Features

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Def Mama Def: “We will introduce you to the new Senegalese musical era”

Def Mama Def are a new West African duo lighting up the region with their hybrid of traditional and modern sounds

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Abdullah Ibrahim: A Beginner's Guide

A South African pianist who navigated the trauma and difficulties of apartheid while always staying close to home. Nigel Williamson documents a remarkable, boundless career… that’s not over yet

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Big Band Revival: 10 Essential Albums

There is nothing quite like the sound of a whole room of people playing music, reflected in the countless times that an oversized genre once seemed lost has risen from the ashes. Here are a few ensembles from the past years that prove the size of your band counts

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Introducing Birdvox

Flight, fun and food for thought. Jo Frost talks with the nature-loving, socially conscious Scottish supergroup about clubland and cicadas

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Spotlight on Hermanos Gutiérrez: “Our music can’t be pinpointed”

The genial guitar interplay of these Swiss-Ecuadorian brothers has earned them a growing fanbase fascinated by their ‘cosmic sound.’ With their new album, they’ve “elevated the experience,” discovers Silvia Rothlisberger

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Salif Keita: “The youth are into machines… We are about to lose our traditional instruments”

After announcing his retirement in 2018, Malian singer and musician Salif Keita has slowly returned to the spotlight following a series of shows last year. Now, he’s making the comeback official with an extraordinary new album

Thursday, June 13, 2024

The Zawose Queens: “We wanted to blend the traditional and modern to create something new”

The Zawose Queens have had to fight gender discrimination in order to release their own music. “We are part of the evolution,” they tell Nigel Williamson

Thursday, June 13, 2024

The Joy: “You can hear how we poured our hearts into the songs”

The Joy started their a capella singing in a small classroom in rural South Africa; now they’re set to release their eponymous full-length album

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Lady Donli: “That’s what music is for me – the transmission of joy”

With Afrobeats and African pop on the rise, Lady Donli has emerged as one of Nigeria’s most interesting artists. At home with Afrobeat and satirising modern African life with smooth R&B hooks, she’s led by her fans: “People are the foundation of music,” she tells Erin Cobby

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Franck Biyong: “I just want to tear down the barrier that separates African music from the mainstream”

Frustrated by the state of popular African music, Franck Biyong decided to create his own ‘Afrolectric’ sound inspired by Le Grand Kallé, Fela Kuti, Manu Dibango and the greats of yesteryear

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Rhiannon Giddens and Béla Fleck: The Banjo Summit

The banjo is riding high once more, and with various accusations of cultural appropriation in the air, we decided the time was right for a debate with two of the best banjo players out there, Rhiannon Giddens and Béla Fleck

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Courir de Mardi Gras: A Photo Essay

Every Mardi Gras, a blur of costumed Cajun and Creole revellers in Louisiana head off in search of gumbo ingredients. When an ingredient is offered, such as a live chicken, the race is on. David Simpson has been documenting this unique tradition for over 25 years, with a new book capturing the centuries-old celebrations

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Jamz Supernova's My World Interview

Russ Slater Johnson hears from the DJ sharing cutting-edge global and electronic sounds. “I wanted to be your alternative Black show,” she confesses

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

BCUC: Trusting in Love

Diane Coetzer talks to the South African band BCUC who are exporting their traditional Soweto music across the globe and mesmerising audiences, one transcendental show at a time