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Angelique Kidjo

With music from around the globe, Lopa Kothari presents the third part of Commonwealth Connections. Plus a session with African mega-star Angelique Kidjo.

With Lopa Kothari. The third part of our 'Commonwealth Connections' series, and a session with African mega-star Angelique Kidjo.

Angelique Kidjo is a Grammy award-winning music recording artist deemed "Africa's premier diva". Born in Benin, West Africa, Kidjo's dynamic and infectious music has transcended art and now reaches philanthropy through her work with organizations and charities across Third-World countries. Angelique talks about all that in this exclusive session in our studio and shows all her inspiring magic and power, including a musical Valentine-Day present for all!

We continue Commonwealth Connections, a landmark 26-part weekly series leading up to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July. Featuring musicians and musical events from each and every of the 53 member states from Antigua to Zambia, the series reflects the Commonwealth's vibrant sounds, as the countries come together for their festival of sport. In this programme, music from South Africa and the Bahamas.

Music Feature: Every Sunday morning, townships across South Africa vibrate to the sound and colour of traditional gospel services. The Holy Ethiopian Catholic Church of Zion gather in Soweto to sing songs which blend ancient Zulu melodies and free-flowing phrases with missionary-style harmonies which they say bring them closer to God. A very different kind of township style is found in the music of Madosini, a mouth-bow player and singer living in Cape Town. Now 92 years old, and still performing professionally, she sings stories of life in pre-apartheid rural South Africa, with dramatic overtone-singing and expressive mouth-bow effects.

Plus a heritage track from the Bahamas:
Bahamian 400m sprinter and Olympic medallist, Chris Brown talks about junkanoo, the music of the annual street parades that resonates with all Bahamians. This music, deeply rooted in the islands' historic ties to Africa, brings back memories for Chris of winning a drumming competition as a child and becoming the lead drummer on his island; of crowds dancing in the streets underneath giant figures of people and animals; and of fires springing up across the islands, lit to warm the drums so that they make the perfect sound. Chris explains how the rhythms of junkanoo are still with him today at international competitions inspiring him to achieve the very best.

2 hours

Last on

Fri 14 Feb 2014 23:00
Â鶹Éç Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Alimba Okimbo

    Ukuatchiputiholona

    Performer: Alimba Okimbo.
    • Huambo Música Sessions.
    • Pangeiart.
    • 2.

  • Aziza Brahim

    Ya Watani

    Performer: Aziza Brahim.
    • Soutak.
    • Glitter Beat.
    • 9.

  • Jacques Brel

    Tango funebre

    Performer: Jacques Brel.
    • Greco Chante Brel.
    • Classics Jazz France.
    • 10.

  • Buda Folk Band

    Tengerpart

    Performer: Buda Folk Band.
    • Magyar Vilagi Nepzene.
    • Buda Folk Band.
    • 1.

  • Coco de Tebei

    A Cobra Verde

    Performer: Coco de Tebei.
    • Eu Tiro o Couro do Dançador.
    • Côco de Tebei.
    • 1.

  • Congregation of the Holy Ethiopian Catholic Church in Zion

    Traditional Zulu church songs

    Performer: Congregation of the Holy Ethiopian Catholic Church in Zion.

  • Dino D'santiago

    Nos Tradison

    Performer: Dino D'santiago.
    • Eva.
    • LUSAFRICA.
    • 1.

  • Easy Kabaka Brown

    Ibi Dyna

    Performer: Easy Kabaka Brown.
    • Opotopo.
    • Sound Way.
    • 5.

  • Elephant Revival

    Rogue River

    Performer: Elephant Revival.
    • These Changing Skies.
    • Itz Evolving/Relativity.
    • 12.

  • John Chipman and his Junkanoo Champions

    Junkanoo (Christmas time in Nassau)

    Performer: John Chipman and his Junkanoo Champions.
    • Bahamas Treasure Chest.
    • Parlophone.

  • Angélique Kidjo

    N'Yin Wan Nou We

    Performer: Angélique Kidjo.

  • Angélique Kidjo

    Awalole

    Performer: Angélique Kidjo.

  • Angélique Kidjo

    Bana

    Performer: Angélique Kidjo.

  • Angélique Kidjo

    Blewu

    Performer: Angélique Kidjo.

  • Angélique Kidjo

    Kulumbu

    Performer: Angélique Kidjo.

  • Madosini

    Modokali I

    Performer: Madosini.

  • Madosini

    Nomatshawe

    Performer: Madosini.

  • Madosini

    Uthando Luphelile

    Performer: Madosini.

  • Madosini

    The train to Cape Town

    Performer: Madosini.

  • Marlene Dietrich and Rosemary Clooney

    Too Old to Cut the Mustard

    Performer: Marlene Dietrich and Rosemary Clooney.
    • Head Over High Heels 1 - Strong & Female 1927-1959.
    • Trikont.

  • Eddi Reader

    Back the Dogs (Dancing Down Rock

    Performer: Eddi Reader.
    • VAGABOND.
    • REVEAL RECORDS.
    • 2.

  • Red Note Ensemble & Kuljit Bhamra

    Devil in the Kitchen

    Performer: Red Note Ensemble & Kuljit Bhamra.
    • FROM REELS TO RAGAS.
    • KEDA RECORDS.
    • 8.

  • The Spooky Men's Chorale

    Ba'hari Ghibb

    Performer: The Spooky Men's Chorale.
    • The Spooky Man In History.
    • Independent.
    • 8.

  • Violons Barbares

    Djore Dos

    Performer: Violons Barbares.
    • Saulem Ai.
    • World Village.
    • 6.

  • The Willows

    Bella's Fury

    Performer: The Willows.
    • Bella.
    • PLK Records.
    • 1.

Broadcast

  • Fri 14 Feb 2014 23:00
    Â鶹Éç Radio 3

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