Cafe International

This week on Cafe International, a live session with legendary Ethio Jazz saxophonist Girma Woldemichael. One of Ethiopia's most esteemed saxophonists, and a mainstay of the golden age of Ethio-Jazz, Girma Woldemichael's life story is one of musical triumph over adversity. Born in Ethiopia into circumstances of extreme poverty, with his parents unable to afford to raise him, he was handed...

A special live session with The Garifuna Collective  recorded at Met Radio in Toronto. The Garifuna Collective has performed in over 30 countries in 5 continents and have been part of the most celebrated Garifuna albums of all time, including the critically acclaimed Wátina, recipient of the Womex and BBC World Music Award and voted by Amazon as the Number One World Music Album of All Time.  The g...

This week on Cafe International, we take a visit to Rome, Italy to speak with Stefano Saletti about his album, Mediterranima - a musical journey across the shores of the Mediterranean to recount the region's common soul, influences and cultural connections. With instruments such as the bouzouki, oud, saz and beating guitar, Stefano Saletti brings to life original pieces inspired by myths, ball...

A special live session with members of the Grammy-award winning group, The Klezmatics, as they stopped by Met Radio's studio in Toronto for a performance and interview during their 40th anniversary tour. Featuring Frank London, Lisa Gutkin and Lorin Sklamberg With host Dan Rosenberg

A special live session with the Baltic Sisters, a quartet of vocalists from Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, featuring: Laurita Peleniūtė (Vocals) Liene Skrebinska (Vocals, kokle) Marion Selgall (vocals) Vineta Romāne (vocals) Recorded in Tampere, Finland as part of the EBU Sessions at WOMEX. With host Daniel Rosenberg

A live session with the Taiwanese group, 3 People Music, recorded live at WOMEX (The World Music Expo) in Tampere, Finland, as part of the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) sessions. 3 People Music is a creative trio of three traditional Chinese instrument musicians – guzheng artist Kuo Jing-mu, zhongruan player Pan I-tung, and dizi/xiao performer Jen Chung, is a unique chamber music ensemble that...

On this episode of Cafe International, we look at the role music played in Estonia's quest for independence from the Soviet Union, and its famous "Singing Revolution". We'll speak with Piret Norhanny of Estonian Music Week in Toronto, Ingrid Kohtla Head of PR & Communications and programme curator at Tallinn Music Week in Estonia and singer/composer Kadri Voorand from the awa...

A Visit to the Hillside Festival, in Guelph, Ontario We'll speak with the festival's artistic director, Samir Baijal as well as Ecuadoran-American singer Eljuri, hear music from many of the artists performing there including Femi Kuti, Vieux Farka Toure and Maryna Krut With host Dan Rosenberg

Kobo Town joins us live in studio for a performance and interview about the history of calypso music. Founded and fronted by émigré Trinidadian songwriter Drew Gonsalves, Kobo Town is named after the historic neighborhood in Port-of-Spain where calypso was born amid the boastful, humorous and militant chants of roaming stick-fighters. Situated near the fishermen's wharf, the area was a site of...

On this week's episode of Cafe International: A samba workshop and interview with Grammy nominated guitarist Alfredo Del Penho - recorded live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With host Dan Rosenberg

A visit to the Forde Festival in Norway. We speak with this remarkable festival's director, Solvie Lien. It's held every summer in the Norwegian fjords, and features artists from across Norway, and around the world. We'll hear music on the show from Trio da Kali (Mali), Mahsa Vadat (Iran), Norwegian artists Kajsa Balto, Marja Morensson and Hekate. With host Dan Rosenberg

In this week's episode of Cafe International, we visit the home of composer Subhira Rodrigo Cepeda in Santaigo, Chile. He's a pianist, human rights advocate, professor, radio host and director of the Mundovivo music festival. We will learn about all of this - and more With host Dan Rosenberg

A special live session recorded at Met Radio in Toronto with the Ecuadoran ensemble, Chuskupura - who were in town as part of the 2025 International Indigenous Music Summit

Sara Curruchich joins us for a special live session recorded at Met Radio Studios in Toronto to talk about her album Mujer Indigena, the International Indigenous Music Summit, and - a special treat - she performs live on the show. With host Dan Rosenberg

A special episode of Cafe International with legendary Malian guitarist, Samba Toure and his band performing live in studio: with Souleymane Kane on calabash and Djime Sissoko on ngoni (and talking drum). With host Dan Rosenberg

On this week's episode of Cafe International, we revisit an interview with Leonard Nimoy from 1997 about how growing up Jewish shaped his famous Spock character on Star Trek With host Dan Rosenberg

A visit to the Ethnoport Music Festival in Poznan, Poland. We'll speak with Artistic Director Bozena Szota about the history of Poznan, and hear music from some of the artists performing at Ethnoport this year, including Tęgie Chłopy, Abaim, BCUC and Trio Mandili. With host Dan Rosenberg

An interview with Eve Sicular about music from the golden age of Yiddish cinema plus Chanukah music and more With host Dan Rosenberg

This week on Cafe International, we feature an interview with producer Lucas Silva from Bogotá, Colombia about Nigerian highlife music and how it has influenced Champeta music in Colombia

On today’s show, we’ll learn about the ancient Persian instrument, the santur – a 72 stringed dulcimer that dates back to 500 BCE with one of its leading masters – Amir Amiri His latest CD is called Ajdad – Ancestors, Echoes of Persia. One of the themes the album explores is the connection between Persian and Arabic culture. Those connections between Persian and Arabic culture were severed in Iran...

This week on Cafe International: our guests are Fran & Flora. They’re a magnificent award-winning string duo (cello & violin) from England, dedicated to klezmer and East European folk music. We’ll hear about their new CD, “Precious Collection” and their trip to Romania to research music for the album. With host Dan Rosenberg

On this week's program, an interview with Marousia Bouvery, from the group Abaim. They are from the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. On the show, we will learn about how Abaim is using music to fight to preserve the endangered Bhojpuri language, and their work to raise awareness about climate change. Recorded at the Ethnoport Music Festival in Poznan, Poland With host Dan Rosenberg

On this week’s  Café International , we look back at the incredible career of Zimbabwe’s Oliver Mtukudzi, who passed away on January 23, 2019 at the age of 66 after being treated for a heart condition. Oliver Mtukudzi was born in 1952 in Harare, in the era of British colonial rule, when it was known as Salisbury, Rhodesia. His music played an important role in Zimbabwe’s fight for independence. In...

On this week's episode of Cafe International, recorded in Bern, Switzerland, our guest is award winning singer and yodeler, Christine Lauterburg. In 1994, she became the first woman to win the Bäredräckpris from the City of Bern. With host Dan Rosenberg

On today’s show, we visit Neuchatel Switzerland, a beautiful lakeside town – that in the middle of every August, is transformed by a remarkable buskers festival. But there aren’t jugglers or acrobats on unicycles, Instead, its pedestrian zone in the centre of the city becomes a huge global music festival – and on our show, we’ll hear music from Georgia, Sardinia, Syria, and Brazil. Our guests incl...