Reviews
Omera
Ayub Ogada, who died in 2019, was one of Kenya’s finest musicians, a master of the nyatiti (lyre), and a...
Reviewed by Robin Denselow in issue: October/2022
Painted Lady
After a decade playing traditional music with melodeon maestro John Spiers, and many years fronting folk big band Bellowhead, Jon...
Reviewed by Julian May in issue: November/2016
Grand Ukulele
Like banjo maestro Bela Fleck, Japanese-Hawaiian ukulele whiz Jake Shimabukuro has been obsessed with expanding the repertoire and reputation of...
Reviewed by Seth Jordan in issue: Apr/May/2013
Sun Without the Heat
New Orleans-based Leyla McCalla is known for making moving, socially conscious music that takes in all her various influences, from...
Reviewed by Alexandra Petropoulos in issue: May/2024
Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Vol 1
Take a cursory glance at Complete Recorded Works and you’d be forgiven for thinking it was the latest release from...
Reviewed by Matt Milton in issue: Aug/Sep/2016
Decade: The Best of Lau 2007-2017
How can one possibly put together a compilation of the most exciting, musically adventurous trio in British folk without leaving...
Reviewed by Robin Denselow in issue: July/2017
Le Cri du Cyclope
French-Lebanese percussionist Wassim Halal was originally trained in Lebanese dabke music. His first album, Revolutionary Birds, with Mounir Troudi and...
Reviewed by Marwan Shamiyeh in issue: March/2019
Natural Invention
Peter Knight's Gigspanner Big Band
After four decades with Steeleye Span, in 2009 fiddle player Peter Knight formed Gigspanner (the touring musician's name for that...
Reviewed by Julian May in issue: June/2020
Aynaabe
The traditional bowed violin of the Senegalese Peul shepherds is called nianiorou or riti. Former shepherd Issa Sow is perhaps...
Reviewed by Martin Sinnock in issue: March/2020
True Speech
This is one of the most dynamic and accomplished folk groups from Eastern Europe I've heard in a long time....
Reviewed by Simon Broughton in issue: Jan/Feb/2011
