Originally from the island of La Reunion but now based in France, Davy’s music is sourced from the Reunionais folk dance ‘Maloya’ which is an amalgm of African slave chants and rhythms plus contemporary European instruments. The special ingredient though is Davy’s beautiful voice which glides across the music like a scrumptious coating, pure sweet and expressive. Good stuff.

Graham Radley

Brilliant release (first in 6 years although 1996 was her last full international release ) for the Malian star, this really is a superb collection of 11 tracks which leave you wanting more and more. A more mature, harder edge, than previous releases, with a positive flow to the groove and a respect for the tradition which reflects a woman happy in her skin and riding the crest of a musical wave. Superb.

Graham Radley

A retrospective of his acoustic live shows taken from gigs over the past ten years. Listen to the beautiful kora playing of the late Kaouding Cissoko, or Koni featuring Ernest and then drift into Baaba’s divine vocals and find yourself in a very special place, he’s a genius and please can we have a new CD soon.

Graham Radley

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