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Charlie continues his occasional series of World Hits, playing his favourite world music tracks that made it big. And this week, several of them are from the days before the term ‘world music’ came into existence. Cuban bandleader Perez Prado hit the American charts with Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White over half a century ago, while Black But Sweet by a fellow-Caribbean Wilmoth Houdini is being sampled to this day, despite dating from 1931. Sergio Mendes’s Magalenha is more recent, as is Ti Marie Cherie by Jean-Baptiste Nemours, a leading Haitian saxophonist and composer. And staying in Central America, Costa Rican-born legend of Mexican music Chavela Vargas contributes her hit Macorina. From Africa, Elias & His Zig Zag Jive Flutes remind us of their multi-million hit Tom Hark which was at the height of its popularity just a year or two after Prado’s Cherry Pink. Bhundu Boys, the stars of the 1980s Zimbabwean scene, play Hatisi Tose, all the more poignant for the misfortune that has befallen the band’s members since their break up twenty years ago.

Tracks played in this week's programme:

Country: Germany
Title: A Swingin' Safari
Artist: Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra
CD Title: Instrumental Memories are Made of This
Label: EMI
Cat. Number: VTDCD 629

Country: Mexico
Title: Macorina
Artist: Chavela Vargas
CD Title: Grandes Exitos
Label: Orfeon
Cat. Number: JCD 13848

Country: Trinidad
Title: Black But Sweet
Artist: Wilmouth Houdini
CD Title: Poor But Ambitious
Label: Arhoolie
Cat. Number: Cd 7010

Country: Cuba
Title: Chery Pink & Apple Blossom White
Artist: Perez Prado
CD Title: Our Man in Havana
Label: Camden
Cat. Number: 74321 588102

Country: South Africa
Title: Tom Hark
Artist: Elias & his Zig Zag Jive Flutes
CD Title: Instrumental Memories are Made of This
Label: EMI
Cat. Number: VTDCD 629

Country: Zimbabwe
Title: Hatisi Tose
Artist: Bhundu Boys
CD Title: The Shed Sessions
Label: Sadza
Cat. Number: Sadza 1

Country: Haiti
Title: Ti Marie Cherie
Artist: Jean-Baptise Nemours
CD Title: Muical Tour of Haiti
Label: Ansonia
Cat. Number: HGCD-1280

Country: Brazil
Title: Magalenha
Artist: Sergio Mendes
CD Title: Brasileiro
Label: Elektra
Cat. Number: 7559 61315-2

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