Take a musical trip around the world in the company of JJ O’Shea, showcasing some of the most exciting and original music on the planet.
The theme of this week`s programme is "three in a row"-Irish, Blues and African music played without interruption. Margaret Barry and The Bothy Band, Clarence "Pinetop" Perkins and Jimmy Witherspoon, Mose Fan fan and Oliver Mtukudzi all make appearances.
Salsa! Calypso! Reggae ! Rumba! Sounds full of sunshine to welcome the arrival of summer.
We hear something from the golden age of calypso and the golden age of reggae as well as music from Poland, Portugal and Finland.
This week`s Global Village takes a whistle stop tour of Louisiana looking at the birth of Afro American music and the influence of French immigrants on the music of the area. There is even a visit to a Louisiana Jook Joint!
"All is Well" the album by Sam Amidon released in 2008 in which he gave a new treatment to old Appalachian songs is the featured album this week. Theres also a track from the new critically album by Malian bluesman Bombino and a little heard early song from Toots and the Maytals.
This week`s featured album is the new one by Drew Gonsalves who goes by the name of Kobo Town. The album is called "Jumbie in the Jukebox" and takes an inventive original approach to Calypso. Definitely one of the albums of the year so far.
This week kicks off and finishes with two tracks from the glory days of Zimbabwean chimerengue and jit jive-plus the usual mystery tour of sounds from around the world.
JJ Plays four sizzling tracks from "Saoco-The Bomba and Plena Explosion in Puerto Rico 1954-66" which is this week`s featured album. Theres also a Jug Band interlude with two tracks from Gus Cannon`s Memphis Jug Band and a tribute to Jug Band Music by The Lovin` Spoonful.
There`s a bluesy feel to this week`s show as the programme kicks off with "The Midnight Special" by Leadbelly and the The Golden Gate Quartet and with later appearances from both Elmore James and T Bone Walker. There`s also a couple of tracks from a cracking new release from Brazilian Flavia Coelho.
More new releases this week with two tracks from the recent compilation "Latin Noir" plus one from the new Rokias Traore and the new A Hawk and a Hacksaw release.
Two tracks from South African guitarist Derek Gripper`s new album "One Night on Earth-Music from the Strings of Mali" are among the delights of this week`s eclectic mix.
This week`s show includes new releases from Los Piranas, Eva Quartet and Nicolas Repac plus a couple of tracks from the classic "World Out of Time" album made by David Lindley and Henry Kaiser on a visit to Madagascar.
JJ takes a little Caribberan cruise while making a few diversions along the way as the fancy takes, He also continues his fascination with the music of Eleanor Shanley with a set of reels from her solo album.
The focus of this week`s programme is the guitar. We hear masters of the instrument from Spain to Madagascar and from Scotland to Mali. There is also a ballad by Jimi Hendrix showcasing his lyrical guitar style.
JJ begins with a track from Smokey Robinson and The Miracles by way of a tribute to Miracle Bobby Rogers who recently passed away. There is also music from Tibet and two luschious folk ballads from Eliza Carthy and Eleanor Shanley.
This week`s featured artist is Percy Mayfield "The Poet of the Blues" and we tour Louisiana, West Africa and hear a track from Eleanor Shanley`s solo album.
This week`s show includes three very different pieces with a French Connection. The Huelgas Ensemble give us some choral music from the fifteenth century, The Musical Alchemist Nicolas Repac gives a modern take on Swing and we hear the French harpist Florianne Blancke in the company of Dermot Byrne.
Its Carnival Time! This week JJ celebrates Shrove Tuesday and Mardi Gras with music to shake your pancakes!
JJ features tracks from the 2012 album by Donegal accordion player Dermot Byrne and French harpist Floriane Blanke plus classic salsa from Willie Colon and a track from Sierra Leone`s Refugee All Stars who played in Ireland last week.
This week's show follows the theme of "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue" with music from the 15th Century, a new release from Senegal and some cracking blues from Albert King. Plus The Incredible String Band are featured artists.
JJ plays tracks from some recent additions to his collection which take us from 1960s Scotland to modern day Taiwan and Java before moving around various islands in the Caribbean. He also plays a track from Northern Mali where music is currently banned.
The Bamako Beat-Instrument of Change. Earlier this year J.J. O`Shea went to Mali in West Africa to find out how some of the women singers there have been using their music to raise awareness of social issues. Since his visit there has been a miliary coup
This week JJ hosts "The Alternative Rose of Tralee" in the Global Village with representatives from Jamaica, Brazil, Cuba, Scotland and Spain. "Everyone`s a winner!"
JJ reccommends an album that's a great introduction to early Blues and brings news of an upcoming blog before embarking on the usual electic mix.
JJ takes a whistle stop tour which includes visits to Louisiana, Malawi, Bulgaria, Jamaica and Killarney where he found an interesting new duo called "Wear No Disguise" who have just released their first EP.
This week`s show features tracks from the Double Album "World 2001" compiled by the great broadcaster Charlie Gillett. This album is a particularly good introduction to music from around the world. Other tracks include Ray Charles, the Algerian singer/son
This week JJ battles the rain with some sunny sounds beginning with an invitation to visit Jamaica followed by more tropical beats before making a visit to home ground and including an old Jazz tune that he heard for the first time on last week`s "Thats J
This weeks show kicks off with some Cajun, Blues and Gospel before heading for Scandanavia, Spain and Portugal. Theres also a wonderful colloboration between dobro player Jerry Douglas and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt who is the Indian master of the mohan vina, an
