91.3fm WYEP: What in the World

WYEP's What in the World? : Mickey Hart & Zakkir Hussain re-team for a celebration of Planet Drum's 15th anniversary.

WYEP's What in the World? : A preview of a new release from Africa's best selling and most influential artist.

WYEP's What in the World? : The last release from the Ambassador of the endangered Garifuna people & culture.

WYEP's What in the World? : Brazil's hot new vocalist combines traditional styles with hip-hop & dance accents.

Maria Daulne founded the group Zap Mama in 1990 with the mission to bridge the gap between European and African music. Her album “Super Moon” features Michael Franti and both African and European influences.

Pacifika are a trio that combines their individual cultures and backgrounds for a unique sound that incorporates chill-factor grooves and sunny pop melodies.

One of Senegal’s most iconic bands reunited in 2002 and received an enthusiastic reaction from critics and their devoted following. In 2008 the band released “Made in Dakar,” a celebration of a city, a nation and its music.

Grupo Fantasma, a ten-piece band from Austin, Texas, blends salsa, cumbia, funk and psychedelia on their 4th album “Sonidos Gold.”

Mexican-American singer Lila Downs marries traditional and contemporary sounds to create a new music that incorporates unique elements from two very different cultures. “Shake Away” features songs sung in both English and Spanish, guest artists Raul Midon, Mercedes Sosa and Enrique Bunbury, Ruben Ortega and La Mari de Chambao, Downs’ band La Misteriosa, and the powerful vocals of one of modern Mexico’s talented performers.

Sigur Ros may be the best known band to emerge from Iceland but their sound is otherworldly. Blending orchestral rock with idiosyncratic vocals the band has created a unique niche for themselves in popular music. “With a Buzz In Our Ears We Play Endlessly,” marks a new phase in Sigur Ros’ development. Written and recorded outside of Reykavik for the first time, the album encompasses a more assessable sound without losing it’s edge.

Femi Kuti has struggled to create his own musical identity separate from that of his legendary father, Nigerian superstar Fela Kuti. Femi’s work features western influences like funk, soul, and jazz but also bears the political overtones and Afropop rhythms associated with his father.

Senegalese musician Ablaye Cissoko teams up with German jazz artist Volker Goetz for a remarkable new album that features the kora, ancient stringed instrument, with the muted tones of the trumpet. Cissoko’s vocals add a reverent aspect to 10 songs that sound otherwordly.

Nigerian singer songwriter Asa was born in Paris and moved to Lagos as a young child. The shy tomboy broke the mold set out for women in her culture by taking up guitar and performing music that encompasses the European, American and African culture.

Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, So Kalmery creates music that reflects the upheaval in society but with an infectious danceable beat that revolves around rhythmic guitar, flute and percussion.

The Malian husband and wife musicians Amadou and Miriam team up with producers Marc Antoine Moreau and Laurent Jais and Damon Albarn. The album features great pop and African elements and a foray into English lyrics.

Vieux Farka Toure continues to develop his musical persona, moving beyond the long shadow of his legendary father Ali Farka Toure. Like his father, the young Malian guitarist, singer, songwriter continues to write songs based in the blues but also suggests that dub and jam/rock finds its roots in West African music.

Led by Marya Rupa, Rupa & The April Fishes use a variety of instruments including guitar, drums, upright bass, cello and tabla to create an imaginative blend of gypsy, cumbia, raga, folk and jazz melodies. The lyrics are sung in Spanish, Hindi, English but mostly French.

Kimi Djabate comes from a long line of Griot performers of Guinea Bissau. His new album “Karam” highlights his extraordinary skills as a balafon player and relays the stories of poverty and struggle for dignity and survival that populate one of the world’s poorest countries.

Fatboy Slim, Marius DeVries, and Guy Sigsworth are among the producers who were enlisted to work with young Cuban musicians in order to inject new ideas into a traditional format.

Los Centzontles is a Mexican-American roots group that promotes cultural heritage. They team up with Los Lobos guitarist David Hidalgo and Bluesman Taj Mahal to tell stories of the immigrant experience in America.

Lhasa de Sela's 3rd release is a sparse, self-produced album that takes inspiration from blues, folk, and country music. The album features a small band, recorded live in-studio to analog tape for a warm, intimate sound.

I Bring What I Love, the soundtrack to the documentary recounting the turbulent years following the release of Youssou N'Dour's Grammy winning album "Egypt," a homage to Islam by a secular artist.

The Chieftains, with help from Ry Cooder and guest artists from America, Ireland, and Mexico pay homage to The San Patricios, a band of Irish immigrants who deserted the United States Army in order to fight along side Mexican soldiers during the Mexican American War of 1848.

Bands from Venezuela, Columbia, Uruguay, Mexico, Bolivia, and Argentina pay tribute to one of South America’s most influential rock bands by re-envisioning some of the band’s best known songs.

Benin-born, NYC resident Angelique Kidjo pays tribute to her musical influences, ranging from French Jazz to Bollywood musicals, American soul to Brazilian rhythms, plus traditional Benin songs. She covers songs by James Brown, dedicates a lullaby to Miriam Makeba, and welcomes guests John Legend, Roy Hargrove, Bono, and Dianne Reeves.

Legendary Brazilian singer/songwriter Caetano Veloso re-teams with BandaCe, a group of young rock musicians for Zii e Zie, an album that swings between shimmering samba and molten guitar rock.