Country by country, from one energy explosion to the next, Dónal Dineen presents an illustrated guide to the musical universe. No stone unturned. All the colours, every mood.
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Country by country, from one energy explosion to the next, Dónal Dineen presents an illustrated guide to the musical universe. No stone unturned. All the colours, every mood.
Summer Heat 2: An Island Story; The Gwo Ka sound of Guadeloupe
Make Me An Island
58 minutes 28 seconds
3 years ago
Summer Heat 2: An Island Story; The Gwo Ka sound of Guadeloupe
Dónal’s search for the perfect summer dancing soundtrack takes him to the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe where he takes a deep-dive into the ancient Gwo Ka sound. The journey begins and ends in land-locked Zimbabwe however where we tune into the emotional sound of The Movers who are just about to have a comprehensive retrospective released by the ever-brilliant Analog Africa label.
We stop-over for another blast of Cape Verdean magic from Manuel Gomes before making land on Guadeloupe and immersing ourselves in the percussive trance-like sound of Gaoulé Mizig. We bed in to hear a raft of other examples of what is essentially participatory music born out of a spirit of resistance to French colonial rule from renowned exponents like Michel Laurent, Béloka and Jocelyn Virapin.
There’s also a couple of crossover classics to contend with from local heroes Les Vikings de Guadeloupe and Ti Céleste who brought their take on the Gwo Ka sound to a wider audience across the Caribbean.
This episode signs off with a quick trip to the mainland of Columbia for a taste of more summer heat to come from the regal Toto la Momposina.
Support the music-makers on Bandcamp:
The Movers
https://analogafrica.bandcamp.com/album/the-movers-vol-1-1970-1976-analog-africa-nr-35
Manuel Gomes
https://ostinatorecords.bandcamp.com/track/jelivr-bo-situa-on
Eric Virgal
https://disques-debs-international-strut.bandcamp.com/track/stanislas
Les Vikings de Guadeloupe
https://antillesseries.bandcamp.com/album/best-of-enko-on-ti-tou
Gaoulé Mizig
https://beautyandthebeat1.bandcamp.com/album/excursions-in-gwoka-vol-1-batb-005
Michel Laurent
https://beautyandthebeat1.bandcamp.com/album/excursions-in-gwoka-vol-1-batb-005
Toto la Momposina
https://totolamomposina.bandcamp.com/track/la-verdolaga
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Make Me An Island
Country by country, from one energy explosion to the next, Dónal Dineen presents an illustrated guide to the musical universe. No stone unturned. All the colours, every mood.