{"title":"Albums","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"introducing-shiyani-ngcobo","title":"Introducing Shiyani Ngcobo","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eBorn of the Zulu experience of labour migrancy, maskanda is a musical dance style dominated by lush acoustic guitar  'picking' and distinctive rhythms. Born in 1953 in Umzinto, on KwaZulu-Natal's south coast, Shiyani Ngcobo has been a maskanda musician for more than thirty years. The winner of numerous maskanda awards, his use of a mixture of the rhythmic patterns associated with its different styles has earned him a reputation in South Africa as something of a maskanda maestro. This album captures how he has remained true to the aesthetic of early maskanda, while at the same time nurturing his own individual style.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e**** (four stars) 'Simply magnificent.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eSonglines\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Introducing","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893163356243,"sku":"INTRO101CD","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893163389011,"sku":"INTRO101DD","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/INTRO101.jpg?v=1770822032"},{"product_id":"introducing-vakoka","title":"Introducing Vakoka","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eVakoka brings together thirteen of Madagascar's most talented musicians to explore diverse traditions and push the boundaries of Malagasy music. Over a six-week period this  'all-star' cast from around the country worked together to create a record that showcases the island's incredibly diverse musical and cultural heritage. The resulting songs carry the joy and emotion of a remarkable group as they explore each other's musical traditions, blending the old and new in a way rarely heard - on this island or any other.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e**** (four stars) 'Top Of The World.' \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eSonglines\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Introducing","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893163454547,"sku":"INTRO102CD","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893163487315,"sku":"INTRO102DD","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/INTRO102.jpg?v=1770822033"},{"product_id":"introducing-daby-balde","title":"Introducing Daby Balde","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eDaby Balde is one of Senegal's best-kept musical secrets, long celebrated at home and now exploding on to the international scene. His stunning arrangements are based on his Fula traditions from the south of the country and feature the fiddle, accordion and flute alongside the more familiar West African sounds of the kora, acoustic guitar and percussion. With strikingly rich and beautiful melodies, captivating vocals and a repertoire that ranges from euphoric to melancholic, Daby Balde is a West African star on the rise.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e***** (five stars) 'Extraordinary quality.' \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eObserver Music Monthly\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.worldmusic.net\/wmn\/news\/item\/daby \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Introducing","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893163552851,"sku":"INTRO104CD","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893163585619,"sku":"INTRO104DD","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/INTRO104.jpg?v=1770822036"},{"product_id":"introducing-etran-finatawa","title":"Introducing Etran Finatawa","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eEtran Finatawa combine the rich nomadic cultures of the Tuareg and Wodaabe people from the West African country of Niger - a region that for thousands of years has served as a crossroads between the Arabs of North Africa and the sub-Saharan traditions. Etran Finatawa blend traditional instruments with electric guitars, combining the polyphonic songs of the Wodaabe people with modern arrangements, transporting you to the Sahara with their evocative sound.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e**** (four stars) \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e **** (four stars) \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Times\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.worldmusic.net\/wmn\/news\/item\/etran \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Introducing","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893163651155,"sku":"INTRO105CD","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893163683923,"sku":"INTRO105DD","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/INTRO105.jpg?v=1770822039"},{"product_id":"the-rough-guide-to-franco","title":"The Rough Guide To Franco","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eThe Rough Guide music series is breaking into new territory with the release of compilations covering the works of the best-known and most influential artists in world music. The first of its kind is The Rough Guide To Franco, an introduction to the finest tracks from Franco, arguably the greatest African musician of the twentieth century. This album is a great introduction to this African legend for the uninitiated and a handy collection for established fans.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Rough Guide","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893164240979,"sku":"RGNET1071CD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/RGNET1071.jpg?v=1770822044"},{"product_id":"the-rough-guide-to-lucky-dube","title":"The Rough Guide To Lucky Dube","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eThe Rough Guide CD series continues its exploration of the works of world music's seminal artists with this collection of the hits of South African reggae star, Lucky Dube. Lucky Dube is the master of African reggae and one of the continent's most popular and successful artists. This compilation brings together his greatest tracks and is essential listening for established fans and newcomers alike.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A great way to immerse yourself in the music of one of Africa's most enduring reggae legends.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e Global Rhythm \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Rough Guide","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893164601427,"sku":"RGNET1079CD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/RGNET1079.jpg?v=1770822051"},{"product_id":"the-rough-guide-to-highlife","title":"The Rough Guide To Highlife","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eHighlife music conjures up images of African nightclubs, shiny dancefloors, champagne, fine clothes and the spirit of hope and expectation that marked the end of the colonial era. The heyday of highlife was in the 1960s and 1970s, and the name describes and defines the popular guitar-led dance music of West Africa, primarily from Ghana and Nigeria. The Rough Guide To Highlife surveys this vibrant scene, featuring classic tracks of the era and the biggest artists within the genre.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'An excellent overview of this music's many forms.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e The Daily Telegraph \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Rough Guide","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893165060179,"sku":"RGNET1102CD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/RGNET1102.jpg?v=1770822054"},{"product_id":"the-rough-guide-to-african-rap","title":"The Rough Guide To African Rap","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eA musical revelation awaits listeners as they delve into The Rough Guide To African Rap, displaying the kind of grooves that are rocking twenty-first century urban Africa and the Diaspora. In Africa, wordplay has always been a great source of entertainment and social commentary, and rappers have responded to social and political issues by addressing such subjects as poverty, AIDS, famine, corruption and globalization at a time when the changing economic, political and media climate across Africa has resulted in less censorship and more freedom to be critical of people in power. Not all these tracks are strictly hip-hop but the rap element is ever-present. Some of the tracks are by world-renowned stars, while others have never been heard in the West. Rappers move easily across cultural divides their community is a more global one and all these artists can hold their own whether outside Africa or within.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'An ear-opening collection.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e New York Times \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Rough Guide","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893165420627,"sku":"RGNET1126CD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/RGNET1126.jpg?v=1770822058"},{"product_id":"the-rough-guide-to-the-music-of-madagascar","title":"The Rough Guide To The Music Of Madagascar","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eMadagascar, the world's fourth largest island, has incredible ethnic diversity and rich history. The Rough Guide To The Music Of Madagascar features music across the broad Malagasy spectrum - from the island's spicy dance music to the purest music from the highlands. Featuring the valiha (a tubular bamboo zither) and lokanga (three-stringed fiddle), among other instruments specific to the island, this album explores the diverse Malagasy culture that has been influenced by Arab, Persian, Chinese, Indian and European societies over the years.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e**** (four stars) 'An impressive and diverse selection of tracks.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e Songlines \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Rough Guide","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893166174291,"sku":"RGNET1163CD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/RGNET1163.jpg?v=1770822073"},{"product_id":"think-global-west-africa-unwired","title":"Think Global: West Africa Unwired","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eFrom the sumptuous koras (the West African harp) of Toumani Diabaté and Ballaké Sissoko to the acoustic guitar legends Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck, West Africa Unwired presents some of the most beautiful classics from the acoustic West Africa repertoire. Featuring bluesy sounds from Mali, Wodaabe music from the Sahelian savannah and Manding rhythms, this album features griots, musical giants and rising stars, who reveal the vitality of these timeless and exceptional songs.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e**** (four stars) 'A perfect introduction to a music which effortlessly and unselfconsciously mixes the traditional with the modern.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e The Independent \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ehttp:\/\/www.worldmusic.net\/wmn\/news\/item\/think\u003c\/p\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Think Global","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893166501971,"sku":"THINK102CD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/THINK102.jpg?v=1770822079"},{"product_id":"karimbo","title":"Karimbo","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eRecorded in Mozambique during the catastrophic floods earlier in 2000, this debut release from Mabulu is a lilting and uplifting testament to hope. From Lisboa Matavel, the Grand Old man of marrabenta who started singing in the 1960s, to 22 year-old Chiquito, representing the new Mozambican rap movement, the band are an inspirational mix of tradition and modernity.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e 'A joyous celebration of terrific guitar playing and some attention-grabbing rapping.' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMOJO\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893166600275,"sku":"TUGCD1021","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893166633043,"sku":"TUGDD1021","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1021.jpg?v=1770822081"},{"product_id":"yellela","title":"Yellela","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eZena Bacar, the 'golden voice of Mozambique', is back with the return of Eyuphuro. After years of silence the original band members have reformed with other talented artists. Together with songwriter and singer Issufo Manuel, Bacar has written new songs full of melancholy and powerfull rhythm to create the long-awaited comeback album, Yellela.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e 'A searing, gently-upbeat celebration of life.' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e Songlines \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893166698579,"sku":"TUG1022CD","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893166731347,"sku":"TUG1022DD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1022.jpg?v=1770822082"},{"product_id":"soul-marrabenta","title":"Soul Marrabenta","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eThe multi-generational musical collective Mabulu are back with their new album. After the success of their debut album, Karimbo (TUGCD1021), Mabulu have grown as artists to craft a more mature sound on a new album full of pure energy with songs of hardship and fears but also hope and joy. The Grand Old Men of marrabenta (Mozambican rhythm) Lisboa Matavel and Dilon Djindji join forces with young stars including Chiquito of Mozambican hip-hop group Mad Level to create this wonderful album. This album distils the vibrancy and dynamic feel of Mabulu's live performances and takes it to new heights with consistently breathtaking tracks.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e'Sun-baked, hypnotic guitar patterns... an exciting contemporary edge'. \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e The Times \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893166829651,"sku":"TUGCD1024","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893166862419,"sku":"TUGDD1024","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1024.jpg?v=1770822083"},{"product_id":"dilon","title":"Dilon","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eHaving been a musician and performer all your life and to release your debut album at the age of 75 must be an extraordinary experience. Known as 'a man of a thousand stories' and 'The Grand Old Man of Marrabenta', Dilon Djindji has done just that. Fresh from the critical acclaim of Mabulu's albums and the success of the recent tours, Dilon has produced an innovative album that places marrabenta in a previously unexplored acoustic context. Full of feeling and passion, this album demonstrates Dilon's enthusiasm and unbounded energy for music and life.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e'A superb solo debut, on the evidence of this album he deserves to become an international star.' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e Songlines \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893166927955,"sku":"TUGCD1026","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893166960723,"sku":"TUGDD1026","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1026.jpg?v=1770822085"},{"product_id":"sabou","title":"Sabou","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eRiverboat Records and World Music Network are proud to present Sabou by the legendary West African singer and kora player Mory Kanté. Sabou is an all-acoustic release by the first African artist to sell a million singles with 'Yéké Yéké', which topped the European charts in 1988. An exceptionally talented griot from Guinea in West Africa and a contemporary with Salif Keita in the Rail Band back in the 1970s, Mory Kanté has produced a stunning new album of depth and poise that is firmly grounded in his traditional griot roots.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e**** (four stars) 'The best songs match his soaring vocals and impressive multi-instrumental work.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e The Guardian \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ehttp:\/\/www.worldmusic.net\/wmn\/news\/item\/mory\u003c\/p\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893167026259,"sku":"TUGCD1034","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893167059027,"sku":"TUGDD1034","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1034.jpg?v=1770822088"},{"product_id":"ceasefire","title":"Ceasefire","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eFor the first time, musicians from the north and south of Sudan come together to explore their common ground. Southern Sudanese artist Emmanuel Jal, one of the hottest rappers to explode out of the African music scene, joins northern Sudanese singer, composer and oud player Abdel Gadir Salim in a captivating musical collaboration. This incredible alliance of a renowned maestro with a young rapper produces music bursting with intricate melodies and a central message calling for peace in Sudan.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e**** (four stars)  'A lyrical and musical reconciliation summit.'  \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e Songlines \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893167124563,"sku":"TUGCD1038","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893167157331,"sku":"TUGDD1038","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1038.jpg?v=1770822090"},{"product_id":"sigil","title":"Sigil","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eCrossing the Sahara: Dakar to Marrakech Nuru Kane was born and raised in Medina, Dakar, and his distinctive take on Senegalese music explores the connections between the music of North and West Africa - a musical journey across the Sahara. This album captures Nuru's range of influences, from his blues-led solo songs, reminiscent of Ali Farka Touré, through to the driving gnawa trance that forms the backbone of his pulsating live performances. Unhindered, unrestricted and full of musical surprises, Sigil's instrumentation is primarily acoustic, but the results are electric.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e'Accessible and intoxicating.' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Independent \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.worldmusic.net\/wmn\/news\/item\/nuru\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893167288403,"sku":"TUGCD1041","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893167321171,"sku":"TUGDD1041","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1041.jpg?v=1770822092"},{"product_id":"studio-cameroon","title":"Studio Cameroon","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eStudio Cameroon marks the return of internationally renowned artist Sally Nyolo to her homeland and tells the story of her quest to explore and develop the local music scene. While searching for fresh talent, she set up a studio in a modest tin-roofed building: somewhere she could meet with other musicians in a relaxed environment. The resulting carefree atmosphere is evident throughout these raw and magical recordings. This is music made purely for the joy of it.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e 'A treasure.' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e The Sunday Times \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.worldmusic.net\/wmn\/news\/item\/sally-nyolo \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893167386707,"sku":"TUGCD1043","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893167419475,"sku":"TUGDD1043","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1043.jpg?v=1770822093"},{"product_id":"introducing-kenge-kenge","title":"Introducing Kenge Kenge","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eKenge Kenge symbolise all that is great about African traditional music they are the guardians and masters of an ancient but living tradition. They breath new life into Kenya's Luo musical roots, continuing its evolution, from the hand-made instruments of the past, through the popular guitar-based benga, and now returning to both re-explore the acoustic origins of benga  and embrace their Luo musical heritage.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e'The songs praise the band's neighbours and supporters, love, dance.' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e Financial Times \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.worldmusic.net\/wmn\/news\/item\/kenge-kenge \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Introducing","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893167648851,"sku":"INTRO107CD","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893167681619,"sku":"INTRO107DD","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/INTRO107.jpg?v=1770822102"},{"product_id":"jidka-the-line","title":"Jidka | The Line","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eBorn in Mogadishu to an Italian father and Ethiopian mother, Saba has come to represent the meeting of African and European cultures: as an actress she starred in a long-running TV drama, playing the role of a policewoman fighting against the prejudice of her colleagues, while dealing with issues such as illegal immigration from Africa. On Jidka (The Line), her musical debut, she explores the divide between Somalia and Italy with a rare sensitivity and gentle humour mixing acoustic guitars and koras with traditional African beats and contemporary percussion. The result reflects both one woman's search for her identity and what it means to be alive in the 21st century, when so many people live in more than one culture.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Saba clearly has talent.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e Songlines \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ehttp:\/\/www.worldmusic.net\/wmn\/news\/item\/saba\u003c\/p\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893167878227,"sku":"TUGCD1047","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893167910995,"sku":"TUGDD1047","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1047.jpg?v=1770822105"},{"product_id":"think-global-women-of-africa","title":"Think Global: Women Of Africa","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eThink Global: Women Of Africa pays homage to some of the greatest voices to have emerged from this part of the world. From the feisty vocals of Oumou Sangare and the captivating sound of Sally Nyolo, to the unforgettable voice of Miriam Makeba and a track from Saba's debut album Jidka, here's what the women of Africa have to say!\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e'This compilation... really does represent these women, from all corners of the continent.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e Songlines \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ehttp:\/\/www.worldmusic.net\/wmn\/news\/item\/women-of-africa\u003c\/p\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Think Global","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893167976531,"sku":"THINK106CD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/THINK106.jpg?v=1770822107"},{"product_id":"desert-crossroads","title":"Desert Crossroads","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eAmong the grasslands of the Sahel and the shifting dunes of the Sahara desert, two legendary nomadic peoples, the Wodaabe and Tuareg, are joined together in the raunchy guitars and haunting voices of Etran Finatawa. As the winds of change cast uncertainty over their nomadic lifestyle, both cultures are at a crossroads. Etran Finatawa reflect on their roots, with a nostalgia and warmth that mirrors the majesty of their desert home.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e**** (Four stars) 'Top of the World album.'\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eSonglines 2008\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.worldmusic.net\/wmn\/news\/item\/desert-crossroads \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893168304211,"sku":"TUGCD1048","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893168336979,"sku":"TUGDD1048","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1048.jpg?v=1770822114"},{"product_id":"seprewa-kasa","title":"Seprewa Kasa","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eThe \u003ci\u003eseprewa\u003c\/i\u003e is not called 'soul of highlife' for nothing - it is likely to be the greatest African instrument you'll ever hear. This fresh and delicate, but seriously endangered, Ghanaian instrument is a cousin to the ever-popular kora from Mali, with a more earthy sound. Three virtuoso musicians have shared their ideas and passion to re-explore the traditional sounds of the \u003ci\u003eseprewa\u003c\/i\u003e and origins of highlife in an acoustic contemporary setting, with breathtaking results.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Sunbright sound which will yearn to hear this band live.' \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Independent On Sunday\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893168500819,"sku":"TUGCD1051","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893168533587,"sku":"TUGDD1051","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1051.jpg?v=1770822120"},{"product_id":"introducing-amadou-diagne","title":"Introducing Amadou Diagne","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eHailing from Senegal, Amadou Diagne is a griot, who played percussion with the country's esteemed National Band for many years. His exquisite song writing is delivered with a distinctive voice, accompanied by his bluesy acoustic guitar, traditional drumming and the occasional glittering kora.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWinner Of World Music Network's '\u003ca href=\"\/battle\/\"\u003eBattle Of The Bands\u003c\/a\u003e'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'his musical landscape is unmistakably that of Senegal: gentle, breathy melodies over guitar rhythms that hint at restrained mbalax' \u003cem\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eAmadou Diagne\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmadou Diagne first caught the attention of World Music Network after winning the 'Battle Of The Bands' competition hosted on our website. His captivating entry 'Senegal', the opening track on this album, combines gently lilting guitar lines with Amadou's distinctive singing voice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmadou Diagne was born into a large griot family in Senegal. As part of his entry into the life of a griot, he began to play the drums at the age of 4, and has been passionately drawn towards music ever since. In his twenties he was engaged as a percussionist with the respected Senegalese National Band. During his time with the ensemble, Amadou also immersed himself in the vibrant Dakar music scene, and began to find his own original voice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmadou's rhythmic approach is influenced by his background as a percussionist - he can be heard slapping the guitar body and weaving into his music the propulsive rhythms of the Senegalese \u003cem\u003esabar\u003c\/em\u003e drums. He also uses his understanding of the \u003cem\u003ekora\u003c\/em\u003e to weave his melody and guitar lines together in seamless interplay. This can be heard particularly well on 'Beaguele', where the two instruments riff and interlock with each other. The influence of the pentatonic \u003cem\u003exalam\u003c\/em\u003e, a stringed lute, is also embedded in his music, infusing it with a brooding bluesy feel, as heard on the track 'Yaro', while the inclusion of a solo bright-toned saxophone on the tracks 'Diamano' and 'Yonbi' reflects Amadou's interest in African jazz.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe track 'Africa Stop War' was written with the conflicts of the Ivory Coast and Somalia in mind. The lyrics are frank: 'I am crying for peace in Africa, no more blood running for war'. Other tracks, such as 'Talibé' and 'Suma Dom' tackle local Senegalese issues and draw inspiration from traditional music.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith his unforced talent, traditional roots, family ties and passion for issues that are pertinent to communities the world over, the future certainly looks bright for Amadou Diagne.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAmadou will also be touring the UK in 2012. Dates to be announced shortly on our website!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eVideo - Dabakh\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Dabakh' (pronounced Dabagh) is named in praise of Dabakh Malik, a much loved Marabout (Imam) who recently died. An Imam is an Islamic position of leadership in the Mosque and its community. Many singers in Senegal have recorded songs in praise of his preachings of tolerance, respect and non-violence. This collection of musicians include a very young Youssou N'dour. Following in his footsteps, Amadou Diagne's video pays tribute to the great Imam and his life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"520\" height=\"294\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/l6o82NVNaFU\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eVideo - Senegal\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"520\" height=\"326\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aIMO5yeVVvw\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Introducing","offers":[{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893168631891,"sku":"INTRO115DD","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":39334830473299,"sku":"INTRO115CD","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/INTRO115.jpg?v=1770822121"},{"product_id":"the-rough-guide-to-afrobeat-revival","title":"The Rough Guide To Afrobeat Revival","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eAfrobeat is the funky African dance groove crafted by Nigeria's Fela Kuti. New generations worldwide celebrate his enduring legacy to proclaim: Music is the weapon of the future.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"titleNews\"\u003eMusic Is The Weapon Of The Future\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat can be said about the legendary Tony Allen, the bebop-informed rhythm machine, that has not already been said? Fela Kuti once stated that, 'without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat'. Black Voices now stands as a milestone in the Afrobeat revival and Tony's second album Home Cooking was made with the help of the Unsung Heroes production squad and featuring the likes of Ty, Damon Albarn and Eska.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Kuti family has been making news in the world of music for some time now, but it may be Fela's youngest son, Seun Kuti, who carries the torch for pure, unadulterated Afrobeat. Having been a member of Fela's later band since the age of 9, the gravel-voiced Seun's overall sound is closest to his father's. The current unit is, in fact, Fela's own group, Egypt 80, with alto saxophonist Lekan Animashaun as musical director. 'Think Africa' was recorded in Lagos in 2006 with Pidgin English lyrics concerning government corruption. Keyboardist, arranger, vocalist and educator Dele Sosimi's 'Afro-groove' is quite a jazzy number, and in the musical spirit of Fela. In fact, Dele and his childhood friend Femi Kuti were leading players in Egypt 80, joining in 1979. In 1986 Sosimi and Femi left to form their own band, Femi Anikulapo-Kuti and the Positive Force, of which Dele was the musical director and bandleader.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCredited with introducing a new generation to Afrobeat is the Brooklyn-based collective, Antibalas, who has been making waves recently, delivering the soundtrack to the new musical, Fela!, showing Off Broadway. Also emerging from the contemporary Afrobeat revival scene in NYC is Kokolo. Their irresistible groove, conscious lyrics and powerful horns made such an impression that More Consideration became the stand-out bonus disc to accompany the Rough Guide compilation - allowing the listener to dig deeper into Africa's greatest dance groove.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Toli Almasi founded Femm Nameless, an all-female group that is a welcome tonic to the most frustrating thing about the Afrobeat movement: a male-centric view of the world. 'Ibajebe' asks \u0026amp;;ldquoWhat If\u0026amp;;rdquo - what if the order were turned upside down, what if we had the courage to unite and ask the tough questions, see each other's reflection in one another's eye? We could challenge the status quo, question authority, fight injustice, eradicate inequality. 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I was amazed when he started touching the strings, producing a sound exactly like water. I was immediately attracted to this instrument as if the ghost of Kargila, the spirit of Lake Chad, had taken possession of me! The three days of recording in London were unforgettable: during the recording session we could feel the spirit of Kargila in the studio. To find a \u003c\/em\u003ebiram\u003cem\u003e in a very sophisticated and modern studio environment felt like opening the door to a new era. Hopefully the results will satisfy the spirit of Kargila, the Boudouma people and of course anyone who is lucky enough to be listening to this album. (Sandra van Edig)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a nomad of the Toubou tribe, Malam Mamane Barka is the indisputable son of the desert. He was born in Tesker, in the eastern part of the Niger Republic, in 1959 and began his career as a teacher. In the 1980s and 1990s, he also played the \u003cem\u003engurumi,\u003c\/em\u003e a traditional string instrument, and thanks to his skills and charisma soon became a celebrated musician in Niger and Nigeria, landing him with the opportunity to travel all over the world to represent his country in various cultural events.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2002, Mamane Barka received a UNESCO scholarship to materialize his dream of reviving the tradition of the \u003cem\u003ebiram\u003c\/em\u003e, the five-string harp. He travelled to Lake Chad in eastern Niger to meet the Boudouma, an ethnic group of nomadic fishermen, and their sacred instrument, the \u003cem\u003ebiram\u003c\/em\u003e, which they believe is protected by the spirit of the lake, Kargila. True to its role as an integral part of the fishing tradition, the instrument resembles a boat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the time the only remaining master of the \u003cem\u003ebiram, \u003c\/em\u003eBoukar Tar,\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003ewas still alive, and Mamane Barka received a warm welcome from this old master who had thought his instrument had already seen its last days. After many rituals of purification, Boukar Tar agreed to teach Mamane Barka the secrets of the holy instrument and the lyrics of the mystical songs. Having inherited the knowledge of rituals and cultural heritage of the Boudouma, Mamane Barka received the master's last \u003cem\u003ebiram \u003c\/em\u003eas a gift. Handing over the instrument to his sucessor, Boukar Tar asked Mamane Barka to promote it all over the world.\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003eSince this meeting of great musical minds, Boukar Tar has passed away, making Mamane Barka the only master of the\u003cem\u003e biram\u003c\/em\u003e in the world. He is maintaining the tradition single-handedly, bringing the instrument to the attention of the wider world with his own blend of desert blues\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn May 2005, Malam Mamane Barka was invited to perform at the Desert Music Festival in Rissani, Morocco, which was the first time the \u003cem\u003ebiram\u003c\/em\u003e had been taken outside its home country. The instrument was well received by the public, and more concerts abroad followed, including events in France and Germany. Thomas Brooman from WOMAD invited Mamane to perform at the UK festival in 2008, along with percussionist Oumarou Adamou, who was born the son of a Hausa griot in the city of Maradi, in southern Niger close to the Nigerian border. The two musicians had known each other for years, and decided to form the current ensemble in 2006. In July 2008, just after their successful appearance at WOMAD, the recording began at London's Livingston Studios with producer Paul Borg. With Oumarou's percussion this album is not only paying respect to the spiritual \u003cem\u003ebiram\u003c\/em\u003e, but is also an homage to the traditional percussive instruments of the rich Nigerien culture: the \u003cem\u003edouma\u003c\/em\u003e (the spiritual drum), the \u003cem\u003ekalangou \u003c\/em\u003eand the calabash.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost of the songs are traditional Boudouma songs that talk about the life of the ancestors, about the spirits, and the animals the nomads live with: camels, cows, goats, fish and birds. They often describe the beauty of the water in the lake or of the desert, and the braveness of the warriors. Mamane Barka has also added some new compositions: songs which deliver messages to the youth, songs about the respect for the elders and also reflections of the ever-changing society. He sings in the \u003cem\u003eboudouma\u003c\/em\u003e language as well as in \u003cem\u003eHausa\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eToubou\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eKanuri\u003c\/em\u003e, all languages spoken in Niger. One of the most moving songs, 'Boulanga', is a song full of loneliness a tragic and emotional story about an old man who misses his friends who have died before him. A woman in Doro Lelewa had a recording of this track performed by the old master Boukar Tar, and she gave it to Mamane Barka as a gift when he was visiting in 2006. Mamane studied the lyrics and the sophisticated way of playing the \u003cem\u003ebiram\u003c\/em\u003e for several months to create a perfect composition, and on this recording the producer Paul Borg has excelled in producing a sound resembling the old master himself sitting in his empty courtyard in a Boudama village thinking about his friends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Introducing","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893168828499,"sku":"INTRO114CD","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893168861267,"sku":"INTRO114DD","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/INTRO114.jpg?v=1770822126"},{"product_id":"think-global-celebrate-africa","title":"Think Global Celebrate Africa","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eThink Global: Celebrate Africa! is produced in association with Oxfam and explores Africa's extraordinarily rich and exuberant musical heritage - a heritage that is thriving from South Africa to Algeria and from Mali to Kenya. Truly the most musical of continents, Africa has so much to celebrate!\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Think Global","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893168926803,"sku":"THINK110CD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/THINK110.jpg?v=1770822130"},{"product_id":"immortal-franco-africas-unrivalled-guitar-legend","title":"Immortal Franco: Africa's Unrivalled Guitar Legend","description":"\u003cp\u003eTwenty years after his untimely passing at the age of 51, Franco Luambo Makiadi continues to cast his larger-than-life shadow over African music. Franco was Africa's greatest, if not the sole, international pan-African music star. By the time of his death in 1989 his music was heard throughout Africa, all over Europe and in North America and the Caribbean as well. His band OK Jazz was arguably the best Africa ever produced, as well as one of the longest-running, with a continual influx and departure of musicians during a thirty-four-year history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sheer number of Franco's recordings is overwhelming in number and in stylistic variety, spanning the Cuban-inspired 1950s, the \u003cem\u003erumba lingala\u003c\/em\u003e of the 1960s, the \u003cem\u003eauthenticité\u003c\/em\u003e and acoustic recordings of the 1970s, and the expansive big bands and lengthy songs of the 1980s. His music reflected all the phases of Congolese pop music over four decades, creating and absorbing trends and influences, as well as establishing innovations and new directions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis album brings together a host of Congolese talent to celebrate such a gargantuan musical legacy. Led by Syran Mbenza, best known for his involvement with Quatre Etoiles and Kekele and widely acknowledged as one of Africa's best guitarists, and saxophone supremo Jimmy Mvondo, this album celebrates Franco's body of work and commemorates the twentieth anniversary of his death.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSyran's unique and masterful style shapes this recording and I have long maintained that he is the greatest interpreter of Franco's guitar style. Not only does he reproduce the fingering and fever of the music, but he improves on it. It is as if Franco is speaking through him, channelling his energy and emotion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor this project, Syran called upon many of the veteran musicians and previous collaborators to recreate a selection from Franco's dauntingly massive repertoire. Some songs are less well-known, here dusted off, polished and held up to the light for our attention to reveal the gems they truly are.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Musicians\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorn 1950 in Kinshasa, \u003cstrong\u003eMingiedi 'Syran' Mbenza\u003c\/strong\u003e grew up hearing Franco's music and taught himself to play guitar in the same style. After learning with African Jazz's 'Docteur Nico' Nicholas Kasanda, Syran was lured to West Africa by his cousin, Sam Mangwana, to forge the short-lived but influential African Allstars (1976-77).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs Zaire struggled under the dysfunctional regime of Mobutu, recording opportunities became impossible and musicians began to migrate to Europe in the 1980s. Syran formed another all-star group in Paris in 1983, with newly expatriated OK Jazz singer Wuta Mayi, Les Kamales' tenor nightingale Nyboma Mwandido and former Afrisa ace rhythm guitarist Bopol Mansiamina. Christened as Quatre Etoiles (Four Stars), the quartet took the new style known as soukous and made it their own, to great international success.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKekele was born in 2000, formed on the inspiration of producer Ibrahima Sylla to mine, and remake, the rumba and acoustic instrumentation of the \u003cem\u003ebelle époque\u003c\/em\u003e of Congolese music's formative years. The group included Wuta, Nyboma, drummer Komba Bellow, Cameroonian saxophonist Jimmy Mvondo and Syran: the electric soukous guitar-slinger, who reinvented his sound on an acoustic guitar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith a mellow French horn of a voice, listening to \u003cstrong\u003eWuta Mayi\u003c\/strong\u003e is like snuggling into your favourite robe and bedroom slippers. Part of OK Jazz from 1974 to 1982, this supremely talented vocalist then relocated to Paris and joined Quatre Etoiles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginally from Bandundu, \u003cstrong\u003eElba Kuluma\u003c\/strong\u003e spent some time with Youlou Mabiala's Kamikaze in Kinshasa in the late 1980s, the reincarnated Bantous de la Capital\/Bantous Monument in Brazzaville in the 1990s, and went on to join the remnants of OK Jazz under the flag of Bana OK. His husky, emotive voice is full of character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSax supremo\u003cstrong\u003e Jimmy Mvondo\u003c\/strong\u003e singlehandedly stands in for the entire mighty OK Jazz brass section here, and acquits himself admirably. His fluid jazz-informed soloing was first heard in the mid-1980s, notably on Quatre Etoiles' first studio recording.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany of the others called to duty here are also found among the Kekele line-up guitarist \u003cstrong\u003eFofo le Collegien\u003c\/strong\u003e trading off solo, rhythm and mi-solo with Syran, \u003cem\u003econguero\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eDeba Sungu\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eViviane Arnoux\u003c\/strong\u003e contributing accordion on the Camille Feruzi song, while Quatre Etoiles rhythm guitarist \u003cstrong\u003eBopol Mansiamina\u003c\/strong\u003e sits in on the rumba medley. Kit drummer \u003cstrong\u003eKomba Bellow Mafwala\u003c\/strong\u003e has also been a constant presence in both Quatre Etoiles and Kekele line-ups.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBallou Canta\u003c\/strong\u003e, who occasionally appeared with Quatre Etoiles, gives a vocal cameo on 'Liwa Ya Franco', accompanied by a soothing harmony from \u003cstrong\u003eKetsia\u003c\/strong\u003e, a female vocalist of French Antillean origin. Bassist \u003cstrong\u003eFlavien Makabi\u003c\/strong\u003e, who was one of the longstanding OK Jazz bass players from 1976, adds authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893169025107,"sku":"TUGCD1050","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893169057875,"sku":"TUGDD1050","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1050.jpg?v=1770822131"},{"product_id":"songhai-blues-homage-to-ali-farka-toure","title":"Songhai Blues: Homage To Ali Farka Touré","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eMalian bluesman Samba Touré is a protégé of the legendary Ali Farka Touré. Touring with Farka Touré, Samba was profoundly influenced and began creating his own style of Songhai Blues. Bursting with energy, this is Samba's tribute to his mentor and the continuation of a desert blues legacy.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"titleNews\"\u003eSonghai Blues - Homage To Ali Farka Touré\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMalian bluesman Samba Touré is a protégé of the legendary Ali Farka Touré (1939-2006), who, known as the African John Lee Hooker, was one of the greatest guitarists of all time and one of the continent's most internationally renowned musicians. When Farka Touré asked Samba to join his band for a world tour in 1997, it proved to be an experience that would inspire him for ever.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEntranced by Farka Touré's own genius blend of traditional Malian music and North American blues, as well as the new musical styles and influences they discovered on the road, he began to develop his own style of blues. Under the mentorship of the Malian legend, Samba launched his own career forming the group Fondo (meaning 'the departure' in the Songhai language). Since then, he has created a unique genre of Songhai Blues, with Farka Touré's profound influence living on in his musical creations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorn on 15 June 1968, Samba grew up in Dabi, a small village in the Tombouctou region of Mali. Samba's father passed away just before his birth, leaving his mother to raise him alongside his brother, Ibrahima 'Bouri' Séré. Although they could not afford formal education, he was surrounded by music from an early age and his mother was one of the first women to sing with the young Ali Farka Touré at the Biennale Festival in Mali.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen he was old enough, Samba left for the Malian capital, Bamako, in the hopes of finding a job. There, he heard the popular guitar-driven dance music of Zaire for the first time and, inspired, began singing and playing guitar in a band called Farafina Lolo (Africa Star), with his brother Bouri on the drums and Baba Simagah on the bass guitar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring that time, he fell in love with the music of Ali Farka Touré, a true original who was transposing the traditional music of his native north Mali and single-handedly bringing the style known as desert blues to an international audience. Samba was entranced by this master from Niafunké (near Tombouctou) and began to play the guitar in the same style, adapting his playing from traditional string instruments on to an electric guitar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Farafina Lolo split up in the mid-1990s, Samba briefly joined another group, Super Lolo, before leaving in order to concentrate on composing. In 1997, Farka Touré offered him the unique opportunity to tour with him as part of his band. Delighted, Samba accepted and, while touring across Europe and the USA, his mentor opened his eyes to a variety of new influences. Farka Touré inspired him to create his own blues style and, on his return to Mali, formed Fondo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFondo includes Zoumana Tereta, a master of the \u003cem\u003esokou\u003c\/em\u003e (a traditional Malian violin), Oumar Barou Diallo on bass guitar, Hamma Sankaré on \u003cem\u003ecalabash\u003c\/em\u003e and Samba's brother Bouri on the drums. The youngest member of the band, Djimé Sissoko, is the little brother of the great Baba Sissoko, and can be heard on the \u003cem\u003egnoni\u003c\/em\u003e (a four-string guitar) and the \u003cem\u003etamani\u003c\/em\u003e (talking drum). Together, they have played at numerous African festivals, with the bassist Baba Simagah and the conga player Oumar Touré (who was a longtime player with Ali Farka Touré) joining the line-up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSamba Touré creates a harmonious blend of River Niger blues, traditional Songhai themes and Western influences. Like most Malian songs, Samba's lyrics convey moral messages as well as introducing us to different elements of Malian culture, such as the importance of family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBursting with energy, Samba Touré's music continues the blues legacy of the late, great Ali Farka Touré. 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Inspired by the music he regularly performs in Le Marigot, his popular Dakar club, this album showcases his stunning compositions based in the Fula traditions from the south of Senegal, incorporating the sumptuous sounds of the West African kora, balafon and acoustic guitar.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan style=\"line-height: 31px font-size: 24px;\"\u003eNalankobeh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"news_entry\"\u003e\u003cobject width=\"640\" height=\"390\"\u003e\u003cparam name=\"movie\" value=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/ya_yI5I8TVc\u0026amp;;amphl=en_US\u0026amp;;ampfeature=player_embedded\u0026amp;;ampversion=3\"\u003e\n\u003cparam name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\"\u003e\n\u003cparam name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\"\u003e\n\u003cembed type=\"application\/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/ya_yI5I8TVc\u0026amp;;amphl=en_US\u0026amp;;ampfeature=player_embedded\u0026amp;;ampversion=3\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" width=\"640\" height=\"390\"\u003e\u003c\/object\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"news_entry\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"titleNews\"\u003eDaby Balde\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"news_entry\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing his highly acclaimed first album, Daby Balde returns with more haunting melodies and gently lilting rhythms on \u003cem\u003eLe Marigot Club, Dakar\u003c\/em\u003e. Long celebrated at home in Senegal for his smooth and hypnotic voice, this album features the music that Daby performs regularly in Le Marigot Club, his popular venue in Dakar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDaby's stunning compositions and arrangements are based in the Fula traditions from the south of Senegal and Le Marigot Club is one of the few places in Dakar where Fula music (as opposed to the more commonly heard \u003cem\u003embalax\u003c\/em\u003e) can be heard. A cultural and musical hotspot that's always full of characters and awash with energy, Daby regularly performs there to a packed-out crowd. Often bursting at the seams with good music, and a regular haunt for those in the know, this album includes a buy one drink, get one free voucher at Le Marigot Club, valid until the end of 2010.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNamed after the Marigot, a river which runs through Daby's home region of Kolda and on whose banks he spent his childhood, Daby opened his club with the intention of preserving his Fula musical traditions. One of his main aspirations is to keep African roots and culture alive and to teach the younger generation about their rich musical culture, and as well as performing at Le Marigot Club he also plays other venues around Senegal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMoutarou 'Daby' Balde was born on 26 April 1969 in the city of Kolda, Fouladou (an area of the Casamance region in south Senegal). Separated from the arid north of the country by the Gambia, the verdant southern region of Casamance is a world apart, culturally and musically. A lush, almost tropical area famous for its deep roots in ancestral values and customs, there is a strong Mandinka presence in the area, which has produced many of the great \u003cem\u003ekora\u003c\/em\u003e players.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDaby attended the Koranic School in Kolda and, at the age of 11, often used to sing and compose folkloric songs for numerous traditions, such as circumcisions, burning the midnight oil and wrestling ceremonies. Born into a noble family, Daby encountered many family difficulties with his choice to pursue a musical career, and when he left school in 1987 he decided to go into exile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter spending six months in Guinea, he briefly returned home before going to Gambia for six years. He worked as a taxi driver and began learning the guitar with the help of an English VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas) teacher, who gave him his first guitar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEventually, he returned home in 1994, when an audition with Kolda Regional Orchestra established him as their lead vocalist. After nine months, he travelled to Dakar and began performing regularly there and back home in Kolda. And, after performing in a large concert organized by the Belgian NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) Vredensaleiden in Senegal, he was invited to perform at Flanders Ethno festival and Draunter festival in Belgium.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe release of his debut album \u003cem\u003eIntroducing Daby Balde\u003c\/em\u003e in 2005 saw the growth of his international fan base and was championed by some of the bastions of the world music scene. The BBC's Charlie Gillett, for example, found the album 'astonishingly good \u0026amp;;hellip an endlessly satisfying experience'. Daby was invited to perform widely across the UK during the summer of 2006 and 2007 and he performed at the WOMAD, Africa Oyé, Larmer Tree and Blues On The Farm festivals, as well as at the celebrated world music venue Momo's, in London.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDaby's music draws on his life experiences, his travels and his Fouladou culture, which, due to the ethnic diversity of the Casamance region and its surrounding countries (Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Gambia), lends the music a particular rhythm (quite different to that of the Dakar sound). 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They are the only group in the world to combine the cultures of the Wodaabe and Touareg people from Niger, and together they create a wholly unique blend of nomadic blues.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNiger has served as a crossroads between the Arabs of North Africa and the sub-Saharan traditions for thousands of years. Located south of Algeria and north of Nigeria, it is an area of incredibly rich musical and cultural heritage. The Touareg (renowned around the world as desert nomads) and Wodaabe (distinctive in their colourful traditional dress and striking face paints) are just two of eleven tribes in the area.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite different heritages and languages, Etran Finatawa, meaning 'the stars of tradition', are the first ever group to use the songs and music of the Wodaabe in a modern context. 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It felt that this album would be a new step on the road of their exciting musical journey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was not until July - in the middle of a hectic tour of the USA and Europe - that the five herdsmen began recording \u003cem\u003eTarkat Tajje\/Let's Move!\u003c\/em\u003e in England. Bagui was explaining the lyrics of 'Duuniyaaru Dillii' to me and I was struck by the maturity that Etran Finatawa have reached since they first began making music together:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLife is always changing, life is so strange and sometimes it seems unreal\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eIt makes one frightened \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eWe want to work, to study, we want to make relationships, \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eget to know everything and to feel good\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eBut life is always surprising and sometimes misleading and always changing\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEtran Finatawa use music as a means to communicate their thoughts and philosophies. Their last album, \u003cem\u003eDesert Crossroads\u003c\/em\u003e, was an exploration of the realities of being a nomad in a changing society, but this new album reaches a whole new philosophical level. They have begun to explore their role as human beings and cultural ambassadors in a society of continuous global change. \u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis album is more than a statement. It is an appeal to a global consciousness and to the decision makers and reactors all over the world. As Alhousseini says in 'Imuzaran':\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThose who are leading the world \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003epay attention to the tears of the children of this world \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003ethat you are spending every morning \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eand the tears of the women and the men. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eBecause you are responsible for wars and the men dying. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eChildren have lost their fathers and wives their husbands. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003ePay attention to this because it is you sending those men to wars. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eYou are responsible for the tears falling every morning. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEtran Finatawa are sending out a powerful message. They demand to be heard, and when I'm listening to them recording the poignant 'Ummee Ndaaren' ('Stand Up And Go For The Right Thing'), I feel that it would be nigh on impossible not to listen...Sandra van Edig\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor more information visit \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etranfinatawa.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ewww.etranfinatawa.com\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePress Quotes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Together, they create a deep desert blues that calls out into the Sahara and pulls the voices of western Africa into a powerful, riveting sound' \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeattle Weekly\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'driving, gloriously repetitive, traditional music mixed with some of the slickest and most beautiful electric guitar imaginable... they combine to present a sublime sound' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eSydney Morning Herald\u003c\/em\u003e, 4****stars\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'unlike anything we've heard from other 'desert blues' bands before' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eSonglines\u003c\/em\u003e, 4****stars\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'a sterling canon of recordings to match their compulsive live performances' \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003efRoots\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\"","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893169483859,"sku":"TUGCD1055","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893169516627,"sku":"TUGDD1055","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1055.jpg?v=1770822141"},{"product_id":"the-sahara-sessions","title":"The Sahara Sessions","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eThe Sahara Sessions was recorded deep in the desert. Sheltered only by an animal-skin tent and the vast canopy of midnight stars, Etran Finatawa played their guitars and sang straight from the heart.  Each poignant song and every slap of the calabash drum articulating the deep-set divisions in the Sahel region that are threatening their Nomad way of life.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMore Etran Finatawa on WMN: \u003ca href=\"\/etranfinatawa\"\u003ewww.worldmusic.net\/etranfinatawa\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'tightly structured songs are mixed with passages of thrilling improvisation... the album brims with a contagious freedom' 4****stars, Top Of The World, \u003cem\u003eSonglines\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'this has an authentic intimacy which some recordings of desert blues bands haven't had...' 4.5 stars, \u003cem\u003eThe NZ Herald\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'it can feel as though the music is being made right in the room with you'\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003cem\u003e7.1 Pitchfork\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e8\/10, \u003cem\u003eUncut\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/2013\/07\/27\/205534535\/in-a-desert-encampment-songs-of-a-vanishing-way-of-life\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eListen to Etran Finatawa on NPR: 'In A Desert Encampment, Songs Of A Vanishing Way Of Life'\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F89963755\u0026amp;;ampsecret_token=s-OMpsF\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Sahara Sessions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimmering political troubles and excruciating economic hardship pose a dangerous threat to the nomadic way of life and the rich cultures of Niger. Divining their solution to these issues, Etran Finatawa celebrate their diverse heritage and call for its preservation to be a priority for Nigeriens and listeners the world over.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Sahara Sessions\u003c\/em\u003e opens with 'Matinfa', a gently rippling introduction peppered with traditional percussion \u003cem\u003etend\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eé, \u003c\/em\u003ecalabash and \u003cem\u003eazakalabó\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e(a calabash\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003edrum that floats in water) drums are all heard. The song title translates as 'What Is This For?' and is the first signifier of the album's intent to comment on the tumultuous status of the Sahel region today. Although Niger has displayed a firm opposition to separatism that plagued neighbouring country Mali in 2012, the troubles have inevitably caused insecurity in the Sahel region and the threat to the countries rich and varied cultures is a very real concern. Etran Finatawa's members are of Tuareg and Wodaabe heritages - neighboring tribes that both live as nomads. Water shortages and land disputes have led to deep-set economic issues that cause conflict and misunderstanding across communities. The work Etran Finatawa do to promote unity and understanding is invaluable. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe album presents a collection of tracks: some fixed compositions developed and created by the band and others spontaneous improvisations that capture the spirit of the tent recordings.  Songs such as 'An Mataf Germanawen' (Union) and 'Issuad' (Let's Come Together) patiently call for attention to be paid to the political situation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVarious guests also join then band on the album - arrangements that occurred organically and were spontaneously initiated. One of these, a Tuareg percussionist by the name of Ayouba arrived at the camp one night, revving out of the darkness on his motorbike. Before long Ayouba had set up his \u003cem\u003ecalabash \u003c\/em\u003edrum and was spreading his contagious high-energy vibe like wildfire. His articulations can be heard on the three tracks 'Matinfa',  'Icheraid Azaman' and 'Toumast'. 'Wa Oyan A Wa Imouss I Bastila' is an excerpt from an improvisation with Abdourahaman Ag Ibrahim, a well-known local \u003cem\u003egriot\u003c\/em\u003e (praise-singer and oral historian), who came to visit the tent where Etran Finatawa were recording.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEtran Finatawa are as captivating as the horizon-stretching desert where the pitched their tent to record. Like the desert their music stretches out across the sands of time and culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg title=\"Etran Finatawa\" src=\"\/media\/image-bank\/orig\/489.jpg\" alt=\"Etran Finatawa\" width=\"700\" height=\"465\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893169713235,"sku":"TUG1071CD","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893169746003,"sku":"TUG1071DD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1071.jpg?v=1770822147"},{"product_id":"crocodile-blues","title":"Crocodile Blues","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSamba Touré is the Malian guitarist, vocalist and composer whose distinctive style is widely regarded both at home and abroad as both reflecting and enhancing the enduring legacy of the legendary Ali Farka Touré. So it was that, in 2010, Toumani Diabaté turned to Samba to play alongside him on his 'Ali Farka Touré Variations Tour'. It seemed a natural choice to pass the baton to Samba and have him represent Ali Farka Touré's guitar style on the tour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecorded on visits back to Mali, \u003cem\u003eCrocodile Blues\u003c\/em\u003e is Samba Touré's second international release and a giant leap forward for the Malian bluesman. His carefully crafted compositions demonstrate his own style, through his use of a variety of colours, languages, rhythms and feelings. Many of the songs represent different ethnicities and regions, as Samba sings for peace and unity in Mali.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecording \u003cem\u003eCrocodile Blues\u003c\/em\u003e in Bamako was a real pleasure. The studio sessions took place during Ramadan and were scheduled for the evening time to aid the flow of the music. The relaxed surroundings and close relationships of all those involved in the recording is reflected in the final result. When they weren't in the studio, the musicians would spend time in manager Philippe's home, listening to the work in progress. They would all give their input on new ideas, new arrangements, new approaches, ready for the next studio session. It involved a lot of talking, a lot of tea and coffee and a lot of laughter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLongtime friend and bandmate Baba Simaga played in Samba's earlier band, Farafina Lolo, and on this project lends his hand to recording, production and playing bass. For Samba, working with Baba is like working with family. Also part of the recording was Oumar Touré, the longtime congas player for Ali Farka Touré. Bouri Séré grew up playing modern drums, but left the instrument in order to concentrate on the calabash for a more authentic \u003cem\u003esonra\u0026amp;;iuml\u003c\/em\u003e sound, while the youngest member of the band, Djimé Sissoko, plays \u003cem\u003engoni\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003etamani\u003c\/em\u003e (talking drum) and, despite his age, is one of the greatest \u003cem\u003etamani\u003c\/em\u003e players in Bamako.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith these musicians, Samba has created an album of relaxed beauty and plenty of heart. He remains a man of great friendship and fidelity. He sings songs of tribute to close friends, as well as songs of love to his wife and dedications to children and their mothers. Samba celebrates the role of women in the lives of their families and also the life of a nation. Many great women have been pivotal in the development of Mali, and Samba pays tribute to them on the track 'Moussoya', accompanied by Oumou Sangaré as a special guest vocalist.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.samba-toure.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.samba-toure.com\/\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.myspace.com\/sambatoure\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kkMHdmDR9N8\" width=\"520\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Wf5DAI8EbeM\" width=\"520\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893169975379,"sku":"TUGCD1059","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893170008147,"sku":"TUGDD1059","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1059.jpg?v=1770822149"},{"product_id":"the-rough-guide-to-african-roots-revival","title":"The Rough Guide To African Roots Revival","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eThis Rough Guide spotlights the front-runners of an explosive revival of African roots music. Listen to world-class artists, such as Staff Benda Bilili and the Bedouin Jerry Can Band, mix it up by infusing traditional sounds with the ultra modern, and by using ingenious homemade instruments, many of which are built from junk-yard materials. These are the sweet sounds of a movement which has not simply preserved, but truly reinvented musical genres with outstanding results.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eAfrican Roots Revival\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Rough Guide spotlights the front-runners of an explosive revival of African roots music, artists who have not simply preserved, but truly reinvented musical genres with outstanding results. Many of the bands included here feature innovative homemade instruments built from junk-yard materials such as fuel cans, bicycle wires and oil canisters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe opening track on the album by the charismatic and boisterous group Staff Benda Bilili, features the astonishing skills of Roger Landu on \u003cem\u003esatonge\u003c\/em\u003e. The music is part Cuban rumba, part funk, part blues, all rolled up into one fantastic Benda Bilili mix. The Zulu\u003cem\u003e igogogo\u003c\/em\u003e king Shiyani Ncgobo also makes an appearance on 'Sevelina'. True to \u003cem\u003emasakanda\u003c\/em\u003e form, the track features an opening instrumental section filled with ornament and flourish, followed by a fast picked section and, later, a recitative passage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Bedouin Jerry Can Band play improvised percussion made from rubbish items sourced from their homeland, the Egyptian Sinai Desert. They work the hollow resonant hits of jerry cans, ammunition boxes and coffee jugs into their hypnotic music. Two infamous Congolese bands Kasai All Stars and Konono No 1 can be heard intoning their loopy, mesmerising trance-inducing style on this Rough Guide. Whilst Mamane Barka treats us to the sounds of the \u003cem\u003ebiram\u003c\/em\u003e, a deep, resonant harp accompanied by traditional percussion - the \u003cem\u003edouma, kalangou\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ecalabash.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe full-length bonus album from the Kenyan group Kenge Kenge provides an engaging exploration of the acoustic origins of \u003cem\u003ebenga\u003c\/em\u003e and the Luo musical heritage. The music featured on this Rough Guide popularizes traditional music and simultaneously reinvents it. These are the excellently infectious sounds of the past, present and future all at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nXzoP_Kb1d8\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"520\" height=\"382\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Rough Guide","offers":[{"title":"2xCD","offer_id":12893170073683,"sku":"RGNET1269CD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":12893170139219,"sku":"RGNET1269LP","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":27667831062611,"sku":"RGNET1269DD","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/RGNET1269.jpg?v=1770822152"},{"product_id":"the-rough-guide-to-psychedelic-africa","title":"The Rough Guide To Psychedelic Africa","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eFar-out psychedelic-sounding rock mixed with a thick dollop of deep funk and soul was massively popular during the 1960s and 1970s in Africa. This Rough Guide features some hand-picked gems from the archive such as Victor Uwaifo and Balla Et Ses Balladins, and includes tracks by unstoppable psychedelic veterans Ebo Taylor and Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, who are still releasing top-quality mind-bending grooves today.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1960s and 1970s across Africa were decades defined by bright optimism and clashing sensibilities. Music plunged through the heart of this dynamic time and was a powerful tool of expression. Far-out psychedelic-sounding rock mixed with a thick dollop of deep funk and soul became the sound of a generation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn this Rough Guide Nigerian guitar maestro Sir Victor Uwaifo employs the sweet harmonies and gently lilting textures of highlife, mixed with echoing horns and distorted guitar lines, resulting in a heady psychedelic brew. His seminal track 'Guitar Boy', included on this album, was a huge hit in 1966. Celestine Ukwu's gentle track 'Obialu Be Onye Abiagbunia Okwukwe' also includes a highlife groove, played at a laid-back tempo and teasingly interspersed with swooping, bent notes played on a pedal steel guitar. On 'Let Yourself Go', Olaiya rasps and growls his vocals above tightly stacked horn lines that, along with the percussion, pound out a straight-ahead groove.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEast African psychedelic music often has a darker, jazzier feel, inferred from the use of traditional modes and harmonies. Hailing from Ethiopia, Al\u0026amp;;egravemay\u0026amp;;egravehu Esh\u0026amp;;egraveté's music is brooding Ethio-jazz with a splash of psychedelia in the form of a winding high-pitched guitar, a booming amplified bass line and interjecting keyboard figures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Rough Guide also includes music from musicians who have successfully re-launched their careers on the contemporary 'world music' scene. Enjoy the revived retro sounds of Orchestra Baobab, Orchestre Poly-Rythmo and Ebo Taylor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo top it all off this original compilation comes with a full-length bonus album from none other than Sir Victor Uwaifo himself. First recorded in 1971, enjoy \u003cem\u003eEkassa \u003c\/em\u003ein fully re-mastered splendour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8mBaIC0-cus\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"520\" height=\"382\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Rough Guide","offers":[{"title":"2xCD","offer_id":12893170204755,"sku":"RGNET1270CD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":27667831947347,"sku":"RGNET1270DD","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/RGNET1270.jpg?v=1770822154"},{"product_id":"ethiopia-super-krar","title":"Ethiopia Super Krar","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eKrar Collective serve up mind-blowing Ethiopian grooves on this excellent debut. Armed with their krar, kebero drums and stunning vocals, they have created Ethiopia Super Krar - an album rooted in tradition, and soaked with attitude.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'one of the most rousing, reliable new African bands of the year' \u003cem\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'There's something about the soulful bluesy sound that has a wide appeal... captivating' 4****stars, \u003cem\u003eThe Evening Standard\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'rousing, driving songs... a no-nonsense set that provides a reminder of the great African music to be found in the UK' 3*** stars, \u003cem\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'the fireworks are spectacular' 3***stars, \u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Financial Times\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'primed to deliver a raw, yet updated blast of Ethiopian Blues' 3***stars,\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Songlines\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lGFrPGSWi4E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eEthiopia Super Krar\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEthiopia Super Krar\u003c\/em\u003e is Krar Collective's dazzling debut release. The unstoppable trio, dubbed 'the White Stripes of Ethiopia' for their minimalist rocky sound, are favourites on the London and increasingly on the international live circuit. They are renowned for dynamic performances of their contagious music and equally infectious dance moves. \u003cem\u003eEthiopia Super Krar\u003c\/em\u003e was recorded to tape on an original 1960s 24-track reel to reel machine, an approach which helped to capture Krar Collective's music as close as possible to the live experience- the sound is real and honest, not a manufactured perfection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe instrumental line-up features the \u003cem\u003ekrar\u003c\/em\u003e and bass \u003cem\u003ekrar \u003c\/em\u003elyre, \u003cem\u003ekebero \u003c\/em\u003edrums, a one stringed \u003cem\u003emasenqo \u003c\/em\u003efiddle, and a \u003cem\u003ewashint \u003c\/em\u003eflute\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003eaccompanying the band's distinctive vocals. Band leader Temesgen Zeleke and Genet Assefa share lead singer role. Genet is magnetic in performance and recording - her soaring ululations and perfectly delivered melodies fill the spacious sound. Temesgen Zeleke is a revolutionary \u003cem\u003ekrar\u003c\/em\u003e player - standing to strum and pick his electrified instrument, often kneeling to the floor during his killer solos in intense Hendrix fashion, all on just six open strings. As a young student Temesgen was mentored and encouraged by legendary Ethio-jazzman Mulatu Astatke, and an instrumental arrangement by Astatke features on \u003cem\u003eEthiopia Super Krar. \u003c\/em\u003eThe famous Ethiopian actress Asnakech Worku, who pioneered the \u003cem\u003ekrar\u003c\/em\u003e as an accompaniment to her emotional ballads during the 1960s and 70s, is also paid a tribute via a cover of her spine-tingling song 'Endye Eyerusalem'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther songs in the repertoire are traditional and represent different Ethiopian tribes. The names of the tracks ('Ambassel', Guragigna', 'Konso', 'Oromigna', 'Wello', 'Welaita') are related to the names of ethnic groups or geographical regions. 'Tizita' is a ballad form in Ethiopian music associated with remembering loved ones and the 'King of Tizita' Mahmoud Ahmed, and 'Ete-mete' is a children's song.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKrar Collective present their sound and their philosophy - rural music in urban clothes, and a belief Ethiopian traditions need to be respected, enjoyed and preserved. Influenced by their London home - in 2012 they represent Ethiopia in the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad - their Ethiopian roots and their own abounding creative streak, they are setting the scene alight with 2012 shows in India, Canada, Germany, Finland, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, and Poland even before their first album release- \u003cem\u003eEthiopia Super Krar \u003c\/em\u003elooks set to spread their fire even wider and even wilder!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yIXbHi07o7s\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893170335827,"sku":"TUGCD1060","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893170368595,"sku":"TUGDD1060","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":12893170401363,"sku":"TUG1060LP","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1060.jpg?v=1770822157"},{"product_id":"highlife-roots-revival","title":"Highlife Roots Revival","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eKoo Nimo is one of the last true veterans of highlife roots and palm-wine music, which dominated Ghana's popular music scene throughout much of the twentieth century. Recorded in his backyard at home in Accra, expect acoustic guitars and rolling percussion all topped off with his gentle story-teller singing style.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eKoo Nimo\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePalm-wine's\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003estance as an early roots version of highlife is historically important and musically fascinating. By delving deep into Koo Nimo's narrative style you can trace out the link to the melodious strains of Prince Nico Mbarga and, subsequently, the heady didactic Afrobeat of Fela Kuti, and even further to the current-day exponents of the highlife\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003ehip-hop fusion, hip-life\u003cem\u003e. \u003c\/em\u003eNimo's music effortlessly revives the beautiful roots of highlife once more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKoo Nimo was born in 1934 in the Ashanti region of Ghana. By his early twenties, and by the time Ghana had achieved independence (1957), he was well respected across the nation for his gentle acoustic approach and versatile skill. During the 1960s he studied science in London and schooled himself in several diverse musical styles, including Western classical music and flamenco guitar technique. He is also a keen jazz fan and holds a deep respect for the music of American pianist Thelonious Monk. Though well versed in multiple genres, Nimo's own music remains firmly in classic palm-wine\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003estyle. Ensuring the continuation of tradition is a sentiment he holds dear, and one he instils in his music. 'Old Man Plants A Coconut Tree' is an ode to the virtues of preserving tradition - the lyrics intone, 'Grandson, I know I won't live to see the fruits of my labour. Because of you, and children yet unborn, I am planting the coconut tree'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow approaching his eighties, the music on this album showcases Nimo's relaxed style, and is his first recording with a large ensemble. The line-up here includes guitars, \u003cem\u003eseprewa\u003c\/em\u003e, traditional drums, percussion and an accompanying vocal group. On the track 'Medley: Anansi Song Story\/Bear, What Is the Matter With You?\/Hornbill', you can hear the full ensemble in rich polyphony. Other tracks draw on varying traditional influences, such as the 'Adowa Palm-Wine Set' based on \u003cem\u003eadowa \u003c\/em\u003erhythms. Or 'Praise Song For Otumfuo Osei Tutu 2\u003csup\u003end\u003c\/sup\u003e', a song composed for a court occasion that praises the first Ashanti King Osei Tutu and the Asantehene, the present King.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhilst listening to \u003cem\u003eHighlife Roots Revival\u003c\/em\u003e, you might be surprised to hear the faint crowing of a rooster or the distant murmur of a child's voice bubbling underneath the guitars. But rest assured: it is no accident that these sounds were left in the mix they were captured during a series of recording sessions, which took place in Koo Nimo's courtyard at home in Ghana. Adding a wonderful sense of intimacy to the album, these interjections underline the ethos of palm-wine\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003emusic perfectly. This is, after all, a musical style named after the strong alcoholic drink imbibed at outdoor acoustic sessions, where musicians swapped their songs beneath the starlit sky and where palm-wine\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003emusic was born. Join Koo Nimo in the spirit of palm-wine kick back, tap your foot and listen to the stories unfold.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-size: 24px font-weight: bold line-height: 31px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893170466899,"sku":"TUGCD1064","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893170499667,"sku":"TUGDD1064","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1064.jpg?v=1770822160"},{"product_id":"anewal-the-walking-man","title":"Anewal\/The Walking Man","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eOn Anewal\/The Walking Man Tuareg guitarist and singer Alhousseini Anivolla evokes the great African blues masters and blazes a trail through his Saharan homeland.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDebut release by Etran Finatawa guitarist \u0026amp; singer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'full of smouldering guitar licks' 3***stars\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eFT.com\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3***stars\u003c\/strong\u003e The Independent \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'throbs with desert guitar tropes given a bluesy twist, thick basslines and deep, reverberating vocals full of inscrutable myth and mystery' 7\/10 \u003cem\u003eUncut\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e'Alhousseini's debut is in a different league' 3*** stars, \u003cem\u003eThe Financial Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'desert rock becomes an introspective affair on this debut' 3*** stars, \u003cem\u003eIndependent On Sunday \u003c\/em\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'subtle nuanced arrangements ... a move towards an intimacy of sound' \u003cem\u003eThe Arts Desk\u003c\/em\u003e, Disc Of The Day\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'New gorgeous Tuareg desert blue' \u003cem\u003eAfropop Worldwide\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1zfgQG3-TdY\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eAnewal\/The Walking Man\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis album was recorded in Niamey, the hustling-bustling capital of Niger. As the city hummed with heat and thick dust storms rolled in, Alhousseini Mohamed Anivolla and his good friend Michel Tranchet recorded the music heard here. Next, Colin Bass painstakingly tweaked, mixed and cultivated the swinging bluesy sounds with his expert touch. Their careful efforts resulted in \u003cem\u003eAnewal\/The Walking Man, \u003c\/em\u003ea solo album soaked in the spirit of deep desert blues.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlhousseini was born in the Saharan desert and is a nomad of Tuareg heritage. He chose the album title \u003cem\u003eAnewal\/The Walking Man \u003c\/em\u003ein reference to his itinerant lifestyle, which has led him across the Sahara and the entire globe as a member of Etran Finatawa. Now on \u003cem\u003eAnewal\/The Walking Man\u003c\/em\u003e, Alhousseini takes centre stage - every work is his own original composition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlhous' sound puts his own spin on the great living tradition, the 'Desert Blues'. His music explores the intersection between the traditional music of his homeland, and the African-American blues genre that it birthed. His guitar technique is related to the \u003cem\u003eichumar\u003c\/em\u003e style, developed during the 1970s by Tuaregs exiled in Libya.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe album's central theme concerns Alhousseini's strong connection to his ancestral elders and his community, values that are expressed both lyrically and musically. 'Emassli Na Taregh' features a traditional musical bow that Alhousseini feels puts him in direct contact with the ancestors. The title of the track 'Iblis Odouad' translates as 'Demons Are Showing Up', Alhousseini explains: 'When the sun is coming down ... you hear all the demons talking at once in different languages. You feel alone, isolated and so homesick if you are not surrounded by your dear ones at this time.' Again we are reminded that, for Alhousseini home isn't dictated by place, but only by community and the company of your loved ones. The track opens with a solo guitar figure, which is later joined by a thick bassline and cantering percussion. After over a minute of instrumental interplay, Alhousseini's vocal enters in a soft, almost hushed tone that conjures up an air of solitude perfectly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAnewal\/The Walking Man\u003c\/em\u003e is Alhousseini's diary of his personal journey from the desert, to the city, to the world stage and back again. Enjoy this evocative and gutsy desert blues album from Alhousseini, who is, in his own words a 'nomad by heart'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg title=\"Alhousseini Anivolla\" src=\"\/media\/image-bank\/orig\/153.jpg\" alt=\"Alhousseini Anivolla\" width=\"700\" height=\"439\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893170597971,"sku":"TUGCD1067","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893170630739,"sku":"TUGDD1067","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1067.jpg?v=1770822162"},{"product_id":"junk-funk","title":"Junk Funk","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eSotho Sounds are funky shepherds from the Kingdom of Lesotho who have quite literally invented their own music, crafted their own instruments and now continue to follow their own mission - turning junk into funk.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'a sound that is both innovative and traditional, an extraordinary mix ... a joyous cacophony' 4****stars\/Top Of The World \u003cem\u003eSonglines\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Their approach may be rough and ready but their energy and enthusiasm are contagious ... I'd like to see them live' \u003cem\u003eThe Guardian\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Staff Benda Bilili and Konono No 1 have set the homemade instrumentalist's bar high, but this lot leap it with easy grace' \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Independent\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eSotho Sounds: Junk Funk\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJunk Funk\u003c\/em\u003e is Sotho Sounds debut album and perfectly captures the excitement and humorous bounce of their live performances. The eccentric band met whilst shepherding in the lofty hills of Lesotho, a landlocked enclave surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. \u003cem\u003eJunk Funk\u003c\/em\u003e is one of the first international recordings to come from Lesotho and is set to spread the unmistakeable Sotho Sounds worldwide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe band plays instruments crafted out of recycled materials. Their guitars are made from tin-cans and bicycle wire, and rattle melodiously alongside the fuzzed ring of one-string fiddles and the thud and boom of their drums. Atop the mix, swinging unison vocals bring to mind the hugely popular choral tradition of Lesotho. Sotho Sounds also weave the sounds of their everyday life into the music - listen closely and you can hear everything from the jangle of their home-made guitars, to the hum and shatter of the percussion, to the bark of a dog, an accordion, whistles and more. Stumbling across the band, don't be surprised to find them in traditional Basotho blankets, or instead decked out in gumboots, rainbow-framed shades and, if you are lucky, a neon-pink wig.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe subject matter of their lively songs draws on the social issues and experiences of their everyday lives at home in Lesotho and while travelling abroad. 'Something To Think About' was inspired by their travels in England. Amused by everyone constantly asking them, 'How are you?' and 'What are you thinking?', they decided to write a song in order to give them 'something to think about'. 'Ha Kele Monateng' translates as 'When I'm Happy' and is a bright, positive number with catchy call-and-response vocals. 'Ntheke Ntheke' (or 'The Sun Is About To Set') is a stunning a cappella track that is reminiscent of South African \u003cem\u003eisicathamiya\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSotho Sounds cite the influence of Basotho traditional music and South African pop, especially the bubblegum pop stylings of Brenda Fassie. Yet ultimately the band is remarkable because of their fierce innovative streak - they have literally built their music from the ground up. Their home-made sound bestows their music with a deeply personal edge - every fibre of the sound was crafted by them, from the slap of the strings, to the crash of drums, to the call of the voice. This is raw Sotho Sounds. Let the \u003cem\u003eJunk Funk\u003c\/em\u003e revolution begin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SPGvJbhAVS0\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"525\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893170729043,"sku":"TUGCD1066","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893170761811,"sku":"TUGDDD1066","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1066.jpg?v=1770822164"},{"product_id":"the-village","title":"The Village","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eMonoswezi's music sounds fresh and wide-open: traits that owe to the bands marvelously multi-cultural inspirations. Expect gentle mbira, looping percussion, memorable sung melodies, and subtle saxophone.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Even though we're only a week into January, I feel confident their strikingly atmospheric debut album \u003cem\u003eThe Village\u003c\/em\u003e will be on my end-of-year list for 2013' \u003cem\u003eThe Independent\u003c\/em\u003e, UK\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg style=\"float: right;\" title=\"Songlines Award Nominee\" src=\"\/media\/image-bank\/orig\/591.png\" alt=\"Songlines Award Nominee\" width=\"206\" height=\"50\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/196410737%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-LM39B\u0026amp;;ampcolor=ff5500\u0026amp;;ampauto_play=false\u0026amp;;amphide_related=false\u0026amp;;ampshow_comments=true\u0026amp;;ampshow_user=true\u0026amp;;ampshow_reposts=false\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" frameborder=\"no\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'A hypnotic blend of Norwegian saxophone and Zimbabwean mbira' 4**** stars, \u003cem\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e 'The songs are traditional, given life by the supple, at times spectacular vocals... Classy stuff' 4**** stars, \u003cem\u003eThe Observer \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e'The Village largely whispers rather than shouts, and it's all the more powerful for it' 4**** stars, \u003cem\u003eThe Independent On Sunday\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCNN - \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/video\/#\/video\/bestoftv\/2013\/01\/28\/exp-nr-monoswezi-intv.cnn?iref=allsearch\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eInterview and feature\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'A fine recording... Breaking moulds of both gender and nationality' 4****stars, \u003cem\u003eSonglines\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FQe32namyQs\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eMonoswezi - The Village\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Village, \u003c\/em\u003eMonoswezi's debut album, is a collection of rearranged Zimbabwean traditional songs blended with a cool Nordic edge. What the band prize about Zimbabwean music is its inherent openness, a quality that shares much with that fresh airy feel inherent in the Scandinavian jazz sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreatively they carve a musical link that not only sounds entirely new, but crosses the oceans, eschews politics and embraces wholeheartedly the values of cross-cultural collaboration. With members hailing from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Norway and Sweden the boundary-crossing band's sound is entirely unique. Articulated \u003cem\u003embira \u003c\/em\u003erings out atop colourful woodwind and the gentle rhythm section.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe music is structured via looping cyclical riffs that lock down into solid rhythmic patterns. The band describes their music as 'strong', a term that communicates well the steady, circuitous nature of the music. It is an idea that has been a source of interest for other composers, including minimalist maestros Philip Glass and Steve Reich, whose parallel influence can be heard on works such as the cell-like track 'Metal Drum'. Here the atmosphere conjures up the same spooky, anticipatory feeling as Glass's \u003cem\u003eGlassworks\u003c\/em\u003e or Reich's \u003cem\u003eMusic for Pieces of Wood\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHope Masike, who can be heard playing \u003cem\u003embira\u003c\/em\u003e and singing throughout the album, is a remarkable musician, trained in traditional music, jazz, dance, and more. Not only can she interlock tight rhythms while singing with a smooth unforced voice, but she is one of a relatively small number of females who play the \u003cem\u003embira\u003c\/em\u003e. Following in the footsteps of pioneers such as Stella Chiweshe, Hope plays the instrument - which has historically been male-dominated - with pride. Hallvard Godal's saxophone technique is clean and unadorned, a sound that locks in perfectly with the struck aesthetic of the \u003cem\u003embira\u003c\/em\u003e. Calu contributes gentle rolling vocals which he sings in Ronga, his Mozambican mother tongue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eListening to the quirky cool sounds on this collection, the Monoswezi brand is set to expand even further afield, and who knows where their next experiment could take this back-bendingly flexible band.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg title=\"Monoswezi\" src=\"\/media\/image-bank\/orig\/396.jpg\" alt=\"Monoswezi\" width=\"700\" height=\"465\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSong Descriptions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e01 Hondo\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e'Hondo' translates as war, and the lyrics to this song are a lament for those who suffer from conflict. As well as political and military clashes, the words also reflect on the war against AIDS, a devastating illness which around 14% of people live with in Zimbabwe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e02 Ndinewe \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e'Ndinewe' is a praise song. The lyrics tell of contentment, and the singer relays the message that no matter what sorrows befall them, they will be happy and joyful throughout life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e03 Kuenda Mbire\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e'Kuenda Mbire' means 'going to a new place'. This traditional song is mostly sung at funerals, and tells of a mysterious other world to which the dead shall pass on to.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e04 Mapfunde \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eThis song borrows the chorus from is a traditional children's song that says 'Let's roast the sorghum and get ready for a party'. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e05 Kalahari \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eThis song was inspired by a \u003cem\u003embira\u003c\/em\u003e that band member Hallvard found at a friend's house. The timbre of the instrument reminded him of the desert.\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e06 Heya!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e'Heya!' is a love song. The lyrics tell of an undying passion, 'Even though they discourage me, I still want to be with you. \/ They say you are poor, but I know you are rich'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e07 Nhemamsasa \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eThis song warns listeners to be prepared, or 'Make hay when the sun still shines', as you never know what is around the corner. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e08 Xitimela \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e'Xitimela' is a celebration song about the Makwyi Festival that takes place in Manhi\u0026amp;;ccedila, Mozambique once a year. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e09 Matue Tue\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eThis song is about a father who is teaching his child playground games and songs. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e10 Metal Drum \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eHere the two main percussion instruments used are a piece of cardboard and an old cooking pot. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Joj7tML76IQ\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893170860115,"sku":"TUG1063CD","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893170892883,"sku":"TUG1063DD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":12893170925651,"sku":"TUG1063LP","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1063.jpg?v=1770822166"},{"product_id":"exile","title":"Exile","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eNuru's music, like the Baye Fall clothes he wears, is a patchwork. Exile, Nuru's third album, charts his experiences living in Europe, far from his Senegalese homeland. Streams of influence from his life in France, his trips to North Africa and his time in urban London run deep throughout his sound. Here, his resonant Moroccan guimbri, along with guitars, kora and calabash, bounce and colour his luxurious deep singing voice.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4****stars,\u003cem\u003e The Independent On Sunday\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xEUd2isYnAg\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNuru Kane's many-sided music is part-Moroccan, part-Senegalese, part-blues, part-whatever else he fancies throwing into the mix - on this album he alternately adds some reggae heat on 'Issoire', a hypnotic \u003cem\u003egnawa\u003c\/em\u003e groove on 'Sadye', and then a flicker of Spaniard gypsy spice on 'Corriendo'. His previous Riverboat records release, \u003cem\u003eSigil\u003c\/em\u003e, was a resounding success and earned him a well-deserved nomination for a BBC 3 Award.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorn in Senegal's hustling bustling capital city Dakar, Nuru built his first guitar in his teens, and began to strum and thrust his fishing-wire strings along in rhythm. As a young musician, Nuru began to explore the beautifully bizarre effects created when juxtaposing different modern styles with his traditional Senegalese singing technique.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNuru is also heavily influenced by \u003cem\u003egnawa\u003c\/em\u003e, the Moroccan trance-like spiritual music that seals his signature style - what he coins Baye Fall Gnawa. The \u003cem\u003eguimbri\u003c\/em\u003e is a three-stringed lute played in the \u003cem\u003egnawa \u003c\/em\u003etradition, and Nuru can be heard playing the instrument on the track 'Bambala'. 'Sadye' pays tribute to the \u003cem\u003egnawa\u003c\/em\u003e tradition and features characteristic rhythmic interplay between duple and triple meters. Here \u003cem\u003esanza\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003edjembe\u003c\/em\u003e and calabash add to the intense percussive play.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs well as Moroccan\u003cem\u003e gnawa\u003c\/em\u003e, Nuru takes influence from the Baye Fall, a sub-group of the Mouride brotherhood of which he is a member. The meditative-sounding track 'Zikar' references the practice of religious recitation practised by Sufis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eExile\u003c\/em\u003e balances Nuru's fun-loving nature with a darker, brooding mood not heard in some of his earlier work. On the light humorous track, 'Yes We Kane' Nuru sings with heavy vibrato and playfully interacts with a slip-sliding fiddle. 'Issoire' is a laidback lilt infused with rolling reggae rhythms. In contrast the track 'Exile' (from which this album takes its name) is a sorrowful, sultry track commemorating the lives of those forced into exile in order to escape humiliation and torture. Nuru sculpts a dark, brooding soundscape complete with stark-sounding \u003cem\u003esanza\u003c\/em\u003e and a swooping violin next, the track accelerates wildly, painting out a sense of urgency and instability. \u003cem\u003eExile\u003c\/em\u003e throws light and shade on Nuru's unique worldview - on this album alone he covers topics as broad-ranging as religion, marriage, family, dictatorship and African liberation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith \u003cem\u003eExile\u003c\/em\u003e,\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003eNuru's bouncing Baye Fall Gnawa sound is set to reverberate around the globe once more. Get ready to hear him loud.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVist Nuru Kane's website: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.nurukaneandthebfg.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ewww.nurukaneandthebfg.com\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Yv1db1GKv2g\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893171023955,"sku":"TUGCD1068","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893171056723,"sku":"TUGDD1068","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1068.jpg?v=1770822171"},{"product_id":"malagasy-blues-song","title":"Malagasy Blues Song","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eLike the flora and fauna of her Madagascar homeland, Lala Njava's music is distinctive and unique. Listen out for her silvery wandering voice, lush rolling guitars and rippling percussion on this, her striking debut album - her Malagasy Blues Song.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore Lala Njava on WMN: \u003ca href=\"\/lalanjava\"\u003ewww.worldmusic.net\/lalanjava\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F99750967%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-dXEGU\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" frameborder=\"no\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf Lala Njava's music was a colour, it would be indigo - a dark, pensive hue that rings with a deep, almost bluesy, edge. Listening to \u003cem\u003eMalagasy Blues Song\u003c\/em\u003e, we hear bending guitar lines, Lala's silvery wandering voice and rippling percussion winding together in harmony.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMalagasy Blues Song\u003c\/em\u003e is Lala's debut solo release, but as a young musician she gained a wealth of experience from performing live with her family band, Njava. In conversation, Lala explains the organic and free-flowing way in which their familial music-making occurred.\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eUpon moving to Europe during the 1990s, the band became professionally established and smoothly scaled the ladder of success, recording two albums for EMI, embarking on a world tour and laying down some vocals for renowned 'ethnic-electronica' group Deep Forest. 'Sweet Lullaby' heard on \u003cem\u003eMalagasy Blues Song\u003c\/em\u003e is a re-recording of a track that Lala performed live with Deep Forest many times during this era of her career. Lala's version is very different from the 1990s recorded pop original, and is deliciously reworked with her languorous bluesy swing. Stripped back to an acoustic setting, the lilting melody sparkles in its simplicity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe guitar that undulates underneath Lala's striking vocal throughout the album is played in a style reminiscent of the various stringed percussion instruments that dominate traditional Malagasy music. The rippling guitar strings roll out like a lush \u003cem\u003evaliha, \u003c\/em\u003ea tube zither considered the national instrument of Madagascar. The melodious mix is then punctuated with thick bass hits and shape-shifting drums.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe opening track on the album, 'Soa Gnanay' is a rich nostalgic tune, recalling the beauty of Lala's homeland and inviting people to visit it regardless of the bad portrayal it is sometimes given in the international media. The looping riff that opens the album sounds bare, almost desolate, but soon Lala's warm, enveloping voice swoops in to add a bright positive edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLala's lyrics express the deep sense of responsibility she feels towards her Malagasy homeland. Many of the songs heard here declare her intent to, and experiences upon, returning to Madagascar in the hope of solving some of the social issues that pervade village life there. 'Dinako' means 'promise' in English and is a soulful track that explores Lala's desire to give something back to the community from which she came.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMalagasy Blues Song \u003c\/em\u003eis an album of deep and sonorous songs penned with purposeful lyrics. Melt into Lala's expressive sound-world as she threads together the rich tapestry of the sounds, experiences and desires that have stitched her colourful life so far.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor booking, please contact: \u003ca href=\"mailto:wulf@griot.de\"\u003ewulf@griot.de\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/a\u003eFurther information, including German \u0026amp; French translations are \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.south-pool.com\/kulturmanagement\/en\/music\/lala-njava.php?lang=EN\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eavailable here\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/a\u003eLala Njava supports the \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.grainedevie.org\/en\/?symfony=tul3keeq2ld50oriurvkrogj80\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGraine de vie\u003c\/a\u003e project in Madagascar\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca class=\"songkick-widget\" href=\"http:\/\/www.songkick.com\/artists\/7577114\" data-theme=\"light\" data-background-color=\"#f9f9f9\"\u003eTour dates\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cscript src=\"http:\/\/widget.songkick.com\/widget.js\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0GdcWGz2a2I\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893171220563,"sku":"TUGCD1069","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893171253331,"sku":"TUDDG1069","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1069.jpg?v=1770822174"},{"product_id":"the-rough-guide-to-acoustic-africa","title":"The Rough Guide To Acoustic Africa","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eThis Rough Guide takes the listener on a criss-crossing journey across the African continent, sponging up the most evocative unplugged music emanating from the great continent along the way. Enjoy the rich desert blues of Etran Finatawa, the Baye Fall Gnawa of Nuru Kane, the masakanda magic of Shiyani Ncgobo, and the Mozambican melodies of Mabulu.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F75271329%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-BtVqQ\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" frameborder=\"no\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Rough Guide To Acoustic Africa\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo ubiquitous is the sound of slapping strings and strumming chords across the vast African continent that acoustic music curls into practically every corner of life and culture there. Charting the different acoustic styles included here takes the listener on a criss-crossing journey across Africa: we begin in Niger, before visiting Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, Sudan, Senegal and the Republic of Guinea. Not a bad round trip for just over seventy minutes' worth of time, and without the cost of the air fare!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHeading up a healthy West African contingent, we have Baye Fall Gnawa musician Nuru Kane and singer-songwriter Amadou Diagne both from Senegal. Also hailing from this region is the Guinean \u003cem\u003ekora\u003c\/em\u003e maestro Mory Kanté, Malian guitarist Samba Touré, Ghanaian palm-wine veteran Koo Nimo and Touareg troubadours Etran Finatawa. Swooping down to west Central Africa, Sally Nyolo fom Cameroon provides the upbeat and carefree track 'Obili éba'. Congolese guitarist Syran Mbenza celebrates the legacy of the great Congolese musician Franco with a new approach. Abdel Gadir Salim from Northern Sudan provides a sensitive \u003cem\u003eoud-\u003c\/em\u003ebased composition on 'Lemon Bara'. The unbelievable sounds of Zulu \u003cem\u003emaskanda\u003c\/em\u003e guitarist Shiyani Ngcobo are heard on this collection too. As are Sotho Sounds who hail from Lesotho and bring their brand of junk funk to the party.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bonus album is an exclusive debut release by \u003cem\u003ekora \u003c\/em\u003eplayer Noumoucounda Cissoko. He weaves together his \u003cem\u003egriot\u003c\/em\u003e heritage with \u003cem\u003embalax, \u003c\/em\u003eblues, jazz, hip-hop and rock-inspired inspirations. \u003cem\u003eFaling\u003c\/em\u003e is his debut solo album and features Cissoko accompanied by Swiss musicians, Phat 4.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Rough Guide","offers":[{"title":"2xCD","offer_id":12893171417171,"sku":"RGNET1297CD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893171449939,"sku":"RGNET1297DD","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/RGNET1297.jpg?v=1770822179"},{"product_id":"trance-percussion-masters-of-south-sudan","title":"Trance Percussion Masters of South Sudan","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eTrance Percussion Masters Of South Sudan celebrates the joy of communal music making. The beating drums and hypnotic chants summon the ancient polyrhythms of Africa's newest nation. Surrender to Wayo's percussive musical potion with their pulsating debut album.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3***stars, \u003cem\u003eSonglines\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F103671627%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-5n0Cp\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWayo: Trance Percussion Masters Of South Sudan\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWayo's unique debut album celebrates the joy of communal music-making. \u003cem\u003eTrance Percussion Masters of South Sudan\u003c\/em\u003e wasn't made by a soloist, by a band, or even by an orchestra - this album was made by a village. In this village music is king and everyone is a master of their shared sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat very village where \u003cem\u003eWayo\u003c\/em\u003e was recorded nestles in the ever expanding outskirts of Juba, the capital of South Sudan. During music-making, three villagers play the \u003cem\u003ekpaningbo\u003c\/em\u003e, a large wooden xylophone. As the only melodic instrument in the ensemble, the \u003cem\u003ekpaningbo \u003c\/em\u003eis considered the beating heart of both the music, and the village.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother man sits atop the \u003cem\u003egugu, \u003c\/em\u003ea log drum, and alters its pitch by lifting his leg up and down. The \u003cem\u003eabss\u003c\/em\u003e drum is constructed from re-used material, and was once a plastic water container. Other villagers circle around the ensemble, switching in and out to play the drums. Bells and other hand-drums are also passed from person to person at will. This relay race approach to percussive participation adds a tangible fluidity to every riff and figure, the mood and timbre ever changing and ever unique.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sound itself is a woven tapestry of polyrhythms, each overlapping and edging in to the other. The driving beats recall the haunting repetitions of minimalism and the trance-inducing club beats of contemporary electronica, while song topics tackle real concerns and provide commentary on social divisions. 'Now You Are Like A European' is a particularly revealing allusion to the return home of many Sudanese people who had previously been displaced by war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'The Sky Will Fall (Remix)' is a pulsing tornado of repeating cross rhythms that strikingly recalls the catatonia of \u003cem\u003eWayo's \u003c\/em\u003econtinental colleagues, Konono N√¢¬Å¬∞1 and Kasai Allstars.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTrance Percussion Masters of South Sudan \u003c\/em\u003eis a quite simply killer compendium of thumping, exhilarating beats. Let \u003cem\u003eWayo \u003c\/em\u003eloose on your eardrums, and lose your head in the hot percussive party.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-jB0155DKeI\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893171515475,"sku":"TUG1077CD","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893171548243,"sku":"TUG1077DD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1077.jpg?v=1770822182"},{"product_id":"mali-overdrive","title":"Mali Overdrive","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eAnansy Cissé's souped-up guitar distortions re-work the West African Desert Blues genre with a new, agitated attitude. Featuring the soku fiddle playing of Zoumana Tereta and accompanied by ngoni, bass and calabash, Cissé's sound harnesses musical traditions and spits it out anew, taking us into Mali Overdrive.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Malian guitar music with rock-and-roll energy and attack' \u003cem\u003eFT.com\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e'If you like Malian guitar music, you will love Anansy Cisse' \u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInside World Music\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/139971054%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-6MkMR\u0026amp;;ampcolor=ff5500\u0026amp;;ampauto_play=false\u0026amp;;amphide_related=false\u0026amp;;ampshow_artwork=true\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" frameborder=\"no\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAnansy Cissé: Mali Overdrive\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003eThe serendipitous path that lead Riverboat Records to release \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003eMali Overdrive\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003e involved the sheer determination and iron will of a good friend, a vintage hoard of bootlegged rock and roll records (more on that later) and of course, Anansy Cissé's unfettered talent.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Cissé's recording 'Baala' landed on our website via World Music Network's online 'Battle Of The Bands' competition, we were immediately taken by his souped-up guitar distortions that sucked up all the brilliant aspects of the well-trodden West African Desert Blues and spat them out with a new, agitated attitude.\u003cspan style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow a resident blues bad-boy in Bamako, when Cissé lived in Diré he ran his own recording studio. Based out of his home, he recorded young musicians from his region often adding auto-tune to the vocals and programming backing tracks to the mixes. Cissé's own style however embraces a more untreated sound, his thickly-cut guitar tone coursing through his arrangements. In late 2012, Cissé was forced to dismantle his studio following the invasion of Mali's northern regions by militant Islamists, many of whom are opposed to secular music-making. The poignant track 'Gomni' calls for peace across Mali and is a reminder of the despair felt by many at the concerning political divisions and connected social reverberations caused by religious tension in the Northern region. Forced to relocate further south, Cissé headed to the beating heart of Mali's capital city.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003eIn Bamako, Cissé happened to meet Philippe Sanmiguel who is now his percussionist and manager. Together they began to lay down some tracks at a makeshift studio. One day before Cissé's arrival to the studio, Philippe turned on his new friend's computer and was shocked to find a veritable trove of well-penned songs noted down. In Cissé's mind however, these gems were better off performed by others - he simply enjoyed working for other people, gifting them his words, melodies and guitar lines. After some quick-thinking and well-advised persuasion Philippe convinced Cissé to go it alone and record an album of these compositions himself.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCissé called on a few friends to add to the musical pot: esteemed \u003cem\u003engoni\u003c\/em\u003e player Djimé Sissoko laid down some riffs, Abdramane Touré took to the bass and Mahalmadane Traoré found time to slap and smack his \u003cem\u003ecalabash\u003c\/em\u003e. This album also features the mesmerizing \u003cem\u003esoku\u003c\/em\u003e fiddle playing of Zoumana Tereta, who has worked as producer, band leader and a sideman contributing his sound to many of Mali's most famous artists including Bassekou Kouyaté, Nahawa Doumbia, Oumou Sangare, and Toumani Diabate. In just three months, seven songs had taken shape but Anansy Cissé was still filled with doubt that anyone would buy into his musical vision. The infinite possibilities of the internet soon set this fear aside though - Cissé's social media following blossomed with ease, allowing him a platform into the international world music scene.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePresently, Cissé lives in the Faladié district of Bamako and is steadily working on more material. In the corners of his small room, vast towering piles of Nigerian bootleg CDs peer down on visiting musicians, providing a clue to Cissé's inspirations: The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Pink Floyd and Crosby, Stills, Nash \u0026amp;;amp Young are all represented. Having sourced the random array of reproduced records, Cissé soaked up every release without prejudice or expectation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003eEqual stimulation for his songs, text and rhythm is drawn from traditional Fulani and Songhai music. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003engoni\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003ecalabash\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003e are heard throughout and the themes of the songs cover social issues, love songs, dance themes and tributes to Malian history. 'Sekou Amadou' pays tribute to the leader and founder of the Fulani Empire of Macina. The end of the track features a poignant sampling of a speech by the late Nelson Mandela. 'Horey' is a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003etakamba\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003e song from Gao and Timbuktu. The rhythm is historically linked to the Songhai nobility but electrified and re-energised in Cissé's version.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the often-polarised world music community, young African musicians are often either too hastily dismissed as local pop stars who have no international appeal or as authentic saviours in a misplaced quest for authenticity. Now, proudly ramping up the volume and fearlessly taking Malian music into overdrive is Anansy Cissé - a pioneer of new music that champions ancient tradition and uncharted modernity at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BooCrobwO1A\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893171679315,"sku":"TUGCD1079","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893171712083,"sku":"TUGDD1079","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1079.jpg?v=1770822188"},{"product_id":"tiger-run","title":"Tiger Run","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eSally Nyolo's slinking grooves and deep Cameroonian rhythms combine gently warping guitars, feather-light percussion and demure husky vocals.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e**CD Version Is Now Back In Stock**\u003ca href=\"\/sallynyolo\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVisit \u003cstrong\u003eworldmusic.net\/sallynyolo \u003c\/strong\u003efor full-track streams and more information\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/149251009%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-DNfuu\u0026amp;;ampcolor=ff5500\u0026amp;;ampauto_play=false\u0026amp;;amphide_related=false\u0026amp;;ampshow_comments=true\u0026amp;;ampshow_user=true\u0026amp;;ampshow_reposts=false\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003eIncludes 'Meso Wa Yen' - finalist of USA Songwriting Competition 2013\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSally Nyolo: Tiger Run\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSally Nyolo's second Riverboat Records album is inspired by the moment before a tiger attacks - hushed in the long grass, senses alert, eyes wide, ears pricked, quiet purr, humming low. The title track 'Tiger Run' simmers with a musical mood akin to this idea: listen out for gently warping guitars, feather-light percussion and Sally's demure husky vocal. The tiger cat acts as a totem throughout \u003cem\u003eTiger Run\u003c\/em\u003e, flexing its claws as the main source of inspiration. In conversation Sally Nyolo credits the animal for guiding her to compose music that strives toward a sense of power infused with lightness and agility. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSally explains further that her family name, 'mó ngone metame meze\u0026amp;;iuml', means 'daughter of the tiger's whiskers' and how via meditation she has mindfully crafted an almost shamanic musical relationship with her animal namesake. The symbolism of the tiger also feeds into Sally's longstanding musical relationship with the natural wonders of the country of her birth, Cameroon. She notes the influence of singing forests that harbour ancient songs of the pygmies upon her work. Sally is so deeply committed to relating her music to nature that she states that the message of the album is to move people to listen closely to the world around them, to take time to hear the beating of insect wings, to hear the rhythm of the heart, to hear the beautiful acoustic universe around us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSally was born in the village of Eyen-Meyong, near the town of Tala, in the Lékié region of Cameroon. Throughout the album Sally sings in her native language Eton, as well as in English and French. At the age of thirteen she moved to Paris, where she still resides. Heading northwards and crossing the Mediterranean Sea at such a young age of course had a lasting impact on Sally's creative oeuvre. Alongside Cameroonian traditional influences we hear ripples of French pop, no doubt ebbing into Sally's consciousness during her stint as a backing singer with artists including Jacques Higelin, Sixun and Nicole Croisille and as a member of hugely successful vocal group Zap Mama. Her music is also resonant with \u003cem\u003ebikutsi\u003c\/em\u003e, a Cameroonian traditional and urban style that is characterized by 6\/8 rhythms and female-led vocal choruses. Asked about her early influences she reminisces about hearing her aunts sing together at village festivals, about treasured radio transmissions of Prince Nico Mbarga and Lucky Manga, and upon arriving in France about her discovery of Bob Marley's reggae as well as the hottest rock, blues and jazz of the era.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSally has released seven albums in total, now chalking up her eighth with old friends Riverboat Records. We released her album \u003cem\u003eStudio Cameroon \u003c\/em\u003eback in 2006 and have remained friends and fans of her magical music ever since. On this album Sally is joined by a host of musicians including Ivorian jazz-fusion drummer Paco Séry and bass guitarist Papus Diabaté (son of the famous Malian guitarist Zani Diabaté). Soprano Nathalie Leonoff is heard on 'Le Faiseur De Pluie Par Tous Les Temps', achieving Sally's longheld dream of working with an opera singer. Bantu bluesman Jo N'Gala adds percussion on 'Tiger Run' and 'Elle Regarde Passer'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSally Nyolo's \u003cem\u003eTiger Run\u003c\/em\u003e is poised to pounce and sink its slinking rhythms deep into your skin. Listen as the tiger's daughter dances close, marking her musical territory, and singing out at her creative zenith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg title=\"Sally Nyolo: Tiger Run\" src=\"\/media\/image-bank\/orig\/635.jpg\" alt=\"Sally Nyolo: Tiger Run\" width=\"700\" height=\"241\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"http:\/\/www.dailymotion.com\/embed\/video\/x26eso1\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.dailymotion.com\/video\/x26eso1_le-faiseur-de-pluie-par-tous-les-temps-sally-nyolo-le-live-de-la-matinale_music\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\"Le faiseur de pluie par tous les temps...\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cem\u003eby \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.dailymotion.com\/francemusique\" target=\"_blank\"\u003efrancemusique\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Aw9zmOQd0eU?list=PLIs4Rxw0o9kcxT524etlG3qfKm0rc9Edw\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893171744851,"sku":"TUG1085CD","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893171777619,"sku":"TUG1085DD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1085.jpg?v=1770822190"},{"product_id":"the-gnawa-berber","title":"The Gnawa Berber","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eSeamlessly infusing his Berber origins with deep gnawa grooves, Simo Lagnawi's trance-inducing music is an unstoppable expression of freedom and liberation.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4****stars, \u003cem\u003eThe Evening Standard\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"line-height: 1.3\"\u003e4****stars,\u003cem\u003e The Independent On Sunday\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'powerful rhythmic grooves' 4****stars, \u003cem\u003eThe Evening Standard\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'round and warm but tense with forward momentum' 4****stars,\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e The Independent On Sunday\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/160872767%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-E7rbL\u0026amp;;ampcolor=ff5500\u0026amp;;ampauto_play=false\u0026amp;;amphide_related=false\u0026amp;;ampshow_comments=true\u0026amp;;ampshow_user=true\u0026amp;;ampshow_reposts=false\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSimo Lagnawi - The Gnawa Berber\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll across Morocco the Berber \u003cem\u003eyaz\u003c\/em\u003e symbol is etched into the country's red rolling mountains and stretching Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines. This universal sign can be spotted in graffiti sprayed rebelliously onto crumbled city walls, hanging as pendants on the necks of proud Berber people, above their home doorways, or dangling from their rear-view mirrors. The good-luck emblem represents a 'free man', the meaning of the word \u003cem\u003e'Amazigh'\u003c\/em\u003e, the Berbers' name for themselves.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimo Lagnawi is of Berber heritage and embodies these cultural sentiments of freedom and liberation perfectly. He has travelled across his North African homeland, learning \u003cem\u003egnawa\u003c\/em\u003e grooves and \u003cem\u003eahwash\u003c\/em\u003e chants from teachers and friends along the way. As Simo puts it, 'some people learn from just one \u003cem\u003em\u0026amp;;acircalem\u003c\/em\u003e [\u003cem\u003egnawa\u003c\/em\u003e master] \u0026amp;;hellip I learned with lots of different masters'. This approach has impressed Simo's music with a breadth of sound influences that span everything from the \u003cem\u003egnawa\u003c\/em\u003e tradition to South Moroccan folk and sub-Saharan lute styles on this album stretching further to include banjo and Scottish fiddle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is impossible to underplay, however, the deep-reaching influence Moroccan\u003cem\u003e gnawa\u003c\/em\u003e has had on Simo's sound. Like the \u003cem\u003eyaz\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003egnawa\u003c\/em\u003e is ubiquitous in Morocco: the instantly recognisable percussive grooves that wind around snaking souk paths, pound out of street-side sound systems and are performed late-night in communal squares by local troupes pitched up alongside fortune-tellers, game-makers and snack-sellers. \u003cem\u003eGnawa\u003c\/em\u003e is both an ethnic group and a cultural tradition that can be traced back to the slaves brought to Morocco from sub-Saharan Africa and the ancient empire of Ouagadougou. The \u003cem\u003ekrakebs\u003c\/em\u003e percussion, so omnipresent in \u003cem\u003egnawa\u003c\/em\u003e, create the hypnotising clip-clopping sound that loops under the texture. These instruments have their origins in the iron manacles that shackled the slaves together on their ill-fated journey northwards. Simo says: 'When my mother was pregnant my grandmother dreamed that the baby was playing the \u003cem\u003ekrakebs\u003c\/em\u003e before she even knew if it was a boy or a girl.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimo's main instrument, the \u003cem\u003eguembri\u003c\/em\u003e, is a three-stringed plucked lute from Morocco. The body of the instrument is carved from hollowed wood covered with taut camel-skin goat gut strings are flexed across the resonator.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter studying his craft in Morocco, Simo decided to travel to the UK in 2008. On arrival he busked on the rain-soaked streets, attracting crowds with his Technicolor clothes and elastic acrobatic displays, before picking up his \u003cem\u003eguembri\u003c\/em\u003e and singing out his unique brand of \u003cem\u003egnawa\u003c\/em\u003e fusion. His enthusiastic musical evangelism has led him to collaborate with musicians from all over the world including Japanese producer DJ Koichi Sakai, Jally Keba Susso from Gambia and Amadou Diagne from Senegal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tracks on this album leap from Saharan folk songs to those of the Hausa and Bambara. Simo employs the trance-inducing state of\u003cem\u003e gnawa \u003c\/em\u003eto summon the likes of forest spirit Sandiye, who is called for on 'Sandika', and Abdelkader Gilani who is invoked on the track 'Gilani'- he guards the door to the spirit world. Traditionally \u003cem\u003egnawa\u003c\/em\u003e music - along with ritual singing, poetry, healing and dance - is played at \u003cem\u003elilas\u003c\/em\u003e, all night celebrations that call upon ancient spirits. On 'Malo' Simo narrates his own life journey, from musical wanderer to London's very own \u003cem\u003egnawa ma\u0026amp;;acirclem \u003c\/em\u003e[master] supreme. As part of his quest to bring Moroccan culture to the UK, Simo has also kickstarted his own 'School of Gnawa'. In a creative corner of London's East End Simo holds \u003cem\u003ekrakeb\u003c\/em\u003e classes, \u003cem\u003egnawa\u003c\/em\u003e tutorials and far-out world music jams.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn this Riverboat Records release Simo's live energy and thirst for unusual international collaborations reaches symbiosis with his classic \u003cem\u003egnawa\u003c\/em\u003e vibrations. Simo Lagnawi, free man, states his musical mission on this outstanding album.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"line-height: 1.3\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.songkick.com\/artists\/1900328-simo-lagnawi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ewww.songkick.com\/artists\/1900328-simo-lagnawi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg title=\"Simo Lagnawi: The Gnawa Berber\" src=\"\/media\/image-bank\/orig\/645.jpg\" alt=\"Simo Lagnawi: The Gnawa Berber\" width=\"700\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca class=\"songkick-widget\" href=\"http:\/\/www.songkick.com\/artists\/1900328\" data-theme=\"light\" data-background-color=\"#fafafa\"\u003eTour dates\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"http:\/\/widget.songkick.com\/widget.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lwCPqXV3Cdg\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893171810387,"sku":"TUGCD1086","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893171843155,"sku":"TUGDD1086","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1086.jpg?v=1770822194"},{"product_id":"lost-in-mali","title":"Lost In Mali","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eKeeping an ear to the ground for today's Malian sounds, these tunes were specially recorded for this release and feature inspirational new artists yet to be heard outside their homeland.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"line-height: 15.6px;\"\u003e'Ultimately, Lost in Mali is the sound of best-kept secrets primed to break beyond Malian borders' - \u003cem\u003eBlues Rag Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eLost In Mali\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe music: deep drums, plucky strings and soulful voices. The food: bubbling rice, millet, sorghum and fonio adorned with rich meat and vegetable sauces. The politics: tense, taut and scarred by a minority group of religious extremists. Timbuktu simmers, Bamako bubbles and this album takes you to Mali's musical boiling point.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003eLost In Mali \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003eopens with an immersive sound-scape from the streets of Mali children's lilting laughter peppers the lower ululations of wise adult chatter, grinding work sounds and distant honking traffic. Woven into the commonplace sounds of everyday life, we can hear the cadence and rhythms of Malian music bound deeply within. Riverboat Records' '\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003eLost In'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003e series beams you straight to far flung locations. What's more, all of the tracks presented here are new and original recordings by brand-new artists. This is the music that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003ereally\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"line-height: 1.3;\"\u003e is out there and being listened to right now. The album was compiled by on-the-ground experts Philippe Sanmiguel and Paul Chandler. Sanmiguel manages and produces Malian artists such as Samba Touré and Anansy Cissé, while Chandler runs Studio Mali, a production company, recording studio and record label based in Bamako.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOpening track 'Ne Sabou' spotlights Nainy Koné's sultry and smooth vocal performance. \u003cem\u003eTama\u003c\/em\u003e (talking drum) is heard bending and braiding through the texture, atop looping strings and impatient shaker. Nainy Koné's father was from Segou, the same region as Bwazan, the band who contribute 'An Ka Foli Ke'. The \u003cem\u003ebalafon \u003c\/em\u003e(xylophone) and the \u003cem\u003edoundoun, djembe, yabarra \u003c\/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003ebarra\u003c\/em\u003e traditional drums are heard prominently here, rolling and repeating in a manner that directly calls to mind the work of the American minimalism movement led by composers Glass, Reich and Riley, who were of course influenced by exactly this sort African polyrhythmic repetition. Also linked to the Segou region is track 'Yawoyé' from veteran musician Sabu Dorienté. Dorienté hails from Timbuktu but played in the Orchestre Régional De Ségou for many years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAli Baba Cissé is from the rich musical soils of Niafunké. His song 'Kaya', in rootsy Fulani style, is laid-back and languorous starring acoustic guitar, \u003cem\u003engoni \u003c\/em\u003e(lute), monochord and \u003cem\u003ecalabash\u003c\/em\u003e (drum). Bocar Sangaré also from Niafunké, is a traditional Fulani musician who plays regularly for local weddings and celebrations but has never before recorded his sound in the studio. 'Diaru' opens with a recitative, followed by a passionately sung refrain of a traditional theme which celebrates peace and joyful reunions. Also from Niafunké and continuing the theme of peaceful reconciliation are the band Alkibar Junior, former students of Afel Bocoum who carry on his musical legacy. Their song 'La Paix' is a call for peace and harmony following the occupation of Niafunké by militant separatist rebels and religious extremists back in 2012.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLinked to the simmering social issues currently present in Malian society, all of the songs on this album emit moral messages or contain symbolic historic reflections. Kabako Bourama is from the Wassoulou region of Southern Mali and uses the \u003cem\u003ekamele ngoni \u003c\/em\u003eharp on the happy track 'Louansé'. Here Ramata Diakité's lyrics speak of the hardships facing Malians who are seeking housing. 'Djagatoula' by Barou Drame tells of the mystical power of ancient hunters who have passed through the sacred Djagatoula forest. 'Farinya Manji' implores listeners to practice kindness to one another. This track was recorded by the orchestra of The Bamako School for the Blind - the very same educational institution where superstars Amadou \u0026amp;;amp Mariam first met. Modiba Diabaté sings 'Bonya' and implores rich Malians to invest their wealth back into their motherland.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinding ourselves in Bamako, Mali's capital, urban styles seep into the groove. Reggae rides high on 'Adjobawla' by Kas 2 Kastro, who works in the Malian capital. Baba MD (aka Mamoutou Dembele) is famed in the Bamako clubs for mixing \u003cem\u003eBwa\u003c\/em\u003e traditional tunes with \u003cem\u003ekora\u003c\/em\u003e and other Mandingue instrumentation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHead off the beaten track to explore Mali's inspirational new artists from Bamako to Timbuktu.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Riverboat Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893171875923,"sku":"TUGCD1091","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893171908691,"sku":"TUGDD1091","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":12893171941459,"sku":"TUGLP1091","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/TUG1091.jpg?v=1770822197"},{"product_id":"the-rough-guide-to-ethiopian-jazz","title":"The Rough Guide To Ethiopian Jazz","description":" \u003cdiv class=\"blurb\"\u003eSwinging Addis is thriving once again, with the distinctive ancient-sounding tones of Ethiopia blending with modern jazz interpretations to create a totally unmistakable fusion. From the legendary innovators Mulatu Astatke and Getatchew Mekuria to today's new generation of artists, this Rough Guide celebrates this burgeoning and most captivating of musical scenes.\u003cstrong\u003e'the most irresistible of Rough Guide's three Ethiopian comps...these selections suggest a confident modernity' A MINUS \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e Robert Christgau, Vice\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"quote\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"product-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem style=\"line-height: 1.3\"\u003e'Most of our Ethiopian music is based on five notes [pentatonic]. What I did was fuse the five tones with 12 tones. For many years I've been experimenting, and the more I do that the more complex it gets' Mulatu Astatke.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNew Orleans is widely seen as the birthplace of jazz, where African slaves created groundbreaking music that fused elements from both Africa and Western traditions. By the twentieth century, jazz (and subsequent African-based musical forms including soul, funk, and Cuban rumba) travelled back across the Atlantic, first through recordings and later by artists on tour. There, African musicians immediately recognized the source roots, adapted some, altered others, and in the process, created entirely new musical forms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Ethiopia, one of the first major musicians to lay the groundwork for Ethio-jazz was Nerses Nalbandian. His family escaped the Armenian genocide in Turkey, and settled in Ethiopia, where Nalbandi would become a band leader for many burgeoning Ethio-jazz musicians in the 1950s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLargely credited as being the greatest innovator of Ethio-jazz and exposing it to the world, Mulatu Astatke was born in 1943 in Jimma, Ethiopia. He travelled to Wales in the late 1950s to study engineering and to the chagrin of his parents, Astatke began to take an interest in music, first studying Western classical music before heading to Boston's Berklee College of Music to formally study jazz. It was there where Astatke took the fusion of traditional Ethiopian folk music and American jazz to a new level. Astatke explained its roots to the BBC, 'There are tribes in the south called the Derashe. They are surrounded by people who play five tone music but they have created a diminished 12-tone scale. Diminished scales are very important in jazz music especially for improvising. We learn how Charlie Parker came up with diminished scales as well as Claude Debussy and Bach. But always on my mind is the question of who were first with the scale, these people or the Derashe tribe?'\u003cspan style=\"line-height: 1.3\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the late 1960s, Astatke decided to return to Ethiopia in order to cultivate Ethio-jazz in his homeland. At first, his vibraphone-based folk-jazz was considered quite unorthodox. However, within years, it transformed the capital, which came to be known as 'Swinging Addis'. The late 1960s and early 1970s were known as the 'golden age' in Addis Ababa, as countless jazz orchestras and ensembles thrived in the city, led by the innovations of Mulatu Astatke and saxophonist extraordinaire, Getatchew Mekuria. Addis Ababa was in full swing in 1973 when American jazz legend Duke Ellington came to town and performed together with Mulatu Astatke.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMuch of the Ethiopian jazz scene came crashing down the following year, in 1974, when a Soviet-backed military junta known as the Derg overthrew the government. The consequences of the coup and subsequent 'Red Terror' were profound. It left tens of thousands dead and military curfews virtually destroyed the thriving musical club scene.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the Soviet Union broke apart in 1991, the Derg lost its backing and was subsequently overthrown. That decade saw a rebirth in Ethiopia. The budding democracy quickly became a thriving home of musical creativity. Ethiopian Jazz hit new global audiences through CD releases that included the Ethiopiques series and several Rough Guide albums. Astatke's captivating soundtrack to Jim Jarmusch's film Broken Flowers in 2005 brought Ethio Jazz to even wider audiences. Today, Astatke is still active, and his creativity has inspired a new generation of artists in Ethiopia, Europe, North America and beyond.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/media\/releases\/booklets\/RGNET1350.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDownload the booklet\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eIf you like Ethiopian Jazz... here are more tracks to explore....\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/playlists\/255421299\u0026amp;;ampauto_play=false\u0026amp;;amphide_related=false\u0026amp;;ampshow_comments=true\u0026amp;;ampshow_user=true\u0026amp;;ampshow_reposts=false\u0026amp;;ampvisual=true\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"450\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Rough Guide","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":12893172006995,"sku":"RGNET1350CD","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":12893172039763,"sku":"RGNET1350DD","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":12893172072531,"sku":"RGNET1350LP","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1826\/7323\/products\/RGNET1350.jpg?v=1770822200"}],"url":"https:\/\/worldmusic.net\/collections\/albums\/rough-guides.oembed","provider":"World Music Network","version":"1.0","type":"link"}