His album " The Secret" went straight to the top of the European World Music charts, rave reviews in American media and his natural command of the guitar has View Farka Toure dubbed as the African Jimi Hendrix. Tackling the sub zero temperatures outside, Melstar headed off to St Georges Hall in Bristol where Vieux Farka Touré gave a 'heart warming' performance at St Georges in Bristol and got everyone on their feet and dancing down the aisles. Read the full article and catch the vibe. Image (C) Gemma Hall.
It was midday on Sunday, the third day of the WOMAD festival at Charlton Park and after a big Saturday night, there was already quite a crowd gathering at the Charlie Gillett stage. An architecturally pleasing structure, defined by its projecting canopy, which depending on your outlook, resembles either
James Poulter was delighted to experience for the first time live traditional Korean music at the Sheffield University Drama Studio in early February. Eun-Jung Kim wowed the audience with two stunning pieces, the first a classical court composition, and the second a celebrated folk rendition.
“You married darling ?”, said Linda Mc Cartha Sandy-Lewis aka Calypso Rose, to all the boys, as she walked along the path from her dressing room towards the Siam Stage. Age was no barrier for our cheeky septogenarian, as one of the greatest, groundbreaking Calypsonian monarchs got in the mood to flex her mix of social commentary and wit in front of the WOMAD audience.
Nifty moves, natty drapes and energising music from purveyors of Mento, The Jolly Boys, leaves Debbie Golt ranking them as one of her favourite live music experiences, read her review of their gig at London's 100 club on 4th August, in the full article..
Dave Paskell ventures over to Leeds on a freezing cold night and takes refuge in the bar of the Leeds Irish Centre with a couple of pints of guiness whilst he waits for the doors to open for the Imagined Village and a night of traditional English folk, political song and a Slade cover version. Here's how it all went...
The very first AfroTurf was a successful night of drum skin bending, tequila slamming and tail feather shaking courtesy of DJ Jen Wah Zee who has a foot in the London scene and her heart set on entertaining Sheffield's city centre party crowds. The Bungalow's and Bears crowd were entertained by two live acts, Sheffield based Mim Suleiman and London based band, The Worm plus DJ Jen Wah Zee who kept the crowds dancing to her blend of Afrobeat.
Adrian Phillips reaches for the cod liver oil as he recuperates from a Staff Benda Bilili gig. "I’ve been to some amazing gigs and, hopefully, I will go to more, but for raw, pulsating energy and sheer joy of the music I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything quite like Staff Benda Bilili at the O2 in Oxford on Friday night.
Dave Paskell juggles the work life balance and gets to the Boardwalk just in time to find the best spot to watch Martha Tiltson and the Woods, there’s a fair size crowd of mixed ages. Nearly everyone is seated for tonight’s performance, around tables in an intimate atmosphere, close to the stage where four chairs await tonight’s headline act.
Sue Miller joined the audience at the London's Barbican for Eliades Ochoa in Concert. Support came from the London Lucumi choir led by its creator Daniela Rosselson and Cuban singer and dancer Martha Galarraga with a bata drum ensemble led by Dave Pattman.














