Music Time in Africa - VOA Africa Voice of America (VOA)

Music Time in Africa is VOA’s longest running English language program. Since 1965 this award-winning program has featured pan African music that spans all genres and generations. Host Heather Maxwell keeps you up to date on what’s happening in African music with interviews and cultural information.

Heather celebrates Jazz International Day with Jazz and Afropopera musicians (Yes, that’s Afropopera!) John Kagaruki and Kokui Selormey, jazz fans, and several jazz tunes such as Manu Dibango and Moreira Chongquiça’s “Soul Makossa” and Richard Bona’s “Please Don’t Stop” featuring John Legend. Also, American University Ethnomusicology students and their professor Dr. Salois join her in studio to share their experiences learning about African music by playing the Drop the Needle music listening quiz and VOA’s Anasthasie Tudieshe takes the quiz, passing with flying colors. Maxwell’s playlist at the top of the hour includes new tunes by Tems, Amadou & Miriam, Uncle Waffles, Sean MMG and the Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit “Too Sweet” by Irish singer/songwriter, Hozier.

Ghanaian singer Amaarae speaks with music journalist Prince Benjamine from Ghana on the release of her new, sophomore album Fountain Baby. Drop the Needle brings radio talk show, TV animator and Njang musician Ateh Bazore (Cameroon) to the microphone for his turn at Heather’s African music trivia game. Lady DJ brings the latest American music news in 60 seconds with Word on the Tweets. All this and a 30-minute playlisted by Heather of some of Africa’s greatest hits between 1990-2010 at the top of the hour.

Apple music names Gengetone artist Ssaru the Up Next Artist for East Africa. Music journalist Bill Odidi speaks with Ssaru in Nairobi about this recognition and more. Heather’s playlist includes several songs from north Africa as Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Fitr (breaking fast) such as Bahaa Sultan (Egypt), Zina Daoudia (Morocco) and Faudel, Khaled and Rachid Taha (Algeria). To honor Jazz Appreciation Month we listen to Alune Wade’s new single “Tryptique”, Heather plays this week’s Billboard Hot 100 #2 hit “Texas Hold’Em” by Beyonce, and more.

Blast Urban 98.3 radio host Seun Rave joins Heather in conversation about trending music and related news in Ibadan, Nigeria. VOA Africa journalist John Tanza shares news from South Sudan over the unsingability of its national anthem. At the front half of the hour, Heather spins 30 minutes of pan-African music including the 1967 recording of “Mambo Ryco” by Ryco Jazz (Congo) kicks off Music Time in Africa’s celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM).

Listen to current music by Almok (Togo), Tyla (South Africa), YoMaps (Zambia), Veronica Adane (Ethiopia), America’s Billboard Hot 100 #1 song “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims and more. At the bottom of the hour there’s Heather’s Drop the Needle music quiz; and two feature interviews with female singer/songwriters: Crystal Asige (Kenya) and Wayna (Ethiopia).