Monday, January 1
Global Village begins 2018 with music from a long list of musicians born on the first day of the year, including ‘Mambo King’ Xavier Cugat, Latin jazz bassist Al McKibbon, kora player Sekou Kouyate, African reggae star Alpha Blondy, vibes player Milt Jackson, Indian rock sitarist Ashwin Batish, and Latin percussionist Manny Oquendo along with bassist Andy Gonzalez, who was the musical director for Oquendo’s Libre group.
Tuesday, January 2
Tuesday’s Global Village is devoted to the many sounds and influences of Cuban music – from groundbreaking bands like Irakere and Buena Vista Social Club, to contemporary jazz performers like Harold Lopez-Nussa and Jane Bunnett & Maqueque (from their Grammy nominated release Oddara), along with some different sounds from the Cuban-influenced Senegalese band Orchestra Baobab, Cuba-based Haitian group Desandann, and classical meets Cuba music of the Klazz Brothers & Cuba Percussion.
Wednesday, January 3
Global Village counts down the Top Ten favorite albums of 2017 to kick off the January feature looking back at the best of the past year. Throughout the month, Global Village features show favorites, award winners, nominees and other significant releases of 2017. The full list of show favorites is on our website at kmuw.org.
Thursday, January 4
Global Village heads to Scandinavia for music from artists ranging from the traditional to the contemporary – incorporating not only folk influences of the region, but world, jazz, rock and other sounds in fresh and intriguing new ways. Among the groups and artists featured – internationally acclaimed folk-rock ensemble Varttina, long-running eclectic band Piirpauke, neo-folk rocker Pekko Kappi, folk-jazz artist Sinikka Langeland, the all harmonica and mouth organ group Svang, the English-Scandinavian folk-jazz ensemble Fatdog, and American saxophonist Juli Wood with jazz reinterpretations of Finnish folk songs.
Friday, January 5
It’s New Month/New Music time in the Global Village. Each month, Global Village devotes an entire show to the best of recently released and forthcoming world music albums. Among the highlights this time:
The return of the Nighthawk reggae label with reissues from the Gladiators and Ethiopian
Portuguese cavaquinho player Julio Pereira
Gypsy jazz guitarist Stephane Wrembel
A solo project from Kila’s piper Eoin Dillon
Canadian world-jazz drummer Ilios Steryannis
And Cuban pianist Omar Sosa with Germany’s NDR Bigband
