He fell for chicken feet

Sun, Jun 15, 2025

Malawi’s Madalitso Band have gone in eight years from busking for survival on the dusty streets of Lilongwe to playing international music festivals like Sauti Za Busara in Zanzibar, Roskilde in Denmark and WOMAD and Glastonbury in England.

Their music, made with nothing but their voices, guitar, kick drum and the homemade one-stringed long-necked slide bass called babatone, is one of the most life-affirming sounds you’ll ever hear. Madalitso’s new album Ma Gitala was just released on Friday, and you’ll hear a track from it this week on Global A Go-Go, alongside more acoustic guitar music from southern Africa.

Also this week (Sunday June 15, 1:00-3:00 PM on WRIR, for two weeks afterwards at wrir.org/listen, check your local listings for airing on other radio stations, and any old time at my podcast site): Rockin’ cumbia from XIXA and La Banda Chuska, Bio Ritmo’s brand new single as they prepare for their first visit to Colombia, Brazilian samba-funk by Laiz & the New Love Experience and Seu Jorge, beautiful late-career statements from Mali’s Salif Keita and Kasse Mady Diabaté, and Trinidadian soca remixed by Luke Una.

Podcast: radio4all.net/program/120384
All the podcasts: radio4all.net/series/Global%20A%20Go-Go

Show archive

Playlist

Oliver Lake, “Separation”

from Matador Of 1st & 1st

Passin Thru - 1996

USA

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros, “Global a Go-Go”

from Global a Go-Go

BMG Rights Management (US) LLC - 2001

England UK

XIXA, “Arcoiris”

from XOLO

Jullian - 2025

USA

Calexico, “Constellation”

from El Mirador

Anti/Epitaph - 2022

USA-Mexico

Chicha Libre, “The Guns of Brixton”

from Cuatro Tigres EP

Barbès Records - 2013

France-Venezuela-Mexico-USA

La Banda Chuska, “Ratas y Mapaches”

from Basic Bichos

self-released - 2025

Peru-Argentina-USA

Bio Ritmo, “Largos Caminos”

from Largos Caminos - Single

Locutor - 2025

RVA USA

Fruko y Sus Tesos, “Tronco Seco (feat. Wilson "Saoko" Manyoma)”

from El Violento

Vampisoul - 1973

Colombia

Mike Guagenti, “Ensaya Chamaco”

from Salsa con Charanga

Vampisoul - 2025

USA, 1978

Jorge Ben, “Ponta De Lanca Africano”

from Africa Brasil

Universal Music International Ltda. - 1976

Brazil

Laiz & the New Love Experience, “Se Segura”

from Se Segura - Single

Agogo - 2025

Brazil-Germany

União Black, “Everyone's a Winner”

from Banda União Black

Commonfolk Records - 2005

Brazil

Seu Jorge, “Dia de Mudança”

from Baile à la Baiana

Cafuné / Black Service - 2025

Brazil

Salif Keita, “Laban”

from So Kono

No Format - 2025

Mali

Kassé Mady Diabaté, “Ko Kuma Magni (feat. Makan Tounkara, Lansiné Kouyaté & Vincent Segal)”

from Kiriké

No Format! - 2014

Mali

Hawa & Kasse Mady Diabaté, “Fognana Kouma”

from Toumaro

One World - 2025

Mali

Malawi Mouse Boys, “Ndinasangalala (I Was Happy)”

from He Is #1

Stem Music - 2012

Malawi

Chemutoi Ketienya and Kipsigis girls, “Chemirocha III”

from The Music of Africa Series No. 27 by Hugh Tracey: Musical Instruments 1. Strings

Gallo - 1964

Kenya, 1950

Josaya Hadebe, “Gwabi Gwabi Intombi Yami”

from Bulawayo Blue Yodel: Omasiganda, Troubadours & High Lonesome Sounds Of Zimbabwe, Kenya & South Africa 1948-1959

Olvido / Mississippi - 2019

Zimbabwe, 1950s

Cowboy Superman and Beauty, “Kumnandi Kwazulu (2025 Remaster)”

from Zulu Guitar Blues (Cowboys Troubadours and Jilted Lovers 1950 to 1965) [2025 Remastered]

Matsuli Music - 2025

South Africa, 1959