Reviews

Melanie

L’Orchestre Afrisa International

These are new recordings of classic repertoire, mostly from the 70s and 80s, when Tabu Ley Rochereau led this wonderful...

Reviewed in issue June/2017

Aman

Nawal

It's not often that you hear music from the Comoros, and this reissue of singer and gambusi (oud-like lute) player...

Reviewed in issue June/2017

Addis 1988

Ethio Stars/Tukul Band feat Mulatu Astatke

Originally released in 1992 and out of print for many years, this reissue has been remastered for vinyl and contains...

Reviewed in issue June/2017

Mogoya

Oumou Sangaré

The last time this reviewer interviewed Oumou Sangaré was in January 2009. She was about to release the album Seya...

Reviewed in issue June/2017

Miriya

Kanazoé Orkestra

We are blessed to have recently seen many releases by West African musicians who wish to retain the values of...

Reviewed in issue May/2017

Melokáane

Élage Diouf

Born in Senegal but resident in Canada for the past 20 years, percussionist Elage Diouf has toured the world with...

Reviewed in issue May/2017

Politiki

Mamadou Kelly

As a guitarist and singer-songwriter who worked alongside the great Ali Farka Touré and Afel Bocoum, Mamadou Kelly is practically...

Reviewed in issue May/2017

Kidal

Tamikrest

There seems to be a kind of musical arms race going on among the numerous Touareg rock’n’roll bands who have...

Reviewed in issue May/2017

The Original Sound of Mali

VARIOUS ARTISTS

The dance band craze of the 1970s saw groups from all over West Africa putting their own spin on Latin...

Reviewed in issue May/2017

Éthiopiques 30: Mistakes on Purpose

Girma Bèyènè & Akalé Wubé

For the better part of 20 years, Buda’s Éthiopiques releases have been the go-to series for Ethio-jazz and traditional music...

Reviewed in issue May/2017