Nicknamed "John Lee Hooker of Mali," Bagayogo fuses dance loops with licks played on his ancient Malian lute. Contrary to many West African stars who record in France, he keeps close link to his roots and makes his recordings in the Malian capital Bamako, in a studio set up by the French producer Yves Wernert with the goal to encourage local musicians. His band includes some of Mali's top guitarists, like Karamokou Diabate and Mama Sissoko, and the result is an organic mix of West African and Western pop. "The perfect balance between roots music and modernity." (The All Music Guide)
Just like Konono N°1, they draw on traditional trance music, to which they've incorporated heavily distorted sounds generated by DIY amplification of their instruments. But, coming from an area which is musically very rich, they use diverse rhythms, timbres and instrumentation: the trademark electrified thumb pianos are joined by an array of buzzing drums, swirling guitars and hypnotic balafons. "By Western measures, the bizarre timbres constitute an accidental avant-garde; by any measure, they rock, Grade A." (Entertainment Weekly, USA)
Her first album Gula Gula was released as a bold discovery by the Real World label 20 years ago. Her music is rooted in the Sámi heritage from the Norwegian Lappland, but to this strong, almost primeval base, she has brought a fresh interpretation and new instrumentation. Mari's crystal voice cuts across the guitars, flute, charango and drum, its qualities both hauntingly spacious and painfully intimate. She is an artist without equal and can touch on strings you might not know you had.
The award-winning Hungarian group Muzsikás revives the vanishing dances from Transylvania. While most of East European folklore ensembles became tools of Communist propaganda, in Hungary the tanc-haz movement was a part of anti-establishment activities, and Muzsikás were its co-founders. For the Western audiences, the group was discovered by Joe Boyd, producer of the first recordings of such luminaries as Pink Floyd or Eric Clapton.
This exceptional guitar virtuoso studied classical music of Iran in his home city of Teheran, and flamenco guitar with great masters of the style in Andalusia. His singing and music bridges both traditions, and frequently he switches from guitar to the Iranian traditional lute setar.
Seasoned by his work with Robert Plant and Tinariwen, Justin Adams' driving guitar finds a perfect match in West African Master Musician Juldeh Camara's powerful voice and one-string-fiddle playing. As a live trio with percussionist Salah Dawson Miller "a shaman at the court of Genghis Khan" (Evening Standard), they invoke the spirit of ancient juju Rock and Roll. The band has won the BBC World Music Awards and in Prague will launch their excellent second album. "This sound is more exciting than a Led Zeppelin reunion," (The Times).