This podcast includes highlights from the January/February 2008 issue of Songlines (#49), opening with an excerpt from the forthcoming album by Didier Awadi 'Sunugaal' on the Mr Bongo label. Songlines editor, Simon Broughton, plays an excerpt from one of the Music of Central Asia recordings produced by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture on Smithsonian Folkways - the track is åMualifπ from the CD 'Spiritual Music from Azerbaijan', by the singer Alim Qasimov and his daughter Fargana.

 

Other features on the podcast include Nat Handy's report on the latest world music goings-on with music by Latin Grammy Award Winner Juan Luis Guerra, music from the five final nominees in the BBC's talent hunt The Next Big Thing as well as live recordings by Orchestra Baobab, Kekele and Souad Massi from the Africa Channel's Soundcheck at Momo's sessions.

 

Simon Broughton returns to give his selection of the top 10 albums releases this year (sponsored by Play.com) with music by Trilok Gurtu and Arke String Quartet from their album Arkeology (on Promo Music) and music from Selim Sesler's album Anatolian Wedding (on Doublemoon).

 

Finally, Nasim Masoud profiles all the nominated artists in the 2008 BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music with music by Hazmat Modine (Jaro), Bassekou Kouyate (Out Here Recs), The Idan Raichel Project (Cumbancha), Sa Dingding (Wrasse), Son de la Frontera (World Village), Balkan Beat Box (Crammed), Mayra Andrade (Sterns) and Gaudi & Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Six Degrees)

 

The next Songlines podcast, featuring highlights from the March issue (#50), will be available from February 8, 2008.