Transpacific Sound Paradise with Rob Weisberg | WFMU

Bill Laswell - "Black Lotus" - Various Artists: Spirit of India [0:00:00] Fun-Da-Mental - "Tribal Revolution" - Various Artists: Spirit of India [0:11:39] Banco De Gaia - "How Much Reality Can You Take?" - Various Artists: Asian Travels 2 [0:16:04] Jaipur Junction - "Mann Musafir" - Sambhav [Jaipur Junction is based around vocalist and lyricist Sarita Rav from Jaipur, India together with drummer and producer Otto de Jong from Utrecht, The Netherlands. The band creates an eclectic fusion of traditional North-Indian music and indie from the West. - PR] [0:19:37] Dev Negi, Neha Kakkar - "Badri Ki Dulhania (Title Track)" - Best of Neha Kakkar [0:31:20] Hadiqa Kiani - "Dil Lagi-Logic" - Hayat [Renowned Pakistani artist Hadiqa Kiani is set to unveil her latest musical venture, ‘Hayat’ (‘Life’). Hadiqa Kiani’s extraordinary Qawwali project released on January 24, 2025, through the Sufiscore record label. Through this homage to the soulful genre of Qawwali, Kiani brings her unique artistry to classic pieces, celebrating the rich heritage and legends who shaped its legacy. - PR] [0:31:11] L. Shankar - "Darlene's Wish" - Full Moon [Full Moon, currently No. 3 on World Music Charts Europe, presents a masterful convergence of India’s rich musical traditions, with an effortless blending of elements from the southern Carnatic, northern Hindustani and world music systems. Known for his groundbreaking work with his vocals and the 10-string double violin, Shankar delivers deeply soulful melodies in an atmosphere that evokes timelessness.] [0:39:42] Toronto Tabla Ensemble - "Maryem's Here" - Unexpected Guests [0:49:18] Laxmikant Pyarelal - "Title Music" - Dosti [0:54:36] Sheila Chandra - "Roots And Wings (Original Madras Mix)" - Roots And Wings [Sheila Chandra is a British-born artist who excelled in various vocal traditions, especially Indian and European, with her 'Drone' trilogy of albums. She was diagnosed with Burning Mouth Syndrome in 2009, which silenced her voice and ended her artistic career. - PR] [1:01:47] Adnan Sami & Asha Bhosle - "Mehndi Masala" - Kabhi To Nazar Milao... [1:07:34] Griselda Sanderson & Ricardo de Noronha - "Dan-Moi" - Veer [2017- May: ‘Veer’ was released, an album of original music composed in collaboration with Portuguese experimental wind player (ethnic flutes including the Slovakian fujara) and percussionist Ricardo de Noronha. - home page] [1:12:53] Olga Podluzhnaya - "Sky Song" - Honkoroi, Vol. 2: Compilation of Siberian World Music [1:18:14] Dhaulagiri - "Airtist" - Wireless [1:23:56] Trad Attack! - "Must madu / Black snake" - AH! [Trad.Attack!, who flew into the Estonian music scene nine years ago as a bright comet, made it their goal to perform in every country of the world, to share genuine and heartfelt music with people around the globe. They have already performed in 39 countries and on almost every continent. - home page] [1:32:03] Alsarah & The Nubatones - "Men Ana" - Seasons of the Road [Alsarah & the Nubatones were born out of many dinner conversations between Alsarah and Rami El Aasser about Nubian ‘songs of return’, modern migration patterns, and the cultural exchanges between Sudan and Egypt. A common love for the richness of pentatonic sounds, and shared migration experiences, expanded the conversation to include Armenian-American oud player Haig Manoukian and French-born Togo-raised bass player Mawuena Kodjovi. Under the leadership of Alsarah, the Brooklyn-based group’s sound grew into what they have dubbed as ‘east – African retro-pop’. - PR] [1:36:06] Fanoos Ensemble - "Zindagi" - Echoes of Afghanistan [Echoes of Afghanistan is more than just an album, it's a declaration to creativity and freedom through music. As a family of musicians, Fanoos Ensemble poured their love and passion into every song. These 8 tracks, 7 of which are original compositions by Fanoos Ensemble, include songs in both traditional languages of Afghanistan, Dari and Pashto, and the 7/8 rhythm that’s...

Joe Meah - "Ahwene Pa Nkasa" - Various Artists: Essiebons Special 1973 - 1984: Ghana Music Power House [0:00:00] Ebo Taylor, Adrian Younge, Ali Shaheed Muhammad - "Get Up" - Ebo Taylor JID022 [0:07:44] Harry Panday - "Love Your Mother And Father" - Various Artists: Elsewhere CC [0:15:31] Sundar Popo - "Maral Bansi" - Dance Party King [0:15:43] Os Bongos - "Kazukuta" - Various Artists: Angola 70s: 1974-1978 [0:22:00] Fefita La Grande - "Comiendo Gallina" - La Jefa Original [0:26:34] Haitian Villagers - "Balile" - Various Artists: Songs and Dances of Haiti [0:29:52] The Movers - "Oupa Is Back" - Vol.1 - 1970 - 1976 [Given the fame that The Movers commanded during their commercial peak in the first half of the 1970s, it is surprising how forgotten they are now. Gwen Ansell’s magisterial Soweto Blues, the definitive history of South African popular music, never mentions them. - Financial Times] [0:32:53] Songhoy Blues - "Toukambela" - Héritage [Over the past few years, through the pandemic and many other challenges here in Mali, we were able to craft a collection of music that is very close to our hearts & souls. Héritage represents the sound of us reconnecting with the spirit of our Malian culture and the river of our traditions. It showcases both the incredible diversity, and also what brings us together as Malian people. - home page] [0:36:31] Tadalat - "Taghdart" - Various Artists: Songs for Desert Refugees [0:41:40] Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding - "Saudade Dos Avioes Da Panair" - Milton + esperanza [0:45:48] Marcus Valle - "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" - Brazilliance [0:51:52] Santrofi - "Su nkwa" - Making Moves [Vintage - Inspired Big-band Highlife, Highlife Funk Fusion Band adding a nostalgic, yet, progressive edge to Traditional Ghanaian Highlife rhythms and melodies. - YouTube] [0:56:54] Rans Boi's African Highlife Band - "Highlife Comes to Europe" - Various Artists: Highlife on the Move: Nigerian & Ghanaian Recordings from London & Lagos 1954-66 [1:02:34] Okwy Osadebe and Highlife SoundMakers - "Olu Nwelu Amara" - Music for Igbo Masquerade [Renowned for its beauty and excellence, the Igbo Masquerade inspires my latest album. I've woven chants from my musicians into the core of each song, capturing the uniqueness and exaltation of this iconic tradition. - PR (from the artist)] [1:04:20] Akaba Man & The Nigie Rokets - "Ta Ghi Rare" - Akaba '82 Vol. 1 [1:11:47] Alhaji Waziri Oshomah - "Eyemaya Erayemare" - Vol. 1-5 (1978-1984) Box Set [A devout Muslim and a pillar in his local community, Alhaji Waziri Oshomah makes a unique form of dance music that’s fused with local folk styles, pan-Nigerian highlife and Western pop, creating a singular sound that epitomises Afenmailand’s ethos of togetherness. His lyrics are reflective and philosophical—they draw on Judeo-Christian and traditional imagery to speak of piety and reverence, conveying Islamic values such as humility and modesty in a way that everybody, no matter their belief or religion, can understand. - label artist page] [1:19:47] Lass - "Rano" - Passeport [Announced as the « New Senegalese Star » by french reference magazine TELERAMA, the singer LASS arrives with his second album « PASSEPORT ». The new album is brillant, starring cuban pianist Roberto Fonseca, Antilles Islands singer David Walters and jazz brass Cotonete.] [1:34:13] Mario Lucio - "Maka Maka" - Independance [Singer, guitarist, composer, poet, writer, thinker or even former Minister of Culture: Mario Lucio is all of these things and much more for Cape Verdeans. A champion of creolization, the artist pays, through his work, a sensitive and passionate tribute to this crossbreeding that has shaped the culture of his country. - PR] [1:37:16] Arat Kilo - "Barala" - Danama [Arat Kilo remains without a doubt the best Ethio-jazz orchestra in France, on the path of this fifth album recorded in spring 2024. - PR] [1:41:14] Eric Dolphy - "Music Matador (Alternate Take)" - Musical...

Bonga - "Mona Ki Ngi Xica" - Various Artists: Telling Stories to the Sea [0:00:00] Mario Lucio - "Rabidante" - Independance [50 years after the independence of Cape Verde and the other former Portuguese colonies, Mario Lucio releases an album that celebrates this great moment of change in Lusophone Africa. Singer, guitarist, composer, poet, writer, thinker or even former Minister of Culture: Mario Lucio is all of these things and much more for Cape Verdeans. - PR] [0:06:02] Ragu Dixit Project - "Shakkarpari Ft. Bela Fleck (Hindi)" - Shakkar [This album, my dearest listener, is just a recording of that riot within. Its called Shakkar, a metaphor for happiness. Making it felt to me like how it felt eating a sweet as a child. Nothing profound. Nothing nuanced. Nothing too complicated. Just good old fashioned Ah ! joy. Joy of the moment. I am still high. I hope you will be too. When lost in darkness and lost for answers, I hope one or more of these songs will help you find light and a way back to life. - PR (From the artist)] [0:13:09] Ensemble Chakâm - "Olive" - The Blazing Winds [Drawing from the classical foundations of Persian, Arabic and Baroque repertoires, where intense rhythms give way to vibrant, melodic monologues, each Chakâm performance resonates with personal, authentic yet modern compositions woven with soulful improvisations. - PR] [0:18:07] Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Party - "Aaj Sik Mitran Di" - Chain of Light [A new album of unheard recordings by the Pakistan musical icon Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was released on 20 September 2024, 34 years after they were recorded. The ‘lost album’ — named Chain of Light — was discovered in the tape archives of Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records, the label that signed Khan in 1989 and released a series of universally acclaimed albums with him throughout the 1990s. - PR] [0:25:49] Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali - "Yaar Da Muhallah" - At the Feet of the Beloved [Imbued with the spirit of their late uncle, the qawwali master Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali return with another deeply accomplished, moving collection of songs that ache with the frenzied anxiety of falling in love and dreamy desire of devotion] [0:35:37] Xanthoula Dakovanou - "Mia kori roda (ft. Argiro Reppa)" - Rizituals [Xanthoula Dakovanou will unveil “Rizituals”, her third album, on its release, February 21, 2025, on MOUSA / UVM. Xanthoula Dakovanou is a special singer-composer, whose work is inspired by musical traditions of Greece and the wider Mediterranean and creates music that concerns modern societies. - PR] [0:48:13] Phương Tâm - "Đêm Huyền Diệu (Magical Night)" - Various Artists: Saigon Rock & Soul: Vietnamese Classic Tracks 1968-1974 [Phương Tâm, like other performers, would chạy số — which literally translates as “run numbers.” The phrase described the high-speed nightclub runs that were common for performers at the time: 5 p.m. at Tân Sơn Nhất Air Base, 7 p.m. at An Đông, 8 p.m. at the Capriccio Bar — then to Tự Do. And so on, every hour, three songs per venue. At midnight, she finished with an hour-long set at the Olympia. - KQED] [1:00:06] Sanullim - "My (My Soul is a Wasteland)" - My (My Soul is a Wasteland) [Formed in the early 70s by brothers Kim Chang-wan, Kim Chang-hoon, and Kim Chang-ik, SANULLIM (whose name translates as “Mountain Echo”) took the Korean rock scene by storm with their unique sound, mixing demented acid-fuzz guitar, garage organ, crashing drums and catchy melodies. They’re probably the most influential Korean rock group ever. - PR] [1:04:40] Bagedai - "Nan Ai Er" - Bagedai [On 7th of January 2024 Yunnan band Bagedai released their first international self-titled album in China domestically with the international release planned for April. Bagedai is a band of twelve musicians, including five lead singers, infamous for stealing the show at the many festivals they have played since being established early in 2023. - PR] [1:09:00] Second Hand Rose - "Picking a Flower"...

Sweet Talks - "Angelina" - Hollywood Highlife Party [0:00:00] Peter Somuah feat. Gyedu Blay Ambolley - "Chop Chop" - Highlife [Peter Somuah is a gifted trumpeter who learned to play by listening endlessly to his trumpet heroes Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard and Roy Hargrove. Somuah stands out with his warm and melancholic sound, as well as the rhythmic prowess reflecting his upbringing surrounded by the music styles native to West Africa. - web page] [0:06:16] Mlimani Park Orchestra - "Uzuri Wa Mtu" - Sungi [0:10:54] Franco et le T.P.O.K. Jazz - "Mawe" - Makambo Ezali Bourreau [0:17:30] Maria João - "Maputo Jive" - Abundância [Maria João is once again flying between Lisbon and Maputo to create, in the company of João Farinha and André Nascimento, allies of the OGRE project (with whom she has recorded several albums since 2012, including the recent and highly acclaimed ‘Songs For Shakespeare’, from 2022), a new album that combines her original voice with soaring and evocative electronic textures. - PR] [0:26:56] Sevenbeatz - "Marahaba Nyengi" - Various Arists: Digital Ngoma Vol.2 [On the island of Mayotte, the exploration of traditional music through electronic music continues with the release of the second opus of the Digital Ngoma compilation, the promising first instalment of which was unveiled at the end of 2023. The formula remains the same, with tracks produced by novice artists living in Mayotte, accompanied by tracks produced by professional artists (Bab, Loya, Praktika and Sevenbeatz this time) who have come to Mayotte to play at Kayamba events. - PR] [0:34:16] Novalima - "Exodus" - La Danza (Deluxe Edition) [The pioneering Afro-Peruvian sound system NOVALIMA proudly celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2023, with new music, divided into two EPs: La Danza Parts 1 & 2. Now those EPs have been combined with four new tracks, to form the Deluxe Edition of La Danza. The new songs include "Camino Al Ketoke", "Viajo Con La Luna", "Alma" and the band's dance-floor friendly rendition of the Bob Marley classic, "Exodus". - PR] [0:39:23] Zar Electrik - "Babord" - Koyo [In Zar Electrik's compositions, Gnawa trances rub shoulders with sub-Saharan rhythms and instruments. Arthur Péneau's electric kora meets Anass Zine's North African and Oriental influences on oud and guembri. It's a clever, tasty mix, and the beats and electro sounds of Didier Simione (aka Miosine) bring it all together in a spellbinding, festive soundtrack. - PR] [0:43:11] Ammar 808 - "Ain Essouda ( feat. Cheb Hassen Tej )" - Maghreb United [Deep TR-808 bass meets pan-Maghreb beats, timeless voices and futurist visions. AMMAR 808 is Sofyann Ben Youssef, the sonic mastermind behind the Tunisian sensation: Bargou 08. - bandcamp] [0:47:19] Aina - "Girkiyo" - Ekonda [Evenk singer AINA is releasing her second album. “post-ethno” – what follows after the archaic. It does not contradict tradition and history, but it continues it. The new album includes songs based on traditional texts from the northern epic: Kumalan – about a traditional carpet made of many scraps of deer skin sewn together in the form of a mosaic; Girkiyo – about the value of friendship, as well as original compositions on the nature of the far north. - PR] [0:51:30] Cheikh Efrita - "Habibi Gharb" - Cheikh Efrita [0:56:28] Nesrine - "Dunia" - Kan Ya Makan [Franco-Algerian singer, cellist and songwriter Nesrine is a storyteller, a "Scheherazade", for our times. And her album "Kan Ya Makan" – the Arabic for "once upon a time" – has something of the aura of a modern "Tales from the Arabian Nights". - PR] [1:06:35] Karjalasta kolttien maille - "Kirvu-potpuri" - Karjalasta kolttien maille [Karjalasta kolttien maille (From Karelia to the Skolt Sámi Lands) project which started in 2020, explores the commonalities and special features of Karelian and Skolt Sámi culture through folk music and folklore. The unifying factors are long narrative songs, wails, dancing the katrill and various couple and...