C a r l o s

R a m o s

Contents

4 Verdi’s Aida Hugo Shirley travels to Rome and witnesses a rare event in recent musical history – a no-expense-spared recording of a grand opera: Verdi’s Aida

7 A to Z of world music World music is a maze. And what you need is a good map. So here is our A to Z of world music, taking you from Africa Express to Zimbabwe

14 Courtney Pine & Zoe Rahman Alyn Shipton talks to the great saxophonist, Courtney Pine, and the award-winning pianist Zoe Rahman about their album Song (The Ballad Book)

18 Sir Simon Rattle Geoffrey Norris catches up with the conductor Sir Simon Rattle as he prepares to head back to England to lead the London Symphony Orchestra in 2017

22 Mariza Returning with her first album in five years, Mariza makes sure fado is not a limitation. She speaks to Gonçalo Frota about the birth of Mundo

27 Kamasi Washington Few jazz albums have made an impact like Kamasi Washington’s The Epic in 2015, Kevin Le Gendre interviews the LA-based saxophonist and bandleader

28 Keith Jarrett Stuart Nicholson meets Keith Jarrett, a pianist with an unmatched body of work that straddles both jazz and classical worlds

32-37 The Albums of the Year