King Sunny Ade was, in many ways, the inspiration for what would become Afropop Worldwide. And he was by no means an inspiration only to us! Many fans in America first got hooked on Afropop (and African music in general) through the landmark 1982-83 tour by King Sunny Ade and his African Beats: The propulsive polyrhythms of traditional drums mixed with sophisticated guitar arrangements and pedal steel were like nothing we had ever heard. Topped by graceful choreography and the beaming presence of the “Chairman” himself, the effect was totally intoxicating. In this program, we travel to Lagos to talk to people there who help us fill in the picture of King Sunny Ade’s earlier career in the 1960s and '70s. KSA also granted Afropop Worldwide a three-hour interview. We’ll hear his stories and some classic recordings. Featured in the show are highlights from a sublime acoustic concert Ade and the African Beats gave at Joe’s Pub in New York City.
(Photo: King Sunny Ade – Courtesy of the artist/via Afropop Worldwide)
Jazz legend, Randy Weston left us on September 1, 2018. He, more than any contemporary jazz artist, understood, honored and explored the roots of American music in Africa. He lived there, traveled there often, and spoke of his connections to his African ancestors in every interview during his 92 years. In this program, we revisit our musical conversation with Weston in 1998, and sample some of his late solo piano recordings.
Afropop Worldwide can be heard Sundays at 9:00 pm on KRCB-FM Radio 91 / streaming @ norcalpublicmedia.org / Download the FREE KRCB App @ iTunes & Google Play!
(Photo via Afropop Worldwide)
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Producer/agent/DJ Rab BakariAfropop producer Banning Eyre takes us on a surprise-filled tour of his 30-some years of covering African music. Through conversations with Georges Collinet and producer/agent/DJ Rab Bakari, the program reflects on how the world, the music, the culture and the media have changed and keep on changing throughout Africa and the diaspora. Along the way we hear some of the tunes that have most inspired Banning and Georges, sample the latest Afrobeats and Naija pop, and speculate on where African music is heading next. Great music, provocative thinking!
In West Africa, women are on the cutting edge of musical and cultural progress. This program looks at four singer/composers with roots in tradition and unique ideas about how to keep them current in the fast-changing milieu of today’s African music.
Afropop Worldwide can be heard Sunday nights at 9:00 pm on KRCB-FM Radio 91 / streaming @ norcalpublicmedia.org / Listen on the go - download the FREE KRCB mobile app from the App Store & Google Play!
(Photo courtesy of Afropop Worldwide)
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