Gondwana Report, September 26, 2010

Thanks to everyone at the Barbican for a simply wonderful weekend of music at the Transcender festival and good luck to Kadialy Kouyate who I bumped into, he’s starting his masters at the Guildhall…watch out promoters his fees will go up now! I particularly enjoyed Faiz Ali Faiz and Titi Robin and that’s how we open the broadcast.

The new album from Tiken Jah Fakoly, African Revolution, landed on our doormat this week and we’ve been enjoying it so much its our album of the week. gondwanasound.co.uk/node/1249

There’s an emphasis on Africa in this broadcast, something from Smod’s new release with Manu Chao’s production values stamped all over it. Steve Rivers starts his drumming course, giving us an opportunity to play some Farafina who we met and drummed with into the small hours at the Rain Forest World Music festival. I’ll get the photos up on the website next week.

Thank you to everyone who gave positive feedback about our extracts from the Rough Guide to the Music of Afghanistan – you can hear the complete conversation with the compiler Simon Broughton in a special podcast. gondwanasound.co.uk/node/1250

Thanks also to James Poulter for sending in his review from 5000 Morris the groundbreaking event that took place at London’s Southbank in response to Lord Coe’s derisory comments about the time old English tradition. He’s off to the Polish Culture Festival and will report back but in the meantime read his first report for GondwanaSound here. gondwanasound.co.uk/node/1242

Don’t forget if you are in London to check out the Nsimba Foggis and Taxi Patta gig we’re plaing a track on the show. Hassan Erraji also starts his Northern tour with a date in Sheffield and news just in Mamane Barke is booked for Sheffield as part of his autumn tour of the UK. Its all in the what’s on section.