STOP PRESS: Babani Kone joins the tour with Ballake Sissoko!

The fabulous Babani Kone, one od the top female singers in Mali today, will be joining the upcoming Making Tracks tour with Ballake Sissoko as a special guest! 

What the audience says: Benjamim Taubkin & Adriano Adewale

They were just wonderful musicians, the most glorious concert (and workshop!)

A truly extraordinary demonstration of the art of musical improvisation at the highest level - what they did was simply astonishing!

Just listened to Benjamim Taubkin and Adriano Adewale perform @wiltshiremusic. Was lovely, felt as though I had been lifted & taken away. 

A wonderful, wonderful concert last night.

The improvisation between Adriano and Benjamim was extraordinary and the concert absolutely fantastic.

Amazing gig in Gateshead last night - don't miss this! Thanks Benjamin and Adriano Adewale - great to meet you.

Mesmerizing live!!...

Just had the most wonderful evening @theapexvenue with Benjamin Taubkin & Adriano Adewale.

Wonderful musica from Benjamin Taubkin here. Was great to hear him play at @sage_gateshead last night...

Loved it! Music to get lost in...

Sensacional!

Great show!

Lovely intimate concert with great musicians.

A must see show.

Q&A with Benjamim Taubkin & Adriano Adewale

Q. What was it that brought you together as a duo?

BT: When I did a solo concert in 2009 at the Vortex, Monica Vasconcelos  - a Brazilian singer living in London - suggested that Adriano could come and sit in. We did some songs and it went great. Then in 2010 , Luiza Morandi, my producer, also living in London at that time, proposed another session: just one afternoon, recording at the Vortex. It went so well, that we decided to launch as a record.

AA: The music happened very naturally and it has been each time is both a surprise and a reassurance of the magical mix of the duo.

Q. Your music seems to subtly deconstruct popular Brazilian music and build it into something new. What is the thinking behind the compositions?

BT: I think we are both immersed in the Brazilian Music and traditions. So I believe we both feel very comfortable to let the inspiration and the moment to guide us. And of course, some new and unexpected things come out of it.

AA: The human connection, the similarities in the musical palate, but also the life story of each of us. How we come to be as we are. It all goes to the music, and to the moment. Always the moment!!

Q. Do you improvise when you play together?

AA: Everything is improvised. There is no ideas that we put together to depart from. It is always a new story, a trusting exercise and a state of opened mind which opens the channel for the music to happen.

BT: It’s 100% improvised. Sometimes we go for some known songs. But they just appear – it’s not planned. So the way we may end up playing can be also a surprise to us.

Season4 promo clip just released!

Here is our brand new promo video featuring some great music from our artists touring the Making Tracks trail this season: Adrinao Adewale & benjamim Taubkin, Ballake Sissoko Quartet, Mokoomba and Debashish Bhattacharya: