Hearts of Space #809 African Genesis (7-20-2007) MP3

African / Sub-Saharan - World Fusion, Instrumental & Vocals


"A journey into the quiet heart of Africa"
Hearts of Space Radio Show has elected to broadcast a previous program this weekend, Program #1027 "Dubship Euphoria". I have already uploaded that program here, and it is a recent program. So instead, I am uploading a special program from July 2007, one which is dedicated to the music of Africa.

Our brothers and sisters in the African Continent are battling with a deadly incurable virus, one which could wipe out the human race if it is not contained. They are dying by the 100s daily. There seems to be a new solution for this.. a vaccine that actually works. However, new vaccines are punishingly expensive, and the African people cannot afford it, I'm sure. If we choose to save them by delivering this vaccine, we will be doing it for the benefit of the rest of the world, and not for the peoples of Africa. This is a sad and mournful state of affairs.

This album has a sad tone. It is, in fact, prescient for these times. You'll find several songs with African voices on them, in their native tongues. Among them is one entitled "African Orphans" which couldn't be more appropriate. Another is the final song by Deep Forest, entitled "Sweet Lullaby", which features the native African peoples singing in their own tongue once again, a sad but beautiful song. It speaks to me of the state of things in Africa, it's a lullaby - perhaps a farewell "nightsong" for the African people in these times.

The Program notes are included with the tracklist in this collection. But here's a recap:

Program Notes by Stephen Hill, Producer
The lilting songs of the Baka pygmies of Cameroon have achieved international fame through the efforts of sympathetic Western musicians. Just as DNA search has shown that Africa is the origin point of the human species, in the last 200 years, the infectious rhythms and harmonies of African music have bred new styles of western music — originally laying the foundation for blues, jazz and other forms of popular music, and more recently, spawning a host of brilliant variations of what we now call World Music.

While the majority of African music is for dance and celebration, there's also a more contemplative sound. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, we journey through the rhythms into the quiet heart of African music...on a program called AFRICAN GENESIS.