world music
Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars releasing a new album, going on tour, playing AFRICA NOW! at The Apollo (dates/streams)
This album celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the making of our first album Living Like a Refugee. Since that first album we’ve lived a life that once seemed unimaginable; we have toured the world, released more albums, and shared our music with thousands upon thousands of friends and fans…
Weekend played Schubas during TNK2014 (pics, video), playing the Empty Bottle in April
Shoegaze-y post-punk trio Weekend toured through Chicago last week to headline a Tomorrow Never Knows 2014 performance at Schubas on Friday night (1/17)…
KiT in NYC this week, playing Baby's All Right tonight before globalFest on Sunday (watch a video)
“The first half of us made it to NYC. Waiting for the rest!!! Loving the weather ;-)” – KiT
There are plenty of bands that have tried to do the “traditional music remixed with electronica” thing and truthfully, many of them kind of suck…
Tinariwen releasing a new LP, touring (SXSW & 2 NYC shows)
Tinariwen at Austin Psych Fest 2013 (more by Tim Griffin)
Malian band Tinariwen have announced that they’ll release a new album, Emmaar, on February 11 via ANTI-, who also released their last album, 2011’s Tassili…
Hailu Mergia playing Baby's All Right, on FACT's 50 Best Reissues of 2013 (stream a track)
Blog-turned label Awesome Tapes From Africa had a top-drawer 2013, releasing Penny Penny’s legendary 1994 South African deep house album Shaka Bundu, plus the muggy grooves of Dur-Dur Band’s 1985 Volume 5 LP…
globalFEST returning in 2014, includes Abigail Washburn's new trio The Wu-Force & more (lineup & tix)
Abigail Washburn in Central Park in 2012 (more by Chris La Putt)
NYC’s annual world music festival globalFEST (not to be confused with Central Park’s Global Citizen Festival) returns in 2014 at Webster Hall on January 12…
cult-funk singer William Onyeabor releasing LP on Luaka Bop; release parties happening (NYC's is w/ Steve Shelly & more)
If Fela Kuti was a child of James Brown, fellow Nigerian William Onyeabor is something like the next-generation musical offspring of Parliament-Funkadelic…
Omar Souleyman playing BV day party before European tour, played NPR CMJ show (dates & LP stream)
Syrian pop singer Omar Souleyman is in NYC for CMJ for this week, and he just played the NPR showcase at Le Poisson Rouge last night (10/16), which also featured sets from rapper Pusha T, indie pop band Cults, and DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad (of A Tribe Called Quest)…
Sidi Toure expands tour, adds Highline Ballroom date
As mentioned, legendary Malian blues artist Sidi Toure is going on a tour this fall, which already includes one NYC date happening on October 5 at BAM Cafe, but now he’s added a sooner NYC show to his schedule…
Sidi Toure releasing a new album, touring (dates & stream)
SIdi Toure is the legendary blues singer/guitarist from Mali who has been making music in his home country for decades and finally began gaining worldwide recognition in recent years…
