Formed by Jordanian vocalist Shireen Abu-Khader to celebrate Arabic folklore. Their description on the sleeve notes as a ‘ modern folkloric chamber group’ sums them up well, the music is traditional with new arrangements but keeping the vocals very much to the fore on these Sufi influenced songs. Beautiful.

Graham Radley

Covering 1973-1975 this is funk & sato from Benin’s obscure labels often recorded in the most basic of ways. This is music for the people, people who want to dance to this raw mix of horns, guitar, organ on a driving bedrock of bass and drums. It’s amazing where all this brilliant music keeps coming from but you end up wondering how you’ve not come across it before. Thanks Analog Africa – keep them coming.

Graham Radley

Excellent release from yet another wonderful Malian artist, with great production, from Yves Wernert and Philippe Berthier, neatly mixing the rural sound with a raw funkiness and Western dance loops. Gael Le Billan is a major player as well, not only as an arranger but also adding a whole range of playing from acoustic guitar to sax to this album of many flavours. Issa Bagayogo is clearly with this CD ready to find a bigger audience, I recommend you are one of them.

Graham Radley

Rough Guide once more exel with their mix of old and new, try these to give you a snapshot of where they are coming from: Joe Arroyo y La Verdad, Radio Cumbia, LA-33, Colombiafrica, Mojarra Electrica and Grupo Saboreo. 15 tracks in all and they all have one vision, dance and party until you drop. Very good.

Graham Radley

Oh what a joy this CD is, a debut from Victor Démé,  a 46-year-old singer from Burkina Faso. His rich, warm voice is of the sort to give you goose bumps, mixed as it is with some delightful guitar playing and a rawness that just adds to its charm  Very highly recommended.

Graham Radley

10 great female vocalists here so let’s name them: Melody Gardot, Madeleine Peyroux, Cassandra Wilson, Sophie Milman, Hope Waits, Kate Paradise, Jennifer Hartswick, Stacey Kent, Della Griffin and Etta Jones. Good collection.

Graham Radley

Marseilles’ fabulous ambassadors bring us more musical sunshine and smiles as they sing to us in a mix of French, English and the local Occitan language. Good time music that is fired along by Blu’s distinctive banjo and Tatou’s vocals, a terrific live band, this set captures that enthusiasm just right. Well good.

Graham Radley

Now 78 but still delivering rich music from the soul, that celebrates her status as Cuba’s musical diva. ‘Nuestro gran amor with Cachaito and Chucho Valdes is wonderful as is her duet with Richard Bono but I think my favourite has to be the track with Chico Buarque ‘O que sera’. Superb.

Graham Radley

Brazil’s ex Minister of Culture is back now concentrating on his music and it’s a joy to have him back. His laid back vocals are given a wide range of musical settings to wow us with, from the  beats of ‘Le Renaissance Africaine’  to the simplicity of an acoustic guitar on ‘Outros Viram’. Magic.

Graham Radley

The idea behind this CD started 14 years ago as Dean Brodrick travelled through Africa playing music in small villages and townships with the  inspiration for the lyrics being water and sanitation. Vocalists come from  UK, Brazil, Mozambique and Spain providing a musical journey that combines many influences far beyond Africa but with the reassuring message that. Pump Aid-Water For Life gets £1 from each CD sale.

Graham Radley