Artists

PolePole is a Tanzanian-Finnish duo founded in 1998 in Helsinki, who in Zanzibar will be joined by a special guest artist, percussionist Samuli Majamäki. Their music is dominated by the ten stringed kantele played solo by Arnold Chiwalala (also the composer, arranger, playing flute and lead vocals) or combined with read more

Asia Madani is a Sudanese vocalist and percussionist based from Cairo, Egypt.

She performs traditional Sudanese folklore as well as music from various African regions. Her music reflects pride in her heritage as an African and as a strong woman with a voice that is magical and, at the same time, read more

Atongo Zimba comes from the north of Ghana. He was very young when his grandfather taught him to make and play the koliko (or molo), a two stringed lute, which is used throughout the savannahs and deserts of West Africa.

His time as a child was divided between the read more

When born a Cissoko, one is a kora player. The Guinean Ba Cissoko perpetuates a more than centenary history. He is the last born of a long lineage of griots, master singers and agile string pluckers.

Ba Cissoko knows all the codes and secrets of tradition. He estimates its reach, for read more

Bahati Female Band are eight Tanzanian women who describe their music as a combination of afro-fusion, afro-pop and bongo flava. Some of the members used to work with Lumumba Theatre and other groups based in Dar es Salaam. They decided to establish their own group to focus on performing a variety of read more

[[[STOP PRESS +Bassekou gets great review at Festival in the Desert:

"The band and the singers are all enthusiastic, jolly performers, and Kouyate's groove gets most of the audience on their feet and chanting"

Rosie Swash, Guardian Unlimited http://music.guardian.co.uk/desert2008/story/0,,2239799,00.html

Other stories:

Segu Blue gets BBC World Music Award Album of the Year read more