The Case of the Spiritual Journey Through African Folk

Which way Africa? This way, pilgrims.

This week we return to the African Folk theme after a long hiatus. As listeners may remember, this is one genre that is seeing a healthy revival in the modern day, and most of my cuts in today's first hour were produced in the last decade. This set will include music from Malian desert rockers Tinariwen, as well as three tracks from vinyl versions of Rough Trade compilations released for Record Store Day this year.

The second hour this week focuses again on Ghana and Nigeria, homes to the popular Highlife style of African music. Highlife started in the 1950s as an Africanized version of American dancehall jazz, but that's not what we will hear today.... 

Starting in the late 60s, Highlife music began to morph into a more spiritual music (not unlike American jazz at the time). This form would eventually transform into the deeply spiritual Juju genre popularized by artists such as King Sunny Ade. But today's tracks catch that transformation in mid-stride, while the music retained the energy and structure of Highlife songwriting.

A good set today to contemplate the spiritual side of the motherland... peace be with you.