Around the World - Preview
9 May 2025
This Week
You can listen to the show on Mixcloud
Music From: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Reunion, Romania, Senegal, South Africa and Spain.
Music by: Ablaye Cissoko & Cyrille Brotto, Ana Carla Maza, Anoushka Shankar, Celia Cruz, Duo Ruut, El Pantorrillas, Estrellas de Buena Vista, Fanfare Ciocărlia & Adrian Raso, Farnaz Ohadi, Hajda Banda, Innocents Abroad, Inude, Lina & Jules Maxwell, Mads Hansens Kapel, Marlon Williams, Mthuthu, Natalia Lafourcade & El David Aguilar, Nefeli Fasouli & Antonis Apergis, Omiri, Red Baraat, René Lacaille, Rita Donte, Vimma, Viviane Arnoux François Michaud & Hervé Samb.
This week’s Featured Album: Youssou N'Dour - Éclairer le monde - Light the World
Youssou Ndour - On l'a fait - Album "Eclairer le monde"
Sometimes all you need is the name of the musician to know the album you are about to hear will be great. One of those musicians is Youssou N'Dour. “Éclairer le monde - Light the World” has just been released. It’s the featured album here this week.
Éclairer le Monde - Light The World, was released on April 4, and it marks a fresh direction for the legendary Senegalese artist, working with Michael League of Snarky Puppy and Ghanian drummer Weedie Braimah as producers. It also features musicians, including Munir Zakee on drums, Frank Locrasto on piano, and Momi Maiga on kora.
Few artists have shaped global music quite like Youssou N'Dour. Born in Dakar, Senegal, N'Dour became a defining figure in world music, blending traditional West African sounds with international influences to create his signature style—mbalax. His voice, powerful yet soothing, carries the soul of his homeland to audiences worldwide.
Between 1982 and 1989 he was releasing cassettes – about 15 of them. Since 1982 he has released more than 40 albums. He has pages of awards starting with a Brit Award in 1995. N'Dour's career spans decades, and his collaborations with renowned artists like Peter Gabriel and Neneh Cherry introduced his sound to global audiences. His hit song 7 Seconds with Cherry remains a classic in World Music.
Beyond his musical achievements, he is a committed activist and politician, advocating for African culture and social change.
LINA_ & Jules Maxwell - Não Deixei de Ser Quem Sou
I’m pretty sure that in my early radio days I knew Jules Maxwell. He was a musician in Northern Ireland and now a versatile composer whose work spans theatre, dance projects, and film scoring.
Jules has worked with Dead Can Dance and has recently had four songs on an album by La Mystere de Voix Bulgares. He has collaborated on albums like Burn with Lisa Gerrard.
He and the multi-award winning fadista LINA_ released their first single “Não Deixei de Ser Quem Sou” (The Person I Always Was) on 2nd May. This new electro Fado single release is just the beginning of the duo’s creative offering. Their combined musical genius celebrates the lesser-known poetic connections between Portugal and Ireland on upcoming 9-track album, “Terra Mãe” (Mother Earth).
“Não Deixei de Ser Quem Sou” (The Person I Always Was) is the first single worked on by LINA_ and Jules Maxwell. The lyrics were originally written by Jules Maxwell and then adapted into Portuguese by LINA_ and songwriter, Amélia Muge.
Portugal and Ireland are connected through the heart of ballad writing and sad songs, popularly characterised in Portugal as “fado”. Fado, is the Portuguese folk song embodying melancholia and fatalism. Interestingly, “fado” is also found within the Irish Gaelic dictionary, translating as “long ago” or “once upon a time”. Together, these moods form a perfect story of intense longing and loss as demonstrated through “Não Deixei de Ser Quem Sou” (The Person I Always Was). In the words of Jules Maxwell “There is a glorious melancholy to much of the ballad writing of Ireland and Portugal. This song taps into the same sense of melancholia.
“Ireland and Portugal sit on the Westerly edge of Europe gazing out over the wild Atlantic to the Americas and beyond. There is a long tradition in both countries of heading west in search of a better life. This song is about that sense of aspiration, that desire to be a better person, and the realisation that despite the struggle we often end up being the person we always were.”
“This introspection can be applied in our own contemporary lives.” LINA_ says,
“This song is a statement of personality and carries a very strong message. In life, it’s important to stay true to ourselves and preserve our essence, even when there are moments when we might feel tempted to be something we're not.”
LINA_ is a multi-award-winning Portuguese fadista known for her innovative approach to fado music. She gained international recognition with her album Lina_Raül Refree, where she reinterpreted the repertoire of Amália Rodrigues in collaboration with Spanish producer Raül Refree.
Her last album, Fado Camões, released in February 2024, blends fado with the poetry of Luís Vaz de Camões, produced by Justin Adams (known for his work with Robert Plant and Tinariwen and currently on tour with Mauro Durante) includes arrangements by John Baggott of Massive Attack, and Portishead.
More about Jules Maxwell here.
"Séga Gingembre" de Renaud Lacaille
Some music just makes me smile - music like this from René Lacaille. The video above is 5 years old, but Séga Gingembre is one of the tracks on René Lacaille’s new album Ti Galé. René Lacaille is a legendary musician from Réunion Island, known for his mastery of the accordion and his ability to blend diverse musical traditions. Born in 1946, Lacaille grew up in a musical family, learning to play various instruments from a young age. His music is deeply rooted in the séga and maloya styles, which reflect the island’s rich Creole heritage.
Lacaille’s career has been a journey through multiple genres, incorporating African, Indian, Malagasy, and European rhythms.
Over the years, he has collaborated with artists such as Manu Dibango, Bob Brozman, and Raul Barboza, further expanding his musical reach.
His discography includes albums like Mapou (2004), Cordéon Kaméléon (2009), and Poksina (2011), each showcasing his ability to innovate while staying true to his roots. Lacaille’s music is a celebration of identity, history, and the vibrant rhythms of Réunion.
Even today, René Lacaille continues to perform and inspire new generations of musicians. His work remains a testament to the power of music in preserving and evolving cultural traditions.
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Where and when to hear Around the World
Friday:
Akaroa World Radio 2:00 pm local New Zealand Time (3:00 am GMT 4:00 am CET)
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Saturday:
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Sunday:
West Coast FM Namibia 10:00 pm to 12:00 noon Central Africa Time (2:00 to 4:00 GMT)
Power 101FM Malawi: 12:00 local time
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Circl8 Chester: 12:00 noon
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Monday:
Armagh City Radio 00:00 pm local time (01:00 pm CET)
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Circl8 Chester: 12:00 noon
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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)
Tuesday:
Shire Extra: 8:00 pm GMT (21:00 CET)
Waterwaves Radio: 9:00 pm GMT (22:00 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)
Life Right Radio (London) 7:00 pm
Best City Radio (Belfast) 10:00 pm
Radio Skye (Radio Garden) 10:00 pm GMT (11:00 pm CET)
Thursday:
LIVE DRN1 Perth Western Australia - 9:00 p.m. local time (2:00 pm CET)
Waterwaves Radio: 9:00 pm GMT (22:00 CET)