Bristol’s month in World Music – October 2024

Party, party, party! All sorts of special celebrations are kicking off at Lost Horizon this month starting with exuberant promoters Wah Wah 45’s 25th anniversary bash (Fri 11). Since 1999 they’ve launched many a career for world groove music artists in Bristol as well as bringing top notch entertainers to the city. The party will feature live music from Ghanaian High-life/Afrobeat master Afla Sackey and his band Afrik Bawantu as well as Wah Wah 45 label head Dom Servini and the La Bomba crew on the decks. The following Friday (18) sees Wah Wah 45 signing Dele Sosimi’s Afrobeat Orchestra and Bristol Afrobeat big band No Go Stop celebrating the birthday of the late Fela Kuti, acclaimed inventor of that fusion of West African grooves and US funk. Dele was for a time Fela’s bandleader and this annual festivity is steeped in the tradition of the music. And then Bristol’s Worm Disco Club celebrate their 10th anniversary (Sat 26) with core member Jackson Lapes popping up in ‘psychedelic Cumbia’ band Xaman X (pictured above). Colombian Champeta DJ Edna Martinez and eclectic crate-digger Zag Erlat taking the wheels of steel.

Another great contemporary Latin act Aja Pa’Ti – fronted by the amazing Cuban vocalist Indira Raman – will launch the Old Market Assembly’s Papaya Fest (Fri 11). The week-long celebration of South American culture through theatre, food and music ends with a late-night DJ Fiesta (Sat 19). The Grain Barge has 8-strong world dance big band Shallow Roots (Fri 18) and the similarly eclectic (and numerous) Soma Soma are at No 1 Harbourside (Fri 25. The Jam Jar welcomes the powerfully authentic Brazilian percussion and song troupe Safrela with Xaman X vocalist Marta Zubieta’s Latin-jazz trio Zubieta & The Suaves (Sat 19). Rounding off October’s Latin treats, Bristol’s bandoneon supremo Mirek Salmon’s Tango Calor trio comes to Canteen (Wed 30) for a feast of Argentinian passion.

There’s an eclectic mix of African music at Jam Jar this month, starting with Senegalese live wire singer, guitarist and dancer Batch Gueye and his band (Thur 10) playing a fusion of Griot tradition and modern approaches. Malian vocal star Rokia Koné  was a prominent voice in the Les Amazones d’Afrique supergroup but by contrast brings a more stripped down acoustic sound to Jam Jar (Thur 24). Support comes from Gnawa musician Mohamed Errebbaa, last seen at the club in a duo with guitarist Justin Adams and the ever-busy Justin brings another of his collaborations (Wed 23). This pairing with Italian guitarist Mauro Durante blends Justin’s famed desert blues guitar with Mauro’s energetic Italian dance traditions, challenging each to unleash their considerable skills as musicians.

Elsewhere, The Exchange has Afro-pop vocalist Sambee & Friends (Wed 9) and SWX has fusion pioneers Afro Celt Sound System (Sat 12). This will be their first major tour since the 2023 death of founder Simon Emmerson and they are launching a new album OVA, released in Simon’s memory this month. Genre-busting Senegalese multi-instrumentalist Dudu Kouate brings yet another intriguing project to Strange Brew (Sun 13). This trio involves Dudu with violinist/singer Shunya (aka Alan Keary) and top UK jazz drummer Seb Rochford and, while Dudu’s griot roots will undoubtedly feature a whole lot of other stuff will be on their improvisatory agenda. And the ever popular ’two man Malawian army’ Madalitso Band return to the UK via The Bell (Sat 26) with that remarkable long-necked bababtone bass and beautiful vocal harmonies.

The remarkable split-voice singing traditions of the Mongolian Tuva region come to Jam Jar (Tue 15) courtesy of Batsükh Dorj in a duo with French musician Johanni Curtet who has also learned those techniques. It’s an uncanny effect, with unique resonances. It’s an unfortunate clash of dates with Yemeni futurists El Khat (Exchange, Tue 15), a trio combining home-made instruments, electronica and self-penned Arabic vocals into their own style. Even deeper reinventions drive Lalalar’s club-friendly psych treatment of their Anatolian roots, setting poetry into a solidly rock-based idiom. And if that sounds a bit heavy – albeit in a good way – there’s two chances to catch the upliftingly lighter touch of ska from Ya Freshness this month (The Bell, Wed 9/Cotham Club, Fri 18).