Few African countries have contributed so many important artists to the World Music market: Salif Keita, Toumani Diabaté, Habib Koité, Kandia Kouyaté, Oumou Sangaré and the late Ali Farka Touré being but a few
The Welsh trio VRï are injecting new life into traditional songs, mining the country’s past for the stories of everyday people
Jane Cornwell speaks to eco-minded composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Cosmo Sheldrake, whose interest in endangered species and enigmatic writers inspires works such as his new sophomore set, Wake Up Calls
Emerging from the shadow cast by his famous father, guitarist Vieux Farka Touré has spent a career forging his own path. But now he’s finally returning to his roots. Photography by Kiss Diouara
EMEL’s latest album sees her work with a completely female team to make one of the most unapologetically forthright and adventurous albums of the year
Garth Cartwright travels to Bucharest to preview the revitalised and reformed Romanian Gypsy band, Taraf de Haidouks, who are making their UK debut as Taraf de Caliu, alongside Impex
Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino perform the vibrant pizzica music of southern Italy. Ciro de Rosa speaks to bandleader Mauro Durante about how they brought this rhythmic tradition into the 21st century
With a new album ready, his first in six years and one featuring an all-star cast – Damien Marley, Sampa The Great, Lenny Kravitz – Seun hopes to make a breakthrough: “Reaching the people without the mainstream is not easy,” he tells Jane Cornwell
One of Iran’s leading female singers has become world famous with her myriad collaborations. Laudan Nooshin pinpoints some of her career highlights to date
Sarathy Korwar is becoming an influential figure within London’s vibrant and eclectic music scene. He talks to Jane Cornwell about his latest project, inspired by Brexit Britain and the importance of changing the East-West narrative. Photographs by Rishabah Sood
Celebrating 60 years of Fania Records, we ask Daymé Arocena, Silvana Estrada, Roberto Fonseca, iLe, Meridian Brothers, Orquesta Akokán, Nathy Peluso, Ana Tijoux and many others to pick some Fania classics. Introduction by Erin Cobby. Interviews by Russ Slater Johnson
The new voice of Mali, Rokia Koné, teamed up with producer-to-the-stars Jacknife Lee for an album sure to go down as a classic. Jane Cornwell catches up with this seemingly improbable, though quite inspired, pop partnership. Photography by Karen Paulina Biswell
Robin Denselow celebrates the remarkable Ethiopian nun and musician Emahoy Tsege-Mariam Gebru who would have been 100 on December 12
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
From Adam and Eve to empowering women across the world – there’s not much that Angélique Kidjo doesn’t have an opinion about. Jane Cornwell meets to the irrepressible singer
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