Features

Friday, May 1, 2020;

Giants of Afrobeat: an interview with Tony Allen and Orlando Julius

Fela Kuti is synonymous with Afrobeat, but there are two other underappreciated pioneers of the genre. Nigel Williamson speaks to Tony Allen and Orlando Julius;

Wednesday, April 29, 2020;

The Lost Words: Spell Songs

Nathaniel Handy is captivated by the musical spells conjured up by a collective of artists in response to The Lost Words book;

Tuesday, April 21, 2020;

Sarathy Korwar interview: “It takes guts and vulnerability to cut through the noise and find your own voice”

Sarathy Korwar is becoming an influential figure within London’s vibrant and eclectic music scene. He talks to Jane Cornwell about his latest project, inspired by Brexit Britain and the importance of changing the East-West narrative. Photographs by Rishabah Sood;

Wednesday, April 15, 2020;

Introducing... Guiss Guiss Bou Bess

Jenny Cathcart speaks to the Senegalese group who are making waves with their inventive, contemporary take on sabar drumming;

Tuesday, April 7, 2020;

Ravi Shankar remembered

Memories of the Indian sitarist by fellow musicians and admirers;

Wednesday, March 25, 2020;

Jasdeep Singh Degun: "The premise of East and West is no longer relevant"

Songlines spoke to the award-winning sitar player Jasdeep Singh Degun, who recently premiered his first concerto with the Orchestra of Opera North;

Friday, March 20, 2020;

Kinshasa Revisited

Songlines spoke to French producers Bernard Treton and Martin Meissonnier about their fascination with the progressive sounds coming from Kinshasa in the 70s;

Thursday, March 12, 2020;

Kodo: Inside the Taiko drumming powerhouse

Taiko, the theatrical Japanese drumming spectacle, is seeing a global revival of interest. Michael Church speaks to members of Kodo, the group at the forefront of its resurgence. Photos by Takashi Okamoto & Nishita Taro;

Thursday, March 12, 2020;

My Instrument: Kuljit Bhamra and his tabla

Max Reinhardt speaks to Kuljit Bhamra, the go-to musician and composer for UK-Asian West End musicals and film scores, about the instrument that is at the root of his ever-evolving career;

Wednesday, March 11, 2020;

Nazar: “Angolans could take over the world of pop music if we truly wanted to”

Manchester-based producer Nazar looks back to his conflict-afflicted upbringing in Angola and picks out some audio plums from the debris;

Tuesday, March 10, 2020;

Yorkston/Thorne/Khan: "Music is the greatest shared language that we have"

Following their chance meeting and the success of their previous indie-jazz collaborations, the Indo-Scots trio speak to Liam Izod about their third album;

Wednesday, March 4, 2020;

Lina: “I have my path and I don’t want to erase it"

After making a couple of traditional fado albums, Lina has ditched her old artistic name and reinvented herself. Songlines went to get the story behind the transformation;

Wednesday, February 26, 2020;

Ludovico Einaudi interview: “I always look for purity when I play music and this is what is there in the Malian approach”

The Italian-born composer and pianist talks to Jane Cornwell about his myriad musical collaborators and the music from around the world that fascinates him;