fRoots Features
A selection of recent features from the magazine.
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SEEKING MARIKA Obsessed by the 1918-29 US recordings of Greek singer Marika Papagika, our editor set early ethnic shellac expert Paul Vernon on accumulating all the currently available information on her. One thing led to another… are you sitting comfortably? |
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MUSIC IN FULL VIEW An inspiring and revealing series of documentary films about the music and lives of four folk artists in England aired on Channel 5 in April 2008. Ian Anderson talked to producer Michael Proudfoot and some of the subjects. |
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THE RETRO MODERNIST Devon Sproule’s new take on timeless music is a breath of fresh air blowing in from Virginia – making her the first US artist we’ve wanted to put on our cover this century! Elizabeth Kinder serves the coffee and quotes. Photos: Judith Burrows. |
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WORLD FAMOUS In 2007, 20 years after a bunch of activists labelled a box to help sell records, Elizabeth Kinder looked back on two decades of runaway success and waved a couple of fingers at the whingers. Happy birthday, world music! |
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HITTING THE RHYTHM STICK The ngoni is reckoned to be the original griot instrument and Bassekou Kouyate is the current king. Jamie Renton finds out why the ngoni twang’s the thang. Interruptions: Lucy Duran. Photos: Judith Burrows. |
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BOUILLABAISSE BLUES One of this year’s great debut albums has been the funky acoustic multi-cultural Marseille mix of Moussu T e lei Jovents. Hélène Rammant meets up with them in the old port. |
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ART OF CRONSHAW Last year Andrew Cronshaw joined the select few who have been nominated in both the Awards For World Music and the Folk Awards. Yet after 30 years of making albums, you sense he’s barely begun his explorations. Words by Ken Hunt… |
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ATHENA IN THE ROCKET LAUNCHER Every issue, fRoots fires a dozen leading questions at a willing subject. Here's what we got when we directed them at ATHENA. |
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NIAFUNKE MAN Ali Farka Toure is as enigmatic as ever, as Hélène Rammant finds when she goes in search of the Malian legend. Ali's last published interview. |
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BELLOW WORLD In scarcely more than a year, Bellowhead have gone from the drawing board to the hottest, crowd-surfingest, morris-pogoingest live band to hit the UK scene in living memory. Colin Irwin runs to catch up with a world class team… |
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FADO BRAZIL Against considerable odds, Mariza has made that difficult third album in Brazil with an orchestra, and yet it's her best yet. Ian Anderson wanted to know how she did it… |
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BHANGRA NOW Bhangra evolved as a unique Asian roots music right here in the UK, but has reached a 21st century crossroads. Hélène Rammant talks to the artists and DJs on the front line and wonders if bhangra is going hip-hop… |
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LYDIA MOTION Back in the 1930s,'The Meadowlark Of The Border' and 'The Songstress Of The Poor' were two famous nicknames given to Lydia Mendoza. Garth Cartwright travels to San Antonio, Texas to meet a living Mexican American legend. |
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FAMILY BUSINESS A 1984 Conversation With Bob & John Copper. |
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DANCING ENGLISH The wisebeards of the UK folk scene constantly fret about how to attract young audiences. They should get off their seats and check out the festival dance tents. Colin Irwin celebrates the overdue return of English country dance music mayhem. |
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FLAMENCO FORWARD Ojos De Brujo came roaring out of Barcelona with their high energy mix of flamenco and hip-hop and secured a nomination in this year's Awards for World Music. Christine Carter was smitten. |
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CHARLIE'S ANGLE Charlie Gillett's the person who pioneered world music radio in Britain - after popularising Cajun music and discovering Ian Dury. Ian Anderson gets the biog. |
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KRISTI'S SECRETS Greek singer Kristi Stassinopoulou's experiments at the roots produced a groundbreaking album which shot to No. 1 on the World Music Charts Europe. So Ian Anderson was amazed to hear that she hadn't wanted it released. |
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OH BEMBEYA! Guinea's legendary Bembeya Jazz are back in serious action after a decade and a half. Banning Eyre caught up with them in France, making their comeback album. |
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GITARA GASY Ian Anderson started out to write a short feature on a couple of guitarists from Madagascar, D'Gary and Haja. But one thing led to another… |
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WORLD MUSIC HISTORY Ever since World Music emerged as a useful marketing concept back in 1987, conspiracy theorists have wasted energies on criticising it. 'Enough!', says Ian Anderson… |
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COMPLETE FROOTS CDS TRACK INDEX All the tracks that have appeared on our free fRoots covermount CD series since they began. |
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COMPLETE PAST FEATURES INDEX All the features published in fRoots, listed alphabetically by subject. |
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COMPLETE COVER FEATURES INDEX All the cover features published in fRoots, listed chronologically. |
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REVIEWS INDEX All the reviews published in fRoots and its earlier title Southern Rag, from issue 1 (July 1979). |