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)
Bonnie Raitt & Was (Not Was) | Baby Mine | Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films |
Lucas Santtana + Flore Benguigui | The Fool On The Hill | Download |
Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke | Nonvignon | Lean In |
Awen Ensemble | Gobaith | Download |
Libala Band | Masholi | Zam Groove |
Los Royals De Pucallpa | Descarga Royal | Perú Selvático – Sonic Expedition Into The Peruvian Amazon 1972-1986 |
Eddie Palmieri | Ran Kan Kan | Eddie Palmieri Presents Sonido Solar |
The Unthanks | The Month Of January | Sorrows Away |
Chris Hyson | Pinecone (feat. Joe Webb) | Sidekick |
Stanley Turrentine | We’ll See Yaw’ll After While, Ya Heah | That’s Where It’s At |
Siril Malmedal Hauge | Wooden Hotel | Jazz Out Of Norway |
Ak’chamel | Clean Coal is a Porous Condom | A Mournful Kingdom of Sand |
Al-Qasar | Awal (feat. Lee Ranaldo) | Who Are We? |
Cheikha Rimitti | Mani Man | Nouar |
Linda Leida | Estoy en Algo | Aqui Esta Linda |
Betico Salas Y Su Sonora | La Renga | Baile Ud. Con Betico Salas |
Grupo Lokito | Bomoko | Bomoko |
Reece Madlisa & Zuma | Iy’ntsimbi Zase Envy (feat. Busta 929, Beast Rsa & Dladla Mshunqisi) | Ama Roto, Vol. 2 (Kwaito Edition) |
Soothsayers | Black Sand | Soothsayers Meets Victor Rice + Friends |
Franco & Sam Mangwana | B B Cheri | Forever |
Orquesta La Conspiración | Ave Maria Que Rumbon | Cada Loco Con Su Tema |
Rubén Blades & La Orquesta De Pete Rodriguez | Descarga Caliente | De Panama A Nuevo York |
Balimaya | Seasons Of Baraka | Download |