BEST ARTIST BEST GROUP CROSS-CULTURAL NEWCOMER COLLABORATION Çiğdem Aslan Dizraeli & the Family For Mortissa on For on ARC Music Small Gods Atlantica Asphalt Tango Records It has been a while For Moving in the Dark on ECC Records For Family Atlantica on Istanbul-born Aslan, since we have heard Bristol-based Soundway Records the lead singer of the from Irish group Dizraeli and his Fronted by party-loving klezmer Clannad, fronted by merry band connect Venezuelan Luzmira band She’Koyokh, singer . the dots between the Zerpa, Londoner Jack strikes out on her own for Their last album came seemingly distant worlds Yglesias and Nigerian/ her solo debut, Mortissa. Meaning ‘strong, out in 1998 but their big return with Nádúr of hip-hop and folk, highlighting both Ghanaian Kwame Crentsil, Family Atlantica independent woman,’ the album revisits came just in time to celebrate the 40th genres’ democratic nature – “a music of the ambitiously delve into the wealth of the classic 1930s Greek rebetika and its Anatolian anniversary since their debut release. The people with a strong oral tradition, music music on either side of the Atlantic with their cousin, smyrneika. With her dark, silky voice, album, whose title means ‘nature’ in Irish that isn’t afraid to tell everyday people’s Latin/African fusion. Very much a product of Aslan expertly treads the fine line between Gaelic, is very much rooted in their home stories,” says Dizraeli. Moving in the Dark is multicultural London, they unite with music tradition and innovation, resurrecting the county of Donegal and sees the original full of honesty and wit, weaving clever tales of the African diaspora with unparalleled joy, love songs from smoky emigrant cafés. family quintet together once again. that are at times dark and others playful. enthusiasm and charisma.

Mulatu Astatke Los Fanfara Monsieur For Sketches of Ethiopia Desterrados Tirana meets Doumani on Jazz Village For Dos Amantes on Enkalador Records Transglobal For Grippy Grappa on Monsieur Doumani With a nod to Miles Los Desterrados Underground This trio of Cypriot Davis’ Sketches of delve into the Ladino For Kabatronics on World Village musicians – Antonis Spain, Mulatu music of the Spanish For this project, Antoniou on the Astatke’s latest album Jews, breathing new life Albanian brass band bouzouki-like tzouras, highlights and celebrates into this largely-forgotten Fanfara Tirana team up Angelos Ionas on guitar the cultural diversity of Ethiopia, his home repertoire. They dip into a wealth of with the masters of global fusion, Transglobal and Demetris Yiasemides on wind country. Looking more to Africa, composer influences, including North African, Balkan, Underground. London-based TGU mix in instruments – have been updating the local and vibes player Astatke creates a triumphant Gypsy and flamenco. Assisted by beats, samples and a slew of instruments to repertoire since they formed in 2011. Their mix of jazz and African music while still percussionist Guy Schalom on several underpin the punchy horns, while Fanfara debut features confident reworkings of local allowing for the effortless creative freedom tracks, the London-based group provide a Tirana are given plenty of time to shine in all songs, providing a fresh and inventive take that has seen him dubbed as the father and vibrant glimpse into the influences hidden their brassy glory. The match-up makes for on tradition. Peppered among the traditional ultimate master of Ethio-jazz. within Sephardic repertoire. an entertaining album and a killer live show. songs are a few excellent originals.

Manu Chao R.U.T.A. Catrin Finch & Will Pound 2014 For Sibérie M’était Contéee For Na Vschod on Karrot Kommando Seckou Keita For A Cut Above on Lulubug Records on Because Since their debut in For Clychau Dibon on Astar Artes Harmonica virtuoso Rocker Manu Chao 2011, Polish punks Both Welsh harpist Will Pound shows The Nominations never had much R.U.T.A. have made Catrin Finch and off his stuff on his Now in their sixth year, the Songlines Music time for the language their name with their Senegalese kora solo debut. Taking Awards celebrate the wealth of musical talent of his homeland, and wild folk-inspired player Seckou Keita are the instrument on an for years he refused to music played with raw no strangers to fusion, epic journey through from around the world. Here are this year’s sing in French. And yet, here he is with 23 power and anarchic vocals. Their second each having worked on various projects in varied repertoire, Pound’s playing ranges nominees, as voted by you. The winners will be tracks of full-on French song. The album, release, Na Vschod (To the East), sees them the past. However, it is with this collaboration from delicate to frenzied. For A Cut Above, announced in our 100th issue, on sale April 25 originally released in 2004 but unavailable looking in that direction for inspiration and that they’ve made musical magic. So perfectly he taps into the bluegrass repertoire, morris R.U.T.A.

outside France until now, nods to the world collaborators. There are songs from Belarus, blended, it is often impossible to distinguish dance tunes and even a bit of gospel. But Bartek Muracki WORDS ALEXANDRA PETROPOULOS of chanson and musette while keeping the Ukraine and Russia here, and with things where harp ends and kora begins. There is a this isn’t just an exercise in range, it’s his iconic playfulness that has made Manu Chao recently kicking off in Kiev, the R.U.T.A. wonderful harmony to this meeting of Celtic consistent musicality that makes this album ; Dizraeli & the Small Gods a superstar. revolution seems to be spreading quickly. and Mande traditions. something truly special.

THE AWARDS ALBUM Bassekou Tamikrest Monoswezi We Banjo 3 Çiğdem Aslan Kouyaté & For Chatma on Glitterbeat For The Village on Riverboat Records For Roots of the Banjo Tree

Featuring tracks from all 16 nominees, Philipp Ebeling; Ngoni ba The young Touareg Monoswezi is made on We Banjo 3 Handan Erek; the Songlines Music Awards 2014 For Jama Ko on Out Here rockers’ third album, up of Zimbabwean Just as the album’s compilation album is available on Malian ngoni star whose name means vocalist and mbira title implies, We Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita Mulatu Astatke Bassekou Kouyaté ‘sisters’ in Tamashek, player Hope Masike, Banjo 3 – Enda CD from March 17 exclusively from returns with a new is dedicated to Touareg a trio of Scandinavian Scahill with brother line-up. Here he is joined women, and as such jazz musicians and Fergal, plus brothers Alexis Maryon; by his two sons Madou and Moustafa and a features the outstanding vocals of Wonou Mozambican vocalist Calu Tsemane. While Martin and David Howley – explore the few special guests, including co-producer Walet Sidati, the group’s only female mostly based on traditional Zimbabwean journey of this often under-appreciated Andy Morgan;

Bassekou Kouyaté Howard Bilerman of Arcade Fire fame. member. Produced by Chris Eckman, song, there a jazz sensibility that lifts it above instrument, from bluegrass to traditional

+ PODCAST Hear a preview of each track from the Songlines Music Recorded in Bamako just as Mali descended Chatma sees Tamikrest stand out from the and beyond mere tradition. Fuelled by Irish music. Joined by several guests Monoswezi Awards 2014 album on this issue’s podcast and Tablet edition into chaos and turmoil in 2012, Jama Ko Touareg crowd with more variety to their Masike’s incredible voice and delicate mbira, including five-string banjo whizz Leon Hunt, Lars Halvorsen Simon Phipps + ALBUM Our Songlines Music Awards 2014 compilation album is became Bassekou’s political manifesto to his sound, including psych-rock, indie, dub and Monoswezi offer a fresh new take on both they offer an homage to the great players of available exclusively from Amazon, http://bit.ly/SMA14CD distressed country. funk mixed among the iconic desert rock. Zimbabwean music and Scandinavian jazz.ezi the past with some top-notch playing.