Paul Slade finds out why the singer, guitarist and song collector was always destined for a life in folk music and how his latest album unexpectedly paid homage to a dearly departed friend
Ten of our longest-standing contributors pick albums released during Songlines’ lifetime that are well overdue another listen
Mark Sampson chats to the dynamic French vocal sextet San Salvador during a brief moment at home in south-west France following a whirlwind 18 months of international touring
Jo Frost speaks to trailblazing Moroccan musician Asmâa Hamzaoui and her sister Aicha about Gnawa traditions that have been passed down through generations, and the need for women to express themselves in their culture
The Western Sahara has been the subject of dispute for many decades. One of its most eloquent activists and singers, Aziza Brahim, talks about life in exile and how music and politics are inseparable
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
The Israeli-Iranian singer and actress Liraz talks to Jane Cornwell about rediscovering her Iranian roots, singing in Persian and the risks taken to fulfil her desire to record with fellow Iranian musicians
Pleasure, pain and poetry – the ‘Queen of Fado’ gave Portugal its soundtrack during a turbulent 20th century. Chris Moss looks back over Amália’s career
Patrick Jered ventures into Madhya Pradesh in India to unearth the legendary bin-baja harp, widely considered as a pariah instrument
French film-maker Vincent Moon walked away from a career documenting Western rock royalty to create what could be the most impressive and vast ethnomusicology experiment of the 21st Century. Anne Girard Esposito speaks to Moon about his many travels
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
The marimba music of Colombia’s Pacific coast is enjoying a something of a revival. Simon Broughton grabs a couple of mallets and takes a swing at a workshop
Daniel Brown speaks to Cameroonian musician and writer Blick Bassy about breaking the silence on France’s colonialist treatment towards his country’s independence heroes
The Irish supergroup have long been the benchmark for traditional music. Michael Quinn examines their impressive catalogue and achievements to date
Feminist supergroup Les Amazones d’Afrique mark a decade of existence this year, with a new release to celebrate. Jane Cornwell talks politics, power and positivity with the current line-up. “Women are suffocating. We want them to breathe,” they tell her.
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