Weltbeat selector and host Jean Trouillet returned to the studio to ready another instalment of his horizon-expanding, bi-monthly Globalwize radio show for Frankfurt's Radio X, now exclusively made available in our Greedio Mixcloud channel, for 'greedy' listeners from around the globe. Episode #396 places a focus on female voices and brings us another wide array of enjoyable and noteworthy tunes regardless of genre or provenance. In other words, there should be something in it for anyone tuning in.
Kicking off the show are three tracks from the album "Ramages" by spellbinding voice and cello duo Birds on a Wire, which transitions smoothly into French vocalist Julie Azoulay, reciting writings from the Rubayat by Persian astronomer and poet Omar Khayam. Next up is an excerpt taken from the first public performance of "Refrakto" in Copenhagen by Danish sampling royalty Den Sorte Skole – a piece originally commissioned by the St. Katharinenkirche in Frankfurt to be performed at the Luminale festival in 2020, which unfortunately was performed for cameras only due to you know what – playing alongside Nepalese-Swiss vocalist Aisha Devi on vocoder, reciting an Urdu poem written by Pakistani feminist writer Kishwar Naheed. We then hear a beautiful original composition by Portuguese musician Rodrigio Leao, taken from his recently released album "A Estranha Beleza da Vida", paving the way to three tracks by the great Peruvian chanteuse Susana Baca, taken from her current album "Palabras Urgentes", her personal form of protest, lamenting today's difficult times.
Last month, selectors Tobi Kirsch and Ubbo Gronewold released the second volume of their multifaceted "Two Tribes" compilation, presenting another "intercontinental journey in rhythm" on Agogo Records, including this trancelike track by Hamburg cellist/sound artist Andi Otto and Rwandan musician/dance Evariste Karinganire. Trouillet follows that up with a wonderful collaboration by French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky and classical guitarist Thibaut Garcia, performing compositions by Luiz Bonfá, García Lorca and Henry Purcell. The guitar was also the instrument of choice for Bahamian guitarist and singer Joseph Spence, heard here on recordings dating back to 1964, now released on Smithsonian Folkways, which brings us to Chris Eckman's fifth solo album, released earlier this year on Glitterhouse Records, "a deep dive into the vagaries of these extraordinary times."
Returning to Den Sorte Skole's "Refrakto", we hear another excerpt, this one featuring the Choir of the Anchiskhati Basilica, succeeded by three resounding tracks off a recent compilation celebrating the 40th anniversary of Bremen-based imprint Jaro Music, featuring The Bulgarian Voices Angelite alongside the Moscow Art Trio and Tuvan throat singers Huun-Huur-Tu, New York's Hazmat Modine as well as Finnish outfit Piirpauke performing their "Swedish Reggae". Nearing the end of the show, we hear a track off the recent dub-tinged album by Cologne-based producer DJ and drummer Uwe Lehr, aka Razoof, featuring Ugandan vocalist Lindra Baguma, before Turkey's Dem Trio presents its Anatolian Zeybek dances and Den Sorte Skole apply the finishing touches with a third excerpt from their "Refrakto" show.
As always, we invite you to listen to the full show via the player below and do hope you enjoy this continuous musical journey through space and time.