A written companion to Radio Karibe Episode 21 by Kumi
Words by Jesús Rodríguez
Welcome all to the first edition of Excursions In Tropicalia. Ever since we did our first playlist with Tigre Sounds in August of last year, we were immediately convinced that we needed to do something more consistent. This new series serves as the written companion to our monthly radio show, Radio Karibe. Consider it the virtual liner notes to all of our upcoming episodes. Something akin to the director’s commentary of a film. Our goal is to not only create context for all of the amazing music being played on these shows, but also allow the listener to deepen their own relationship with the breadth and scope of this music.
So, what exactly is Radio Karibe? In its essence, Radio Karibe is sort of the deep listening side of the Rum & Coke spectrum. Whereas you’re used to listening to all this mesmerizing music to dance to in our parties, Radio Karibe is more about exploration (although you can be certain there will be some dance floor heat), something to really vibe to.
Each month, one of the members of the crew will captain an episode. We begin this new adventure with Episode 21 of Radio Karibe, hosted and selected by the one and only Kumi.
Kumi’s breakdown:
“For me, I wanted to start with a typical Radio Karibe episode. The idea was to keep a very eclectic vibe within the realm of what we do with this show. We begin in Brazil with some MPB from Som Okey 5 to then head up to Jamaica to listen to the incredible and singular musician/composer that is Cedric “Im” Brooks with an amazing fusion of roots, dub and jazz in a composition entitled ‘Silent Force.’
One of the more unique albums to ever come out of Cuba is Juan Almeida’s Fantasia. An incredible symphonic suite that features afro-cuban rhythms and wild synths. I featured “Te Canta Mi Tambor” on this episode, but I would highly suggest listening to this entire album. On a trivia note, Juan Almeida was actually one of the commanders of the Cuban Revolution.
One of things we do with intent is to explore lesser known regions, like Guyana. I featured a fire afrobeat calypso entitled “Abiola” from the Yoruba Singers, off their 1981 release Fighting for Survival on Interculture Records. This was recently reissued in 2018 by the good folks of Cultures of Soul Records out of Boston.”
Tracklisting
- Som Okey 5 – Razāo De Paz Prá Nāo Cantar (Brazil)
- Cedric “Im” Brooks – Silent Force (Jamaica)
- Georges Loubert Chancy – Youn a lot (Haiti)
- Juan Almeida – Te Canta Mi Tambor (Cuba)
- Yoruba Singers – Abiola (Guyana)
- Ofo The Black Company – Allah Wakkbar (Nigeria)
- Dalton – Alech (Tunisia)
- Grupo Bota – Brujeria (Venezuela)
- The Duncan Brothers – Dreams (Panama)
- Orquesta Power – Sabio Salomon (Puerto Rico)
About Kumi
A native son of Nicaragua, Kumi is one the most prolific and busiest DJ’s in the city of Miami. Not only is he one of the original members of Rum & Coke, he is also co-founder of Brainville, considered by many to be the best jazz show in Southern Florida. Kumi’s encyclopedic knowledge of music has allowed him to set the stage for legends such as Madlib, and you can find him moving crowds every week all over Miami.
About Rum & Coke
To learn more about Rum & Coke, you can check out the interview we did for Tigre Sounds here.
Rum & Coke currently hosts a monthly residency at Dante’s HiFi, the world renowned listening bar in Wynwood, Miami.
The crew will be celebrating their two year anniversary at Dante’s on Sunday, January 28th, 2024, with special guest, Afro Cuban singer Daymé Arocena doing a very special live set for the festivities.
