RSS feedArchive for April, 2009
Qawwali Sufis straight out of Afghanistan tour the UK
Posted on April 30th, 2009 in World Music by Songlines.
With Home Office strictures on artists travelling to the UK becoming more severe, the British Council in Afghanistan increasingly fearful of associating with musicians and a long list of recent visa and entry problems for world music artists coming to the UK, it’s impressive they are coming at all. But despite having to travel to Delhi to obtain their visas, the Ahmad Sham Sufi Qawali Group will play two shows on May 4 and 5 at the Tricycle in Kilburn, London as part of the theatre’s The Great Game: Afghanistan season celebrating Afghan arts and culture.
Qawwali is the devotional Islamic music and song most commonly associated in the West with neighbouring Pakistan, thanks to the late, great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan who dared to expose the style to Western collaboration. A steady stream of Pakistani and Indian qawwali groups has followed in his footsteps – but Ahmad Sham Sufi Qawali Group is a rarer opportunity to hear an Afghan qawwali group.
They have been performing together for the last 30 years, have toured Russia, Tajikistan, India and Afghanistan, and were discovered by festival organiser Zahra Qadir playing in a Sufi house in Kabul in 2006.
Prior to the May 4 show at 4pm there is also a film screening as part of The Great Game: Afghanistan Film Festival of the film Breaking the Silence: Music in Afghanistan. Filmed in the immediate aftermath of the fall of the Taliban, it explores the moments when music first returned to the streets of Kabul, with footage of musicians and singers (including female singer Naghma) who had long been silent. Director Simon Broughton (Songlines’ editor-in-chief) will be at the screening for a Q&A session about what they experienced.
Ahmad Sham Sufi Qawali Group will also be touring Scotland, playing in the CatStrand in New Galloway as part of Dumfries and Galloway 30th Arts Festival, Knockengorroch World Music Festival in Dumfries and Galloway and in Glasgow.
www.tricycle.co.uk/afghanistan
Songlines Music Awards: Winners Announced
Posted on April 30th, 2009 in Songlines Blog by Songlines.
We take great pleasure in announcing the Songlines Music Awards winners.
The Songlines Music Awards recognise outstanding talent in world music and are run in partnership with WOMAD festival, culminating in performances by a selection of the nominees at this summer’s WOMAD in Charlton Park, July 24-26 2009, including Rokia Traoré, Dub Colossus and Los Desterrados.
There are four categories: Best Artist, Best Group, Cross-Cultural Collaboration and Newcomer.
The eligible artists were those who had albums reviewed in Songlines during 2008 (from issues #50 to #57 inclusive) and were voted on by the public. The top four artists in each category went through to the final nominations.
Below are the final nominees and their relevant album with the winners in each category in bold:
BEST ARTIST
Toumani Diabaté: The Mandé Variations on World Circuit
Lila Downs: Shake Away on EMI
Mariza: Terra on EMI
Rokia Traore: Tchamantché on Nonesuch
BEST GROUP
Amadou & Mariam: Welcome To Mali on Because
Bellowhead: Matachin on Navigator Records
Los Desterrados: Miradores on Crusoe Records
Umalali: The Garifuna Women’s Project on Cumbancha
CROSS-CULTURAL COLLABORATION
Balkan Beat Box: Nu-Made Remixes & Videos on Crammed Discs
Ska Cubano: Ajiaco! The Remix Album on Casino Sounds
Monkey (Damon Albarn & Jamie Hewlett): Journey to the West on XL
Jah Wobble & The Chinese Dub Orchestra: Chinese Dub on 30 Hertz
NEWCOMER
Kiran Ahluwalia: Wanderlust on World Connection
Buika: Nina de Fuego on Warner Jazz
Dub Colossus: In A Town Called Addis on Real World
Dengue Fever: Venus on Earth on Real World
The winners, selected by the Songlines editorial team, are published in the June issue (#60), on sale May 1.
The June 2009 Songlines podcast is now available through iTunes
Posted on April 30th, 2009 in Songlines Blog by Songlines.
This podcast includes highlights from the June 2009 issue of Songlines (#60) opening with an excerpt from Candido Fabre (Tumi). Songlines editor in chief, Simon Broughton, plays an extract by El Tanbura, from their new album on 30 IPS.
Jan Fairley talks about Cuban music since the revolution (cover feature for this issue), playing music from Charanga Habanera and Interactivo. Nasim Masoud announces the winners of the inaugural Songlines Music Awards, with music from the four winners Amadou & Mariam (Because), Kiran Ahluwalia (World Connection), Rokia Traoré (Nonesuch) and Jah Wobble & The Chinese Dub Orchestra (30 Hertz Records). Sharada Srinivasan gives an insight into some prehistoric singing stones from India with recordings and Sue Steward reports on Radiokijada, a new band from Peru, playing music from their debut album on Wrasse Records.
Nathaniel Handy brings you the latest news with music by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, Le Trio Joubran (Randana) and ‘Mantra, Musical Conversations across the Indian Ocean’.
The podcast ends with Songlines Music Award nominees Umalali from their album The Garifuna Women’s Project on Cumbancha – our featured label this issue.
The next Songlines podcast, featuring highlights from the July issue (#61), will be available from June 12 2009.
Rob Da Bank playlist and 10 best new releases in June 2009 issue of Songlines (#60)
Posted on April 30th, 2009 in Songlines Blog by Songlines.
The June 2009 issue of Songlines – on sale May 1 – features a free covermount CD packed full of the best new sounds from around the world. Tracks include new hip-hop, tango and salsa from Barcelona collective Ojos de Brujo; the return of Pygmy-Celtic fusionists Baka Beyond; the exuberant girl power of Finnish folksters Värttinä; exploratory US duo A Hawk & A Hacksaw; and Justin Adams with Gambian ritti player Juldeh Camara on their second collaborative album.
As well as 10 tracks from the 10 best new releases from around the globe, there’s also a selection of 5 tracks selected by BBC Radio 1 DJ Rob Da Bank.
Pick up your copy here on the website, at selected WHSmith’s and at all good record retailers. Feast your ears on these all-new tracks:
* Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara ‘Banjul Girls’ on Real World Records
* Peyoti For President ‘No Me Siento Malo’ on Sordid Soup Records
* Ojos de Brujo ‘Tantas Flores’ on Warner Classics & Jazz
* Värttinä ‘Maahinen Neito’ on Westpark Music
* A Hawk & A Hacksaw ‘Turkiye’ on The Leaf Label
* Beto Villares ‘África Lá’ on Six Degrees Records
* Baka Beyond ‘Nahwia’s Dream’ on March Hare Music
* El Tanbura ‘Heela Heela’ on 30 IPS
* Kasse Mady Diabaté ‘Sinanon Saran’ on Wrasse Records
* Stelios Petrakis ‘Voreia Monoipatia’ on Buda Musique
Plus Rob Da Bank’s playlist:
* Amadou & Mariam ‘Sabali’ (Paul Epworth remix)
* State of Bengal ‘Flight IC408’ on One Little Indian
* Lata Mangeshkar ‘Jogi O Jogi’ on Saregama
* Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu ‘Wiyathul’ on Skinnyfish Music
* Fela Kuti ‘Everything Scatter’ on Wrasse Records
