Mark Allen Group St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Rd, London, SE24 0PB, UK +44 (0)20 7738 5454 info@songlines.co.uk www.songlines.co.uk

SUBSCRIPTIONS UK: 0800 137 201 Overseas: +44 (0)1722 716997 subscriptions@markallengroup.com ADVERTISING +44 (0)20 7501 6683

Editor-in-chief Simon Broughton Publisher Paul Geoghegan Editor Jo Frost Deputy Editor Alexandra Petropoulos Art Director Calvin McKenzie Content & Marketing Executive, News Editor Edward Craggs Advertisement Manager James Anderson-Hanney Online Content Editor James McCarthy Reviews Editor Matthew Milton Listings Editor Tatiana Rucinska World Cinema Editor Yoram Allon Cover image Joe del Tufo, Moonloop Photography Contributing Editors Jane Cornwell, Mark Ellingham & Nigel Williamson Intern Jamie Kyei Manteaw Subscriptions Director Sally Boettcher Publishing Director Sian Harrington Managing Director Jon Benson CEO Ben Allen Chairman Mark Allen Published by MA Business & Leisure Ltd

© MA Business & Leisure Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved. ISSN 1464-8113. MA Business & Leisure Ltd is part of the Mark Allen Group www.markallengroup.com Printing Pensord Press Ltd Record trade distribution WWMD Ltd 0121 788 3112 Newstrade distribution COMAG 01895 433600 The paper used within this publication has been sourced from Chain-of-Custody certified manufacturers, operating within international environmental standards, to ensure sustainable sourcing of the raw materials, sustainable production and to minimise our carbon footprint.

WELCOME

The search for something new

Great to see that Huun-Huur-Tu, the extraordinary throat singing band from Tuva, have recently been on tour in the UK. I saw them recently in Konya, Turkey and I had forgotten just how breathtaking their performances are. The four of them began with a communal, atavistic growl and then broke into a chant that sounded like something out of The Exorcist. I don’t want to be tabloid, but Tuvan throat singing is THE MOST INCREDIBLE THING YOU’VE EVER HEARD. You can’t believe these four human beings are producing sounds like this – sometimes growly like an earthquake, sometimes ethereal like dancing fireflies.

I first heard Huun-Huur-Tu in London, probably 25 years ago. Their set probably wasn’t very different from what it is now. Maybe not the same songs, but the same ingredients – the rhythms of horses hooves, the swooping cry of the horse-head fiddle and then the incredible throat-singing, or more correctly overtone singing, where you can’t really tell who is doing what. The Turkish audience sat open-mouthed, amazed at what the human throat can do. And while world music professionals might tick them off their list because they’ve been around for so long, there are still millions of people who have never heard anything like this before.

Of course we’re all looking for something new, but let’s not forget that everything in this magazine – traditional or contemporary – is going to be new to someone. The important thing is for people to hear it.

Simon Broughton, editor-in-chief

PS Don’t forget, Songlines makes a great Christmas gi , see p44

Everything in this magazine – traditional or contemporary –

is going to be new to someone

CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE INCLUDE

Jean Berry A French writer and photographer, Jean has written about world music, as well as jazz and hip-hop, for several magazines over the past decade. This issue he talks to the French band, Zoufris Maracas on p16.

Catriona Price A fiddle player and composer from the Orkney Islands. She is a member of the Orkney fiddle band Fara and half of the fiddle and harp duo Twel h Day, who recently returned from Mongolia, see p79.

Jamie Kyei Manteaw An English student at Coventry Universi , Jamie is carrying out a year-long work placement at Songlines. He recently spoke to Tiken Jah Fakoly about the inspiration behind his new album, see p19.

Songlines was launched in 1999 and is the definitive magazine for world music – music that has its roots in all parts of the globe, from Mali to Mexico, India to Iraq. Whether this music is defined as traditional, contemporary, folk or fusion, Songlines is the only magazine to truly represent and embrace it. However, Songlines is not just about music, but about how the music fits into the landscape: it’s about politics, history and identi . Delivered in both print and digital formats, Songlines, through its extensive articles and reviews, is your essential and independent guide to a world of music and culture, whether you are starting on your journey of discovery or are already a seasoned fan.

@SonglinesMag facebook.com/songlines google.com/+songlines

ISSUE 114 › SONGLINES 03