Tombak In The Spotlight On Between Hands
Kaveh Mahmudiyan — Between Hands (Global Sonics, 2025) Kaveh Mahmudiyan’s first solo album, Between Hands presents his own compositions with the tombak (Persian goblet-shaped drum).…
Suitcases Express Iberian Music Tales
Kepa Junkera & Sorginak – Maletak (Fol, 2016) Accordion player Kepa Junkera and his regular companions Sorginak have released one of Kepa’s finest albums in…
Artist Profiles: Bembeya Jazz
Guinea’s Bembeya Jazz was formed in 1961, at a time and place when Afro-Cuban music resonated and possibly became the bridge between traditional music and…
Mara by Aditya Prakash Ensemble
Aditya Prakash Ensemble – Mara (2016) Mara is an excellent album and the soundtrack to a multimedia show. The artists behind the project are sibling…
Unpredictable Bareto
Bareto, one of Peru’s leading cross-genre bands has released its latest album Impredecible in the USA. The new recording features a mix of psychedelic Peruvian…
Artist Profiles: African Virtuoses
Originally called Les Freres Diabate (The Diabate Brothers), the African Virtuoses were essentially a family band. But the Diabates were no ordinary family. For generations…
Artist Profiles: Pa Bobo Jobarteh
The great Gambian singer and kora player Pa Bobo Jobarteh rose to international attention when he was invited to perform at the WOMAD (World Music…
Length & Time: Gilberto Gil
I will be writing a column on Length & Time in music, in each presenting an album and its strategies that pertain to addressing Length & Time. Perhaps…
Artists Profiles: Angélique Kidjo
Angélique Kidjo is one of the African singers with more attraction and performance power. The direct rhythms, strong, energetic, taken from the traditions of her…
Artist Profiles: Roha Band
Roha Band is a very popular Ethiopian band that performs a mix of modern and traditional music. Roha Band has produced over 250 recordings with…
Artist Profiles: Minase Hailu
Minase Hailu, guitarist, fled Ethiopia during the dictatorship of Mengistu Haile-Mariam. He now lives in Germany. His family, having its farms confiscated, paid a high…