selection 2009 - Top 10 world albums in 2009

Malian music - Salif Keïta's "La Différence" - An album dedicated to albinos

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:32:30 GMT

Malian music star Salif Keïta has dedicated his new album, La Différence, to albinos, hoping that his new songs will help fight discrimination against people who, ...

Africa - Oumou Sangaré - Seya

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:19:25 GMT

It has been years since Mali’s iconic diva, Oumou Sangaré, has set foot in the studio to record new material. ...

New talent - Kinshasa's Staff Benda Bilili - Rumba forged on the streets

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:31:36 GMT

Kinshasa is renowned as a hotbed of musical talent. But Staff Benda Bilili, the latest discovery from Belgian label Crammed Discs, are truly unique. This band ...

Album review - Baaba Maal - Television

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:47:57 GMT

Baaba Maal deliberated at length over the making of his latest album, Television, and the Senegalese music star was not afraid to stick his neck out and try something new...

Senegal - Omar Pène's "Triumph" - An African take on the accordion

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:19:33 GMT

On his latest album, Ndam, Senegal's Omar Pène goes back to the acoustic sound he experimented with on his 2007 album Moom Tamit. ...

Algeria - Khaled's vocal comeback - Back-to-basics Rai

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:45:32 GMT

Algeria's Raï king Khaled has made a stunning comeback with Liberté, an album marking a twenty-year friendship with French producer Martin Meissonnier...

Interview - Rachid Taha says "bonjour" - A protest singer never dies

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:55:21 GMT

Globe-trotting rocker Rachid Taha has been flying back and forth between Paris and New York, making his eighth album with Bowie's old producer Mark Plati. Bonjour is an album full of ...

Congolese music - Fally Ipupa - Act II - Second solo album

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:02:22 GMT

Fally Ipupa started out singing with Koffi Olomidé's group Quartier Latin, but branched out to pursue a successful solo career in 2006 with his debut album Droit chemin. After ...

Malian music - Vieux Farka Touré on the road - Second album by Farka Touré junior

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:07:53 GMT

Three years after his eponymous debut, Vieux Farka Touré - son of the late Malian guitar legend Ali Farka - is back in the news with his second album, Fondo. Fusing traditional ...