Bristol’s month in World Music – June 2025

The St Paul’s Carnival may be just over a month away (July 5) but there’s plenty of Afro-Caribbean action to warm up throughout June. There’s lots to see on the Latin front, too and an eclectic African mix on offer.

Reggae-wise it’s fair to say that Johnny Osbourne (Jam Jar, Sat 7) is definitely a legend in the music. He’s been recording for nearly 50 years, spanning roots, lovers rock and dancehall with dance-tastic hits like Buddy Bye and the righteous Truths and Rights. With sound system support from Hotsteppas this one is sure to sell out, so be quick. There should be a big crowd in St George’s Hall the next day when the Bristol Reggae Orchestra perform Ballots or Bullets (Sun 8). The event is themed on the writings of the late Malcolm X but there will be a few reggae classics on the way, as you can expect from ska revivalist Ya Freshness and his band (The Bell, Wed 18/Canteen, Fri 27). Live music from Aruba and Bandyt is just part of Trinity’s Windrush Celebration Day (Sun 22) honouring the legacy and contributions of the Windrush Generation. And, of course, the Star & Garter has its monthly dub’n’roots session with DJs Bad Boy Emerson and David (Fri 13).

Anyone who caught their previous visit to Bristol will want to get down to Alogte Oho & his Sounds of Joy (Strange Brew Sat 21) – their vigorous blend of Hi-life, Fra Fra and Gospel is irresistibly uplifting, plus there’s support from Senegalese kora-player Modou Ndiaye. The following evening Strange Brew also have WITCH (Sun 22), the remarkable revival project of a 70s Zambian rock sensation mixing a new generation of players with surviving original members. Contemporary Zambian songstress Namvula shares the bill with DRC artist Liz Ikamba at the Wardrobe Theatre (Sun 1), both musicians blending their roots traditions with a wide range of inspirations. The vibrant Project Zulu young people’s choir from Natal present their gala performance at The Beacon (Thur 5) with powerhouse South African vocalist Innocent Masuku – a feast of singing, drumming and dancing. There’s always a feast of great food as well as music, art and other things at Trinity’s annual Afrofest (Sat 14). Longstanding local heroes Helele bring their jazz-inflected West African Afrobeat to Canteen (Sat 21).

Songhoy Blues’ haunting sound of Malian desert blues guitar and soulful vocals come to Thekla (Sat 7) with support from Guinean balafon player N’Famady Kouyate. There’s a similar hypnotic magnetism to the gnawa-derived music of Mohamed Errebbaa’s band Tagna Groove (Strange Brew, Friday 6) with the singer and guembri player embellishing tradition with contemporary jazz instrumentation. That was also very much the aim of Ethiopian legend Mulatu Astatke whose inspirational fusion of traditional modes with modern jazz and funk is evoked by the Fairfield House Ethio-Jazz Project (Fringe, Wed 18), multi-instrumentalist Ross Hughes’ top class gathering of Bristol musicians.

When two musical entities with strong reputations combine something powerful can happen, and the collaboration of Afro-Colombian collective Akolá Tambó with Colombian percussionist Álvaro Llerena (Jam Jar, Fri 13) is definitely that. The music is bullerengue, a dance and song style from Colombia’s Caribbean coast and Álvaro is the cream of the latest generation maintaining the tradition. The Jam Jar also has Colombia’s ‘joyful Afronauts’ Systema Solar (Wed 18) with their sound-system derived ‘electro tropical’ carnival fusion, while The Bell hosts The Sun Kings Cumbia-infused sound (Wed 25) and Bristol top electro-Cumbia crew Zubieta & The Suaves return to Canteen the same night (Wed 25).

Cumbia may be rivalling salsa as the Latin groove del dia but of course salsa is far from forgotten and Mr Wolf’s have UK-based 8-piece Mambotropical (Fri 27) whose brass-powered frontline give that Nu Yorican punch to the sounds of Cuba and Puerto Rico. It’s an unfortunate clash with the mashed-up Mexican party sound of Mariachi Beach (No 1 Harbourside) doing cover versions of Latin and English hits ‘in a Desperado Way (with big hats, perhaps?). Over at Radford Mill’s Tangled Roots Festival (Sat 7), however, Tango Calor will provide a more respectfully vigorous exploration of that passionate Argentinian dance style.

A last quick scamper round the globe notices Palestinian singer and virtuoso of the 7-string baglama Zaid Hilal joining world beat jazz explorers BEJE at The Cotham Club (Cotham Parish Church, Fri 27) for a fusion of tradition and jazz improvisation. Then there’s Russian singer Polina Skovoroda Shepherd with her Slavic Voices choir who will celebrate the diversity of Eastern European vocal music in St Mary Redcliffe (Sat 14) with support from Bristol’s Heartwood Chorus folk choir. Polina also brings her Cossack/Jewish repertoire to Mr Wolf’s (Sun 15) for an afternoon session on the club’s rooftop, both singing solo and joining local Klezmer group Topeka. And, finally, Trinity has the awesome emotional intensity of Flamenco when acclaimed dancer Rebeca Ortega brings her RAÍCES (Roots) presentation with guitarist Ramón Ruiz, singer Natalia Marín and percussionist Sebastian Ruiz.