I get a particular pleasure from hearing an old, familiar song given new life, so I was completely charmed when I took a listen to Cowboy Songs, a collection of contemporary and traditional cowboy songs sung by Michael Martin Murphey. His honest, easygoing approach is perfectly suited to the material. I don’t listen to much country music, but Murphey’s heartfelt interpretations of old standards like Home on the Range, Tumbling Tumbleweeds, The Streets of Laredo, and The Red River Valley soon had me channeling my inner cowboy. His rendition of the mournful O Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie is especially touching. Backup vocals are provided by the likes of  the Sons of the San Joaquin, Tammy Wynette, Red Steagall, and Suzy Boggus. This winning collection closes fittingly with the classic Roy Rogers/Dale Evans sunny farewell:  “Happy trails to you . . .”

All eyes were on South Africa this summer as we watched the World Cup finals. Unfortunately, the sound that will most likely be remembered from the games is the drone of the vuvuzelas, not the abundance of African popular music that was on display. Now is a great time to sample some of the music you may have missed.

There are a number of recent recordings that showcase South African talent.  To get a great overview of South African music, try Putumayo Presents South Africa or The Rough Guide to the Music of South Africa. Just released is a series by Strut Records  that features jazz, R&B, funk, and soul music from the townships in the 1960′s and 70′s titled Next Stop Soweto, v.1, v.2, and v.3.

The popularity of the new Broadway musical Fela! has renewed interest in the music of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the Nigerian musician, producer, and political activist popularly known as Fela, who died in 1997. He was the  inventor of Afro-Beat, an exuberant West African style of dance music that he fused with African American styles like funk and jazz. Although dance music at heart, his songs offered lyrics that were confrontational and his political activities often landed him in jail. A compilation called The Best of the Black President was recently re-released.

Soundway Records has been issuing an exciting  series of compilations of Nigerian music including Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-6, v. 1 and v. 2,  and Nigeria Afrobeat Special: the New Explosive Sound in 1970s Nigeria.

Konono No. 1 is  is a group from the Democratic Republic of Congo that has been playing traditional African music for over 40 years. Their exuberant, celebratory sound is created on homemade instruments constructed from car parts and other discarded items. Their latest album is Assume Crash Position.

Rise and Shine by Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, offers a melding of West African roots music and reggae. As their name implies, the members of the group met at West African refugee camps during the long civil war in their home country.

Take a listen.

Most of the buzz surrounding the Best Musical category for the 2010 Tony Awards is about the stage adaptation of Green Day’s brilliant 2004 rock opera American Idiot. Unlike most rock music-based Broadway musicals, this show is touted as an authentic rock experience. Green Day even appears as the house band for the original cast recording. The new musical about legendary Nigerian musician Fela Kuti, aptly titled Fela!, has cornered the most nominations at 11, including Best Musical, but the reviews have been mixed. Memphis, set in the underground dance clubs of 1950′s Memphis has 8 nominations. The fourth Best Musical nominee, Million Dollar Quartet, inspired by the famed recording session by music legends Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, is the only show that doesn’t have a cast album available yet.

Nominations for best revival of a musical include  A Little Night Music with nominee Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Finian’s Rainbow. La Cage aux Folles, starring nominee Kelsey Grammer and Ragtime aren’t yet available on disc. Sean Hayes, best known for his role on the TV comedy series Will & Grace, is nominated for his Broadway debut performance in the revival of Neil Simon’s Promises, Promises. Hayes will also be hosting the award show that airs June 13 on CBS.