Saturday, May 23 5:00PM on Mixcloud (or anytime you like)
MoBlack, Salif Keita, Benja, Franc Fala, Cesaria Evora -Yamore
Ara Ketu – O Aru Nao Para
Ben L’Oncle Soul – Two trees
Cal Everett – Older Now
Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid
Haircut 100 – Come Back to Me
Arthur Russell, Emily D’Angelo, Bruno Helstroffer – Wonder Boy
Lenny Kaye – Going Local
DARA – Bangaranga
The Notes
MoBlack, Salif Keita, Benja, Franc Fala, Cesaria Evora -Yamore
MoBlack, Salif Keita, Benja(NL) – Yamore (Official Music Video) ft. Franc Fala , Cesária Evora
This song I heard and (captured) on our first day in Lisbon. Someone was playing this on their car stereo – can there be a better way to choose your music!!
Hard to find out more about this – here’s a little
“Salif Keita: Remixed” features two brand new remixes of iconic songs from one of Africa’s top singers: “Yamore”, remixed by MoBlack, which is enjoying huge success with over 200 million streams and widespread social and radio play around the world
I also found this
About MoBlack
Mimmo Falcone, professionally known as MoBlack, is an undeniable force and a prime mover in the Afro House scene. Celebrated as both a visionary producer and the founder of the hugely influential MoBlack Records, he has carved a unique path that places him at the forefront of the genre’s global expansion. His work is a testament to a deep, authentic connection to the roots of the sound he champions.
great song from the streets of Lisbon.
Ben L’Oncle Soul – Two trees
Ben l’Oncle Soul – Two Trees (Digital Live Session)
I chose this one because our cab driver in Portugal – was playing and singing along to Ben L’Oncle Soul (Benjamin Duterde). So, what a great way to get a song for the show. He has played a lot in Montreal – On 25 June 2011, Ben l’Oncle Soul opened the 32nd edition of the Montreal Jazz Festival in a major free concert in front of more than 10,000 people at the Scène TD de la place des Festivals in the heart of Montreal. The concert was his third appearance in Montreal having performed at the 2010 FrancoFolies and at the 2011 Montréal High Lights Festival. Wikipedia
Two Trees is from Addicted to You, released in 2020. So thank-you fast driver!!
elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid
elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid (Official Video)
I picked elbow because I heard them play on a very chilly hop on hop off bus in London. I was just able to catch them play One Day Like This. I could barely hear the song through my cheap little earphones but Shazam persisted and i got the song!
Here is the song, I think it is magical, but it’s from 2009 so I chose something that follows our dates
Elbow – One Day Like This
the lead singer, Guy Garvey , sounds a lot like Sting. I don’t know elbow, but this song played at the end of the London Olympics in 2012! The band formed in Manchester in 1990 and they have 10 studio albums, the latest, Audio Vertigo, was released in 2024. This choice – Seldom Seen Kid is from their 2021 album Flying Dream 1 .
Arthur Russell, Emily D’Angelo, Bruno Helstroffer – Wonder Boy
so I put this in because it follows the Europe adventure narrative. Here, we watched (somewhere) the Glenn Gould awards – something I have never seen in Canada. It was a great show celebrating this year’s recipient, Elton John. Bob sent a clip featuring the Beaches who were one of the few musicians Elton John asked to play that night. Thanks Bob! There is also a protégé award that the star of the show gets to select. He chose Emily D’Angelo, another artist I don’t know. So I decided to use one of her songs – and her wonderful voice – for the travel show. Here she is singing Wonder Boy by Arthur Russell, an incredible artist who died way too young of AIDS in the early 1990’s. An incredible musician, I have included some material about him along with a recording of Wonder Boy done by Russell. When you hear it you wouldn’t think that he was a big contributor to disco music in the 1970’s. From Wikipedia:
Charles Arthur Russell Jr. (May 21, 1951 – April 4, 1992)[2][3] was an American cellist, composer, producer, singer, and musician from Iowa, whose work spanned a disparate range of styles. After studying contemporary composition and Indian classical music in California, Russell relocated to New York City in the mid-1970s, where he became involved in Lower Manhattan‘s avant-garde community and later the city’s burgeoning disco scene.[2] His eclectic music was often marked by adventurous production choices and his soft tenor vocals.
Elton John selects mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo as recipient of the Glenn Gould Protégé Prize
March 18, 2026
The Glenn Gould Foundation is pleased to announce that legendary musician and humanitarian Elton John, Laureate of The 15th Glenn Gould Prize has selected acclaimed Canadian mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo as the recipient of the prestigious Glenn Gould Protégé Prize. She will receive her prize at the Glenn Gould Prize Gala honouring Elton John on May 9th at The Theatre at Great Canadian Toronto.
Widely celebrated as one of the most compelling vocal artists of her generation, D’Angelo has achieved international recognition for her powerful artistry, musical intelligence, and distinctive voice. Hailed by The New York Times as “one of the world’s special young singers,” Ms. D’Angelo has risen meteorically on the global stage since her professional operatic debut at age 21 as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro at the Spoleto Festival dei Due Mondi. Today, she is a sought-after performer at the world’s leading opera houses and concert halls.
Wonder Boy (Arr. D’Angelo & Helstroffer for Voice and Guitar)
Arthur Russell – Wonder Boy
Wonder Boy
Iowa Dreams
“I’m a wonder boy / I can do nothing”.
It’s definitely hard to have favourites when it comes to Arthur’s music but the compilation Iowa Dreams is a beautiful collection of Russell’s diligent songwriting. It partly showcases these captivating piano-based songs that have become some of my favourites of his work. The opener Wonder Boy is a stark meditation of wandering thoughts with a minimal arrangement that drapes across it like dust motes. It shifts from major to minor chords and creates this subdued melancholic feeling as the narrative follows descriptive landscapes whilst contemplating one’s relationship to the outside. The vastness of the world, woods, rivers, a poster stuck on a tree torn down by someone and Arthur walking along, maybe a bit lost.
“I seem to barely scratch the surface of Arthur Russell’s creativity…I really think he belongs in the canon, in the pantheon, in a small-sweaty-packed-out club, in a room alone with your headphones on. His music is for everyone despite its avant-garde connotations.”
Words by Mathilde Bataille.
DARA – Bangaranga
This is a continuing theme for me. Eurovision is really something different. This year we watched the finale in Edinburgh – an appropriate place and time to finish off a really wonderful trip! The last night the 20? top contenders did their numbers again. I got through the first 8. Bulgaria is one I hadn’t seen yet.
Maybe Canada next year?
DARA – Bangaranga (LIVE) | Bulgaria 🇧🇬 | Grand Final | Winner of Eurovision 2026
“Bangaranga” is a song by Bulgarian singer Dara, released on 2 March 2026. It was produced by Monoir. It represented Bulgaria in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, winning the contest with 516 points and marking the first time since 2017 that the winner topped the public and the jury vote. It also marked the first time Bulgaria won the competition.[5][6] The song has reached number one in Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Lithuania and Sweden while also reaching the top ten in Finland.
“Bangaranga” was written and composed by Darina “Dara” Yotova and Anne Judith Wik together with Monoir[7] and Dīmītrīs “Starchyld X” Kontopoulos, the two who handled the production.[5] “Bangaranga” is partially inspired by the Bulgarian practice of Kukeri.[8] The song’s title is in Jamaican Patois and has been translated as “a joyful kind of disorder”,[4] “uproar”,[9] or “mischief”.[2] Dara said the lyrics were written to help her overcome anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, after being diagnosed with it in 2025.[9]
Kukeri (Bulgarian: кукери; singular: kuker, кукер) are elaborately costumed Bulgarian men, who perform traditional rituals intended to scare away evil spirits.
Closely related traditions are found throughout the Balkans and Greece (including Romania and the Pontus). The costumes cover most of the body and include decorated wooden masks of animals (sometimes double-faced) and large bells attached to the belt.
Ara Ketu – “O Aru Nao Para” single
The Brazilian band Ara Ketu was formed in 1980. They took their name from one of the many block party parades that occur during Rio’s carnival season. They gradually became popular in Europe as 12-piece band with horns and festive costumes. I never heard of them until last month. They just jumped out of the speakers of the small Porto restaurant we were in.
Cal Everett – “Older Now” – The Weight of Early Promise
Here’s another artist new to me. There’s not a lot of info on this guy so I’ll
let loudnow.com explain: Album Review: Cal Everett Lays Down The Weight Of Early Promise
The mighty blog Burning Wood thinks it’s one of the best records of the year.
https://burnwoodtonite.blogspot.com/2026/05/sir-paul-emitt-billy-and-cal-weight-of.html
Haircut 100 – “Come Back to Me” – Boxing the Compass
For a brief moment in the early 80’s, Haircut 100 were poised to become huge. They had 4 top 10 UK hits from their debut album Pelican West.
This one made the biggest splash in North America.
Haircut 100 – Love Plus One (Official Video)
Then it all ended when the main singer/songwriter Nick Heyward left the band. He went on to record sporadically as a solo artist and released at least one classic track.
Now over 40 years later, the band is releasing a second album!
https://www.totalntertainment.com/music/haircut-one-hundred-share-come-back-to-me
I love UK breakfast television!
Nick Heyward: Haircut 100 Return With First Album in 40 Years | Lorraine
Lenny Kaye – “Going Local” – S/T
At the age of 70, Lenny Kaye finally got around to releasing a solo album. He is probably best known for his work as Patti Smith’s guitarist and his rock journalism for a myriad of publications. In 1972 he compiled the landmark influential album Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968.
60 years ago Kaye released a single under the name Link Cromell.
Crazy Like A Fox – Link Cromwell
Whole-Hearted 
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