One of the things I've missed the most during the COVID-19 pandemic has been live music. There's a good chance you're feeling the same way as me.
So my program for what will hopefully be the last WRIR fund drive under pandemic conditions (Monday April 26, 3:00-5:00 PM on WRIR, for two weeks afterwards at wrir.org/listen, check your local listings for airing on other radio stations, and any old time at my podcast site) is going to focus on some of the most memorable concerts I've attended over the last 40 years.
I have some unique stories to tell about shows I've been to: The night Fela Kuti got all the taxicabs off the road; unexpected pleasures in Paris, Barcelona and Vienna; driving 2-1/2 hours in a tropical storm to see an outdoor gig; hanging with Ethiopian attorneys in New York; and more.
And I'll be encouraging you to donate to WRIR before our Spring 2021 fund drive ends on Wednesday April 28 at 11 PM. Like, how about doing it right now? Just click on this link: wrir.org/donating
Oh, about that photograph above. That's me and some of my WRIR colleagues enjoying live music at the Richmond Folk Festival in 2012. Clockwise from top left, you're seeing Mike (Mr. Jazz) Gourrier of Bebop And Beyond, yours truly, Alyssa (P. Swann) Salomon of Can't Stop The Music, Charles (DJ Graybeard) Williams of The Other Black Music and The Motherland Influence and Carl (DJ Carlito) Hamm of If Music Could Talk.
A podcast of this week's program will be available soon at radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go.
Artist | Country | Song | Recording | Label | Year
Oliver Lake | USA | Separation | Matador Of 1st & 1st | Passin' Thru | 1997
Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros | England UK | Global A Go-Go | Global A Go-Go | Hellcat | 2001
Andy Palacio & The Garifuna Collective | Belize-Guatemala-Honduras | Amunegu | Watina | Cumbancha | 2007
Tinariwen | Mali | Chet Boghassa | Amassakoul | World Village | 2004
Thomas Mapfumo & The Blacks Unlimited | Zimbabwe | Nyoka Musango | Ndangariro | Earthworks | 1983
Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Egypt 80 | Nigeria | Just Like That | Beasts Of No Nation | Shanachie | 1989
Les Negresses Vertes | France | L'Homme Des Marais | Green Bus: Les Negresses Vertes En Public | Razzia Disques | 1996
Manu Chao | France-Spain | La Primavera | Baionarena | Nacional | 2009
Debo Band | Ethiopia-USA | Belomi Benna | Flamingoh (Pink Bird Dawn) | self-released | 2010
Getatchew Mekuria & The Ex | Ethiopia-Netherlands | Ethiopia Hagere | Moa Anbessa | Terp | 2006
Kocani Orkestar | North Macedonia | L'Orient Est Rouge | L'Orient Est Rouge | Crammed | 1997
Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra | Ex-Yugoslavia | Djindji Rindji Bubamara | Unza Unza Time | Barclay | 2000
Boban & Marko Markovic Orchestra | Serbia | Caje Sukarije | Gipsy Manifesto | Piranha | 2013
Baobab-Gouye-Gui De Dakar | Senegal | Autorail | Viva Bawobab S1 / Si Bou Adja | Stern's | 1981
Eskill & Vicky Accompagnees Par Le T.P. Poly Rythmo | Benin | Ecoute Ma Melodie | 152 Kg De Voix | Ama Sun | 1980
Amadou & Mariam | Mali-France | Beaux Dimanches | Dimanche A Bamako | Because | 2004
Johnny Clegg | South Africa | Circle Of Light | Best, Live & Unplugged At The Baxter Theatre, Cape Town | Appleseed | 2014
Gogol Bordello | Ukraine-Russia-China-Ethiopia-Ecuador-Belarus-USA | Last One Goes The Hope | Trans-Continental Hustle | American | 2010
Chico Trujillo | Chile | Gran Pecador | Gran Pecador | Barbes | 2013