Many of you will know and love the Afro Celt Sound System who have been pioneers of African / Celtic fusion. I became hooked back in 1996 when I first heard Sound Magic. Their birth was slightly earlier, 1992. When Simon Emmerson began to piece together the Afro Celt Sound System, he had no idea where that journey would take him. Their success, for me at least, rests not just in their progressive fusion of their music but also in the choice of passionate artists that collaborate and celebrate music under the Afro Celt banner.
With a long and successful history behind them, the release of their latest album, Capture (1995 – 2010)
, is a welcome arrival that takes a retrospective look at their musical career. The double album split between songs (Verse) and instrumentals (Chorus) features a selection of tracks from the collective’s five acclaimed studio albums, all of which have been re-mastered which has added a greater depth to the tracks as well as bringing them more alive.
Included in the selection are their collaborations with Sinead O’Connor, Peter Gabriel, Robert Plant, Dorothee Munyaneza and more. It also includes tracks featured on soundtracks including Gangs Of New York and Hotel Rwanda.
The Afro Celt Sound System also have two very big live dates to announce which are likely to sell out fast, so don’t hang about. They are also joined by a Folk Radio favourite, Dublin-born Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, whom I featured on our Rain on Moss mix, who is regarded by many as the most exciting new talent in Irish traditional music.
Tickets:
November 2nd, 2010
Barbican, London, UK
November 21st, 2010
National Concert Hall, Dublin, Ireland