Last year around this time, listeners called into my other show on WBEZ called the Morning Shift for a Cinco de Mayo grito throw down. The grito is a part of Mexican ranchera music; a celebratory cry. It’s roots lie in the Grito de Dolores, which according to legend, was uttered from the small town of  Dolores, Mexico on September 16, 1810. It was the event that marked the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence.

One of the masters of the grito in my book is ranchera singer and film star Miguel “king of the falsetto” Aceves Mejia. His grito runs the gamut from mournful to hysterical and his singing has a bluesy feel.

I’ll dip into some of Miguel’s music and you can try your hand at the grito.

Crate digger extraordinaire Miles Cleret who founded Soundway Records, has another knock out release; this one focuses on Kenya. The just released Kenya Special: Selected East African Recordings from the 1970’s & 80’s, pulls out rarities from the rumba and benga scene of the era. I could hardly keep still listening to this music.

And speaking of Kenya, the sophomore release by Owiny Sigoma Band  avoids the second album curse of not being as good as the first.  OWS’s Power Punch is a rollicking fusion of east and west, with traditional Kenyan lyre music melding with UK electronica. The result is at times trance-like.

Of course, what would a night of Radio M be without at least one cumbia from Colombia right?

So, grab a friend turn up Radio M and welcome the weekend with abandon.

Radio M Playlist;

9PM

1. The Hi-Lo’s - You and the Night and the Music- The Best of the Hi-Lo’s

2. Miguel Aceves Mejia- Tu Solo Tu- 25 Exitos

3. Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou- Ecoutes Ma Melodie- Vol. 3:  The Skeletal Essences of Voodoo Funk

4. Roong Petch Laem Sing- Kob Kanong Fon( Frogs Dancing in the Rain)- Siamese Soul: Thai Pop Spectacular Vol. 2

5. Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba- Ne Me Fatigue Pas- Jama Ko

6. Momo- Irmaos- Live at WBEZ

9:30 PM

1. Miguel Aceves Mejia- Cucurrucucu Paloma- Exitos de Miguel

2. Staff Benda Bilili- Marguerite- Tres Tres Fort

3. Lester Sterling- Afrikaan Beat- Studio One Scorcher

4. Quantic Presents Flowering Inferno- Cumbia Sobre- Dog with a Rope

5. Alunni Del Sole- Concerto- Bar Roma: Coffee with Italian Music, Please

10PM

1. Miguel Aceves Mejia- Corrido de Pancho Villa- Exitos de Miguel

2. Dieuf Dieul de Thies- Na Binta- Aw Sa Yone Vol.1

3. Hafusa Abasi, Slim Ali & the Yahoos Band- Sina Raha- Kenya Special: Selected East African Recordings from the 1970’s-80’s

4. Owiny Sigoma Band- Johny Ra Ha- Power Punch

5. Institutio- Juntando Coco- Muaritsstadt Dub

10:30PM

1. Peter Giger’s Family of Percussion & Archie Shepp- Here Comes the Family- A Drum is a Woman

2. Esmeray- Ayrilike Olsa Bile- Istanbul ‘70: Psych, Disco, Folk Classics

3. Ananda Shankar- Dance Indra- Ananda Shankar

4. Miguel Aceves Mejia- Pescado Nadador- Viejos Amigos

5. Mucca Pazza- Tube Sock Tango- Safety Fifth

6. Nahid Ahktar- Mahkey Hain Yeh- Dekha Jaye Ga

7. John Berberian & The Middle East Ensemble- Tranquility- Middle Eastern Rock