Podcasts about Kuti

There's a lot of fantastic music being made by Brazilian artists living in the U.S. They entertain an estimated 1.5 million Brazilian immigrants here as well as a growing number of other fans. And Brazilian music is enjoying a resurgence here - on Mazda commercials, endless bossa nova soundtracks played in upscale restaurants; inter-cultural collaborations and so on. We'll hear many of the best: Jorge Alabe, the godfather of many samba schools; Bebel Gilberto, daughter of bossa pioneer Joao Gilberto; singer Luciana Souza; the quirky percussionist Cyro Baptista; the funky, unorthodox Forro in the Dark and others. They all have fascinating stories to tell. We'll hear them in concert, visit with them in their homes, and hear songs from records produced in the U.S. New York University's widely published Professor of Music Jason Stanyek will be our co-host. APWW #555

To make this unprecedented program, producer Ned Sublette traveled to Mbanza-Kongo, the ancient seat of the Kongo empire located in present-day northern Angola, where he spoke to Dr. Bárbaro Martínez Ruiz, professor of art and art history at Stanford. We'll learn about the simbi, the spirits that Martínez Ruiz describes as “the multiple power of god”; hear Antonio Madiata play the lungoyi-ngoyi, the two-stringed viola of the Kongo court; attend a session of the lumbu, the traditional tribunal of elders; and talk to Pedro Lopes, a nganga mawuko (traditional healer). With C. Daniel Dawson and Angolan composer and musicologist Victor Gama, we'll explore Kongo-Ngola culture in the diaspora – in Brasil, Haiti, Cuba, and more. A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY TO MBANZA-KONGO is supported by a 2012 Knight Luce Fellowship for Reporting on Global Religion. The fellowship is a program of the University of Southern California's Knight Chair in Media and Religion. Originally produced by Ned Sublette in 2012 APWW #651

In which the Curmudgeons express awe and amazement over the musical innovation and rebellious spirit of one Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti. Already an established jazz-fusion bandleader in his native Nigeria, a nearly year long stay in Los Angeles in 1969 exposed Kuti to the thrilling sounds of that era's soul and funk music and to the rage and purpose behind the politics of Black empowerment. Kuti returned home reinvigorated and over the course of the 1970s, he proceeded to fashion what we now call Afrobeat, writing and performing marathon-length compositions that spliced funk, R&B, jazz and Afro-Cuban music with the polyrhythmic Yoruba beats of his homeland. Kuti thrusted rousing horn punches, electric-piano sensuality and especially lush and glorious saxophone solos into the world's consciousness. And he became more furious and more targeted in his criticisms of African colonialism, imperialism and governmental corruption--to the point the Nigerian government burned down his commune and, later, imprisoned him on trumped-up charges. Kuti's resultant suffering and defiance through it all became a rallying cry for justice among the Western world, helping him transcend his status as a musical visionary into something entirely more heroic. We explore the best of Fela Kuti's music and meditate on his lasting influence during this episode.    Enjoy the music of Fela Kuti by accessing our special Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7jmPzVgNCI1252H9b19UhJ?si=3fcbe59f198346bb   Here is a handy navigational companion to this episode.   (00:52 - 03:37) - Arturo Andrade sets the parameters for our discussion of Fela Kuti   (04:11 - 14:21) - The Parallel Universe, featuring reviews of new albums from Brother Wallace and Touch Girl Apple Blossom (and an amusing recitation mishap by Christopher O'Connor)   (15:20 - 49:18) - We discuss the musical and cultural legacy of Fela Kuti right up front. We also tell his origin story. And we begin an analysis of his best songs, starting with the nastily funky "Roforofo Fight."    (50:27 - 01:07:37) - We analyze more of Fela Kuti's best songs, including the James Brown-inspired vamp-up "Zombie" and the amazingly intense 24-minute classic "I.T.T. (International Thief Thief)"       Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock   Edited with an assist from Descript! web.descript.com     Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com   Subscribe to our show on these platforms: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911   https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb   Co-written and co-produced by Arturo Andrade and Christopher O'Connor - The Curmudgeons

Fela Kuti has been the subject of at least half a dozen documentaries, a Broadway play, a shelf of books, and at least one richly lauded podcast series.  It's hard to imagine a time when Fela would have been considered an obscure musician from a largely unknown continent.  But that was very much the case in the seventies when bassist Melvin Gibbs heard his music blasting out of a record store on Nostrand Avenue in his native Brooklyn.  The number of  Americans who had even heard of Fela, already a superstar in his homeland, Nigeria, was vanishingly small.   But a penny dropped.  This experience launched Melvin Gibbs on a musical and cultural journey.  He has spent half a century exploring the topic of his new book, “How Black Music Took Over the World." This Monday (4/27), Melvin Gibbs returns to the WKCR studios for a Deep Focus on Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti, with host Mitch Goldman.  Will Mitch find live, unreleased recordings of Fela in the WKCR archives?   Come on!  We all know the answer to that question.   Tune in this Monday from 6pm to 9pm NYC time on WKCR 89.9FM, WKCR-HD or wkcr.org.     Or join us when it goes up on the Deep Focus podcast on your favorite podcasting app or at https://mitchgoldman.podbean.com/.  It will join over 400 promo-free episodes.  Subscribe right now to get notifications when new episodes are posted.  It's ad-free, all free, sponsor-free, totally non-commercial.  We won't even ask for your contact info.   Find out more about Deep Focus at https://mitchgoldman.com/about-deep-focus/ or join us on Instagram @deep_focus_podcast.     Photo credit: Fela Kuti on stage -  promotional photo 19 July 1986 - Source- Billboard Jul 19, 1986 p. N-3 - Distributed by Celluloid Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.     #WKCR #DeepFocus #MelvinGibbs #HarrietTubman #FelaKuti #FelaAnikulapoKuti #AfroBeat #JazzRadio #JazzPodcast #JazzInterview #MitchGoldman #HowBlackMusicTookOverTheWorld

Haiti became the first black-ruled republic in the Americas in 1804, and music has mirrored, and at times shaped, the twists and turns of Haiti's politics and culture ever since. A primary source of Haitian culture is Dahomey, the birthplace of vodou--the most commonly held world view among Haitian people today. We explore how each of Haiti's rulers has championed his own preferred music. The Duvalier dictators favored compas dance music, and suppressed the most African-identified cultural expressions. When Baby Doc was run out of the country in 1986, African-derived racine, or roots, music exploded. Elizabeth McAlister, professor of religion at Wesleyan University, and Holly Nicolas--interweave music and history to tell a dynamic, and at times heart-breaking story. Included in the mix we'll hear the sweet sound of troubadour balladeers, as well as the exuberant tones of rara bands, the call and response of a capela kombit songs of work parties, impassioned choral music of evangelical churches, and the sophisticated, improvisational rhythms used in vodou rituals. Produced by Sean Barlow APWW #540

Fela Kuti has been the subject of at least half a dozen documentaries, a Broadway play, a shelf of books, and at least one richly lauded podcast series.  It's hard to imagine a time when Fela would have been considered an obscure musician from a largely unknown continent.  But that was very much the case in the seventies when bassist Melvin Gibbs heard his music blasting out of a record store on Nostrand Avenue in his native Brooklyn.  The number of  Americans who had even heard of Fela, already a superstar in his homeland, Nigeria, was vanishingly small.   But a penny dropped.  This experience launched Melvin Gibbs on a musical and cultural journey.  He has spent half a century exploring the topic of his new book, “How Black Music Took Over the World." This Monday (4/27), Melvin Gibbs returns to the WKCR studios for a Deep Focus on Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti, with host Mitch Goldman.  Will Mitch find live, unreleased recordings of Fela in the WKCR archives?   Come on!  We all know the answer to that question.   Tune in this Monday from 6pm to 9pm NYC time on WKCR 89.9FM, WKCR-HD or wkcr.org.     Or join us when it goes up on the Deep Focus podcast on your favorite podcasting app or at https://mitchgoldman.podbean.com/.  It will join over 400 promo-free episodes.  Subscribe right now to get notifications when new episodes are posted.  It's ad-free, all free, sponsor-free, totally non-commercial.  We won't even ask for your contact info.   Find out more about Deep Focus at https://mitchgoldman.com/about-deep-focus/ or join us on Instagram @deep_focus_podcast.     Photo credit: Fela Kuti on stage -  promotional photo 19 July 1986 - Source- Billboard Jul 19, 1986 p. N-3 - Distributed by Celluloid Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.     #WKCR #DeepFocus #MelvinGibbs #HarrietTubman #FelaKuti #FelaAnikulapoKuti #AfroBeat #JazzRadio #JazzPodcast #JazzInterview #MitchGoldman 

We explore the role music played in the creation of a uniquely Angolan consciousness as the country struggled toward independence in the 1960s and ‘70s after centuries of colonialism. Our guides will be producer Ned Sublette, on the ground in Angola, and Dr. Marissa Moorman, historian of southern Africa, and author of Intonations: A Social History of Music in Luanda, Angola from 1945 to Recent Times. We'll hear the pathbreaking group Ngola Ritmos, who dared sing songs in Kimbundu publicly when it was prohibited by the Portuguese. We'll hear immortal voices from the age when the guitar-driven style called semba ruled, as well as some snazzy ‘60s guitar instrumentals. Produced by Ned Sublette APWW #647

Fela Kuti has been the subject of at least half a dozen documentaries, a Broadway play, a shelf of books, and at least one richly lauded podcast series.  It's hard to imagine a time when Fela would have been considered an obscure musician from a largely unknown continent.  But that was very much the case in the seventies when bassist Melvin Gibbs heard his music blasting out of a record store on Nostrand Avenue in his native Brooklyn.  The number of  Americans who had even heard of Fela, already a superstar in his homeland, Nigeria, was vanishingly small.   But a penny dropped.  This experience launched Melvin Gibbs on a musical and cultural journey.  He has spent half a century exploring the topic of his new book, “How Black Music Took Over the World." This Monday (4/27), Melvin Gibbs returns to the WKCR studios for a Deep Focus on Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti, with host Mitch Goldman.  Will Mitch find live, unreleased recordings of Fela in the WKCR archives?   Come on!  We all know the answer to that question.   Tune in this Monday from 6pm to 9pm NYC time on WKCR 89.9FM, WKCR-HD or wkcr.org.     Or join us when it goes up on the Deep Focus podcast on your favorite podcasting app or at https://mitchgoldman.podbean.com/.  It will join over 400 promo-free episodes.  Subscribe right now to get notifications when new episodes are posted.  It's ad-free, all free, sponsor-free, totally non-commercial.  We won't even ask for your contact info.   Find out more about Deep Focus at https://mitchgoldman.com/about-deep-focus/ or join us on Instagram @deep_focus_podcast.     Photo credit: Fela Kuti on stage -  promotional photo 19 July 1986 - Source- Billboard Jul 19, 1986 p. N-3 - Distributed by Celluloid Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.     #WKCR #DeepFocus #MelvinGibbs #HarrietTubman #FelaKuti #FelaAnikulapoKuti #AfroBeat #JazzRadio #JazzPodcast #JazzInterview #MitchGoldman   

Our Hip Deep edition “A Tale of Two Rebellions,” produced in August, 2007, recounts the stories of two remarkable military campaigns in early Islamic history. Both uprisings take place in the late 9th century, both involve Africans as key players, and both set the scene for the crystallization of the Sunni-Shi'ite divide in Islam, which of course continues to this day. Produced by Banning Eyre APWW #535

Igerész: Róma 8,6b Lelkész: Kuti József Lejátszás közvetlen fájlból (hiba esetén): https://krek.hu/media/files/igehirdetesek/20260510_9h_KJ_Róma8,6b_a_Lélek_törekvése_pedig_élet_és_békesség.mp3 Becsült hossz: 3383 mp Generálta: ScrapeCast by Fodor Benedek UUID: d062e9ae-daf8-4123-b405-8e75a11df4fe

Scholar and author Joseph Braude guides us through the often overlooked popular music of the Persian Gulf, the music known as Khaliji. We learn about the Africans of places like Bahrain and Kuwait - slaves of yore - their free descendents, and more recent waves of African immigrants, notably from Sudan. This episode features spectacular historic recordings, such as the songs of the all but disappeared pearl divers, a well as Khaliji hits by the likes of Abdullah al-Ruwaished and Areel Abou Bakr. Produced by Banning Eyre APWW #520

In this episode of DEI After Five, we continue our insightful conversation with wellness coach KutiMack, diving deep into the crucial topic of sleep and its significance for overall wellness. The discussion highlights the modern struggle of feeling numb to stress and anxiety due to the normalization of these feelings in our daily lives. Kuti emphasizes the body's remarkable adaptability and resilience, while warning against the dangers of frequently testing our limits. Listeners can expect to gain valuable insights and practical tips on how to prioritize sleep and manage stress effectively. Tune in for this enlightening part two! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit deiafter5.substack.com/subscribe

If one finds a string of birds in the possession of a Kuti, there are various ways of increasing rigor to test whether the Kuti had done the slaughtering properly, each of which concludes with determining whether the Kuti himself would eat from his shechitah. That is, where they accepted the halakhic requirements, they were incredibly careful -- and if they didn't accept the requirement to begin with, then they weren't trustworthy. Also, investigating Rava's view on one who intentionally eats non-kosher food - and yet that person can be relied upon for his assessment of kashrut, and even if that person does idolatry. Plus, the human enticement of food and drink just won't work for the Divine.

Ha a bálványimádó csak „kulturálisan” bálványimádó, ehetünk a vágásából? Köves Slomó rabbi a Chullin (חולין) traktátus negyedik lapján továbbviszi a sakter megbízhatóságának kérdését: mikor fogadható el annak a vágása, akinek vallási státusza problémás? A somronita, a Kuti (כותי) esetében a próba egyszerűnek tűnik: ha eszik a saját vágásából, akkor bízhatunk benne. De a Talmud hamar […] A Chulin 4 – Napi Talmud 2311: A bálványimádó vágása bejegyzés először NapiTalmud.hu-én jelent meg.

Buenas de nuevo. Esta semana nos sorprende Anjelikado, contandonos a qué ha estado jugando y son todo juegos nuevos, no ha repetido ninguno. Sinceramente, pensaba que eso nunca iba a pasar, pero mira, a veces la vida te sorprende. Por otro lado tenemos a Kuti que nos contará qué ha sido de su vida después de Crimson Desert y como está superando esta etapa. Además tendremos a Saencsa que nos hablará sobre sus juegos de pobres y a Saup que tb dará su chapa habitual. Todo esto aderezado con la ración habitual de noticias, comentarios de los oyentes y despedida, mucha despedida. Sea como fuere que escucheis el podcast, esperamos de corazón que lo disfruteis casi tanto como lo disfrutamos nosotros haciendolo.

Toumani Diabaté, the most celebrated kora player of his time, passed away in July, 2024, just days before his 59thbirthday. Afropop Worldwide was blessed to call Toumani a friend for over 30 years and to interview him some 15 times, often at his home in Bamako, Mali. In this episode we celebrate a life of massive virtuosity, creativity and innovation. Toumani overcame daunting obstacles and extended the global reach of this venerable West African harp as no one else has ever done. We hear the voice and music of Toumani at many points in his storied career, along with commentary from his longtime producer and friend, Lucy Durán. Produced by Banning Eyre. APWW #879

Kay ONPE Podcast episodiupim franja electoralta riqsichisaqku iskay kuti presidencial eleccionispaq, imayna organizasqa kasqanmantam willakusaqku hinallataq ancha allin kasqanmanta candidatukunapa munachikusqankumastarichinapaq, mana pimanpas sayapakuspa.

Jorge Ben Jor first began to experiment with fusions of samba, bossa nova, rhythm ‘n' blues and soul in the early 1960s. Together with Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, he participated in the watershed cultural movement, Tropicália, in the late 1960s. In the 1970s, he further explored Afro-Brazilian history and culture in a series of popular albums that have since become key points of reference for a contemporary neo-soul movement. Jorge Ben Jor continues to be an active presence in Brazilian popular music, and he grants us a rare interview to tell his story. The program is produced by Sean Barlow and coproduced with Christopher Dunn, author of Brutality Garden: Tropicália and the Emergence of a Brazilian Counterculture (University of North Carolina Press, 2001) as part of Afropop Worldwide's Hip Deep series. Produced by Sean Barlow & Christopher Dunn APWW #430

Afropop returns to Senegal for a thrill-packed tour of Dakar nightlife and a first time visit to the rich traditional music tapestry of Casamance. We check in with Youssou N'Dour, Baaba Maal and Cheikh Lo, and meet stars like Cheikh Ibra Fam, Dieyla, Sahad and mbalax heartthrob Pape Diouf. In Casamance, we experience the frenzy of a female fertility ritual and the serenity of the Diebate kora family. It's a classic Afropop field adventure, with nonstop music. Produced by Banning Eyre APWW #878

Musical improvisation comes in many forms. A jazz player creates within the harmonic structure of a composition. A Shona mbira player in Zimbabwe improvises interactively with another player, and the audience, in some cases, an ancestor spirit. An Arabic maqam musician works within the elaborate set of rules governing the movement of melodies within one or more particular maqamat, or modes. How are these musicians' experience the same? And how are they different? Musicians and scholars weigh in on this Hip Deep episode. Produced by Banning Eyre. APWW #485

This Hip Deep episode is Part 1 of a two-part series comparing and contrasting approaches to musical improvisation. Beginning and ending with bebop and free jazz, Part 1 takes sidetrips into Ghanaian percussion traditions, Mande string and vocal music, and solo taqsim improvisation in Arabic music. With insights from UCLA's A.J. Racy and Wesleyan University's Eric Charry, among others, we launch a provocative and revealing meditation on spontaneity in the world's music traditions. APWW #454 Produced by Banning Eyre

Umm Kulthum has been called the greatest singer in the Arabic speaking world in the 20th century. Born in 1904 the humble daughter of an Egyptian village imam, she went on to become a glamorous Cairo celebrity in her 20s, and soon after that, a cultural icon whose monthly live radio broadcasts brought much of Egypt to a standstill. She turned high poetry into popular culture. She extended musical forms with her virtuoso, extended vocal improvisations. Combining historical, religious, literary and musical passions, she inspired an enduring sense of national pride and left a legacy for the ages. Millions gathered for her 1975 funeral. With Umm Kulthum biographer Virginia Danielson as guide and guest, this program explores the life and music of a musical legend.  Produced by Banning Eyre APWW #465

This program presents a musical portrait of Bamako in the wake of crisis. We explore the precarious lives of griots in Bamako in the early 21st Century. The program draws on the groundbreaking documentary work of Lucy Duran, exploring how hereditary musicians apprentice and grow in various cultural contexts. In this case, we focus on the upbringing and education of children in these hereditary griot (djeli) families of historian-entertainers.  Produced by Banning Eyre in 2016 APWW #731

Cheikha Rimitti was more than Algeria's musical icon - she was the embodiment of defiance itself. Born into a life of poverty and oppression, her powerful voice resonated as the rallying cry for the marginalized, fearlessly giving voice to the forbidden themes of love, sexuality, and political injustice. Rimitti's music ignited a fire for independence, challenging societal norms with each daring lyric. Though her songs faced bans and censorship, her indomitable spirit could not be silenced.  A century after her birth, Rimitti's legacy burns ever brighter, inspiring a new generation of artists to remix and reinterpret her anthems of freedom. As we celebrated the 100th birthday of this trailblazing queen of raï in 2023, we honor Cheikha Rimitti - the voice that could not be oppressed, the embodiment of liberty through song. On this poignant journey through her extraordinary life, we meet the musical descendants carrying Rimitti's defiant torch forward, a century after that first cry of dissent rang out.  Produced by Elodie Maillot APWW #870

Topics Covered: How Chris got started in Worship ministry How the explosion of a worship industry has malformed us for local church ministry Why we need Worship Pastors in the church What unique challenges Worship Leaders are facing today The downsides to the seeker sensitive movement in the American Church How worship leaders and lead pastors can develop a healthy partnership Leadership skills every worship pastor needs to develop in a multisite context Resources Mentioned: Show Sponsor: Planning Center Chris Kuti Instagram Multitracks Show Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Planning Center, helping you sync all your ministry details across your whole church. Planning Center has become so essential to how I manage a team, that it's almost impossible to consider local church ministry without it anymore. Today, I want to leave you with a PCO pro-tip. Does this sound like a familiar situation? It's the end of the week. You're about to leave the office when you suddenly think: Did all of our volunteers confirm for Sunday? You scroll through the schedule and sure enough—there’s a gap. Instead of allowing yourself to spiral into a panic, try this: In Services, Planning Center has gap alerts. Turn them on, and you’ll get a heads-up days before service if positions are still unfilled or unconfirmed. No more end of the week scrambling. Speaking of less scrambling, did you know you can access everything you need for rehearsals right from the Service media player on your phone? Lyrics, chord charts, arrangement notes—it's all right there, so you're not hunting for files in the middle of hitting those power chords. To see what else you can do to make your Sundays easier, go to planningcenter.com/blog. The post #385: Worship Leader State Of The Union with Chris Kuti appeared first on Beyond Sunday Worship.

421 The Lives We Live In today's episode Sarah Elkins and Kuti Mack discuss their unique experiences in being selected for a TED talk, the process in getting to their own important story they needed to tell, as well as the people who supported them along the way.   Highlights The benevolence of somebody else and admitting when you need help going hand in hand with not assuming people are capable when in reality they need help. Knowing we are all human and we all need somebody to lean on and to let ourselves lean on others as well.  You need to try things out of your comfort zone in order to grow.  Even if you're nervous, even if you're scared, do it anyway.   Quotes "There is still a self belief that you have to have to believe that you can do these things." "Having them understand that you don't have to be a great speaker, as a matter of fact when you are a little tense or nervous, just that that little bit of vulnerability is probably going to fly so well for your talk."     Dear Listeners it is now your turn, What is one thing you've been wanting to do that you've been hesitant to do? What is one thing that when you think about if you have the right people in your circle that could support you in your goal, in your idea in sharing something important to you. What is that? And I really encourage you to think about what your idea would be if you were to share something on a stage, like a TEDx stage. What do you bring that's unique? What are your talents? What matters deeply to you, deeply enough to put yourself in this extremely uncomfortable position? Stretch out of that comfort zone, reach out to either Kuti or me and we will gladly share our experiences directly and offer whatever we can to help you try to do that next big thing because the people that you surround yourself with are either your greatest assets or your biggest liability.            And, as always, thank you for listening.    About Kuti From selling millions of records to pushing kale juice, KUTImack. is a master of reinvention and the living proof of his Be Your Best Daily[image] philosophy. A former top music executive turned sought-after personal trainer, nutrition expert, and TEDx speaker, he turns complex science into simple, actionable strategies that transform wellness and productivity peaks. Creator of the 6-Week SuperYou[image] and BYBD™. Bedtime Blueprint, he's earned the nicknames "Fitness Philosopher" and "Rockstar Professor" for his unique ability to fuse entertainment-world experience with science-backed inspiration that connects with every audience member. Be sure to check out his Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram! Also be sure to watch Kuti's TEDx Talk, 6 Week Super You, and his Speaker Site KUTImack! About Sarah "Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision." In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I've realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don't realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they're sharing them with. My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available! Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana. Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

Over the years, as barriers to international touring in the U.S. have risen, and more and more talented African and African diaspora artists have made their homes in American towns and cities, the sounds and voices of Africa have become more and more common on local scenes. In this edition of Afropop's "Africa in America" series, we spotlight women, Marie Daulne (of Zap Mama) collaborating with NYC Afrobeat band Antibalas, Razia of Madagascar, and the incomparable Afro-jazz innovator Somi, also Sudanese-born Alsarah and Awa Sangho of Mali.  Produced by Banning Eyre APWW #705

This joyful celebration of gospel music greats brings together Africa and America. Ladysmith Black Mambazo is the South African male a capela choral group singing in the local vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They became known internationally after singing with American Paul Simon on his joyous Grammy Award winning 1986 album Graceland. The Fairfield Four, started over 100 years ago, won a Grammy for the Best Roots Gospel Album. The Four Eagle Gospel Singers are a historic a cappella gospel group from Bessemer, Alabama, known as one of the state's oldest gospel groups. The Gospel Harmonettes were a pivotal 1950s female gospel group, fronted by the legendary Dorothy Love Coates, known for their powerful vocals, civil rights activism, and intense performances that influenced soul/R&B; Also featured are The Birmingham Sunlights who are distinctive for using no instruments in their church services. APWW #40 Produced by Sean Barlow

It's been decades since house and techno music exploded out of South Side Chicago and inner-city Detroit, and most Americans still don't know their dance music history. In 1977 a DJ named Frankie Knuckles moved to Chicago to spin and remix disco records at an underground club called The Warehouse. Out of a fringe subculture that formed there - gay and African-American - house music would emerge to become one the biggest club music genres in the world. Meanwhile, young black futurists of Detroit channeled their city's post-industrial decay into a utopian machine music known as techno. APWW #619 Produced by Marlon Bishop and Wills Glasspiegel

Episode 9 is the one where Brian Wise and Michael Mackenzie briefly mistake themselves for an IT helpdesk, a sports panel, and a moral philosophy seminar—before landing, somewhat dazed, back in music. It opens with Wise declaring he “can't stand” the sound of his own voice (a bold confession for a career built on talking), while Mackenzie offers the sort of praise that feels both affectionate and faintly menacing: “the voice of a generation.”  Before the audio collapses entirely, the conversation sprints through Wise's great sporting exertion: the exhausting labour of watching sport.  There's genuine distress at skier Lindsey Vonn crashing out in 13 seconds, complete with a description of pain you could feel through the screen.  From there, the mood whiplashes into the Super Bowl halftime show—Wise calls Bad Bunny's performance the best he's ever seen, even while admitting he couldn't understand a word of it. Mackenzie, meanwhile, is stuck on the visuals of sugar cane cutting and its historical echoes closer to home.  Their consensus: if Donald Trump calls it the worst halftime show ever, that's basically a five-star review. Then comes one of Wise's purest modern urges: gadget-lust triggered by sport. Spotting tennis champion Elena Rybakina wearing a watch post-match, he consults “our friend AI” and discovers it's a Vanguard Orb worth a mere $200,000.  At which point the show finally pivots to the Grammys—specifically the stuff that doesn't make the glossy broadcast.  Wise notes that Fela Kuti received a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award, nearly 30 years after his death at 58, making him the first African musician to be honoured that way.  They sketch Kuti as both musical revolutionary and political force, the Afrobeat originator whose trance-like repetition and complex grooves seeped into Remain in Light and My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. The point: the Grammys have 85 categories, and the good parts are buried where only the determined will look. The episode's left turn into pop comes via Mackenzie's discovery of Charli XCX through the comedy-chat juggernaut Smartless. Wise's response—“Who's he?”—is treated as both generational commentary and perfectly on-brand.  The subtext is clear: don't confuse “not my cup of tea” with “not worth paying attention to”. Politics drifts in, as it tends to now, through the question of who's writing protest songs. Wise notes Nils Lofgren's “No Kings, No Hate, No Fear”, nods to Lucinda Williams and Mavis Staples, and longs—audibly—for Bob Dylan to re-enter the ring with something era-defining.  Mackenzie is unconvinced, offering the counterpoint that Dylan's signature move in moments like this is often silence. Screen culture gets its usual run: Mackenzie's recommendation of the British robbery thriller Steel mostly lands—until Wise objects to the final 15 minutes for explaining too much, revealing his mother's literary habit of reading the last chapter first.  The music talk returns in force with Buddy Guy. Wise has interviewed him (Buddy turns 90 this year and is flagged as possibly touring Australia for the last time), and the hosts linger on the question Wise once had about Buddy's live habit of paying tribute to other blues greats.  Finally, Al Green turns up as both salvation and complication. Wise recommends Green's EP To Love Somebody (Bee Gees cover included, plus “Perfect Day” featuring RAYE and a take on R.E.M.'s “Everybody Hurts”), while Mackenzie raises the perennial problem: applauding the artistry while not airbrushing the artist.  Episode 9's through-line, then, isn't sport or even the Grammys. It's the way culture arrives in the room: messy, overlapping, sometimes off-mic, and always demanding you listen harder than the algorithm wants you to. Essential Links Lindsey Vonn's heroic return ends in heartbreak | Wide World of Sports Bad Bunny's Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show Vanguart Orb Flying Tourbillon Review: The Futuristic Titanium Timepiece of 2025 FELA Anikulapo Kuti - All songs The Rolling Stones and Steve Riley - Zydeco Sont Pas Salés [Official Audio] Smartless on YouTube Charli xcx - I might say something stupid (official lyric video) Charli xcx - House (Lyrics) ft. John Cale Nils Lofgren - No Kings No Hate No Fear STEAL - Official Trailer | Prime Video A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE | Official Trailer | Netflix Sinners (2025) - Post Credit Scene (1/2) Sinners Soundtrack This Little Light of Mine Buddy Guy Aint Done With The Blues  Buddy Guy Where You At Where U At Al Green - Everybody Hurts (Official Lyric Video)

Elijah Wald, acclaimed author of “Escaping the Blues: Robert Johnson the Invention of the Blues”, talks with producer Ned Sublette, and plays lesser-known recordings by Peetie Wheatstraw, Lonnie Johnson, Leroy Carr and others, who provided source material for some of Johnson's classic tunes. APWW #452 Produced by Ned Sublette in 2005

The Harlem Renaissance was a vibrant 1920s-1930s Black cultural movement centered in Harlem, a hub for African American creativity, literature (Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston), music (jazz, blues), and art (Aaron Douglas), fueled by the Great Migration and a desire to redefine Black identity that forged a new sense of Black Pride. In this program, we hear less well known artists such as James (“Big Jim”) Reese Europe who led an orchestra of 120 musicians. We also hear iconic songs of the era including Fats Waller's “Ain't Misbehavin'”, Mamie Smith's massive 1920 hit “Crazy Blues,” Cab Colloway's “St. James Infirmary” and more. Along the way, we'll enjoy the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra featuring Louis Armstrong on trumpet and vocals and Coleman Hawkins on sax, Ethel Waters, James P. Johnson, and Willie the Lion Smith. Harlem also drew the top Cuban orchestras who came to New York by steamship to record, calyso singers, and Haitian vodou music and theater. Harlem was famous for its rent parties and a wide open attitude to defying Prohibition where revelers danced to the shimmy, the black bottom, and the Charleston from down south. Relive the glory! APWW #226 Produced by Ned Sublette

Our guest, comedian Larry Dorsey, Jr., introduces us to Afrobeat innovator Fela Kuti.We discuss how Kuti exported Pan-Africanism to the world through his music. We talk about his musical roots, his political activism and his *check notes* ... 27 wives???Tell us about your first listen @AtFirstListenPodcast on Instagram!Subscribe so you don't miss an episode!(Episode 44.)

Sierra Leone has deep reserves of resilience, and an ability to come together and overcome great obstacles embedded in its culture. To provide the kind of history that is all too often overlooked when reporting on current events on the African continent, we are encoring this Hip Deep episode, which explores the nation's past. When Sierra Leone gained independence in 1961, Freetown swayed to the beguiling, breezy lilt of palm wine guitar and danced to the funky pop of Geraldo Pino and the Heartbeats. Once a center of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Sierra Leone became an improbable amalgamation of indigenous peoples and repatriated Africans freed from slavery. Thirty years of political and economic disintegration led to a horrific civil war that claimed tens of thousands of victims and created a generation of maimed bodies and ruined lives between 1991 and 2002. A significant portion of the violence was internal, with community members and sometimes children taking up arms against each other. Following the conflict, efforts to restore peace included truth and reconciliation programs aimed at strengthening social ties. This episode profiles the inspiring story of Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, a band formed in war-era refugee camps in Guinea. The band played a key role in giving citizens the courage to return home, and now, along with other young musicians in Freetown, attempt to pick up where others left off before the war. Produced by Simon Rentner with Wills Glasspiegel. APWW PGM #552 Originally broadcast in 2008

Nestled between Ghana, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria, Benin is a rich sliver of West Africa too often overlooked. This program puts Afropop's spotlight on Benin, starting with the country's favorite daughter. International star Angelique Kidjo looks back on her musical education in the Benin capital, Cotonou, as she walks us through the songs on her album Oyo, which spans covers of songs by James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Miriam Makeba, and Benin's own Bella Bellow. We meet the 70s "vodoun funk" band Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, who are still going strong, and recently made their belated US debut. We move forward to present a chat with Lionel Loueke, a Beninois guitarist who has moved on to become one of the most original voices in contemporary American jazz. The program ends with a remembrance of the brilliant Malian guitarist and singer Lobi Traore. APWW PGM #594 Originally aired in 2010

In the music of the French Antilles - the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe - you can hear influences that range from the traditional béle and gwo ka drumming of the islands' rural communities, to European additions like polka and French chanson. But when these islands produced a pop genre that took much of the Caribbean and African world by storm - the smooth and sexy dance music zouk, which exploded in the 1980s - it was an entirely new blend that uniquely reflected the complex layers of identity in these Caribbean communities that are, administratively, a full-fledged part of France. Still colonies? Many think so. Either way the Antilles have long produced artists and thinkers with deep sensitivity to the gradations of race, class, migration, and relationship to a powerful, distant metropolis. Now, musicians in Guadeloupe and Martinique are re-exploring their roots, celebrating rhythms that go back to slavery days without pulling back from the cosmopolitanism of recent years. Our guide to this music - and the rich history and ongoing debates that it reflects - is Brenda Berrian of the University of Pittsburgh, whose book, Awakening Spaces: French Caribbean Popular Songs, Music and Culture, is a definitive - and enthusiastic - treatment of the subject. Hip Deep by Siddhartha Mitter. APWW #570 Produced by Siddhartha Mitter in 2009

The first decade of the 21st century saw the beginning of huge changes in African diaspora music. Afrobeats and amapiano were still in the cradle, but a new spirit was in the air. In this program, we return to that crucial decade to hear some of the bold new ideas bubbling up in Africa. We'll hear Buraka Som Sistema from Angola and Portugal, Nigerian rapper 9ice, an Akon remix of Amadou and Mariam, and a then emerging American rock band with a bright future ahead of them, Vampire Weekend. Produced by Wills Glasspiegel. Originally broadcast in 2009.

Once-substantial Jewish enclaves of Morocco, Algeria and other North Africa states have dwindled steadily since World War II, mostly through migration to Israel. In sub-Saharan Africa, lesser known Jewish communities provide strikingly different narratives. Guided by ethnomusicologist and Rabbi Jeffrey A. Summit of Tufts University, this program focuses on the history and music of a small but robust community of Jewish converts in Uganda, the Abayudaya. Summit's own recordings include the Abayudaya singing choral music, modified folkloric songs accompanied by local drums and harps, such as the enchanting adungu, and also ventures into pop music bring this remarkable story vividly to life. This program will also introduce history and music from a younger community of practicing Jews in Ghana. APWW #544 Produced by Banning Eyre.

In hard times and boom times, people in Ghana know how to party. In this program, we hear regional pop and neo-traditional music at festivals, funerals and community celebrations across the county. We travel to the lush south-east Volta region to hear Ewe borborbor, agbadza and brass band music. In the northern city of Tamale, we hear Dagbani traditional music, hip-hop and pop, and visit the vibrant Damba chieftaincy festival in nearby Yendi. And back in the bustling metropolis, Accra, there's new trend moving hips: classic highlife, with a new pop flavor. Produced by Morgan Greenstreet APWW #745

Tarab, the ecstatic feeling associated with listening to and playing great music, is a fundamental characteristic in many varieties of Arab music. In this program, we explore tarab with special guest UCLA ethnomusicology professor A.J. Racy. Racy draws on his lifelong study of music and musicians, and also his insights as a virtuoso performer on the nay flute and the buzuq. Racy guides us through the experiences of listeners and players, providing deep insight into many varieties of tarab. We hear works by A.J. Racy, Sabah Fakhri and Ensemble Al-Kindi of Syria.

Sweet accordion riffs, the steady twang of the triangle, and the off-beat pounding of the zabumba drum make forro a favorite for all Brazilians. The infectious tunes and syncopated beats have been described as "a mixture of ska with polka in overdrive." This edition of Afropop Worldwide's Hip Deep will profile forro creator Luiz Gonzaga--from the wanderlust that led him from his rural birthplace in northeastern Brazil to a pumping career in the capital, Rio de Janeiro, in the 1940s. Conversations with Brazilian artists, recorded on location in the forro capital of Recife, following in Gonzaga's footsteps. Produced by Megwen Loveless APWW #457

The massive Niger River Delta is a fantastically rich cultural region and ecosystem. Unfortunately, it has been laid low by the brutal Biafran War (1967-70) and by decades of destructive and mismanaged oil exploration. This program offers a portrait of the region in two stories. First, we chronicle the Biafran War through the timeless highlife music of Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson, perhaps the most popular musician in Nigeria at the time. Then we spend time with contemporary musical activists in Port Harcourt's waterfront communities and in oil-ravaged Ogoniland to hear how music is providing hope for these profoundly challenged communities. The program features new and classic music, the words of Nigerian scholars, musicians, activists and veterans of the Biafran War, concluding with an inspiring live highlife concert on the Port Harcourt waterfront in which rappers and highlife graybeards come together to imagine a better road ahead. Produced by Banning Eyre APWW #754

Salegy may be the most popular dance music of Madagascar. It's a churning, harmonious groove with spine-stiffening vocal harmonies that emerged from towns and cities of northern Madagascar in the mid-20th century. On a trip to Diego Suarez, we learn that salegy's older origins are both fascinating and mysterious. We meet young salegy stars Ali Mourad and Jacs, and speak with the genre's reigning legend, Jaojoby, on the roof of his nightclub in Antananarivo. Along the way we visit a music school in Diego and hear blazing guitar riffs and get a fingerpicking tour of the entire island from guitar maestro Hajazz. Produced by Banning Eyre APWW #698

On a visit to the U.S. Virgin Islands in winter 2018, we took the pulse of the national music of St. Croix – quelbe. Rarely recorded, rarely exported, quelbe is an energetic form, led by sax or flute with percussion and banjo, and it fuels the traditional dance style, quadrille. St Croix is the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and sits alone 42 miles south of St. Thomas and St. John. That's part of why traditional music and dance forms have remained strong on St. Croix. Meet bandleaders Stanley Jacobs of Stanley and the 10 Sleepless Knights, and Dmitri Copemann of the Renaissance Band, who are cultivating a vibrant next generation. Produced by Marika Partridge and Banning Eyre APWW #782

Ep.253 features Jules BE KUTI, a young emerging artist born in 1993. His art reflects his experience as a Black person living in France, as well as his reflections on the challenges faced by Black individuals in society. Growing up in France, Jules was inspired by the richness of Black culture. He uses his art as a vehicle for intimate reflection, allowing him to explore the dynamics of memory and identity in a globalized world where national and cultural boundaries are increasingly blurred. Jules's works highlight archetypes and scenes from everyday life, each capturing emotions, experiences, and stories through the use of multiple colors. Jules's work is a celebration of diversity, offering a unique perspective on exploration and how diversity can be used to express and exalt our common humanity. Photo credit courtesy of the artist Artist ~ https://julesbekutiart.wordpress.com/ The Bishop Gallery ~ https://thebishopgallery.com/reminder-the-children-are-our-future/ Silent Gallery ~ https://silentgallery.art/artists/34-jules-be-kuti/ Artfacts~ https://artfacts.net/artist/jules-be-kuti Sugarcane Mag ~ https://sugarcanemag.com/2025/05/what-sold-at-the-11th-annual-1-54-in-new-york/ Prazzle ~ https://www.prazzleinc.com/editorial/1-54-art-fair-returns-to-new-york-highlights-and-exhibitions-to-look-out-for Movout Gallery ~ https://movartgallery.com/artist/jules-be-kuti/ The Blk Prspctv ~ https://www.theblkprspctv.com/p/jules-be-kuti-untitled-year-unknown

AR04_NouraMintSeymali by Afropop Worldwide

Cabo Verde (aka Cape Verde) has long been known as a music powerhouse. Despite its little size (population: 500,000), the West African archipelago is the third largest country in music sales in the “World” market by some estimations. That's why the island has become home to the Atlantic Music Expo: a trans-oceanic music fair featuring conferences and concerts that attract musicians and industry professionals from across the globe. In this episode, Afropop takes a visit to the islands and the Expo to check out what's going on today with Cape Verdean music. We hear from talented new singer-composers Dino D'Santiago and Ceuzany, check out high-energy funana from Ferro Gaita and Ze Espanhol, and sample other tasty musical fruits from the islands that created Cesaria Evoria. Produced by Marlon Bishop APWW #687

Since the 1960s in Jamaica, iconic figures such as Bob Marley have gathered in backyards to write reggae anthems that conquered world charts. The yard remains a cornerstone in Jamaican culture. Musicians withdraw from the violence of the city to create and play songs in their yards. In Jamaican patois, “mi yard” means “my home,” and many songs, proverbs and colloquialisms hinge on the word “yard.” More even than the music itself, the yard evokes a state of mind and a physical space wherein artists create amid the warmth of acoustic sound, raw emotion of voices and a collective energy. In this program, we move yard to yard in Jamaica, listening to acoustic music being written and recorded, smelling trees and flowers, and meeting legendary artists like Ken Boothe, Winston McAnuff, Cedric Myton of the Congos, Kiddus I, Robbie Lyn, Viceroys, or Nambo Robinson, as well as a number of young and emerging reggae artists like JAH9, Var, and Derajah, who grew up and found their artistic voices in ghetto yards. You've never heard Jamaica sound like this before! Produced by Elodie Malliot APWW #753

Join us on a musical adventure into the storied past of Africa's Rainbow Nation. In 2016, 20-plus years removed from apartheid, South Africa was a nation deep in transition. And, that was reflected in its music—brimming with enthusiasm and creativity, yet also suffering from the growing pains of a new democracy. On the ground at the 2016 Cape Town International Jazz Festival, we celebrate the country's amazing diversity and discover its hottest local talent: Mafikozolo, the sizzling fashionista Zulu pop duo; Tribute “Birdie” Mboweni, a soulful and socially conscious songbird from the rural north; Gigi Lamayne, a fresh voice from hip-hop's "born-free" generation; Bokani Dyer, a worldly jazz-cat on 88 keys; and Derek Gripper, a Capetonian guitarist virtuoso making us rethink African classical music as a whole. Produced by Sarah Geledi and Simon Rentner APWW #732

Musicians create worlds of their own. They are sonic alchemists. This program, originally produced in 2007, surveys a wide range of artists from throughout the African diaspora, artists with this special ability to spin out their own realities. We hear classic work from Basssekou Kouyate, Habib Koite, Youssou N'Dour, Konono No 1, The Assad Brothers, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and we hear many of them speak about their work. The Malian artists are particularly poignant, as they speak from a time before the turmoil that has enveloped the country since 2012. APWW #539 Produced by Banning Eyre.