Global A Go-Go's favorite recordings of 2020, part 1 of a 3 part series: top ten new releases, plus ten more honorable mentions.
Top Ten New Releases of 2020
1. Bab L'Bluz (Morocco-France) | Nayda! | Real World
2. Fat Freddy's Drop (New Zealand) | Lock-In | The Drop
3. Qwanqwa (Ethiopia-USA) | Volume 3 | Wuzzawazzee Industries
4. Sahra Halgan Trio (Somaliland-France) | Waa Dardaaran | Buda Musique
5. Santrofi (Ghana) | Alewa | Out Here
6. Antibalas (USA) | Fu Chronicles | Daptone
7. Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn (China-USA) | Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn | Smithsonian Folkways
8. Jaakko Laitinen & Vaara Raha (Finland) | Borek | Playground Music Finland
9. Bamba Wassoulou Groove (Mali) | Dankele | Lusafrica
10. Moonlight Benjamin (Haiti-France) | Simido | Ma Case

Honorable Mention
Dzambo Agusevi Orchestra (North Macedonia) | Brasses For The Masses | Asphalt Tango
Ajate (Japan) | Alo | 180g
Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela (Nigeria-France-South Africa) | Rejoice | World Circuit
The Budos Band (USA) | Long In The Tooth | Daptone
DakhaBrakha (Ukraine) | Alambari | self-released
Nahawa Doumbia (Mali) | Kanawa | Awesome Tapes From Africa
Asher Gamedze (South Africa) | Dialectic Soul | On The Corner
Groupe RTD (Djibouti) | The Dancing Devils Of Djibouti | Ostinato
Tamikrest (Mali-Algeria-France) | Tamotait | Glitterbeat
David Walters (France) | Soleil Kreyol | Heavenly Sweetness