Manuel Valencia, from Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, grew up under the guidance of his uncle, Fernando Terremoto, who nurtured his deep love for the…
Manuel Valencia, Flamenco Guitarist with Deep Gitano Roots
Category: Artist Profiles
Spanish Early Music Innovator Pilar Almalé
Pilar Almalé (Zaragoza, 1993) is a Spanish viola da gamba player, singer, composer, and artistic director specializing in early music, which she enriches with jazz,…
Dieuf-Dieul de Thiès, Pioneers of 1970s Psychedelic Manding Music
Dieuf-Dieul de Thiès was formed in 1979 in Thiès, Senegal, by members of Ouza et Ses Ouzettes. However, the band officially launched in 1980. Quickly…
The Wit and Joy of Ríoghnach Connolly & Honeyfeet
Irish singer Ríoghnach Connolly, from Armagh and named BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year, leads the Manchester-based band Honeyfeet. Known for their diverse…
Dazzling ‘Welsh Primitive’ Acoustic Guitarist Gwenifer Raymond
Gwenifer Raymond, a gifted guitarist from Wales, began playing the guitar at age eight after being introduced to punk and grunge. Over the years, she…
Balafon Maestro N’famady Kouyaté of Guinea
(headline image: N’famady Kouyaté – Photo by Nadine Ballantyne) N’famady Kouyaté, a master musician from Conakry, Guinea, relocated to Cardiff, Wales, in 2019. A skilled…
Gnoss Breathe New Life into Scottish Folk Music
(Headline image: Gnoss – Photo by Elly Lucas) Gnoss is a superb neotrad Scottish folk band formed in 2015 by Aidan Moodie and Graham Rorie…
Irish Avant-Folk Ensemble Córas Trio
Córas Trio (formerly McAuley/McKeown/McCullagh) are deeply exploring the essence of what it means to be an Irish musician within improvised music today. Their emergent sounds…
Cerys Hafana, Welsh Triple Harp Trailblazer
Cerys Hafana is a composer and multi-instrumentalist known for innovatively transforming traditional music. She specializes in the triple harp and incorporates found sounds, archival materials,…
Balimaya Project, a Fine Exponent of West African Diaspora Music
Balimaya Project began in Harlesden, northwest London, where Yahael Camara Onono first encountered Mandé drumming, reflecting his West African heritage. With a Nigerian mother and…