Festival of World Cultures

The timing always seemed perfect – that last weekend in August when you hadn’t quite given up hope on the summer; the music was great and the weather was always kind (ah, nostalgia…) But now 10 years on, the dlr Festival of World Cultures is moving to a new slot in late July (23-25), allowing it to tap in more effectively to the international touring circuit. One of the world’s top 25 International Music Festivals, according to Songlines Magazine, this 3 day multi-arts, multi-cultural fiesta brings a real buzz to normally sedate Dun Laoghaire, as over 800 artists from 33 countries take part in 180 events – most of them free. Headliners include legendary Algerian King of Raï, Khaled; former Sigur Rós string section Amiina; Beninese voodoo funk sensationsOrchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou; rising Malian star Rokia Traoré; and creative revolutionaryJah Wobble with his new project The Nippon Dub Ensemble. And among the special 10th Anniversary events are Homeland a collaboration between 4 fascinating world voices – Iarla Ó Lionáird, Tanya Tagaq and duo Adjágas; dancing in the streets with the Birthday Bloco Carnival;and Radio Hemisphere, the festival’s first internet radio. Loads more besides, check it all out@www.festivalofworldcultures.com

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba

Music from Mali at the Button Factory on Fri 28 May courtesy of the Improvised Music Company. Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba between them feature no less than 4 ngoni, the percussive 4-stringed lute that later evolved into the banjo, along with vocals, calabash and percussion. The virtuosic Bassekou Kouyate has done his time with the late Ali Farka Toure, and for the past decade with Toumani Diabate’s Symmetric Orchestra, while his wife Ami Sacko on vocals has been described as the Tina Turner of Bamako. Add in Ngoni Ba, hugely popular in Mali, with two critically acclaimed CDs and a reputation for a killer live show. ‘Disco ngoni through a Fender amp, how cool can you get?!’ says Ian Anderson of Froots. www.improvisedmusic.ie

Habib Koite

The hypnotic rippling sounds of world-renowned Malian guitar maestro and singer Habib Koite take over the NCH on Wed 18 Feb as part of the Waltons World Masters series. Hailing from a long line of griots or traditional troubadours, Koite takes his pentatonic-tuned open-string guitar style from the African kamale n'goni, which you can experience at close quarters during his masterclass @4pm. Later he takes to the stage with his band Bamada, something of a super-group of West African musicians, who between them conjure up an exotic blend of traditional Malian rhythms with tinges of blues, jazz and flamenco - sunny, subtle and sublime.