Born in Rio’s artistic beach culture in the late 1950’s, Bossa Nova endures as a beautiful and timeless music tradition. Love songs sung in sensual tones and played on acoustic guitars, layers of string and brass orchestration, that evoke the warmth of summer and feeling carefree.

We’ve chosen favorites by artists synonymous with the style such as Chico Buarque, Gal Costa and Antonio Carlos Jobim, as well as songs by contemporary Brazilian artists such as Lucas Santtana whose album ‘Sem Nostalgia’ or ‘Without Nostalgia’ ties into the past without being imprisoned by it. He explains, “when nostalgia is a view of an idealized past that is more attractive than the present it imprisons us and blinds us to other possibilities.” Although we stuck exclusively to Brazilian artists, rather than be bound to the genre of Bossa Nova, we let it inspire us. We hope you enjoy!

The image above is part of a collection shot on Ipanema beach in Rio in the early 60’s. The collection was fortunately discovered in a Rio flea market by photographer Peter Lucas and forms part of his upcoming film that explores the last moments of an artistic and cultural period in Brazil before the military takeover. Image is courtesy of The Last Hour of Summer film project, www.lasthourofsummer.com.

Romantic blues and orchestral jazz pieces from the 40’s and 50’s featuring Dinah Washington, Django Reinhardt, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James and Dean Martin. Enjoy by the fireside with a glass of mulled wine.

1. The Very Thought of You – The Mills Brothers
2. Lover, Come Back To Me (06-13-41) – Mildred Bailey
3. I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl – Nina Simone
4. I Don’t Know About You – Peggy Lee
5. Holili – Miriam Makeba
6. You Do Something To Me – Ella Fitzgerald
7. All Night Long – Aretha Franklin
8. Until The Real Thing Comes Along – Pha Terrell
9. Violino Tzigano – Luciano Virgili
10. Coffee In The Morning  - Alan Breeze
11. Dos Gardenia – Juan Arvizu
12. Go Slow  -  Julie London
13. Egoista (Bolero) – Los Panchos
14. Hello, Dolly! – Louis Armstrong & All His Stars
15. Somebody Loves Me – Peggy Lee
16. Harlem Swing – Django Reinhardt
17. Meu Mundo Caiu – Maysa
18. Stormy Weather – Etta James
19. Cancion Cubana  -  Edmundo Ros & His Rumba Band
20. You Don’t Know Me  -  Ray Charles
21. What A Little Moonlight Can Do – Billie Holiday
22. Orlando – Miriam Makeba
23. Well, All Right – The Andrews Sisters
24. I Don’t Care If The Sun Don’t Shine – Dean Martin
25. I’ll Be Seeing You – Billie Holiday
26. A Foggy Day – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
27. It Had To Be You – Django Reinhardt & Stéphane Grappelli
28. El Negro Zumbón  -  Sil Silvana Mangano with Flo Sandon’s Orchestra
29. I’ve Got That Snakey Feeling – Billy Williams
30. Mad About the Boy – Dinah Washington
31. Lover Man – Anne Shelton
32. At Last – Etta James
33. Vous Êtes Jolie  -   Charles Trénet, Wal-berg & his Orchestra
34. I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm – Ella Fitzgerald

Contemplative piano pieces to conjure up the fading golden light of autumn. Surprisingly, these pieces derive from such varied places as Turkey, Cuba, Japan, Azerbaijan, Italy and Ethiopia.

1. Autumn In Washington Square  -  DAVE BRUBECK
2. Mr. Tom  -  PATRICK WATSON
3. Su  -  ANJELIK AKBAR
4. Presentiment   –  EMAHOY TSEGUÉ-MARYAM GUÉBROU
5. Llego Cachaito  -  ROBERTO FONSECA
6. Bada Al Fajr   –  NATACHA ATLAS
7. Ghost train arpeggio  -  MOSTAR DIVING CLUB
8. Grace  -  YO-YO MA & BOBBY MCFERRIN
9. Seni Araram  -  CHINGIZ SADYKHOV
10. Nuit Sur Les Champs-Élysées (Take 3)  -  MILES DAVIS
11. Lush Life  -  CLARKE BOLAND SEXTET
12. Song for a Toreador  -  ANDERS WIDMARK
13. Carrion Suite  -  ANDREW BIRD
14. Kounandi  -  ROKIA TRAORE
15. 二つの変奏曲 荒城の月  -  TADAO SAWAI
16. Waltz for One  -  THE REAL TUESDAY WELD
17. Fellini’s Waltz  -  CHARLIE HADEN FEAT. ENRICO PIERANUNZI
18. My Funny Valentine  -  CHET BAKER

This playlist aims to introduce the listener to the full range of Sufi music played and listened today in a whole variety of different contexts. It contains music from Africa, the Middle East, and South and Central Asia, by men and women, and ranges from traditional Sufi qawwali of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, backed by an acoustic guitar, through Bollywood scores to club remixes of devotional Sufi chants by the London music collective, Transglobal Underground. The Dervish Rewhirled is a journey to the other side of Islam.

– William Dalrymple –

William Dalrymple is a writer, historian and director of music and international programming at the Jaipur Literature Festival, which he helped co-found. On the release if his latest book, Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India, he toured the world with a band consisting of some of the Indian and Pakistani mystics featured in his book; the tour culminated in a sell-out performance in the Sydney Opera House. Dalrymple has recently curated and released  a CD, The Rough Guide to Sufi Music (2011) and presented Sufi Soul for Channel 4.

1. Tracery – NUSRAT FATEH ALI KAHN
2. Un Soupir Eternel – DHAFER YOUSSEF
3. Dil Ki Doya – PABAN DAS BAUL & SAM MILLS
4. Sanson Ki Mala Peh Simroon Main – NUSRAT FATEH ALI KAHN
5. Tijaniyya – YOUSSOU N’DOUR
6. Siiw – THIONE SECK
7. Bagdad Guru – SUFI SINGERS OF NAGORE
8. Dham Mast (Dharmic Qawali) – DYA SINGH
9. Adolat Tanovari – SEVARA NAZARKHAN
10. Being With You – BAHRAMJI MASHTI
11. Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi – Dreams of Shams  - MERCAN DEDE
12. Gereyley – SUSSAN DEYHIM
13. Shashkin (Cheb I Sabbah Remix) – OMAR FARUK TEKBILEK
14. Bethe Bethe Kese Kese – GAUDI WITH NUSRAT FATEH ALI KAHN
15. Qalanderi – CHEB I SABBAH
16. Alif Allah Chambey Di Booty – ARIF LOHAR & MEESHA SHAFI
17. Ali Mullah – TRANSGLOBAL UNDERGROUND

A collection of warm and wistful tunes for the waning summer days.

1. What I Am – EDIE BRICKELL & THE NEW BOHEMIANS
2. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover – PAUL SIMON
3. Going to California – LED ZEPPELIN
4. Where Do You Go to (My Lovely)  – PETER SARSTEDT
5. Rock me more and more – COLETTE MAGNY
6. Tous Les Garcons Et Les Filles – FRANCOISE HARDY
7. The medicine show – MOSTAR DIVING CLUB
8. La foule – EDITH PIAF
9. J’suis pas d’ici – THOMAS DUTRONC
10. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me – MOSE ALLISON
11. Sweet Jane – COWBOY JUNKIES
12. How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore – PRINCE
13. Indian Girl – THE ROLLING STONES
14. So Far Away – DIRE STRAITS
15. The Shadows Of Paris – ELSIE BIANCHI

Inspired by the positively sizzling, world-changing communications efforts of Futerra (www.futerra.co.uk) and in honour of their tenth birthday, this is a smorgasbord of uplifting toe-tappers, heartfelt and impassioned rallying cries, and celebratory numbers to put a smile on your face. Music to save the world by. Tune in!

1. Declaration of Rights – THE ABYSSINIANS
2. Dans Ce Monde Troublé – AMADOU & MARIAM
3. Let’s Push Things Forward – THE STREETS
4. Jailer – ASA
5. Living Darfur – MATTAFIX
6. Let’s Dance – DAVID BOWIE
7. The Times They Are A-Changin’ – SIMON & GARFUNKEL
8. Wake Up Everybody – HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUENOTES
9. Feeling Good – NINA SIMONE
10. Peace Train – CAT STEVENS
11. My Culture – 1 GIANT LEAP feat Robbie Williams and Maxi Jazz
12. The Willing – TY
13. Je Dis Non! – TIKEN JAH FAKOLY
14. Higher Ground – STEVIE WONDER
15. PosItive Vibration  - GILBERTO GIL
16. Only So Much Oil In The Ground – TOWER OF POWER
17. Sowing the Seeds of Love – TEARS FOR FEARS
18. Talking Bout A Revolution – TRACY CHAPMAN
19. Something in the Air – THUNDERCLAP NEWMAN
20. Guiltiness – BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS

Rhythm driven songs that will get your feet tappin’ and hips shakin’.

1. Jump in the Line – HARRY BELAFONTE
2. Behold – BYRON LEE & THE DRAGONAIRES
3. Carnival Long Ago – ROARING LION
4. Midnight Ska – REGGIE MSOMI’S HOLLYWOOD JAZZ BAND
5. River Come Down – ANDRE TAKER
6. Ba Ba Boom – THE JAMAICANS
7. Funkier Than A Mosquito’s Tweeter – NINA SIMONE
8. Take It Easy My Brother Charles – JORGE BEN
9. Tequillo – EDDIE PLATT
10. Mambo Indio – SHAKE KEANE
11. 54-46 That’s My Number – TOOTS & THE MAYTALS
12. Voodoo – CYRIL DIAZ
13. Trinidad – WILLIE LOBO
14. Ominira – WEST AFRICAN RHYTHM BROTHERS
15. Maria de la O-La Bien Page – FUICO CON PAPIN Y SUS RUMBEROS
16. Malaguena – XAVIER CUGAT & HIS ORCHESTRA
17. Uptown Top Rankin – ALTHIA & DONNA
18. Calypso Blues – WILLIE ROSARIO
19. Calypso Cha Cha – COUNT LASHA & HIS CALYPSONIANS

Brand new sounds emanating from hip cafes play next to Vietnamese, Indian, West African and Turkish beats, both from the past and present. Our aim was not to create a documentary compilation, but rather be inspired by the rich mix of cultures that have existed side by side in a borough that continues to evolve. So take a walk through Hackney Sound Waves, and let us know what you think!

1. Doyoi Nyajo Nam – OWINY SIGOMA BAND
2. Wayfaring Stranger – JAMIE WOON
3. The Look – METRONOMY
4. Hold On – SBTRKT feat. SAMPHA
5. Home – GIL SCOTT HERON & JAMIE XX
6. Maye Obi Den – KYEREMATEN STARS
7. Blue Requiem – BLUE ASIA
8. Limit To Your Love J- JAMES BLAKE
9. The Saint THE SUFI SINGERS OF NAGORE
10. Butterfly – TALVIN SINGH
11. Tell Me a Tale – MICHAEL KIWANUKA
12. Faniler - ORIENT EXPRESS
13. Cockney Translation – SMILEY CULTURE
14. Mezdé – DÉBRUIT
15. Cash and Carry Me Home – GHOSTPOET
16. The Anthem – ONRA
17. Strong Strum – TIM GILL
18. Millennia (Featuring Rhett Brewer) – HOTEL DE VILLE
19. A Tale Of Woe – TERRY HALL & MUSHTAQ
20. Yaz Gazeteci Yaz – SELDA