CONTENTS

72 Mahsa Vahdat

T a h m i

n e h

M o n z a v i

W a l t e r

K e y s

36 Ssewa Ssewa

UPFRONT 06 Top of the World CD 09 Bonus CD:

K-Music Festival 10 What’s New 16 Folk Focus 18 Introducing...

Jake Blount & Dandana 20 Simon Says 21 Letters

Simon Says 21 Letters

28

FEATURES 22 Afel Bocoum

The Malian musician shares his concerns and hopes for his country 28 AMMAR 808

Sofyann Ben Youssef takes a musical trip to South India 32 Criolo

Th B 36 S

The Brazilian rapper on Bolsonaro and COVID-19 36 Ssewa Ssewa

Th b to 38 D

The musician intent on bringing Ugandan music to wider audiences 38 Dinastía Torres

Th C m

The family keeping Colombia’s Pacific marimba music alive

REVIEWS 44 Africa 46 Americas 50 Europe 54 Asia 55 Middle East 56 Fusion 62 Pacific 63 Books 64 Classical & Jazz 65 World Cinema 66 Live reviews and

ma

gig listings

and

“Music amplifies the feelings and the voices of the people and that is extremely important now”

Rapper Criolo is hopeful despite the

challenges Brazil faces, see p32

”

19 Dandana

I v o

M o s t e r t

REGULARS

68 My World:

Charlie Higson 71 Postcard from

Saint Helena 72 Beginner’s Guide

to Mahsa Vahdat 75 Quickfire 77 Dispatch from

New York Ci , US 80 My Instrument:

Pekko Käppi 81 Soapbox 82 Essential 10:

Pekko Käppi 81 Soapbox 82 Essential 10:

Malian Guitarists

Malian Guitarists

ISSUE 161 › SONGLINES 05

ISSUE 161 › SONGLINES 05