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Reviews

Review of Festyval

Festyval

The Ukrainians

Zirka Records

Rating: ★★★

Hailing from Oldham, The Ukrainians were formed in 1990 by guitarist Peter Solowka (he being of Ukrainian and Yugoslav heritage)....

Reviewed by Garth Cartwright in issue: May/2022

Review of Afrikalou

Afrikalou

Robin Cochrane

Jambadon Music

Rating: ★★★

Swedish percussionist Robin Cochrane resides in Stockholm, and has lately been concentrating on the balafon, West Africa’s gourd-resonating marimba-like instrument....

Reviewed by Martin Longley in issue: May/2022

Review of Esquina de São Paulo

Esquina de São Paulo

Danilo Brito & João Luiz

Zoho Music

Rating: ★★★★

Latin Grammy-nominated classical guitarist João Luiz and composer and mandolin player Danilo Brito have shared a friendship for nearly 20...

Reviewed by Russell Higham in issue: May/2022

Review of Iníon

Iníon

Inni-K

Top of the World

Green Willow Records

Rating: ★★★★

This album of nine beautifully arranged sean nós songs from the Dublin-based singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Inni-K (Eithne Ní Chatháin)...

Reviewed by Peter Quinn in issue: May/2022

Review of Susuma

Susuma

Jembaa Groove

Top of the World

Agogo Records

Rating: ★★★★

Susuma harnesses the groove engine of West African highlife and hitches it to the sensitive stylings of 1970s soul. The...

Reviewed by Liam Izod in issue: May/2022

Review of From Kabul to Bamako

From Kabul to Bamako

Sowal Diabi

Top of the World

Accords Croisés

Rating: ★★★★

Pretty much your standard Persian-Malian-Afghan-Kurdish-French-Ethio-jazz group, Sowal Diabi (‘Question’ and ‘Answer’ in Persian and Bambara respectively) is a collaboration between...

Reviewed by Tom Newell in issue: May/2022

Review of Flavour of Africa

Flavour of Africa

Libreville

Libreville

Rating: ★★

French duo Libreville make music that radiates musical and political positivity and in the current climate that feels like a...

Reviewed by Simon Cross in issue: May/2022

Review of Zenzile: The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba

Zenzile: The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba

Somi

Salon Africana/Membran

Rating: ★★★★

Born in the US to immigrant parents from Rwanda and Uganda, Somi Kakoma is not only a Grammy-nominated jazz singer...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: May/2022

Review of Diaxas

Diaxas

Jam Groove

Jam Groove

Rating: ★★★

Like an African version of Jamaica’s Sly & Robbie, Jam Groove are the London-based Senegalese rhythm duo of drummer Oumar...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: May/2022

Review of Mabanzo

Mabanzo

Juanita Euka

Strut Records

Rating: ★★★

This bubbly singer jokes that she grew up ‘pretty much everywhere,’ and there are certainly a lot of influences present...

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: May/2022

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