Today was my shift during the annual WNUR phonathon fundraiser. We didn’t take a whole lot of calls during my time, but it’s not the most opportune time. At least a couple did come in right at the end, which is nice. In any event, my thematic show, “A Morning in Tunisia,” was great fun. It was partially inspired by Norman Weinstein’s A Night in Tunisia: Imaginings of Africa in Jazz, but also spread to include jazz and jazz-ish music made by Africans as well as a couple of Fela Kuti covers! Even without the air time diverted from music to pitching for donations, there still wouldn’t have been enough time, but I did get to play a lot of great stuff.
If you haven’t donated yet, there’s still time: we can only take pledges over the phone, but that number is 847-491-WNUR. Phonathon ends Thursday, February 28 at 6 pm.
Artist: “Track” – Album (Label)
Dexter Gordon: “A Night in Tunisia” – Our Man in Paris (Blue Note)
Lee Morgan: “Zambia” – Afro Blue, V. 2 (Blue Note)
Ahmed Abdul-Malik: “Isma’a (Listen)” – Jazz Sahara (Original Jazz Classics)
Johnny Dyani/John Tchicai: “Radebe” – Witchdoctor’s Son (Steeplechase)
Ignace De Souza and the Melody Aces: “Asaw Fofor” – The Great Unknowns (Original Music)
World Saxphone Quartet with African Drums: “Africa” – Metamorphosis (Nonesuch)
Miles Davis: “Airegin” – Bag’s Groove (Prestige)
Dollar Brand: “Dollar’s Dance” – Duke Ellington Presents the Dollar Brand Trio (Reprise Archives)
Malachi Thompson and Africa Brass: “Tales of Ancient Kemet” – Lift Every Voice (Delmark)
John Coltrane: “Africa (excerpt)” – The Complete Africa/Brass Sessions (Impulse)
Pierre Dørge and New Jungle Orchestra: “Manila, Manila” – Johnny Lives (Steeplechase)
Mandingo Griot Society: “Africa” – Mandingo Griot Society (Flying Fish)
Art Ensemble of Chicago: “Zombie” – Ancient to the Future (Sony/DIW)
Sticks and Stones: “Colonial Mentality” – Shed Grace (Thrill Jockey)
Mulatu Astatke: “Kasalèfkut Hulu” – Éthiopiques 4 (Buda Musique)
Eric “Show Boy” Akaeze and his Azagas: “Adunni” – Azagas and Archibogs (Original Music)
E.T. Mensah: “Inflation Calypso” – All For You (RetroAfric)
Chris MacGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath: “Andromeda” – Live at Willisau (Ogun)