendary Thomas Mapfumo whose chimurenga music was an integral part of the independence movement; acclaimed singer-songwriter Oliver Mtukudzi; traditional mbira player Ephat Mujuru; one of the first major female artists to play mbira, Stella Chiweshe; and popular dance bands, the Bhundu Boys and the Four Brothers.
