I have returned from a stellar and fruitful and beautiful journey to Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize – and thus the radio show is back for the first episode of 2016!  The first hour features exciting new music from China, Argentina, Thailand, Belize and other Earth-based locales..

The second hour takes us on a historical safari to Kenya, a land where elephants and stringed instruments roam supreme.  The guitar and nyatiti form the backbone of most Kenyan music, and singular styles have flourished here for many musical generations. But the real soul of modern Kenyan music is a genre called Benga, which draws on Congolese Rumba and takes it in new hyperkinetic directions.  This music is pure joy.. you just gotta let it in!