Episode 31
Episode 31 was originally posted on January 7, 2019.
Tracklisting:
01) “Para Tumbaya” by Hugo Diaz.
From the 1967 album Lo Mejor De Hugo Diaz.
Santiago del Estero, Argentina.
Diaz was a master harmonica player who specialized in tango, folk and jazz. He was born to a poor family in Santiago del Estero. When he was five years old, he lost his sight when he was hit by a soccer ball. While blind, he took up playing the harmonica. Two years later, after surgery restored his eyesight, he was already performing regularly for a local radio and his career took off.
Purchase Hugo Diaz’ music at Amazon.
02) “パッション・フラワー (Passion Flower)” by Haruomi Hosono, Shigeru Suzuki & Tatsuro Yamashita.
From the 1978 album Pacific.
Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Haruomi Hosono (細野 晴臣 Hosono Haruomi (sometimes known as Harry Hosono, is is a Japanese musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. This 1978 album, sometimes credited to “Haruomi Hosono & Friends” was recorded the same year Haroumi founded his most well-known project, electronic music trip Yellow Magic Orchestra. The grandson of Titanic survivor Masabumi Hosono, Haruomi began his career with the psychedelic rock band Apryl Fook after founding Happy End and Tin Pan Alley.
03) “Roots Train” by Junior Murvin.
From the 1977 album Police and Thieves.
Port Antonio, Jamaica.
Junior Murvin was a Jamaican reggae musician famous for his soaring falsetto. He is best known for the single "Police and Thieves", produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry at the renowned Black Ark Studio in 1976. The full album of the same name was released in 1977.
04) “Birthday” by The Sugarcubes.
From the 1988 album Life's Too Good!.
Reykjavík, Iceland.
The Sugarcubes (Icelandic: Sykurmolarnir) were an alternative rock band from Iceland from 1986 - 1992. Lead singer and keyboardist Björk Guðmundsdóttir would later go on to become become an internationally successful solo musician and the best selling Icelandic musician of all time.
Purchase The Sugarcubes’ music at Amazon.
05) “Leave A Trace” by Chvrches.
From the 2015 album Every Open Eye.
Glasgow, Scotland.
Chvrches is an electronic trio (“synth-pop band”) from Glasgow, founded by Iain Cook and Martin Doherty and Lauren Mayberry in 2011 and they use the stylized spelling “Chvrches” to distinguish themselves from actual churches online. The initial plan for for Mayberry to sing back-up until the trio began rehearsing and the other two heard Mayberry’s voice.
06) “Qanun Al-Tarab” by Gnawledge.
From the 2009 album Granada Doaba.
Spain.
The group’s Free Music Archive profile says: “Gnawledge is a praxis hip-hop collaboration between Fulbright scholar Canyon Cody and rapper/producer Gnotes. Composers of modern electronic riddims rooted in traditional music, Gnawledge promotes participatory education through sample-based hip-hop.”
07) “Sommarlåten [The Summer Song]” by International Harvester.
From the 1968 album Sov Gott Rose-Marie.
Sweden.
International Harvester was an early incarnation of the psychedelic, progressive Swedish jam band Träd, Gräs & Stenar ("Trees, Grass and Stones").
Purchase the album at Amazon.
08) “Beautiful Mongolian Horse” by Hanggai band| 杭盖乐队.
From the 2007 album Hanggai | 杭盖.
Beijing, China.
According to the often helpful Wikipedia: “Hanggai Band (杭盖乐队) is an Inner Mongolian folk music group from Beijing who specialize in a blend of Mongolian folk music and more modern styles such as punk rock. Their songs incorporate traditional folk lyrics as well as original compositions, and are sung in Mongolian and Mandarin.”
09) “Fully Completely” by The Tragically Hip.
From the 1992 album Fully Completely.
Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
The Tragically Hip, often referred to simply as “The Hip,” were one Canada’s biggest rock bands. Consisting of front man Gord Downie, guitarist Paul Langlois, guitarist Rob Baker (known as Bobby Baker until 1994), bassist Gord Sinclair, and drummer Johnny Fay, the band released 13 studio albums, two live albums, one EP, and 54 singles over their 33-year career. Nine of their albums reached No. 1 on the Canadian charts and they received numerous Canadian music awards, including 16 Juno Awards. Following Downie’s diagnosis of terminal brain cancer in 2015, the band embarked on a “Farewell” tour of Canada. Downie died on October 17, 2017 and the band disbanded shortly after.
Browse the interactive map to see where each artist is from. Use the little window/toggle thingy in the upper-left corner to highlight specific episodes. Google Maps only lets us do 10 episodes per map so to see all the maps, visit here. This week’s artists are blue points.