John Schaefer picks just ten new music releases from 2024. There’s music from composer Caroline Shaw with Sō Percussion, who wrote collaboratively as a band; brass band music from “father of Ethio-jazz,” Mulatu Astatke, with the Tel Aviv-based Hoodna Orchestra; and the Tuareg guitar rock by shredder Mdou Moctar from Niger; and riff-heavy work from Mexico City-based Guatemalan cellist Mabe Fratti. Also, hear ancestral offerings in work from Brazilian pianist Amaro Freitas; trio music from Anglo-Polish singer and composer, violinist and pianist Alice Zawadzki, with long-term collaborators Fred Thomas (piano, drums, vielle) and Misha Mullov Abbado (double bass); and work from song collector Moira Smiley. Plus, a retelling of Amelia Earhart’s final flight from Laurie Anderson; an electro-acoustic adaptation of a spiritual by multi-instrumentalist and singer Jake Blount and bassist/composer Mali Obomsawin, featuring Ojibwe Pow Wow singer Joe Rainey; and a climate-focused work from Brooklyn-based composer Christopher Cerrone. - Caryn Havlik Program #4962, John Schaefer's Highly Opinionated Top Ten of 2024 (First aired 1/06/2025) 10. ARTIST: Caroline Shaw, Sō Percussion WORK: Rectangles and Circumstance [2:22] RECORDING: Rectangles and Circumstance SOURCE: Nonesuch Records INFO: https://sopercussion.bandcamp.com/album/rectangles-and-circumstance 9. ARTIST: Mdou MoctarWORK: Takoba [3:53]RECORDING: Funeral for JusticeSOURCE: Matador RecordsINFO: https://mdoumoctar.bandcamp.com/album/funeral-for-justice 8. ARTIST: Amaro FreitasWORK: Uiara (Encantada da Agua) - Vida e cura (Life and Cure) [3:55]RECORDING: Y'YSOURCE: Psychic HotlineINFO: https://amarofreitas.bandcamp.com/album/yy 7. ARTIST: Mabe Fratti WORK: Enfrente [4:04] RECORDING: Sentir que no sabes SOURCE: Tin Angel Records INFO: https://tinangelrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sentir-que-no-sabes 6. ARTIST: Alice Zawadzki, Fred Thomas, Misha Mullov-Abbado WORK: Gentle Lady [4:44] RECORDING: Za Górami SOURCE: ECM Records INFO: ecmrecords.com 5. ARTIST: Moira Smiley, Merrill GarbusWORK: Go Dig My Grave [4:44]RECORDING: The Rhizome Project AlbumSOURCE: Whim RecordsINFO: https://moirasmiley.bandcamp.com/album/the-rhizome-project 4. ARTIST: Laurie Anderson, Anohni WORK: India And On Down to Australia [3:51] RECORDING: Amelia SOURCE: Nonesuch INFO: https://laurieanderson.lnk.to/amelia 3. ARTIST: Mulatu Astatke & Hoodna Orchestra WORK: Dun Gate [4:07] RECORDING: Tension SOURCE: Batov Records INFO: https://mulatuastatke.bandcamp.com/album/tension 2. ARTIST: Jake Blount and Mali Obomsawin WORK: My Way's Cloudy, feat. Joe Rainey [3:21] RECORDING: symbiont SOURCE: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings INFO: https://jakeblountmusic.bandcamp.com/album/symbiont 1. ARTIST: Lorelei Ensemble; Beth Willer, conductor; Christopher Cerrone, electronics WORK: Christopher Cerrone: Steps 10 & 11- Very high waves [3:18] RECORDING: Beaufort Scales SOURCE: Cold Blue Music INFO: https://cerrone.bandcamp.com/album/beaufort-scales
John Schaefer picks just ten new music releases from 2024. There’s music from composer Caroline Shaw with Sō Percussion, who wrote collaboratively as a band; brass band music from “father of Ethio-jazz,” Mulatu Astatke, with the Tel Aviv-based Hoodna Orchestra; and the Tuareg guitar rock by shredder Mdou Moctar from Niger; and riff-heavy work from Mexico City-based Guatemalan cellist Mabe Fratti. Also, hear ancestral offerings in work from Brazilian pianist Amaro Freitas; trio music from Anglo-Polish singer and composer, violinist and pianist Alice Zawadzki, with long-term collaborators Fred Thomas (piano, drums, vielle) and Misha Mullov Abbado (double bass); and work from song collector Moira Smiley. Plus, a retelling of Amelia Earhart’s final flight from Laurie Anderson; an electro-acoustic adaptation of a spiritual by multi-instrumentalist and singer Jake Blount and bassist/composer Mali Obomsawin, featuring Ojibwe Pow Wow singer Joe Rainey; and a climate-focused work from Brooklyn-based composer Christopher Cerrone. - Caryn Havlik
Program #4962, John Schaefer's Highly Opinionated Top Ten of 2024 (First aired 1/06/2025)
10. ARTIST: Caroline Shaw, Sō Percussion WORK: Rectangles and Circumstance [2:22] RECORDING: Rectangles and Circumstance SOURCE: Nonesuch Records INFO: https://sopercussion.bandcamp.com/album/rectangles-and-circumstance
9. ARTIST: Mdou MoctarWORK: Takoba [3:53]RECORDING: Funeral for JusticeSOURCE: Matador RecordsINFO: https://mdoumoctar.bandcamp.com/album/funeral-for-justice
8. ARTIST: Amaro FreitasWORK: Uiara (Encantada da Agua) - Vida e cura (Life and Cure) [3:55]RECORDING: Y'YSOURCE: Psychic HotlineINFO: https://amarofreitas.bandcamp.com/album/yy
7. ARTIST: Mabe Fratti WORK: Enfrente [4:04] RECORDING: Sentir que no sabes SOURCE: Tin Angel Records INFO: https://tinangelrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sentir-que-no-sabes
6. ARTIST: Alice Zawadzki, Fred Thomas, Misha Mullov-Abbado WORK: Gentle Lady [4:44] RECORDING: Za Górami SOURCE: ECM Records INFO: ecmrecords.com
5. ARTIST: Moira Smiley, Merrill GarbusWORK: Go Dig My Grave [4:44]RECORDING: The Rhizome Project AlbumSOURCE: Whim RecordsINFO: https://moirasmiley.bandcamp.com/album/the-rhizome-project
4. ARTIST: Laurie Anderson, Anohni WORK: India And On Down to Australia [3:51] RECORDING: Amelia SOURCE: Nonesuch INFO: https://laurieanderson.lnk.to/amelia
3. ARTIST: Mulatu Astatke & Hoodna Orchestra WORK: Dun Gate [4:07] RECORDING: Tension SOURCE: Batov Records INFO: https://mulatuastatke.bandcamp.com/album/tension
2. ARTIST: Jake Blount and Mali Obomsawin WORK: My Way's Cloudy, feat. Joe Rainey [3:21] RECORDING: symbiont SOURCE: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings INFO: https://jakeblountmusic.bandcamp.com/album/symbiont
1. ARTIST: Lorelei Ensemble; Beth Willer, conductor; Christopher Cerrone, electronics WORK: Christopher Cerrone: Steps 10 & 11- Very high waves [3:18] RECORDING: Beaufort Scales SOURCE: Cold Blue Music INFO: https://cerrone.bandcamp.com/album/beaufort-scales