Last Week
NEW: You can hear all of last week’s show on Mixcloud.
You can listen to all of the music from last week’s show without the talking between the songs on both iTunes and Spotify on the blog. See the running order of all the songs played there, too..
This Week
Music by: Batsükh Dorj, Bebel Gilberto, Bixiga 70, Blick Bassy, Bombino, Catrin Finch & Aoife Ní Bhríain, Christine Salem & DJ Click, Cimafunk, Fränder, John Martyn, Justin Adams & Mauro Durante, Koum Tara, Lakvar, Les Mamans du Congo & RRobin, Lura & Angélique Kidjo, Mostar Sevdah Reunion, Napfonat, OKAN, Rhiannon Giddens, Rüüt, Small Island Big Song, and Zarina Prvasevda.
Music from: Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Cuba, England, Estonia, France, Georgia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Macedonia, Mongolia, Niger, Oceania, Portugal, Republic of the Congo, Reunion, Sweden, USA, and Wales.
This Week’s Featured Album
Mostar Sevdah Reunion - Live in Sarajevo 2023 (FULL CONCERT)
I was supposed to be at this concert. I’d promised myself that I’d see Mostar Sevdah Reunion play this year, their 25th anniversary, preferable in Mostar (they didn’t play Mostar in 2023) failing that, I’d see them once again in Sarajevo. But to quote Harold Macmillan when was asked what was the greatest challenge for a statesman, he replied: 'Events, dear boy, events'. Events stopped me from being there. But! But! The whole concert was recorded - the video is on YouTube (above) and Mostar Sevdah Reunion - Live in Sarajevo 2023 is this week’s featured album.
It is filled with favourites and crowd pleasers. Few - maybe a handful of musicians - have done as much to revive Bosnian Sevdah music. The three who come to mind immediately (MSR, Damir Imamović, Amira Medunjanin) have each gone their own ways to refind, redevelop and redefine the music.
Mostar Sevdah Reunion’s earlier album this year was Lady Sings the Balkan Blues. If they are new to you, both of these are a good place to start. But I would also recommend an earlier album - A Secret Gate was recorded in 2003.
Damme La Manu - Justin Adams & Mauro Durante
You can read more detailed notes about this video on YouTube. Here’s an edited version.
Damme La Manu is a short experimental documentary from director Joe Adams and cinematographer Tom Reeves. The two-man team, recently embarked on a six-day visit in the hearts of both Milan and London documenting youths from each city. The film explores the theme of youth resilience between the two cities and how this takes shape despite cultural differences - or similarities. “We wanted to make a film about the strength of our younger generations. A film about unity and a film that gives evidence that the youth are present in the bettering of our societies.” Damme La Manu by the celebrated duo formed by British guitarist and producer Justin Adams and Italian violinist and percussionist Mauro Durante, is the perfect soundtrack of this portrait, in which contact, movement, holding hands (Damme la manu means give me your hand) are the answer to any barrier, political and cultural.
Zarina Prvasevda - “ ЕHO “ - Live at Macedonian Philharmonic ( 15.04.2022)
While I have missed several gigs this year (MSR’s several concerts, WOMEX 23, Brno Music Marathon (Maraton hudby Brno), I have been very fortunate to have been to some fantastic performances such as Laibach with the RTV Slovenia Orchestra performing Alamut, and many performances at Balkan Most. Among them was an unexpected joy of seeing Zarina Prvasevda, a new name to me. She hasn’t released much, but I plan to hear a lot more of her music in 2024.
Also on the show
Bixiga 70’s Malungu (feat. Simone Sou)
The ten-piece Brazilian band are named after the district they are based, Bixiga in São Paulo, Brazil. The 70 in their name is a reference to the inspiration of Fela Kuti’s Afrika 70 band. “Though the São Paulo ensemble’s fifth album never quite captures their live energy, their move to a more melodic sound works a treat.” Said the Guardian in a 3 star review.
Fränder’s En sommarkväll
Keeping all the best names for the songs rather than the albums, Fränder II is their second album although they did record one after their first with Polish band Sutari, Across the Baltic Sea, in 2021. Brothers Gabbi and Daniel Dluzewski and sister Natasja Dluzewska grew up in the village of Håga, which once was one of Scandinavia's great Viking strongholds during the Bronze Age near the city of Uppsala.
There’s always more
You can listen as the programme is broadcast or streamed on the radio stations below. You can catch up next week on Mixcloud and you can find out more at davysims.com
Saturday:
Essential Radio Midnight to 2:00 am GMT (1:00 am CET)
West Coast FM Namibia 16:00 to 18:00 Central Africa Time (14:00 to 16:00 GMT)
World FM 10:00 pm local New Zealand Time (11:00 am GMT, 12:00 noon CET)
Sunday:
NFRS Osaka Japan: 12:00 noon local time (3:00 am UK time 4:00am CET)
Bangor FM 107.9 (Radio Garden) 7:00 pm local time (8:00 pm CET)
Slice Audio 10:00 pm local time (11:00 pm CET)
Ferry FM 10:00 pm local time (11:00 pm CET)
Radio Larne 10:00 pm local time (11:00 pm CET)
Armagh City Radio 10:00 pm local time (11:00 pm CET)
Monday:
Reverse FM: 00:00 am GMT (01:00 CET)
SparkFlame Radio: 00:00 amGMT (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)
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:
Global Music Radio Wednesday 6:00pm-8:00pm GMT (7:00 pm CET
Lisburn’s 98FM (Radio Garden) 7:00 pm local time GMT (8:00 pm CET)
FM105 Down Community Radio (Radio Garden) 7:00 pm local time GMT (8:00 pm 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)
Global Music Radio: 6:00 pm GMT (7:00 CET)
Radio Skye (Radio Garden) 10:00 pm GMT (11:00 pm CET)
Friday:
Akaroa World Radio 2:00 pm local New Zealand Time (3:00 am GMT 4:00 am CET)