Afropop Worldwide

Classic Streams
on Afropop Worldwide

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Acoustica

This stream celebrates the softer, more accoustic side of African and Brazilian music with Afropop's field recordings of urban trad groups, studio recordings, live concert recordings and interviews with luminaries such as Baaba Maal and Cheick Lo.

Acoustic Africa

Enter the lush sonic landscape of acoustic Africa--string instruments, winds, drums, voices and more. This program offers some of Afropop's favorite field recordings.

Program credits:
Host: Georges Collinet
Lead Producer: Sean Barlow
Field Producers: Banning Eyre and Andy Warshaw
Special thanks: Leo Sarkisian, VOA
Mix Engineer: Rick Bradley
Series Producer: Sean Barlow

NOTE: Some of these recordings in this program can be found on In Griot Time: String Music from Mali (Stern's), compiled by afropop.org's Senior Editor, Banning Eyre.

Program Log:
Georges opens w/Baluba music recorded live by Afropop at the Baillo Bar in Kinshasa, Congo in 1987.
Mbira music recorded by Afropop in Zimbabwe in 1988.
Jonah Sithole on acoustic guitar and mbira players, Zimbabwe, 1988.
Ngororombe pan pipe music recorded in Zimbabwe, 1988.
Baka Pygmy music recorded in rain forest Cameroon.
Flute music from Burkina Faso.
Fulani group from the Gambia.
Kapere Jazz Band, Luo music from Kenya.
Georges tells story of growing up with pygmy people in Cameroon and remembers the sound of their singing in the forest.
Hunters' festival music in Mali.
Djelimady Tounkara on guitar, recorded in Bamako, Mali.
Toumani Diabate plays special song dedicated to Afropop, recorded at his compound in Bamako, Mali.
Hiragasy music, recorded by Afropop in Madagascar.

Afropop Goes Acoustic

This program features exceptional acoustic recordings by Afropop stars such as Baaba Maal, Cheick Lo, Waldemar Bastos and others.

Program Log:
Four exceptional African artists who are exploring the more acoustic side of African music. Acoustic music has always been a part of the African scene, but when African Pop hit US shores, it was mostly big electric dance bands. Cheikh Lô of Senegal helped introduce us to a more acoustic-based sound.
Cheikh Lô tells the story of his discovery by Youssou N'Dour at a small Dakar night club.
Cheikh Lô, working on material for his next album, talks about how this one will be more thought out and less rushed. He also shares his thoughts about possible collaborations, and how he will continue to build on the familiar base of acoustic music.
Henri Dikongué and highlights from an interview with Georges. His inspiration comes from his mother's side, his singing in church and living in an "open ambiance" of music crossroads. Once referred to as the "James Taylor of Africa", he speaks of life in terms of "painful separations."
Baaba Maal's acoustic side and his collaboration with Jamaican guitarist Ernest Ranglin. Baaba speaks of Ernest's influence in the studio, and about the making of their collaboration on In Search Of The Lost Riddim.
Waldemar Bastos from Angola, and his wide ranging travels expressed through his guitar technique.
Waldemar Bastos from Angola, and his wide ranging travels expressed through his guitar technique.

African String Magic

Presents the wonderful world of plucked, strummed and finger picked string instruments; ngoni from Mali and its cousin the banjo in the U.S.; oud form the Arabic world to Spanish flamenco guitar to the tres in Cuba; kraar from Ethiopia to the nyatiti in East Africa; and more. Plus a visit with Malian kora virtuoso Toumani Diabate and a debut of his brilliant new recording with Ballake Sissoko.

Program Log:
Introduction to several African string instruments. Toumani Diabate and Ballaké Sissoko's new album "New Ancient Strings," inspired by their fathers' album "Ancient Strings."
Toumani Diabate speaks about how is father made the "Ancient Strings," album in prison and how it is a reminder of his history. He plays songs of his own and several reworkings of his father's songs on the new CD.
Afropop's visit to an instrument workshop in Cape Verde owned by multi-instrumentalist Bao.
The 12 string Arabic lute, the oud and its master Hamza El Din from Toushca in Egypt's Nubia region. Hamza has successfully spread Nubian music worldwide.
Since the fall of the Marxist regime in Ethiopia in 1991, the nightlife scene has bounced back with night spots called Azmaribeths, featuring amateur musicians singing songs with traditional instruments and sarcastic remarks.
Since the fall of the Marxist regime in Ethiopia in 1991, the nightlife scene has bounced back with night spots called Azmaribeths, featuring amateur musicians singing songs with traditional instruments and sarcastic remarks.

The Soul Of Mbira

Over 25 years ago the seminal recording "Soul of Mbira," turned many music lovers on to the beautiful sound of the mbira (thumb piano) from Zimbabwe. The principals from that project, including Paul Berliner, reunite for a live concert. Conversations with Berliner and his Zimbabawe compadres. Here's a highly selected list of recordings of mbira music. With the mbira community growing as it is, there are many more locally produced recordings. Feel free to tell us about your favorites.

Program Log:
Ancient prophesies, war and peace, racial healing, cultural drift and communion with ancestors. In 1976, Zimbabwaeans were fighting for the liberation struggle. Paul Berliner's The Soul of Mbira, and its celebration of the Shona music's sacred traditions.
Paul Berliner talks about organizing a Mbira tour, which would be a "bridge between music cultures." Shona tradition and ancestral spirits. Prophesies of peace between races, and its fulfillment by musicians.
Spirit possession, and Moude's experiences as a child and his encounters with musicians. Kosmas became a star player and eventually taught Paul Berliner.
Beuller Dyoko tells her story, and how she came to the mbira (with some help from the spirit world.)
The spirits' prophesy, that foreigners would bring peace by coming and learning to play Mbira, works in strange ways. Chris Berry talks about how he came to Shona music.
The various Mbira groups and the "epidemic" of Mbira. Thomas Mapfumo and his Mbira Pop Music.
The various Mbira groups and the "epidemic" of Mbira. Thomas Mapfumo and his Mbira Pop Music.