Music Monday : Franco & le Tout Puissant OK Jazz and Manu Chao

A little over a week ago, I reached my breaking point with the winter weather. This winter was the coldest and snowiest for 15 years or something in Denmark and I wasn't feeling too thrilled with being a part of it. At the last minute, I booked a short trip to Barcelona to visit a dear friend thinking a quick get away would do me good. Also, Spain always makes me happy. The night before flying, Barcelona was immersed in more snow than they've had for 20 years. After hearing that news, I called a friend and whined about the inescapable winter over a bottle of wine. Thankfully, the snow melted quickly in Barcelona. The sun was shining and it felt like spring. It was exactly what I was hoping for and I had a wonderful time. Kolding caught the spring fever too because when I returned, it felt like spring here too. Thank goodness!

If you are over the cold, snowy winter and are about to loose your mind, hang in there and maybe listen to these two music recommendations. I hope they help you feel like you are immersed in warm sunshine, wearing sunglasses and flip flops.

First: Franco & le Tout Puissant OK Jazz/Franco TP Jazz
Pitchfork tells his story best : "François Luambo Makiadi, who was born to a Congolese breadbaker in 1938, built a guitar when he was seven, released his first single at 15 (after peers nicknamed him Franco), became one of the most popular bandleaders in his country's history (before Mobutu Sese Seko's dictatorship nicknamed him le Grand Maître), fathered 18 kids, and burned a mark so indelible that state-run radio played his records for four days straight after he died in 1989."

"Franco records are, primarily, music for the masses and their asses" - Pitchfork
Here are the links: wikipedia, myspace,

Second : Manu Chao
Manu Chao has such great energy it's difficult to not dance to it - try it! I dare you.
Chao is a musician without borders. His family moved to France to escape Franco's dictatorship before he was born. He sings in 7 or so languages including French, Spanish, English, Arabic and Portuguese. Here are the links: website, myspace, Pitchfork,

Enjoy!