Archive for December, 2009

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.

Tags: jon snow, New issue.

The January/February 2010 issue of Songlines – on sale December 11 – features a free covermount CD packed full of the best new sounds from around the world, plus 5 tracks selected by Channel 4 newscaster Jon Snow.

The covermount 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.

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:

* Totó La Momposina ‘Manita Uribe’ on Astar Artes

* Thandiswa Mazwai ‘Thongo Lam (lyeza)’ on Gallo

* Forro in the Dark ‘Caipirinha’ on Nublu Records/Nat Geo Music

* Gypsy Groovz Orchestra Goes Tuttimundi ‘Festival Tople Vode (Part 5)’ on Network Medien

* Sharon Shannon ‘Howya Horse’ on Independent Records

* Bonga ‘Mulemba Xangola’ featuring Lura on Lusafrica

* Gilles Peterson Presents Havana Cultura ‘Lagrimas de Soledad (No Existen Palabras)’ feat. Danay on Brownswood Recordings

* Faiz Ali Faiz & Titi Robin ‘Mast Qalandar’ on Accords Croisés

* Anouar Brahem ‘Dance With Waves’ on ECM Records

* Céu ‘Grains de Beaute’ on Six Degrees Records

Plus Jon Snow’s playlist:

* Mahsa Vahdat & Sarah Jane Morris ‘Sad Sol – You, My Destiny’ on KKV

* Baaba Maal ‘Kowoni Maayo (Mi Yeewnii)’ on Palm Pictures

* David Byrne & Brian Eno ‘Life is Long’ on Todo Mundo/Opal

* Orchestra Baobab ‘Coumba’ on World Circuit

* The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain ‘Misirlou’ on www.ukuleleorchestra.com

Tags: jon snow, playlist.

On December 2, the Mike Harding Show on BBC Radio 2 announced the nominees for the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2010. The winners will be unveiled at a ceremony on February 1.

The nominees include a record six nominations for sensational guitar virtuoso Martin Simpson for Folk Singer of the Year, Best Album, Best Traditional Track, Musician of the Year and two of the nominations in the Best Original Song category. Quite a spread bet!

The other nominees display the young vibrancy of the folk scene today with the likes of Cara Dillon, Jackie Oates, Jon Boden, the Unthanks and Megson. Below is a full listing of the nominees:

FOLK SINGER OF THE YEAR

Cara Dillon

Jackie Oates

Jon Boden

Martin Simpson

BEST DUO

Belshazzar’s Feast

Damien Barber & Mike Wilson

Megson

Show of Hands

BEST GROUP

Bellowhead

Lau

Mawkin:Causley

The Unthanks

BEST ALBUM

Here’s The Tender Coming – The Unthanks

Hill of Thieves – Cara Dillon

Hyperboreans – Jackie Oates

True Stories – Martin Simpson

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

Arrogance Ignorance and Greed – Steve Knightley (performed by Show of Hands)

Home Again – Martin Simpson

One Day – Martin Simpson/Martin Taylor (performed by Martin Simpson)

The Testimony of Patience Kershaw – Frank Higgins (performed by The Unthanks)

BEST TRADITIONAL TRACK

Cutty Wren – Mawkin:Causley

Sir Patrick Spens – Martin Simpson

Spencer the Rover – Cara Dillon

The Isle of France – Jackie Oates

HORIZON AWARD

Hannah James & Sam Sweeney

Katriona Gilmore & Jamie Roberts

Nancy Wallace

Sam Carter

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

John Kirkpatrick

John McCusker

Martin Simpson

Saul Rose

BEST LIVE ACT

Bellowhead

Edward II

Lau

The Bad Shepherds

www.bbc.co.uk/radio2

Tags: bbc radio 2, folk awards, martin simpson.