In addition to the 1000th “Epic of Black Music” that we had the honor of celebrating last November in the company of Angélique Kidjo, many other radio moments punctuated this exciting year 2023. Unprecedented encounters, in-vivo reports, captivating performances, fascinating interviews, privileged moments at the heart of permanent cultural agitation.
There were impromptu conversations with Marcus Miller, Femi Kuti, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Steve Coleman in Coutances in Normandy. There was the 40e anniversary of the Cully Jazz Festival in Switzerland and this informal discussion with the illustrious singer Barbara Hendricks. There was this brief moment of musical exchange with Chris Isaak in Montreux, happy to punctuate his words with a few well-felt guitar notes. There was the availability of the Staples Junior Singers, ready to face the heatwave of “Jazz in Vienna” to deliver an ecumenical message on stage and at our microphone.
However, moments of radio happiness cannot be measured by the notoriety of our interlocutors. A simple artistic intention can sometimes arouse the desire to question a musician, a performer, an author or a producer. The peaceful words of Simon Goubert and Ablaye Cissoko, the humility of Mokhtar Samba, the thoughtful speech of Billy Valentine, the enthusiasm of Robin McKelle, the seductive voice of the young Samara Joy, all these vibrations are all emotions felt in our studios over the last 12 months.
And what luck to be able to listen to the story of all these virtuosos whose trust honors us. Vieux Farka Touré, Roger Biwandu, Sonny Troupé, Hermon Méhari, Hervé Samb, Nicole Slack Jones, Lee Fields, Eric Bibb, Conti Bilong, Jonathan Butler, Baï Kamara Jr, Moreira Chonguiça, Boney Fields, and so many others, have opened their hearts by agreeing to sincerely give themselves up. They came from all walks of life, from Mozambique, Eritrea, Guadeloupe and South Africa. They illustrated the richness of Afro-planetary music that we defend in this magazine and that you faithfully follow every week on our airwaves. Thank you. May the year 2024 be sweet to you!