UK based Americans Cory Seznec & Michael Ward Bergeman with an excellent release that brings us the world of the train, the hobo and the American past. This is old time foot stomping American blues played on accordion, acoustic guitar, banjo, piano and harmonica. My pick is ‘Hobo Heaven’ a track full of feeling. Very good

Graham Radley

I’ve been playing this more & more over the past few weeks, a special priced double CD from one of India’s most popular contemporary singers. Classically trained but not afraid to collaborate or bring his excellent voice to other styles, he’s been the regular singer for A.R. Rahman and worked with John McClaughlin in the reformed Shakti. Also includes a video of his 1998 hit ‘Breathless’ Superb.

Graham Radley

Well we would have included this one for the name alone but Ceilidh Minogue has deservedly developed over the last eight years to become one of Scotland’s most popular ceilidh bands. This is ceilidh with a new twist provided by Gregor Lowrey (accordion) Gavin Marwick (fiddle) Bob Turner (piano) and Al Morrow as the core of the band joined by Duncan Findlay (guitar) Roy Percy (bass) John Burgess (sax) Steven Hawkes (trumpet) and Angus Wares (guitar/mandolin). Really good.

Graham Radley

Music from high above the streets, from where the inspiration came, for this first of a two parter. This is jazz at its most adventurous best, a story narrated by Moira Stewart with the characters MCing over jazz blowing and hip hop flowing while musical boundaries open up. This is Birmingham from a high rise block, take a listen to the dialogue between the aspiring MC and the Job Centre worker, on the button . Love it.

Graham Radley

Venues that capture the spirit and soul of a time and place and style of music are few and far between but Dingwalls in its day was a shrine to the jazz dancers and here’s a 25 track sample of why. Aptly starting off with Janet Lawson’s ‘Sunday Afternoon’, there’s tracks from the likes of Pharoah Sanders, Mark Murphy, Airto, Tribe Called Quest, Roy Ayers, and Norman Connors. A great collection reflecting a special time.

Graham Radley

Akli D arrived in France in the early 80’s after fleeing Algeria. Discovered by Manu Chao playing in a cafe (I wish they had cafes like that around here) Manu Chao went on to produce this, Akli D.’s second album. Songs of our time, told by a modern day storyteller, songs that have an enlightened perspective on global issues that affect us all. Songs like ‘Malik’ which is the ‘never again’ story of Malik Oussekine, a pacifist student who died from injuries inflicted by the police at the famous student demonstration of 1986. Rooted in the Berber rhythms of North Africa he also mixes in reggae, celtic and global roots to produce a chilled backdrop to the songs. He’s in UK next February but it looks like only playing the predictable ‘big’ venues as part of a package hopefully he’ll be back soon playing a cafe near you.

Graham Radley

Double CD and what a wonderful collection of tracks there are here celebrating the first twenty years of this excellent label. They describe the selection process as ‘musical moments that we happen to believe in’ when those ‘moments’ include Ibrahim’, Buena Vista Social Club, Ali Farka Toure, Toumani Diabaté, Omara Portuondo, Oumou Sangare andikh Lo then we all should believe. Look out too for unreleased tracks from gnawa master Mustapha Baqbou and Mauritanian griot Dimi Mint Abban plus a taster from the, as yet, unreleased follow up to Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté’s ‘In the Heart of the Moon’. As good as it gets.

Graham Radley

Fourteeen years and now 7 albums since the first came together, this is a tribute to the late Gnonnas Pedro who sang with Africando from 1996 until his death in 2004. The title song,being his last recording.

This album also sees Pascal Dieng of Super Cayor and Basse Sarr of Orchestre Afro-Salsa de Dakar joining the Africando family. My pick is Madilu System who joins Africando for an excellent version of “Mario”, which he originally recorded with Franco’s T.P.O.K. Jazz. Superb.

Graham Radley

Son of Kandara Cissoko (Ballet Djoliba) Ba Cissoko is a kora master who brings a fresh direction to the traditions of this instrument. His band features, Kourou and Sékou Kouyate on bass, kora and electric kora plus percussionist Ibrahim Bah plus there’s several special guests featured like K’Naan, Les Nubians, and Amadou Bagayoko. Grooving along with the best of them.

Graham Radley