A long way from being a comprehensive gig guide but NB The Necks at Cafe Oto on June 10/11, Lophae 30/4 at The Vortex, Little Simz at Royal Festival Hall 22/6 as part of their Meltdown Festival which she is also curating, Eric Bibb January Blues Festival in ’26, Janette Mason: 1/5 – Eastbourne, 14/5 PizzaExpress, Soho (album launch), 17/7 – The Vortex.
New and noteworthy: Belaganas, Olive Jones, Rita Satch, The Flying Hats, Harvey Young, 2 from Salsa De La Bahia Vol. 3 a double album celebrating female musicians from the Latin jazz and Salsa scenes in the Bay Area.
We said RIP to singer/guitarist, Amadou Bagayoko, half of Amadou & Mariam (pictured) alongside his wife Mariam Doumbia. who started playing together after meeting at a school for the blind and went on to huge success all around the world. He was only 60!
I saw Jacqui McShee (ex-Pentangle) recently as part The Modern Jazz & Folk Ensemble. Catch them if you can.
Great music runs through the show like a stick of seaside rock.
| Ray Charles | Eleanor Rigby | 7″ |
| Little Simz | Heart On Fire | No Thank You |
| Belaganas | Rock Bottom | Rock Bottom EP |
| Eric Bibb | What’s He Gonna Say Today | Global Griot |
| Olive Jones | A Woman’s Heart | Three More Nights EP |
| Rita Satch | Meet Me In The Garden | Meet Me In The Garden |
| The Flying Hats | The Flying Hats – Night Bus | The Return Of The Flying Hats |
| Mike Guagenti | Salsa con Charanga | Salsa con charanga |
| Issac Delgado | La Sandunguita | La Primera Noche |
| Harvey Young | Let Them Know I Was Here | Download |
| Jacqui McShee | Once I Had A Sweetheart | Take Three |
| Lophae | Negative Blues | Perfect Strangers |
| Amadou & Mariam Feat. Jacky & Mokobe | La Triste Réalité | La Réalité (Remixes) |
| Amadou & Mariam | Chérie | Folila |
| Amadou & Mariam | Si Ni Kan | Tje Ni Mousso |
| Yo | Fo’w Maye | Mizik Maladi: Disques Debs International Vol. 3 |
| La Doña | Can’t Eat Clout | Salsa De La Bahia Vol. 3 – Renegade Queens |
| Renegade Queens | La Mensajera | Salsa De La Bahia Vol. 3 – Renegade Queens |
| Janette Mason | John I’m Only Dancing | ReWired |
| Zafari | Addis Ababa | Beyond Addis |
| Zee Nxumalo & TBO | Ngisakuthanda (feat. PYY Log Drum King, Dj Tearz & Dr Thulz) | Download |
| Ballou Canta | Wele – Wele | Adama |
| Willie Colón & Rubén Blades | El Cazangero | The Good, The Bad And The Ugly |
| Ismael Rivera y sus Cachimbos | Las Caras Lindas | Esto Si Es Lo Mio |
| The Necks | 10% | Hanging Gardens |
