Rendez-vous radio meets the director of The Cambridge African Film Festival

This month Rendez-vous à Bobo on Cambridge 105 meets the director of The Cambridge African Film Festival to hear about the films, workshops and discussions programmed for the festival's 13th edition. 

                                              CAFF logo by David Gaskin

Plus music from Dakar to Durban, a beginner's guide to Youssou N'Dour, and news of Sophiatown a musical opening at The ADC Theatre on Tuesday 28th October. 

Folignouma (AKA Les Freres Chapalo) will also be playing at the closing party of The Cambridge African Film Festival!

Rendez- vous à Bobo October 2014 by Rendez-Vous À Bobo on Mixcloud

Bi Furu (marriage today) An alternative wedding playlist

When my older brother asked me to create a playlist for his wedding reception earlier this month it started me thinking about songs from West Africa on the subject of weddings. So in parallel with his playlist I decided to curate a set of tunes from Mali and Burkina Faso. 

From the joyous and evocative sound of Amadou and Mariam's `Beaux dimanches' to Oumou Sangaré subverting a traditional song to critique patriarchy here is my alternative playlist. 

Rendez-vous à Bobo September 2014 by Rendez-Vous À Bobo on Mixcloud

Also featured are some scorching township tunes by the likes of Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens I was inspired to dig out after guesting on another Cambridge 105 radio show The Kipper the cat (vinyl) show. 

Hear the world premier of a selection from nearly 300 mint condition 78s discovered in an abandoned record shop in Gauteng just outside Johannesburg here

Africa utopia

This month on Rendez-vous radio.. News of the Africa Utopia festival at Southbank Centre, a guide to African films screening in the 34th Cambridge Film Festival, and vintage music from Ethiopia chosen from the Ethiopiques series.

Plus music from Alsarah and The Nile Project

Rendez-vous à Bobo August 2014 by Rendez-Vous À Bobo on Mixcloud

Spéciale Francophone

Inspired by Cambridge's hosting of Le Tour De France this month we celebrate music from French speaking Africa. We hear from Amadou et Mariam, Khaled and Mamani Keita



Plus news of an exhibition of painting from Botswana in Cambridge at the MAA, and we speak to Fiston Lusambo of Congolese band Zong Zing All Stars

Rendez-vous à Bobo July 2014 by Rendez-Vous À Bobo on Mixcloud

Edition Coupe du monde!

This month on Rendez-vous radio a musical celebration of the African World Cup qualifiers plus we explore music from Portuguese speaking Africa. Plus news of Africa Writes and the Cambridge Buskers Festival

Rendez-vous en Suisse

This month we rendez-vous with Souleymane`Mani' Sanou in Switzerland to speak about Burkina Faso's celebrated group Farafina and another chance to hear my short documentary "We must dare to invent in the future" made on location in Burkina Faso.

Rendez-vous à Bobo May 2014 by Rendez-Vous À Bobo on Mixcloud

Zimbabwe's rising stars

On Rendez-vous radio this month I speak to rising Zimbabwean stars Mokoomba about Tonga music and bring you live tracks recorded at their recent gig at The Junction.

Plus a set of tunes by elders of world music The Bhundu Boys

Rendez-vous à Bobo April 2014 by Rendez-Vous À Bobo on Mixcloud