This is just the best, a classic band with 19 tracks spread over two CDs , this as the title suggests is the third part of a story covering 1970 to 1983. All I really need to say is this is the band that first brought us the talents that are Salif Keita, Mory kante, Sekou Kouyate, Lanfia Diabate and Makan Ganessy, listen to them here & revel in divine, pure music.

Graham Radley

Now 70 and back with his first collection of new tracks since 2004’s To Tulsa and Back. Roll On has 12 tracks including the previously unreleased title track recorded with Eric Clapton. The style of course is the same & we wouldn’t want it any other way great music played and sung in that laid back style but with great integrity and style. Magic.

Graham Radley

Their debut, also on the superb Navigator Records, quite rightly received rave reviews, this follow up fittingly sees the trio of Kris Drever, Martin Green and Aidan O’Rourke continue their adventurous approach to traditional folk music bringing to it the vibrancy of their brilliant live shows and a euphoria of song presentation that builds the passion with great musicianship and spirit, they were very good, they keep getting better.

Graham Radley

Follow up to the excellent ‘Let’s Get Out Of This Country’ and once again working with producer Jari Haapalainen. This is Tracyanne Campbell coming up with some of her strongest songs to date, sometimes dark (Away With Murder) and often, like ‘Careless Love’, relationship based but always delivered in that special Camera Obscura way. I love it, this band so deserve to be huge.

Graham Radley

A CD that came about after Richard Blair aka Sidestepper went to Colombia to meet up with Toto La Momposina, he was soon recording local Afro-Colombian artists which in turn developed into this pumping dance floor mix of Colombian, Nigerian and Jamaican styles. Great tracks with my pick probably the 12” mix of La Paloma. Brilliant

Graham Radley

Second International release from Israeli composer and keyboard player Idan Raichel further developing his range of influences so that Israeli/Middle Eastern fuses into a wider global soundscape. Sung in Hebrew, Arabic, Cape Verdean (Mayra Andrade is a songwriting collaborator) Creole, Spanish and Swahili you get a feel of the diversity with other collaborators including Marta Gomez, Somi, Zohar Fresco and Alon Nadel plus a 24 piece orchestra. Old meets new, ambient meets traditional, the result is captivating.

Graham Radley

Senta Lain are a great band from Kenya who were formed by blind band leader Michel Ongaru 8 years ago. Michel is a multi-instrumentalist and plays harmonica, guitar, flute, drums, marimba and piano. Musically the band combine a wide range of influences and cultures which include Kenyan benga and soukous styles with gospel and Cuban Son. Very good.

Graham Radley

Developed from the Liverpool 08 Capital Of Culture commission and with strong input from Jah Wobble’s wife Zi Lan Liao (Guzheng) and the Pagoda Chinese Youth Orchestra plus on ‘Dragon & Phoenix’ an appearance of Wobble’s sons. They were joined by visiting Chinese dancers and vocalists (the wonderful Gu Yinji and Wang Jinqi) plus Wobble’s regular touring band. I had the pleasure of seeing them at Womad and every part of this East/West union came together brilliantly in a way which was both inspiring and magical. Highly recommended.

Graham Radley

From Ipanema Beach, with a sound that rocks and funks its way through core Brazilian rhythms, with a touch of psychedelic thrown in too but really there’s so much going on here it’s hard to define (in a good way). They are a seven piece band that distance themselves well away from all stereotypical notions of Brazilian music and have made a CD that’s distinctly their own sound, I’ll just leave you to ponder what that sound actually is because there’s such a mixture from track to track that you often wonder if it’s a different CD. Well worth checking out.

Graham Radley

Superb release from Bonga with a nice balance of moods and rhythms which range from where his native Angolan semba shows influences of morna from the Cape Verde to  changing gear so that soukous guides us to the dance floor. Now in his 60’s but this is a real return to earlier form. Recommended.

Graham Radley