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
Nigel Williamson looks back at the enduring global popularity of the Irish musical ambassadors
The music of the world has been constantly shaped by its wider contexts – from politics to economics and social movements. Here Chris Moss selects the most important genres to have been born across the last 100-plus years
Russ Slater Johnson speaks to the screenwriter and author about Irish jigs, anti-recruiting songs and how a scouser gave Manchester a city motto
Jim Hickson selects ten top live-in-concert world music albums, featuring Fatoumata Diawara & Roberto Fonseca, Oum Kalthoum, Ozomatli, Radio Tarifa and more
To record Ali Farka Touré’s album 'Niafunké', World Circuit took a mobile studio all the way to Mali. Nigel Williamson went to meet Touré for Songlines in the summer of 1999 and found out why his commitments at home meant that the mountain had to go to Mohammed
Founder of Egyptian band El Tanbura, champion of the simsimiyya and an important icon of the Egyptian revolution, Zakaria Ibrahim has passed away
We've noted 50 great moments from 7000BC to the present day – concerts and confrontations, collaborations and conspiracies – all of which have shaped the sounds we're listening to today
The treasured voice of Australia's Indigenous 'Stolen Generations' has died, aged 66
The polymath German instrumentalist has an impressive back catalogue. Simon Broughton examines his wealth of recordings to date
Jeff Kaliss charts the 50-plus years and many global collaborations of the string quartet, who have just said farewell to two of their longest-serving members
The Kakatsitsi Master Drummers have been introducing international audiences to traditional Ghanaian drumming for decades. John Owoo drops in on a rehearsal to find out more about their educational mission
Phil Stanton, who founded the record label Riverboat Records and music portal World Music Network has passed away at the age of 54, after a long battle with cancer. From the very beginning he was a great enthusiast for the world, its ecology and its music
The Mancunian Irish flute and whistles player’s output is as prolific as it is varied. Dave McNally considers the career of this unstoppable musician
Fanfare Ciocărlia are the planet’s foremost Balkan brass band, soundtracking Guinness and Ikea ads, covered and copied, remixed and sampled, winning international awards and, night after night, taking their furious brass blast to the stage
Start your journey and discover the very best music from around the world.
Subscribe