Amadou and Mariam; the Blind Boys of Alabama review – soulful energy
Sets by the Malian husband and wife and a group dating back to the 30s featured fine harmonising and inspired guitar solos
November 2017
Culture highlights of the week
Culture highlights: what to see this week in the UK
From the return of Bananarama to a new play by the writer of Doctor Foster, here is our pick of the best films, concerts, exhibitions, theatre and dance over the next seven days
September 2017
Amadou and Mariam: La Confusion review – distinctive new songs on patchily good release
March 2017
Les Amazones d’Afrique: République Amazone review – voice of all-female collective gets lost in the mix
February 2017
‘The album is a love letter to men’: meet feminist supergroup Les Amazones d’Afrique
A collective of female stars including Angélique Kidjo, Mariam Doumbia and Nneka is singing out against gender inequality in west Africa over a soundtrack of funk, blues and dub
August 2015
Sunn O))); Atomic Bomb! review – cacophony in the key of ))) major
The Seattle noise merchants cover Meltdown in dry ice and primal frequencies, while David Byrne and co celebrate cult songsmith William Onyeabor
July 2015
From The Beatles to Bieber, how pop stars have saved the world
Ahead of Cop21 and the SDGs, boy band One Direction have launched a humanitarian campaign. How have other pop stars contributed to development throughout the ages?
November 2014
Guardian Africa network
Social media rallies behind west African alternative to Band Aid 30
After an outpouring of criticism for Bob Geldof’s response to Ebola, Twitter shows its support for a different charity single with a practical message
January 2014
Australia culture blog
Eclipse: Amadou and Mariam – review
The Mali duo play in total darkness in a show which is part avant garde theatre piece, part beginner's guide to their career, writes Alex Needham
October 2013
Music blog
A week in Mali with Africa Express – Olugbenga Adelekan's diary
Metronomy's Olugbenga Adelekan and this diary of his week in Mali recording an album with the likes of Damon Albarn and Brian Eno, and local musicians
January 2013
Music is vital to political struggle across Africa – not just in Mali
Ian Birrell
Ian Birrell: Banning music in Mali is outrageous, not least because it's crucial to the country's wellbeing
Fatoumata Diawara gathers Malian supergroup to record peace song
Group calling themselves Voices United for Mali, featuring Amadou and Mariam, Oumou Sangaré, Bassekou Kouyaté, Vieux Farka Touré, Toumani Diabaté and many others, release song called Peace in response to country's troubles
Mali's magical music
Glastonbury 2013 lineup: first act announced
Mali music ban by Islamists 'crushing culture to impose rule'
September 2012
Africa Express: Paul McCartney and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage part two - video
Africa Express – review
Africa Express: rolling coverage, days four and five
Africa Express: rolling coverage
August 2012
New Africa
Africa Express: a magical mystery tour
Eighty musicians, one train and a string of stops across Britain. This could be the most extraordinary tour of the year, says Caspar Llewellyn Smith
