Feb 18 2006 - Free Kick Goes African!
This last weekend's show was dedicated to music from sub-Saharan Africa, and boy was it a challenge to select the tracks to fill our little 2-hour slot from the bonanza of available material. Ghana got short shrift, Franco was bumped, the single Ethiopian track had to be faded out early - the list of omissions is huge. Listen to future Free Kick shows for much more of this fantastic music. Also, other shows on CKUT play lots of African stuff: check out World Skip the Beat on Mondays from noon-2 pm (Shawn is at the controls for this one once in a while), and Bassa Bassa on Tuesday mornings if you are interested.

Of course, there is more to Africa than great music for listening & dancing pleasure. I didn't discuss any of the social and political realities that have been and continue to be the setting for music-making around the continent, but there's no doubt that the music there is tied up with the nitty gritty of social life in important ways. In future posts I may point you to some interesting books and other resources on these topics; on CKUT, you can can hear discussion of current affairs in Africa on Amandla, every Wednesday night from 7-8 pm. As we enjoy the cultural wonders Africans have contributed to humanity, we can't forget the awful and preventable situation of a lot of people right now in Sudan, Kenya, Malawi, Ethiopia, Congo, Niger, and many other regions - and there are a variety of ways those of us who live relatively comfortable lives can help, so please check them out (one possibility is Doctors Without Borders).

OK, now here's the playlist (artist-album (VA=various artists) -song):

• background music: John Kunaka - Zimbabwe: The Soul Of Mbira - Nhimutimu
• Alif - Dakamerap - Addu Kalpin
• Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Left & Right - Black Mystery Has Been Revealed
• Rokia Traore - Mali Lolo: Stars Of Mali (VA) - Yere Uolo
• Bembeya Jazz National - The Sylliphone Years - N'gamokoro
• Wofa - Guinee:Percussions & Chants De La Basse Cote - Lenge Bere
• Wagogo - Tanzania: Wagogo Songs - Inamwaluko
• Bokoor Band - Afro-Rock vol.1 (VA) - Onukpa Shawarpo
• Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe & His Nigeria Sound Makers International - African Music (VA) - Odindu Nyuliba
• Sir Victor Olaiya's International All-Stars - Afro Baby (VA) - Omelebele
• Ambali Adedeji - Lagos All Routes (VA) - Ole Obinrir
• Shina Williams & His African Percussions - Lagos Chop Up (VA) - Ise Aje Male/Egbekegle/Emikoni Koja Ayemi
• Gandajikan Women - Prattle (VA: Donna's 2002 WFMU Marathon Premium) - Tuhuri Dance
• S.E. Rogie - Africa Dances (VA) - Toomus Meremereh Nor Good
• Mwenda Jean Bosco - The Secret Museum Of Mankind: Music Of East Africa (VA) - Masanga
• Os Kiezos - Angola 70's 1974-1978 (VA) - Princeza Rita
• Masanka Sankayi - Congotronics vol.2 (VA) - Le Laboreur
• Udokotela Shange Namajaha - The Indestructible Beat of Soweto vol.2 (VA) - Awungilobolele
• Simon Mashoko (Gwenyambiri) - Zimbabwe: The Soul Of Mbira - Mbiriviri
• Thomas Mapfumo - Chimurenga Forever - Mhondoro
• Les Amazones De Guinee - Au Coeur De Paris - P.D.G.
• Mahmoud Ahmed - Ethiopiques 3 - Lomiwen Teqebeletch

The next show will be on Saturday March 4 from 9-11 pm. Shawn will be back, hopefully with some special goodies picked up during his travels!