RSS feedArchive for December, 2009
Bellowhead set sail for 2010 with a special night at London Southbank Centre
Posted on December 21st, 2009 in World Music by Songlines.
They are firmly established as one of English folk music’s most charismatic and unusual acts – 11 musicians playing more than 20 instruments and driven by the prolific folk duo John Spiers and Jon Boden, they are folk’s bold, brassy big band. Their repertoire often takes in the seedy side of old English life – such as in their Dirty Weekend night at the Royal Festival Hall on Valentine’s Day full of filthy ballads – and on New Year’s Eve they host Set Sail for 2010 with Bellowhead.
The nautically-themed night at the Southbank Centre’s Clore Ballroom and foyers will include sea shanty singalongs, old pub games, a twisted ceilidh, a casino and a silent disco alongside three sets from Bellowhead. And how better to end a salty dogs’ evening than out on the side of the Thames watching the London fireworks.
Vote now in the Songlines Music Awards 2010
Posted on December 11th, 2009 in Songlines Blog by Songlines.
Following on from the success of the inaugural Songlines Music Awards, voting is now open for the 2010 awards. Similar to last year, there are four categories: Best Artist, Best Group, Cross-Cultural Collaboration and Newcomer.
All voters will be entered into a prize draw to win a Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Mini. Bowers & Wilkins makes the world’s most advanced home theatre and hi-fi speakers, including the award winning Zeppelin iPod® speaker and now the Zeppelin Mini. The winner and five runners-up will also receive a year’s membership to B&W’s Society of Sound, which provides new music each month – specially recorded and exclusive to members – as high quality, uncompressed downloads, as well as podcasts, debates and interviews.
And if that wasn’t enough, the winner and five runners-up will also receive a one-year subscription (or renewal) to Songlines.
Don’t delay – have your say and be part of the Songlines Music Awards now.
The eligible artists are those who have had albums reviewed in Songlines during 2009 (from issues #58 to #65 inclusive). The artists are listed on our website: www.songlines.co.uk/music-awards. After the voting, a shortlist of the top four in each category – the final nominees – will be published in issue #67 (April/May 2010). A jury will then select the winners, to be announced in issue #68 (June 2010).
VOTE NOW! The deadline for voting is midnight on January 31, 2010
To vote visit http://www.songlines.co.uk/music-awards
The January/February 2010 Songlines podcast is now available through iTunes
Posted on December 9th, 2009 in Songlines Blog by Songlines.
This podcast includes highlights from the January/February 2010 issue of Songlines (#65) opening with an excerpt from ‘Sunshine Day’ by Osibisa (Golden Stool/Cadiz). Songlines editor in chief, Simon Broughton, plays an extract from the second free CD with this issue, World Music from Catalonia ’10.
Features include: Robin Denselow on Osibisa, our cover stars for this issue; Simon Broughton on his Best Albums of 2009 and Dennis Marks with the Songlines Guide to Sephardic Music. Nathaniel Handy brings you the latest news with the Official UK World Music Album Chart, as well as music from Django Reinhardt, Willie Colon and Ruben Blades. The podcast ends with an extract from comedian/actor Steve Martin’s new album The Crow on Rounder Records – our featured label this issue.
The next Songlines podcast, featuring highlights from the March issue (#66), will be available from February 5 2010.
January/February 2010 issue of Songlines (#65) is on sale in the UK from December 11
Posted on December 8th, 2009 in Songlines Blog by Songlines.
The January/February 2010 issue of Songlines is on sale in the UK from December 11 and includes our regular Top of the World CD with ten tracks from the finest new releases from around the planet. There’s also a selection of five tracks selected by Channel 4 newscaster Jon Snow. The issue also includes a bonus 2nd CD of World Music from Catalonia.
The Top of the World CD includes tracks from Senegalese star Baaba Maal; Africa’s legendary big band Orchestra Baobab; Angola’s greatest son, Bonga; the experimental collaborators David Byrne & Brian Eno; DJ Gilles Peterson presents Havana Cultura; Qawwali singer Faiz Ali Faiz teams up with French guitarist Titi Robin and the South African rising star Thandiswa Mazwai.
The main editorial features include:
• Osibisa – Bandleader Teddy Osei leads us down memory lane and introduces the Afro-pop pioneers’ ‘fourth generation
• Best of 2009 – Simon Broughton presents his selection of the ten finest world music releases this year.
• Songlines Music Awards 2010 – voting is now open plus your chance to win a B&W Zeppelin Mini
• Rough Guide to World Music – We talk to the team behind the resource, as its final print edition is released.
• Salsa in Colombia – Social reform and sequins: why salsa in the
city of Cali is big business.
• Songlines Guide to Sephardic Music – Untangling the complex lines of history and
culture which inform this unique tradition.
• Sounding Out Belém, Brazil – all the best places to see and hear music in the Brazilian city.
• Beginner’s Guide to Totó La Momposina.
• Postcard from Hanoi, Vietnam.
• Jerez Flamenco Festival.
• Backpage from Copenhagen, Denmark.
• My World – Channel 4 newscaster Jon Snow.
• Grooves – Dogan Mehmet, Omar Puente and Thomas Lauderdale share their favourites.
• News, including Dispatches USA.
• Reviews of the latest CD, DVD and World Cinema releases.
