Modern British culture was shaped by three things – DJs, radio (especially pirate radio), and clubs. And record shops are the thread between all three. Sanjiv takes a break from his global tour of record shops for his upcoming book to sing their praises on their special day. Continue reading We Love Record Shop Day
In its new production of La Bohème, South African company Isango Ensemble re-imagines Puccini’s Paris in Cape Town, and brings it to Hackney. Does it work? Continue reading Love, death and money. La Bohème / Abanxaxhi
In the hot glove of a sticky East African night, the last act of the annual Sauti za Busara festival takes place. ‘Local’ outfit FM Academia – with over twenty members in the band – are rocking the open-air venue (an old walled fort in the centre of Zanzibar Town) with their unique ‘muziki da dansa’ rumba style, when, suddenly, on stage come literally dozens of the festival’s crew. The now over-crowded hugely enthusiastic stage dances out the last number of the 2012 event. Mark Stewart reports… Continue reading Busara Festival to leave its Zanzibar home?
Fatoumata Diawara by Youri Lenquette
We spoke to Amira Kheir about life, origins, destinations and love. Her debut album View from Somewhere is a stunning set infused with many influences but anchored in the sounds and identity of her parents’ homeland Sudan.
Continue reading Amira Kheir – Music between the spaces and places
‘The Malian Hip Hop prodigy honouring the African youth’ profiled by his international manager and one of his biggest fans Marie-Agnes Beau Continue reading Amkoullel – The Fula Child
Beginner's Guide to Scandinavia
Tatiana Rucinska, compiler of the Beginner’s Guide to Scandinavia (3CD box set released on Nascente in May 2011) talks us through the inspiration for her picks
The huge domed chamber of London’s Roundhouse rocked to the Soukadelic sounds of Staff Benda Bilili and melted at the charms of Fatoumata Diawara
Continue reading Staff Benda Bilili and Fatoumata Diawara – Roundhouse (Live Review)
At least there’s one day a year when your local independent record store makes the news as Record Store Day returns with lots of special releases on vinyl to collect; and much more too!
Continue reading Record Store Day with Jonny Trunk & Gilles Peterson (16th April 2011)
As much as the mention of Futuristica’s Jazz Chronicle’s session in the Guardian’s Guide on Saturday as their ‘Pick of the Week’ was appreciated, they missed out that Manchester’s finest Matthew Halsall was a special guest DJ!
Continue reading Matthew Halsall – Spiritual Surfing at 60MPC 03/02/11
Soil & “Pimp” Sessions have release their 6th album this year and they are at the Jazz Caf?© today (and WOMAD tomorrow) so as the warmed up in Camden Town, I grabbed a few words with front man Shacho.
Continue reading Soil & “Pimp” Sessions – Now We Are 6 with Shacho
Late at night in Salif Keita’s studio in Bamako a cellist and a kora player recorded their jams. Vincent Segal (cellist) tells us what lay behind his collaboration with Ballaké Sissoko
Since The Simonsound appeared on the Jonny Trunk OST Show on Resonance 104.4FM recently, people have noticed that I seem close to obsessed by him; this may be true but I’d not be the only one.
Continue reading Music for Lunatics – Here’s Jonny II (The Cultural Pottage Cut)
Simon’s appearance on Jonny Trunk’s OST show the weekend raised more questions than answers so lets get the man himself to explain more about The Simondsound in a sort of Part 2 exclusive for FLY Global Music.
The singer Lhasa de Sela passed away in her Montreal home on the night of January 1st 2010, just before midnight. She succumbed to breast cancer after a twenty-one month long struggle, which she faced with courage and determination
