Cheikh Ibra Fam is a multidimensional artist with a free and futuristic spirit, well anchored in the Senegalese, African-American and Caribbean roots. He is known in Senegal for his "Freestyle" project and for his collaborations, notably as one of the current singers of ORCHESTRA BAOBAB, a famous Senegalese Afro-Cuban jazz band. In 2021, the artist is introducing his first international album in his own name, entitled "Peace In Africa" and to be released on March 11, 2022 under the French record label Soulbeats Music.
"Peace in Africa" was recorded in Gambia, Senegal, and France in 2020, featuring internationally recognized artists such as the maestro Balla Sidibe (RIP), Cheikh Lo, and Mo Kalamity.
Today's tune "Ayitaria" is taken from the upcoming album "Peace In Africa", feat. Cheikh Lô, enjoy!
Saturday and we're nearing the end of this worldmusic week. For today I thought we would increase the pace a bit with
COMBO CHIMBITA, a quartet of first-generation New Yorkers whose backgrounds are Colombian and who grew up loving heavy metal, psychedelic funk and soul.
Their debut release is a futuristic concept album called "Abya Yala" where we find her folkloric mystique, otherworldly psychedelia, and a dash of enigmatic punk "No Regreso", today's tune! Enjoy!
Friday and let's continue in the world music vein and play some kora music from Gambia.
Sona Jobarteh is a unique and pioneering musical icon of her time whose renown has been rapidly flourishing globally. Born into a Griot family from the Gambia, a tradition that dates back 7 centuries, she is the first female within this tradition to become a professional virtuoso on the Kora. Her music is uniquely poised between the preservation of her rich cultural heritage and an accessible, modern style that relates to the current era and to audiences from all over the world. At the heart of her success as an artist is her dedication to humanitarian activism in the areas of social development and educational reform on the continent of Africa.
Sona Jobarteh is the cousin of the well-known, celebrated kora player Toumani Diabate as well as the sister of the renowned diaspora kora player Tunde Jegede.
Today's tune "Gambia" is the debut music video by Sona Jobarteh, in celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Independence for the Gambia in 2015.
This video features the traditional Mandinka Drum called the 'Seruba', an instrument no longer featured much in Gambian mainstream society. By featuring the drum in this song, Sona aims not only to resonate with the deep history of the Mandinka people, but also to boost and promote awareness of this instrument both in the Gambia and internationally.
Featuring: The Fab Team, Gambia (Dancers), Musafilly Jobarteh (Percussion), Mamadou Sarr (Percussion), Sekouba Bambino, Students of the ABJ Music School, Gambia and Lamin Suso
"Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" is a song written and recorded by James Brown. Released as a two-part single in 1965, it was Brown's first song to reach the Billboard Hot 100 Top Ten, peaking at number eight, and was a number-one R&B hit, topping the charts for eight weeks. It won Brown his first Grammy Award, for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording.
Consolidating the rhythmic innovations of earlier James Brown recordings such as "I've Got Money" and "Out of Sight", "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" is considered seminal in the emergence of funk music as a distinct style. As Brown sings the praises of an old man brave enough to get out on the dance floor of a nightclub ("brand new bag" meaning new interest, taste, or way of doing something), his band provides a horn-heavy backdrop with a prominent rhythm and an electric guitar riff for a hook. Both singer and musicians place overwhelming emphasis on the first beat of each measure ("on the One"). The song is Brown's first recording to feature Jimmy Nolen on guitar.
The taped recording of "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" was edited and sped up for its single release, increasing the tempo and raising the pitch by a half step. In 1991, the recording was released in unedited form at its original speed on the box set Star Time. The track includes lead-in studio chatter, with Brown throatily (and presciently) shouting "This is a hit!" just before the drum and horn intro.
In 1971 a Moroccan musician Fadoul, covered the song in Arabic. The late Fadoul and his accompanying three piece band played energetic & aggressive funk songs in 1970s Casablanca. After a stint in Paris spent soaking up the music of James Brown and other American funk groups, Fadoul returned to Morocco to release records under Fadaul et les Privileges and other monikers.
"Sid Redad" is an Arabic funk version with a punk attitude of "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", very diffrent but still very danceable, enjoy!
"Utrus Horas" is one of those classic recordings that sounds so evocative and directly creates an image of Africa. And the band who created this velvet smooth music of surprise and enchantment are ORCHESTRA BAOBAB and this year marks the 50th anniversary of the band, one of Africa’s greatest bands. Adored both at home in Senegal and across the world, BAOBAB occupy a special place in the history of African music. Their epic story begins in the heart of Dakar’s Medina in the 1960s and extends across the world and into the 21st century, featuring a brilliant assembly of diverse musical personalities and encompassing a unique blend of Afro-Latin styles, international pop, West African griot music, and an after-dark West African nightclub ambience of lilting, mellifluous rhythms.
Many of the band's original members had previously played with STAR BAND DE DAKAR in the 1960s. Directed by timbalero and vocalist Balla Sidibé, the group features saxophonists Issa Cissoko and Thierno Koité, two singers, two guitarists and a rhythm section with drums, congas and bass guitar. Since their formation, the band has predominantly played a mix of son cubano, Wolof music, and to a lesser extent Mande musical traditions.
Today's tune is an incredible snippet of Orchestra Baobab's performance of "Utrus Horas" from Senegalese TV back in 1982, enjoy!
OUZO BAZOOKA was formed in Tel Aviv, a city with its own unique lifestyle, where one can feel that the vibrant urban scene is driven by cultural coexistence and vigorous creation. Drawing influences from this melting pot and exotic Middle Eastern feel, along with classic hard rock, psychedelic art, garage rock and surf – OUZO BAZOOKAs sound is a dizzying concoction of east meets west.
The band has been touring extensively in the past year, gaining local recognition and supporting act shows in Tel Aviv for both THE PIXIES and THE HIVES.
The band consists of:
Uri Brauner Kinrot - Guitar and Djembe
Adam Scheflan - Bass
Ophir Kutiel - Drums and percussions
Zeewar Bahalul - Keyboards
Today's tune is the groovy piece "Desert Love", taken from the album "Ouzo Bazooka", the Video is directed by Inbal Maoz, released 30 January 2014.
The Duesseldorf psych rockers SIRKUS released their second album "The Noise Of Time" in april 2018.
With a psych rock and a mixture of acid with congo, burkina faso, in the western African influences to the middle east and the American west coast combines a nice and great twists of djembe with spaced out synth, blues with maroccan gnaua rhythm and forms an earthquake for mind and soul., , yet fragile sound that makes SIRKUS worth checking up.
SIRKUS are:
Jonathan Geis: drums
Lukas Sauer: lead guitar
Marcel Bickert: djembe, percussions
Max Sauer: vocals, rhythm guitar
Michael Hauck: bass
Patrick Stäudle: keys
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Christoph Collenberg: sound art in "Road Song"
Jakob Gengenbach: additional percussions
Nico Neteler: flute
Valentin Link: double bass, noise
Valentina Solís: voice in "Road Song"
Today's tune "Sea" is taken from "The Noise Of Time", The video was recorded live at Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg on the 8th of June 2018. Enjoy!
Upcoming Tourdates:
FRI 26 OCTOBER Asta der Bergischen Universität WuppertalWuppertal, Germany
SAT 27 OCTOBER Musiktheater PianoDortmund, Germany
THU 1 NOVEMBER Unknown venueNuremberg, Germany
FRI 2 NOVEMBER Undressed 2018Dresden, Germany
SAT 3 NOVEMBER Ost-Passage TheaterLeipzig, Germany
FRI 9 NOVEMBER Colos-SaalAschaffenburg, Germany
FRI 30 NOVEMBER Alte MälzereiRegensburg, Germany
SAT 22 DECEMBER FeinstaubFrankfurt, Germany
THU 3 JANUARY DunckerclubBerlin, Germany
SAT 5 JANUARY Spessarttor Laufach/HainAschaffenburg, Germany
Monday, New Week and I see that I have time for one more album review and "Record Of The Week" before we close this year.
"Carry Fire" is the 11th solo release for the LED ZEPPELIN lead singer is backed by his band the Sensational Space Shifters and features a guest appearance from Chrissie Hynde from PRETENDERS.
Folkloric have been something that Robert Plant always have embraced during his carer as a singer and songwriter. I am referring to the tales of the occult, Vikings and even Tolkien that we heard in the tunes of LED ZEPPELIN or the more folk traditions and myths that he has been working around during his solo carrier. With "Carry Fire" he dives deep into international folk forms and blends both musical, cultural and ancient lyrics with yesterday’s entries and creates something flavouring as "Carry Fire".
"Carry Fire" is a very detailed, ambitious and very direct album, it's so full of life that you get happy inside when you get this a spin.
The first cut "The May Queen" is a atmospherics piece with a spicy from Americana, lovely lyrics. The guitars ricochet throughout the spiritual tune "New World" until the more straightforward love song "Season's Song" and "Dance With You", two magical pieces that could be played at a any feast. "Carving Up the World" sounds like a mix between the 60's rock and African rhythms and goes in the same steps as the title tune, but "Carry Fire" has a more Indian flavour added to the sound. "A Way With Words" could been a collaboration with THÅSTRÖM, it's naked, slow, gray and slightly industrial with alot of motions and feelings. "Bones Of Saints", slight guitars with a ruffling drums shows another side of Plant, Americana with a Blues and Folk in a mix sounds pretty good here. "Keep It Hid", another slight Industrial tune, muffling bassline, guitars that stands out and a sentimental and groovy vocal makes this a tune to stand out, I really dig this. "Bluebirds Over the Mountain" Industrial Blues, modern but still retro, or ancient, a tune that I just love, specially Chrissie Hyndes part, suits this tune perfect. The album closes up with the mystique half pace "Heaven Sent", a emotional and historical piece.
Sum: Plant wears his years proudly and have released a magnificent album.
Robert Plant is out touring atm to supprt his new album, see the rest of the tour dates below.
Today's tune "Carry Fire" the title tune of the album, Enjoy!
Jools Holland regular & Led Zeppelin Front Man Album Interview 2017
Upcoming Tourdates:
11/12/17 PORTSMOUTH, UK Guildhall Sold out
12/12/17 BIRMINGHAM, UK Symphony hall Sold out
2/09/18 RALEIGH, NC Raleigh Memorial Auditorium Sold out
2/11/18 CHARLOTTE, NC Ovens Auditorium Sold out
2/12/18 NORFOLK, VA Chrysler Hall Sold out
2/14/18 NYC, NY Beacon Theatre Sold out
2/16/18 BOSTON, MA Orpheum Theatre Sold out
2/17/18 TORONTO, ON Massey Hall Sold out
2/20/18 CHICAGO, IL Riviera Theatre Sold out
2/22/18 MINNEAPOLIS, MN Orpheum Theatre Sold out
2/24/18 DENVER, CO Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre Sold out
2/26/18 PHOENIX, AZ Symphony Hall Sold out
2/28/18 OAKLAND, CA Fox Theater Sold out
3/02/18 LOS ANGELES, CA Orpheum Theatre Sold out
23/03/18 SYDNEY, AUS State Theatre
26/03/18 SYDNEY, AUS Sydney Opera House
27/03/18 SYDNEY, AUS Sydney Opera House
30/03/18 BYRON BAY, AUS Byron Bay Bluesfest
01/04/18 MELBOURNE, AUS Palais Theatre
02/04/18 MELBOURNE, AUS Palais Theatre
05/04/18 ADELAIDE, AUS Thebarton Theatre
08/04/18 PERTH, AUS Riverside Theatre
Olympic Café Tour is the story of two great friends, women, artists, and Africans whose life rhymes with nomadism, openness, and freedom. Hindi Zhara has roots in Morocco and has released two acclaimed album’s, been compared to great artists such as Billie Holiday and Patti Smith and has been on stages all over the world.
Fatoumata Diawara was born in Ivory Coast to Malian parents, and has also released two albums, acted in tons of films and collaborated with names such as Bobby Womack and Mulatu Astake. They met artistically and personally twelve years ago, on the stage of the Olympic Café in Paris. After twelve years of building bridges between cultures, and spreading modern Africa through the world in their own way, they wanted to be back on stage again. During this tour they will sing songs for each occasion, as well as songs chosen for our pleasure, and of course their own.
Hindi Zahra & Fatoumata Diawara played at Way Out West on the tent scene "Linné" on Friday. Today's tune "Dounia" is a tune they do together.
The Swedish Midsummer is here and Thetania is one year older, two big celebration on one day, herring and a cake :) We at Tune of the Day wish you all a happy Midsummer, take it cool and give alot of love. We will be out for a herring and fresh potato lunch with the classic Swedish nubbe, bbq in the evening, bath and Sauna!
Summertime, and the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high
Oh, your daddy's rich and your ma is good-lookin'
So hush little baby, Don't you cry
Today's tune "Summertime" is for Thetania, one of her all time favorite. Happy Birthday my love. Angélique Kidjo has recorded George Gershwin's "Summertime", an great version of a fantastic tune.
"Rainin in Paradize" is the first single released from MANU CHAOs fourth studio album "La Radiolina". The song was first released on the artist's official website as a free download in June 2007 before it was officially released on July 2 through digital outlets such as iTunes worldwide. It is a large step away from Chao's previous releases and is the first song sung in either English or Spanish since the Próxima Estación: Esperanza album (since Sibérie m'était contéee was a French-only album).
This is a song about war, and it mentions several places that have been through war: Zaire, Congo, Monrovia, Palestina, Baghdad, Fallujah, Jerusalem and Guinea-Bissau.
Three different videos were made for this song. Two were animated and one was live action, with Chao driving through Buenos Aires in the rain.
The first video released for the song was an animated video directed by Wozniak and MANU CHAO. It was released on YouTube by Nacional Records on June 4, 2007. The visuals are much like those of the Sibérie m'était contéee album art.
A second video was released on June 30 on YouTube by Nacional Records. This one is a live action video with MANU CHAO and a three members of La Colifata (named Eduardo, Hugo and Alejandro) driving around Buenos Aires in the rain. One by one, MANU drops the passengers off until he is reunited with them in the end. The film features many images of suffering in the world. It was directed by Emir Kusturica.
A third video was released on June 30 as well on YouTube by Nacional Records. It was directed by 75 Prod and is once again animated.
TAU TAU TAU is a wild archaic scream from the heart, woven from a seamless thread of prayers, chants, psychedelic invocations, and as Nunutzi says “songs of praise” in English, Spanish and Gaelic, shaken through pre-hispanic drums, bells, shakers, synths and acoustic guitar played “through an amp with a very shitty pick up that gives a weird sound.”
The recordings began in Berlin, by happenstance on the day Bowie died, the album was completed in a nine day live session. “ Though sad, for us it was a very good omen to start that day. There was a silent euphoria in the room, like being at the wake of an old friend with your closest friends. We made an altar for him for the huge inspiration that he was which stayed there until we finished the recording”.
Featuring collaborations with Knox Chandler of SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES, Earl Harvin of TINDERSTICKS, Nina Hynes and MISSKENICHI, TAUTAUTAU includes numerous additional vocalists and musicians, all of whom make their own unique contribution to the celebratory psychedelic folk of Tau.
While tracks like Mother and Midnight Jaguar summon up the spiritual music of North and CentralAmerica, The Bridge of Khajou has its heart in the Sufi mystic poetry of Iran. Mo Anam Cara (Gaelic for soul mate) is haunted by the ghost of Love’s Arthur Lee. Venadito and Kauyumari is an ode to the Great Deer spirit . Espiral (Spanish for spiral) is Tau’s riotous interpretation of chant sang in Temazcal Sweatlodges . Tau’s journey through the psyche comes to rest with Tara - the sacred dwelling place of Ireland - a long, luminous jam that signals a momentous, if fleeting, feeling of completion.
Says Nunutzi, “Vibrations, notes, semi tones, chants, lyrics, whatever it is, music has the power to heal and transcend all the clutter and if you can create that magic for yourself you can give it back to other people. This blows my mind”.
Today's tune "The Bridge of Khajou" is taken from the album "TAU TAU TAU" was released October 3, 2016
BOMBINO (Omara Moctar) is an internationally acclaimed Tuareg guitarist and singer-songwriter from Agadez, Niger. His music frequently addresses Tuareg geopolitical concerns and is sung in the Tuareg language of Tamasheq. BOMBINO is the subject of the documentary film Agadez, the Music and the Rebellion.
He plays some dusty electrical desert blues, really ragged and feverishly modal. The tunes are poetic, melancholic and acrobatic. Odd but damm so good.
The success of "Agadez" attracted many musical stars to BOMBINO including Dan Auerbach of THE BLACK KEYS. In June 2012, Auerbach began producing BOMBINOs second international solo album titled "Nomad". "Nomad" was released by Nonesuch Records on April 2, 2013. BOMBINO began a concert tour of the United States in May 2013. The tour includes appearances at major music festivals, including Bonnaroo and The Newport Folk Festival. In 2013, BOMBINO was also invited to open for Robert Plant, Amadou & Mariam and Gogol Bordello.
On April 1, 2016 Bombino released "Azel", looking forward to dig into this as soon as the Vinyl drops in.
So click on play and enjoy some real Tichumaren desert blues!
Today's tune "Azamane Tiliade" is taken from BOMBINOs album "Nomad", produced by Dan Auerbach. Video directed by Reid Long.
We continue to travel around the world to find some interesting music to share, this time we end up in Barcelona, Spain and the instrumental quartet AUDIOLEPSIA.
Emotive melodies, full force moments, amazing and intense atmospheres. Nuanced music that catches you the listener.
Their debut album "Principio de Incertidumbre" was released in December of 2013 and it's something that I can wholeheartedly recommend catching up with it.
Today's tune "Estigma" is taken from the album "Principio de Incertidumbre", released December 24, 2013. Enjoy this piece that is wrapped in the beautiful artwork by Daniel Romero
The album can be streamed from Spotify, Bandcamp or you can get "Principio de Incertidumbre" here for FREE, just setting 0.00€ on the price when you click on "Digital Album". You con also name any other price for this download.
New week and it is time to present the last "Record Of The Week" for this year.
"Commune" is the second full-length release from the Swedish psychedelic rock collective.
Goat’s first album, 2012’s World Music, fused African music, psychedelia and elaborately costumed Swedish eccentricity, the album was also priced with a "Record Of The Week" little over 2 years ago.
The live shows with Goat were like rituals, have been able to see them live a few times.
"Commune" the second album continues on the same path, it's more darker, slower than it's predecessor. "Commune" is still mysterious and surrounded with Swedish voodoo-psych mixed with drones and deeply danceable psych-fuzz indulgences. I am a real sucker for this kind of music. I just love the crazy way of composing songs like "Goat" does.
Well, check it up if you dig World Music in a crazy "Voodoo" way.
Vinyl Version
Todays tune "Hide from the Sun" is a single taken from "Commune", Enjoy!
Today we present this week's album and we stay at our home ground, and invites you to dance to the Swedish collective Goat.
Bit of a mad one, this mysterious band describes them self as follows.
The band hails from a small and very remote village called Korpolombolo in deepest darkest Sweden. Legend has it that for centuries, the inhabitants of the village of Korpolombolo were dedicated to the worship and practices of Voodoo. This strange and seemingly unlikely activity was apparently introduced into the area after a travelling witch doctor and a handful of her disciples were led to Korpolombolo by following a cipher hidden within their most sacred of ancient scriptures. The reason it led them there is unknown, but their Voodoo influence quickly took hold over the whole village and so they made it their home - there, they were able to practice their craft unnoticed and unbothered for several centuries. This was until their non-Christian ways were discovered by the Church and they were burned out by the crusaders, the survivors cursing the village over their shoulders as they fled. To this day, the now picturesque village of Korpolombolo is still haunted by this Voodoo curse; the power of the curse can be felt throughout the grooves of the Goat records.
Music is like its based around a freaked out "Wickerman", Combine voodoo magic and psychedelic hallucinations. Manic monotonous rhythms leads behind slippery flutes, guitars and a wall of saxophone genomic cacophony, which must be heard to be believed. "World Music" must be one of the year's most delirious, delicious psych-rock records.
The record comes out really nice editions, here you can see what is expected, The vinyl is recommended, stylish as hell!
CD
Vinyl
Vinyl
Nuff Said!
Todays tune "Let it bleed" is a Single from upcoming album "World Music" released in UK and US by Rocket Recordings 20th of August 2012. In Scandinavia by Stranded Records 10th of October 2012.
Trailer for the debut album of Goat titled World Music.
Listen to ”Goat - Hide from the Sun" on Spotify 
