Around the World - Preview
23 August 2024
Robert Louis Stevenson said, “It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive.” His meaning was you should enjoy the journey at least as much as the destination. This is the radio show that is all travel and no arrival … although we drop in on a wide range of places along the way.
This Week
Music From: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Libya, Mali, Portugal, Scandinavia, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and Türkiye.
Music By: A Cantadeira, Ahmed Moneka, Albaluna, Alterne, Amaka Jaji, Andrew Gurruwiwi Band, Barış Manço, Bassekou Kouyate, Buzz' Ayaz, Dario Muci, David Walters, Emma Donovan, Faraualla, Hermanos Gutiérrez, John Martyn, Lemon Bucket Orkestra, Manu Chao, Maria Rodés & BRONQUIO, Orquesta Akokán, Priscilla Frade, Px3Kauppila, Rory Gallagher, Russudan Meipariani, Rüüt, Skerryvore, Tempus, Thandiswa, and The Deep Dark Woods.
The featured album is Buzz' Ayaz, the first album by the Cypriot band Buzz' Ayaz
Buzz' Ayaz - Arkos, Live at Afrobanana Fest 2023
I’m planning to go on holiday from mid-September and I’ve been listening to older shows to choose half a dozen for repeat while I’m away. This week I was listening to one from February. I was banging on about a single from Buzz' Ayaz and that the album would be released in September. Well, the album is (almost) here - it will officially be released on 30 August (or you might be able to get an advanced copy directly from Antonis Antoniou on Facebook)
Members of the band come from the divided city Nicosia in Cyprus. Members are drawn from both sides of the Greek and Turkish communities: 𝗨𝗹𝗮𝘀̧ 𝗢̈𝗴̆𝘂̈𝗰̧ is the drummer with 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀 on bass synth and organ, 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁 plays bass clarinet and 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗼𝘂: electric tzouras / vocals / electronics. Their influences are drawn from Eastern Mediterranean psychedelia, rock, and blues.
Buzz' Ayaz was formed by Antonis Antoniou who is no stranger to listeners of Around the World. His solo album Kkismettin was released in 2021 and Throisma, the following year – it was later remixed by the New York DJ Nicodemus. Antonis was also a founding member of Trio Tekke and Monsieur Doumani.
And as I go on holiday in a few weeks, they go on tour (and I’ve got tickets for two shows):
17 Sep 2024 – Tullikamari Klubi – Tampere, FI
18 Sep 2024 – Alice – Copenhagen, DK
19 Sep 2024 – Gretchen – Berlin, DE
21 Sep 2024 – Alchemia Klub – Krakow, PL
22 Sep 2024 – Dom Tramwajarza – Poznan, PL
25 Sep 2024 – BBC Radio 3 Session – London, UK
25 Sep 2024 – Shacklewell Arms – London, UK
26 Sep 2024 – The Jam Jar – Bristol, UK
27 Sep 2024 – The Cornish Bank– Falmouth, UK
29 Sep 2024 – Band on the Wall – Manchester, UK
2 Oct 2024 – Kino Siska – Ljubljana, SL (I’ll be at this one)
3 Oct 2024 – Mocvara Club – Zagreb, HR
4 Oct 2024 – Centar Za Kulturu – Lukavac, BA
5 Oct 2024 – Karmakoma – Belgrade, RS
26 Oct 2024 – WOMEX – Manchester, UK (and I’ll be at this one, too)
Also on the Show
Thandiswa Mazwai: Tiny Desk x globalFEST
Hugh Masekela said of Thandiswa 'She is the leader of the past which is now the future.' From Eastern Cape – South Africa Thandiswa has released her fourth solo album, Sankofa.
"My message is Sankofa - which means to go back and fetch what has been left behind, to look back to be able to go forward. It is about reclaiming what is important, what honours you, and what needs healing. Having grown up during the 80’s in South Africa, the apartheid project to erase our identities and proud histories, was in full force.This year South Africa celebrates 30 years of freedom for “black” people from the violence of the Apartheid system, but racism and all types of imperialism still persist. And so the work of the past 30 years has been in part about reclaiming all that has been lost, stolen, erased. Our cultural identities, our spiritual identities, our land, our sense of home. I am also an African queer woman and that really demands that you claim and vehemently protect all that brings your peace and joy. A sense of community, history and possibility. The greater message is always LOVE - Of self, freedom, justice, knowledge, truth. The proverbial, OneLove.” [Facebook]
She has been vocalist with Bongo Maffin Since 1996 and has had a bunch of awards in Africa and the UK. Sankofa is a pretty strong contender for next week’s featured album.
Tempus - Bludička / Official Music Video (2024)
I talked a lot last week about The Music Marathon in Brno (put it into your calendar for next year – miss it at your peril! It’s on From 7 – 10 August.)
There were several events that were not part of the public listings including a visit to Brno’s Radio Proglas. There I met two members of the band Tempus I’m pleased to say I have played several times in the past – especially from their new album.
They are a Czech band that weaves world music with rock – they get inspiration from medieval melodies. They’ve been around since 2007.
How to hear the show
Friday:
Akaroa World Radio 2:00 pm local New Zealand Time (3:00 am GMT 4:00 am CET)
NAR-GROUP Germany – 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m (CET)
Mosel Radio – 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m (CET)
NAR-Alf – 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m (CET)
Saturday:
RCFM (Radio City FM) Duisburg, Germany 3:00 – 5:00 pm CET
World FM 10:00 pm local New Zealand Time (11:00 am GMT, 12:00 noon CET)
Essential Radio Midnight to 2:00 am GMT (1:00 am CET)
Sunday:
West Coast FM Namibia 10:00 pm to 12:00 noon Central Africa Time (2:00 to 4:00 GMT)
NFRS Osaka Japan: 12:00 noon local time (3:00 am UK time 4:00 am CET)
973FM in Singapore and 11:00 pm local time (3:00 pm/15:00 hours UTC – Universal Time).
Slice Audio 10:00 pm local time (11:00 pm CET)
Ferry FM 10:00 pm local time (11:00 pm CET)
Armagh City Radio 10:00 pm local time (11:00 pm CET)
Monday:
SparkFlame Radio: 00:00 am GMT (01:00 CET)
Waterwaves Radio: 8:00 pm GMT (21:00 CET)
KNC Radio St Lucia 6:00 am local time (10:00 am GMT 11:00 am CET)
BR2 Pure Gold Radio – Costa Blanca, Spain 10:00 pm local time (CET)
Akaroa World Radio 10:00 pm local New Zealand Time (11:00 am GMT, 12:00 noon CET)
World FM 10:00 pm local New Zealand Time (11:00 am GMT, 12:00 noon CET)
Wednesday:
World FM 4:00 am local New Zealand Time (5:00 pm Tuesday GMT, 6:00 pm CET)
Slice Audio 4:00 am local time GMT (5:00 am CET)
Radio Skye (Radio Garden) 10:00 pm GMT (11:00 pm CET)
Stirling Community Radio 10:00 pm GMT (11:00 pm CET)