Afropop Worldwide

Okwy Osadebe is the son of Nigerian Igbo highlife legend Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe. In this lively conversation with Georges Collinet and Eme Awa, of WOWD Radio in Takoma Park, we learn about the life, music and legacy of Okwy’s late father. We also learn about Okwy’s life in the United States, and his new album Igbo Amaka, and hear tracks from both father and son. It’s a Nigerian highlife extravaganza for the 21st century.

In 1809, the population of New Orleans doubled almost overnight because of French-speaking refugees from Cuba. You read that right-- French-speaking refugees from Cuba -- part of a wave of music and culture that emigrated from east to west in the wake of the Haitian Revolution. We'll look at the distinct African roots of these three regions, and compare what their musics sound like today. This Hip Deep program, originally broadcast in 2005, is being repeated in memoriam the pathbreaking historian Gwendolyn Midlo Hall (1929-2022), who gave us the tools to understand the making of Afro-Louisiana. Produced by Ned Sublette. APWW #467

Jazz legend, Randy Weston, more than any contemporary jazz artist, understood, honored and explored the roots of American music in Africa. He lived there, traveled there often, and spoke of his connections to his African ancestors in every interview during his 92 years. In this program, we revisit our musical conversation with Weston in 1998, and sample some of his late solo piano recordings. Produced by Sean Barlow and Banning Eyre. APWW #789

Planet Afropop closes out 2023 with a focus on celebratory music from the Democratic Republic of Congo. First, Mukwae notes some of the year’s trends in global African pop. Then we go to the streets of Kinshasa with live music from Kin’Gongolo Kinyata, recorded at WOMEX 2023 in Spain. And we end at the 35th Anniversary Dance Party at SOB’s in New York City, with Samba Mapangala and Soukous Stars. It’s a rollicking finale to an eventful year in African music.

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. APWW #424

In 1999, almost 30 years before ethnomusicologist Paul Berliner began his research on Zimbabwean mbira music, he organized a U.S. tour with mbira artists he had worked with over the years. Billed as the Mbira Masters of Zimbabwe, the ensemble presented Shona spiritual music as never before on American stages. Revered vocalists Hakurotwi Mude and Beulah Dyoko fronted an ensemble that also included Cosmas Magaya, Chaka Chawasarira and Berliner himself. Afropop Worldwide documented the tour and took it as an opportunity to take a deep dive into one of the most beautiful traditional music traditions in Africa. Produced by Banning Eyre. APWW #327

Burkina Faso in West Africa is a nation on the rise. Amid recent political turmoil, it faces the challenge and opportunity of managing vast mineral wealth, including gold. As promising as these riches are, Georges, Mukwae and Banning focus here on the country’s multicultural musical riches. We hear music from the late Baba Commandant and the Mandingo band, as well as interviews and live music from Dicko Fils and the Sahel punk experimental outfit, Avalanche Kaito. Open your ears to a too-often-overlooked major player in West African music. Episode #007

In this enlightening discussion, Deborah Kapchan, a performance studies professor with deep insights into Gnawa culture, and Tim Abdella Fuson, an ethnomusicologist and Gnawa musician, explore the spiritual power of Gnawa music. They reveal the historical roots of the Gnawa community and the evolution of their healing rituals. The significance of the lila ceremony, the blend of trance and music, and the impact of globalization on their traditions make for captivating topics. The vibrant celebration of the Gnawa and World Music Festival showcases the genre's cultural significance.

Changüí is a little understood, loose and lively, community-based music of eastern Cuba. In this program we sample recordings from the 2021 box set Changüí: The Sound of Guantánamo, and hear from Gianluca Tramontana, the man who made the recordings. Rooted in Afro-Haitian music, pan-Caribbean styles, Spanish poetic traditions and more, Changüí emerged in the mid 19th century in plantations, not unlike the blues. We also hear from musician and scholar Ben Lapidus, author of the only English language book on Changüí, and we update the story with Changüí fusions into jazz, salsa and hip-hop. Prepare to dance! Produced by Banning Eyre. APWW # 840

Mr. Eazi stands out among today’s Nigerian pop stars in a number of ways. For starters, in a world of musical dreamers and schemers, he never set out to be a musician. Now, the 29-year-old is one of the most innovative and respected artists in the Afrobeats universe. His 2023 album The Evil Genius is an ambitious concept album recorded in a variety of mostly African countries. Each of its 16 tracks has an accompanying artwork by a different African visual artist. And there’s more, as you will hear in Eazi’s extensive interview with Planet Afropop’s Banning Eyre. Episode #006