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#1112 October 24, 2015

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This edition of Higher Ground opens with :

1. Mario Bauza ‘Tanga’ Alb Sngl Tk 4.04

Widely recognized as a seminal figure in American music Mario Bauza pioneered the fusion of Afro Cuban and jazz music in the 1940’s, collaborating with musical giants such as Cab Calloway, Dexter Gordon, Charlie Parker and Machito. Bauza is credited with having introduced us to the mambo, cha-cha-cha and rhumba in North American. The late bandleader led one of the most sophisticated Latin Jazz Ensembles of the present era because of charts like Tanga. One World: Music From Around The World, Rounder, 1994

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2. Amar Sundy ‘Camel Shuffle’ Cmpl Tk 4 2.50

We open this broadcast with, Ah-mar Sundy, a descendant of a long line of Twar-reg Tuareg nomads in Algeria. The Twar-reg are members of the Berber people of western and central Sahara, living mainly in Algeria, Mali, Niger, and western Libya-traditionally as nomadic pastoralists. Sundy, explores his cultural roots with extended travel to Chicago where in the early 1990’s he apprenticed at the hand of blues man Albert King. The tune Camel Shuffle bridges the blues first fashioned in Africa and later enhanced in the U.S. African Blues, Putumayo World Music, 2012

3. Celia Cruz ‘Sazon’ Alb Tk 4 4.49

Celia Cruz Cuban-American salsa singer was one of the most successful salsa performers of the 20th century. Cruz performs Sazon. Celia Cruz: Exitos Eternos, Universal Music, 2003

4. Novalima ‘Diablo’ Alb Tk 3 3.36

The Afro Peruvian sounds of Novalima come to life on their 2012 release The Album Karimba includes the track Diablo, Devil. Karimba, ESL Music, 2012

5. Warsaw Village Band ‘Hola Byski Hola’ Sglns#86 Tk 9 4.43

From Warsaw comes the Polish band the Warsaw Village Band with a new release that features the tune Hoe-lah Bihs-kee Hoe-lah. This collective is one of the most interesting folk groups in Europe by drawing from the well of traditionalism, but in a distinctly non –traditional way. This number features soft cimbalom (a type of hammered dulcimer) and strings before galloping off into the land of scraping fiddles and punchy percussion. Nord, Jaro Medien GnbH, 2012

6. Astor Piazolla w/Su Quinteto ‘Tanquedial III’ OneWd Tk 1 4.40

Astor Pia-Soy-yah, Argentine tango composer and bandoneón player revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed nuevo tango, with elements from jazz and classical music. Pia-Soy-yah regularly performed his own compositions with various ensembles. Know in his homeland as “El Gran Astor” (“The Great Astor”) Pia-Soy-yah joined by Sue Keen-the-toe perform the experimental work, Tahn-kay-dee-el trayS’

One World: Music From Around The World, Rounder Records, 1994

7. Sister Rosetta Tharpe ‘Up Above My Head’ Alb Tk 18 2.28

Sister Rosetta Tharpe was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and recording artist. A pioneer of 20th-century music, Tharpe attained great popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with her gospel recordings that were a mixture of spiritual lyrics and early rock and roll accompaniment. Today she is hailed as the Grandmother of Rock n Roll.

Tharpe renders, Up Above My Head I Hear Music In The Air.

Gospel Train, Verve Music Group, 1956

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