Songlines - July 2024
The July 2024 issue (#199) of Songlines is out now, and it’s an Africa Special. We speak to Salif Keita, the ‘Golden Voice of Africa’ who is back from retirement with a new album and a mission to get young people playing traditional instruments again.
We hear from The Zawose Queens, the first female-fronted band to break out of Tanzania, and The Joy, whose ebullient harmonies recall Ladysmith Black Mambazo at their best. Franck Biyong pays homage to the African greats, Def Mama Def represent the future of Senegalese music and Lady Donli shows how to build a career as an independent female African musician.
We have a Banjo Summit with Rhiannon Giddens and Belá Fleck, discussing the instrument’s hidden history and why it’s riding high in the charts again, and a photo essay depicting the madcap Courir de Mardi Gras.
We find out the albums which shaped Raghu Dixit, hear about New Regency Orchestra and their aim to reignite Latin big band fever, give Abdullah Ibrahim the Beginner’s Guide treatment, and chat to Asha Puthli about her ambitions to unite Indian classical music and jazz.
Plus, Hermanos Gutiérrez, Ars Nova Napoli, Kiran Ahluwalia, Hasna el Becharia, Cimafunk’s CimaFest, Birdvox, Tremor, Alessandro ‘Asso’ Stefana, Fes’ Festival of Sufi Culture, and our Essential 10 Big Band Revival albums, as well as all the usual news, listings, reviews, competitions and so much more.
Print and digital subscribers will also receive our accompanying Top of the World compilation featuring our pick of the month’s best new music – Ajate, North East Ska Jazz Orchestra, Richard Thompson, Ballaké Sissoko & Derek Gripper, Swamp Dogg, Kiran Ahluwalia and more – as well as five bonus tracks from Franck Biyong, Hermanos Gutiérrez, Lady Donli, Ars Nova Napoli and Def Mama Def.
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