Among the regular listeners to this programme is Carlos Bittar in Ascuncion, Paraguay, who listens while he develops his photographs. Carlos recently sent a package that included not only a book of his photographs, but CD reissue compilations including Duo de la Simpatía by Quintana-Escalante, whose classic combination of guitar and harp is reminiscent of Trio Los Paraguayos, recently played in Vol 9 of ‘world hits’.

Having just released a new album, Goran Bregovic is simultaneously wallowing in his past with a marvellous collection of songs that are mostly, but not all, from the many film soundtracks he has contributed to. Despite its apparently randomly connected sources, the album Welcome to Bregovic works remarkably well as a seamless introduction to his brilliant interpretations of the classic repertoire of Balkan music, while also introducing a few less known gems such as ‘Hop Hop Hop’. Worried about what insults might be hidden in the lyric, the World Service crime detective squad has reassured itself that there is nothing unacceptable in the mixture of Roma slang and Serbo-Croat salutations.

The next two are both throw-backs to my recent visit to Istanbul where I fell under the spell of both Aynur and Şevval Sam. The Kurdish singer Aynur sang two songs specially for us, one of which was ‘Ahmedo’ (also known as ‘Ehmedo’). Her most easily accessible version of the song is on her own album Keçe Kurdan, but I prefer the unadorned version she performed for the film Crossing the Bridge.

Şevval Sam has an unusual double-career as both actress and singer, and in addition to the albums she has recorded under her own name, Şevval is the main vocalist featured on the album Istanbul Secrets by Up Bustle & Out, a typically quirky combination of Turkish, Spanish and dancehall ingredients cooked up by the Bristol-based musical chef, Rupert Mould.

Speaking of quirky, meet Moondog, the street musician who busked on the streets of New York during the 1960s when his eccentric music was recorded for several companies including the major label Columbia. His albums are collectors’ items, but many tracks are now available on albums compiled by the British label, Honest Jon’s.

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