Miscellaneous requests, comments and suggestions

[Charlie]

email from

1. Daniel Soon, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Dear Charlie,

May I request for a song?

Please play Imagine by Bee Gees and dedicate to my friends and World Service presenters.

Thanks, great day and week ahead!!!

Daniel Soon

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email from CG

Are you kidding, Daniel, I never played a Bee Gees song in my life

My show is a chance to play music that rarely gets played anywhere else, and rarely in English

I did play a Malaysian song a few months ago!

Charlie

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1-B. second email from Daniel Soon

OK Charlie, Bee Gees just doesn't sound good to you this time...

Can you play a weird song by Chinese, I am Chinese.

Daniel Soon

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second email from CG:

Now you’re talking, as they say in America

Charlie

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2. Abdinasir Musa, Wales

I am a keen follower of your weekly programme, which I anticipate with excitement every week. I would like to know why you don't play Taarab music which is quite popular and ancient as well, or any other aspiring artists from East Africa

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reply from CG

Coming up very soon!

I have recorded a whole programme about famous women singers and included a long piece by Bi Kidude

I used to play Taraab a lot and then moved on, it seems to be a cyclical thing with me, where I get almost obsessed with something and then leave it for a while

Charlie

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3. ali B.Y mafindi, jalingon taraba, Nigeria

Hello, good day sir, i jzt wrote in to let u kno dat i 've not been missin ur progrommes and i've not missed a episode, it's a lovely job u're doin plz keep it up, plz i'll like u to send this very song by Sezen Aksu (sanima inanma) down to my mail box. and don't forget to hi to on air. thanks.

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reply from CG

By coincidence, a song by Sezen is in a forthcoming show.

But I can't send songs by email

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4. chiny aja, accra, ghana

your program is the best on the bbc. It's so refreshing to hear music from all over the world instead of just exports from the U.S.A!!!!

do you have a cd collection of all the tracks you play on air for eg a year? would be good.

I would really like more Eastern European traditional music. I really really would like a show dedicated to that!!

keep up the good show

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5. Alice Harper, Colchester, UK

Dear Charlie - I'm half Armenian (the other half Irish and Scottish!) and would love to hear some Armenian music and singers please? (Apart from Charles Aznavour and Cher.)

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6. Sunir Pandey, Kathmandu, Nepal

Hello Charlie,

I'm a loyal, as far as time allows, listener of your show and I admire the variety of music you play and not understanding what the words actually mean makes the experience more enjoyable, as you get to listen to pure sounds instead of words with meanings, histories etceteras attached to them.

I understand yours is not a request show, but I had to write about a beautiful song I heard (for about 45 seconds) on the BBC's Closeup programme - Ilham al Madfai singing a colourful piece, not his ode to Baghdad though, accompanied by wonderful strumming and flutes among others. So if you ever decide to play Ilham al Madfai, I'll be listening.

Cheers,
Sunir

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7. Alan Digby, Whitby, UK

Love the show, why it's on so late goodness knows

Charlie please, please play a little more Greek Music, especially Haris Alexiou, I(e) Patritha. ( My Country) even if you don't play it listen to it yourself, If it doesn't break your heart then you can't possibly have one, which I know you have.

Good luck with the show.

Kindest regards,

Alan.

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8. Allan Rickards, Kingston, Jamaica

Your programme is a high point of my listening. If I could make a request it would be for a cut from a Indo-Jazz recording of the 60's by Joe Harroit and Ravi Shankar...recorded in London. Having spent the 60's in London in my young adult years, my friends and I have formed our musical tastes from those years.

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9. Catherine

i want to recommend the artist ishtar alabina in case you haven't come across her yet and play her please!

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CG reply

Very strange Catherine, as I have just recorded a show for the World Service that includes her song Alabina, and am doing another one tomorrow to be broadcast next Monday on Radio 3, that will include the same song

What kind of syncronicity is this?

Charlie

[Charlie]

email from Donald Drew, Carmarthen, Wales

Will Charlie please play some Folk (ie "oompah") music from Austria/Germany, and Klezmer music from Israel.

[Charlie]

Mohamed Kallon, Freetown, Sierra Leone

I am a great fan of your programme in Freetown.

I always tell colleagues the class of music you play on your show.

Actually am a reggae fanatic but I hardly here reggae on your show.

We are deeply mourning the death of Lucky Dube across Africa and beyond. Please play Dracula for all reggae fans.

[Charlie]

email from: Katsuhiro, Prague, Czech Republic

I enjoy your show.

Recently I have been given a cd called Blizke hlasy zdali (Close Voices From Far-away by Schola Gregoriana Pragensis and Gyosa-Tendai Shomyo from Sony BMG.

I find it to be worth listening.

[Charlie]

JOSEPH TOGBA, JALLAHTOWN, SINKOR, LIBERIA

CHARLIE, PLEASE PLAY ME ANY NICE PIECE OF MUSIC FROM MY COUNTRY, LIBERIA.

YOUR PROGRAM HAS MADE ME TO APPRECIATE THE VARIOUS CULTURES OF THE WORLD.

THANK YOU.

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CG reply

I don't think I know any music from Liberia.

Can anyone help?

[Rob Hall]

There's a wikipedia entry on the Music of Liberia that might give you some ideas Charlie: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Liberia

[Charlie]

email from Sopiato, Nairobi, Kenya

Back in November, Charlie Gillett played an Ivorian song 'Ma Cote D'Ivoire' by Tiken Jah Fakdy: La politique a gate mon paye

Please could you play it again for us Kenyans?

[Martin_Edney]

email from Sopiato, Nairobi, Kenya

Back in November, Charlie Gillett played an Ivorian song 'Ma Cote D'Ivoire' by Tiken Jah Fakdy: La politique a gate mon paye

Please could you play it again for us Kenyans?

Or you might choose some of Tiken's earlier output, such as

"Mon Pays Va Mal" (my country is sick)

"Y En A Marre" (had enough)

both of which are very appropriate to the current perilous position of Kenya and Kenyans.

My thoughts are with Sopiato (and all Kenyans).

[zee]

email from Sopiato, Nairobi, Kenya

Back in November, Charlie Gillett played an Ivorian song 'Ma Cote D'Ivoire' by Tiken Jah Fakdy: La politique a gate mon paye

Please could you play it again for us Kenyans?

Or you might choose some of Tiken's earlier output, such as

"Mon Pays Va Mal" (my country is sick)

"Y En A Marre" (had enough)

both of which are very appropriate to the current perilous position of Kenya and Kenyans.

My thoughts are with Sopiato (and all Kenyans).

Nice meeting you at Durham Martin... good conference. Any way sticking to the topic, my choice for Charlie to play would be Nakeyi Nairobi by Mbilia Bel ( Track 7 on CD 1 of the Bel Canto (Best of Genidia Years). I don't speak Lingala but can work out the song extols the virtues of the main cities of Kenya (Nairobi, Nakuru, Mombasa and Kisumu). It's a beautiful song and brought tears to my eyes listening to it earlier and coming from Kenya it took me straight back there. I just can't believe what's happening there.

[Charlie]

email from Neek, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Dear Charlie,

In Iran there still is a ban on the female voice.

Can you believe that after hearing the velvet voice of Minuvash singing 'Fresh Garden'??

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=6139297

Best regards,

Neek

[Charlie]

email from Gordon Foster, St. John's, Antigua, West Indies

Enjoy your music as always but one piece of music I would ask you to play and that is the Soundtrack from the film "Istanbul Beneath my Wings".

If possible could you email me date and time when this might be on air as I would hate to miss it.

Take care, we enjoy your music.

Very best regards, Gordon Foster

[Charlie]

Rahim Namy

Hi Charlie,
Hope you are well. I am curious about the choice of music you play in your show, Itry to listen to it as often as I can, so far what I have heard is mostly African music and the rest of the world seems to be forgotten. I hardly hear any Azerbaijani, Persian, Turkish or Afghani music. I would be interested to hear some reply in this regard. Thanks again for such great show which is not so very likely of BBC to broadcast in UK so that people with open mind could listen to.

[Charlie]

email from: Hazel Kahan, USA

To BBC World Service

I would like to receive weekly alerts (reminders) for Charlie's programme.

It's easy to forget, especially living in the US.

[Charlie]

Katrina

Please, please can we have some more of the beautiful and talented PAMA INTERNATIONAL? Anything off the new album (Highrise, Come as You Are, Wherever you Lead) but not forgetting the most wonderful track Neither High or Dry off the Trojan album - a classic!!!!!!

Thanks now and have a good day..
Regards
Katrina

PS Your show is great

[Charlie]

emails from:

1. Florida

Hi Mr Gillett,

I want to thank you for introducing me to the musicians and music of Africa. I first heard your broadcast in 1988 in London when I was working in the summer between college semesters.

My father is African American and part Seminole Indian, and my mother is Russian American (2nd generation) so when I was listening to the radio and heard music that sounded African I tuned in every Sunday evening. Your radio program gives me great pride in my African heritage and confirms to me the great richness in cultures Africa has - no matter how much many people in the US and other countries try to make people of African heritage ashamed of their origins.

I would love to find out more about WOMAD and where the next events will be.

Best wishes,

Natasha Reeder
Jupiter, Florida USA

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2. Doreen Ashpool, Bridport

Thank you so much for introducing me to a new world of fascinating music that I would have never come across altogether anywhere else. I knew nothing of African music and now it I am completely hooked.

Doreen

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3. David Boardman, Messe (France)

Recently stayed with my Daughter in Adelaide; went to Womadelaide where we saw the Black Arm Band; absolutely brilliant; a 30 strong band with some 14 singers of aboriginal descent,a big band backing and John Butler guesting; singing mainly aboriginal protest songs but in a variety of musical styles it was a fantastic live performance; any chance you might play some of their music?

David
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4. Georgia Caraway, Champaign, Illinois, USA

Dear Charlie, My local NPR radio station no longer carries your program, but I found you on the net! Thank you for many happy hour of listening.

Regards, Georgia

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5. Aminu Imam, Kaduna, Nigeria

Hi!

I'm a regular listner of yr super programme 4 years and i enjoy EVERY MINUTE of it each week..

PLS kindly play me any beautiful song by the late Egyptian legendary singer, Umm Kulthum..

I just recently read an article on her & would LOVE to hear her song, particularly on your esteemed SHOW..

THANKS A MILLION & KEEP IT UP!!

Aminu Imam,
Kaduna, Migeria

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6 caireann, singapore

Dear Mr Gillett,

a few month back I wrote in asking you why you only bring African jungle music (AJM).

You wrote back...WOW...and explained that you also bring other music, like on May 25th.

Well, I have occasionally (4 or 5 times) listened in to your show and found, its really only AJM, nothing else.

Maybe you bring 90% AJM because you are a real fan of this kind of music and mainly familiar with AJM...who knows.
I would appreciate more variation.

Just some thoughts.
Caireann

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7. Ian Orewoma Ikpada, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria

Hi Charlie,

I really enjoy your programme and a week without it is like a week without myself. I was wondering if you could lay your hands on any of the early songs by Fela Anikulapko-Kuti; the Nigerian King of Afrobeat. I think listerners around the world will enjoy listening to this great man who gave birth to a new form of music. Thank you and please continue with the good work.
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8. kate aan de wiel, london

Great programme, Charlie - just a pity that its so short. Would love to hear more of you and your kinds of music.
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9. ERIC MILENGE, Kigali, Rwanda

Hi Charlie Gillett,

I am a regular listener to your program which lightens up the last hours of my weekend here in kigali,Rwanda. I must say you've got a nice choice and very diverse indeed. From West Africa,South America, Asia.....

Would you happen to have an old song called ELONGI by Ekambi Brilliant from Cameroun? It was released I guess in 1975. It reminds me of my childhood. Can you please play that for me on then next program?

Congratulations on your good choices, keep it up.