Happy new year! My first Phonic show of 2023 begins with Bonnie Raitt & Was (Not Was) and a luscious version of Baby Mine from Walt Disney’s 1941 cartoon classic, Dumbo. Beautiful vocals from all concerned as well as great slide work from Bonnie – who will be touring the UK in June. A timely song from the new Unthanks release “The Month Of January” from their recent “Sorrows Away”. A lovely if-it-ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it version of McCartney’s “The Fool On The Hill”, more from the excellent new Soothsayers collaboration with Victor Rice; the title track of the new Grupo Lokito album “Bomoko” (playing at Mambista on February 25th); a bit early on the new Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke album but i’ll come back to it; a Congolese Classic from Franco & Sam Mangwana, more Amapiano from Reece Madlisa & Zuma. Great reissues from Betico Salas Y Su Sonora. More Libala Band from Zambia. New releases from Balimaya, Eddie Palmieri, Awen Ensemble, Chris Hyson, Al-Qasar, Ak’chamel and Norwegian jazz from Siril Malmedal Hauge. Classic Blue Note from Stanley Turrentine, classic Rai from Cheikha Rimitti, classic Salsa from Linda Leida, Orquesta La Conspiración and Rubén Blades & La Orquesta De Pete Rodriguez (there’ll be plenty more where they came from on Saturday at the first El Swing of 2023 (info here)