Search This Blog

Wednesday 21 December 2016

Women And Nomads

Last post before Christmas, folks. I'm heading off to Morocco for a winter break tomorrow, getting back just before the end of the month - so this may turn out to be the last post of the year as well.

I'm not going to do the usual "these we have lost" tribute - the list is far too long and far too depressing - but here are few of my personal musical highlights.

Man of the Year for both recorded and live music is the great William Bell, for "This Is Where I Live" and his show at the Union Chapel in July. Hiss Golden Messenger get an honourable mention in both categories as well.  Other memorable gigs included the bizarrely brilliant Tuvan-Tuareg combination of Sainkho Namtchylak and Terakaft.

I won't attempt to rank all my favourite tracks of the year, but looking through the list I noticed that a disproportionate number of them were by female singer-songwriters and desert blues ensembles. So here are three of each which may perhaps have passed you by.

"Small Talk" - Julia Jacklin

"Assossamagh" - Imarhan

"Irene" - Courtney Marie Andrews

"Akhar Zaman" - Bombino

"The Girl From The Banks Of The Ohio" - Ana Egge & The Sentimentals

"Ahile Lamma" - Kel Assouf

We'll round things off with the Man of the Year and the Party Hit of the Year. Happy Christmas to all our readers.

5 comments:

  1. Have a great holiday. All the best to you and yours or 2017.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Splendid stuff Ernie
    Imarhan and Courtney Marie Andrews are two of my discoveries this year
    Enjoy your break

    ReplyDelete
  3. That William Bell performance is terrific. Safe travels.

    ReplyDelete