August/September 2019 (#150)

The August/September issue (#150) issue of Songlines is now on sale. It’s a bumper edition to mark our 150th issue and the cover stars are the Cuban-American big band Orquesta Akokán who recently won the Americas Songlines Music Award for their debut album. Other features include an interview with the South African band BCUC; a feature on Spell Songs – the musical companion to The Lost Words book; a report from Venezuela about the ongoing crisis and how it is affecting its musicians; a Beginner’s Guide to multi-instrumentalist Stephan Micus; plus all the latest news, event listings, CD, book and world cinema reviews. As well as streaming excerpts from the Top of the World album, digital edition subscribers can now download all 15 tracks which this issue includes Africa Express, Dona Onete, Boban Marković and Kayhan Kalhor, as well as a guest playlist from the playwright and poet, Inua Ellams, featuring music by Fela Kuti, Fat Freddy’s Drop, The Matthew Herbert Big Band and others. Plus there’s a bonus compilation album featuring artists performing at this year’s World Music Festival Chicago.