Event Review: Love Supreme Jazz Festival @ Glynde Place (Glynde, Sussex; Friday 5th to Sunday 7th July 2019)

The glorious Love Supreme returned to the prime Sussex pastures of Glynde for its seventh year, and what a return it was. With such a startling array of talent on offer, it was a mighty challenge to stay in one spot for too long for fear of missing out elsewhere….

Artists: Alicia Olatuja , Allysha Joy , Chip Wickham , Dj Khalab , Ezra Collective , Gladys Knight , Gogo Penguin , Jimmy Cliff , Joe Armon-Jones , Lauryn Hill , Mahalia , Nubya Garcia , Sampa The Great , Snarky Puppy , Tank And The Bangas , Tenesha The Wordsmith , The Teskey Brothers , Theon Cross , Yakul

London Gig Guide (July 2019)

Marcelo D2 @ The Jazz Cafe (Monday 08/07) During the last year, hip-hop has become one of the most attractive Brazilian musical exports, and Marcelo D2 one of its most emphatic representatives. So, it’s a pleasure to welcome him back to London, writing about his upcoming show at The Jazz Café, which will…

Artists: Afrikan Boy , Afriquoi , Amadou & Mariam , Amira Kheir , Amy True , Blue Lab Beats , Bumi Thomas , Carthnage , Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra , Dj Jigüe , Elpeche , Emicida , Ezra Collective , Fatima , Femi And The Inrhythms , Gianni Denitto , Imperio Bamba , Kamaal Williams , Koroleko Moussa Dembele , La-33 , Lua Preta , Marcelo D2 , Mayra Andrade , Merca Bae , Nané , Naphta , Neneh Cherry , Onra , Renegade Brass Band , Sons Of Kemet , Stella Chiweshe , Tássia Reis , The Blind Boy of Alabam , The Bongo Hop , Xylouris White , Zara Mcfarlane

Album Review: Fémina – Perlas & Conchas [Fémina Music; April 2019]  

An Argentine group who stood out from their peers with their proud feminist stance, Fémina consists of Clara Trucco, Sofia Trucco (both of whom are sisters) and Clara Miglioli. The latter two are the founding members, who originally channelled their American hip-hop influences, but once Clara Trucco joined, they began…

Artists: Femina

Album Review: Nicola Cruz – Siku [ZZK Records; January 2019]

One of the most iconic and recognisable instruments from South America is probably the siku, a handmade pan-pipe made of bamboo shoots, originating from the Andes and played to this day by its indigenous peoples. Countless variations of the siku exist in South America – each with its own variation…

Artists: Nicola Cruz

Interview: Q&A with Nicola Cruz – ‘Innovating Tradition’ (December 2018)

French-born, Ecuador-raised composer Nicola Cruz is one peculiar artist. When his first album Prender El Alma came out in 2015, many were left speechless: his intuition to blend warm, bass-fuelled, downtempo beats with traditional Andean melodies resulted in a new kind of music that spoke straight to the heart. While touring around…

Artists: Nicola Cruz

Preview: Jazz:Re:Found 2018 (Turin, Italy; Friday 30th November & Thursday 6th to Saturday 8th December 2018)

Two weeks to go until the new edition of Jazz:Re:Found. In its past editions, the forward-looking festival has brought to Italy names such as hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash, techno legend group Underground Resistance, funk-jazz Brazilian masters Azymuth and many more. This year’s theme Black & Forth sums up the two…

Artists: Antal , Bugz In The Attic , Dj Khalab , Funk Shui Project , Mos Def , Moses Boyd , Nu Guinea , Tenderlonious

Album Review: Khalab – Black Noise 2084 [On The Corner Records; 20th July 2018]

In recent years, a growing number of producers have engaged in exploring the potential of mixing electronic music with music, traditional sounds and field recordings coming from all corners of the globe — giving birth to some of the most interesting records of the decade. Some, like Nicola Cruz or…

Artists: Dj Khalab , Khalab

Event Review: WOMAD UK 2018 @ Charlton Park (Malmesbury; Thursday 26th to Sunday 29th July 2018)

The sun is shining as people from all corners of the globe – including artists from six continents and fifty countries – come together for this year’s eclectic celebration of world music and dance culture. Families, friends and couples of all ages erect tents, blow up mattresses and boil water…

Artists: Abatwa , Amadou and Mariam , Bcuc , Bollywood Brass Band , Gilles Peterson , Hanggai , Hashmat Sultana , Havana Meets Kingston , Herbaliser , Ian Brennan , K.o.g. And The Zongo Brigade , Ken Boothe , Kokoko! , LADAMA , Leftfield , Maalem Hamid El Kasri , Macka B. , Meklit , My Baby , Orchestre Les Mangelepa , Owiny Sigoma Soundsystem , Rafiki Jazz , Rodney P , Seby Ntege , Tal National , Thievery Corporation , Too Many Zooz

News: Back to the Afro-Future With DJ Khalab’s New Single & Video “Dense” (Friday 25th May 2018)

We already had a thing for DJ Khalab‘s Afro-electro sound… So, try to imagine how thrilled we are to share his futuristic brand-new single and video. The Italian DJ, producer and radio host has recently teamed up with UK alt-jazz wizard Shabaka Hutchings and Tommaso Capellato another offbeat Italian DJ,…

Artists: Dj Khalab

Interview: BCUC – Music to Experience (April 2018)

Paraphrasing the words said by their frontman Jovi Nkosi at the end of their recent London’s show on the Rich Mix stage, BCUC is a band you don’t have to listen to, but to experience. The Soweto ensemble, one of the most striking music projects coming from South Africa in…

Artists: Bcuc

Event Review: Carleen Anderson: Cage Street Memorial + Zara McFarlane @ Barbican Centre (London; 20th January 2018)

It doesn’t happen every day that we get to enjoy a double-bill show celebrating the artistry of two remarkable female musicians. Luckily, we didn’t miss the unique opportunity which happened on stage at the Barbican where we saw two such protagonists in Carleen Anderson and Zara McFarlane. Despite the two…

Artists: Carleen Anderson , Zara Mcfarlane

Event Review: TootArd @ Rich Mix (London; 31st January 2018)  

There are hardly any better ways with which to illustrate the concept of ‘upbeat’ than by narrating a TootArd show. The band, hailing from the Golan Heights, with its heartening music, are the best answer to the decades of political troubles and social struggles burdening the region, and one of…

Artists: TootArd

Mixes: Groovalizacion Radio Best Albums 2017

Last year Groovalizacion Radio selected monthly the best albums for you. What better way to celebrate the new year than looking back at these fine albums from 2017? Out of our selections, we distilled a top 20 from the past year. The higher the album is ranked, the more it is supported by our…

Artists: Bargou 08 , Blay Ambolley , Dem Juju Poets , Doña Onete , Eddie Palmieri , Groovalizacion Radio , ÌFÉ , La Mambanegra , Lagartijeando , Magin Diaz , Msafiri Zawose , Nidia Gongora , Oghene Kologbo , Orchestra Baobab , Orchestre Mangelepa , Oumou Sangaré , Quantic , Rio Mira , Sibusile Xaba , Son Palenque , They Must Be Crazy , TootArd

Gallery: Amadou & Mariam + Afrikan Boy @ Koko (London, 24th May 2017)

A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to attend one of the highlights of the London’s music calendar: Amadou & Mariam.  The Malian couple delighted the Koko audience presenting their brand new work Bofou Safou and performing an exciting sold-out gig supported by London born-and-bred hip-hop narrator Afrikan Boy. Here’s what we saw and…

Artists: Afrikan Boy , Amadou & Mariam

Interview: Nicola Cruz (March 2017)

Nicola Cruz is to put it simply, a fantastic musician. In my humble opinion, his music speaks of more than just the seeking of pleasure, but to the pursuit of life. His tracks offer themselves to the human condition, that we are born and die alone, and in between, we’re…

Artists: Nicola Cruz

Mixes: Rhythm Passport Vol.31 – DJ Khalab

DJ Khalab brings you to Burkina Faso with a brand new mix saturated with loops, trance and transcendence. The Italian DJ jazzed up the rich Western African country’s tradition with sonorous colour; boosting the psychedelic character of his musical journey. View DJ Khalab bio here Track List: Louo (The Farmer, Bwaba)…

Artists: Dj Khalab

Mixes: Rhythm Passport Vol.26 – DJ Khalab – William Onyeabor Tribute Mix

This is not just an exclusive mix by DJ Khalab, it is also a heartfelt tribute to one of the most brilliant, unpredictable and significant figures of West African music: William Onyeabor. “We have lost one of the grooviest psychedelic masters of African music In his Nigerian hometown, they were calling him ‘The Chief’….

Artists: Dj Khalab , William Onyeabor

Review: Jazz Re:Found (Turin, Italy – 7th to 11h December 2016)

Today, black music is warmth, experimentation, crossbreeding, avant-garde, tradition, and rhythm. Turin’s Jazz Re:Found festival explores these definitions, with a curious and forward thinking vision on music, honouring great names of the past while looking at the most current scenes with a sharp eye and sensitive ear. Spread across seven…

Artists: Dj Khalab , Gilles Peterson , Gogo Penguin , Grandmaster Flash , Tony Allen , Underground Resistance , Yussef Kamaal

Review: Felabration 2016 @ Electric Ballroom (London, 14th October 2016)

If you want to pay tribute to one of the most renowned and influential musicians, you need to do it good and proper, and that’s what Dele Sosimi and music partners staged at the Electric Ballroom for Felabration 2016. The London-based Nigerian keyboard player, accompanied by his orchestra and a…

Artists: Afrikan Boy , Bumi Thomas , Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra , Terry Walker , Tiggs Da Author , Yolanda Brown

Interview: Jambinai (May 2016)

The South-Korean music scene is much more lively and diverse than one might think. There is much more to it than the dozens of girl and boy-bands in glittery clothing who are to be seen dancing daily on their national TV channels. In the alleys of Hongdae, the Seoul neighbourhood…

Artists: Jambinai