It’s been quite a while since The Rolling Stones received a kind word in print, as journalists snipe at their age, their ticket prices and their lack of creativity. But their fans don’t care, and the guys go on making millions. One thing to be said in their favour, they always make enterprising choices for their support acts. Back in the 1960s and early 70s, they introduced their audience to B.B.King, Stevie Wonder and Ike and Tina Turner. Now it’s the turn of Tinariwen, whose bluesy groves are tailor-made for people who still like the Stones. Even Andy Gill, music reviewer for The Independent, and David Hepworth, publisher of Word, champion the cause of Tinariwen. The breakthrough starts here.

In a series of five reissues of Algerian Rai music from the late 1980s, all subtitled Maghreb Soul: 1986-1990, the surprise standout is the album by Cheb Mami. Perhaps misled by his duet with Sting, I’ve had Mami down as a sort of Paul Young to Cheb Khaled’s Otis Redding, but how wrong could I be? He sings with fire and emotion, and this album is among the best reissues of the year, released on Because, the label behind Amadou & Mariam’s best-selling Dimanche a Bamako.

Esma Redzepova is one of several legendary singers of the Balkans who are belatedly being recorded and marketed for the rest of the world. Gypsy Carpet is unlikely to make her a household name, but ‘Devel Upral Dikhela’ sounds fine.

LaXula is a Spanish singer based in London whose band recently played at Sadlers Wells, part of the annual La Linea festival of Spanish-speaking music. I missed it, but heard reports of fire eaters and snake charmers in a riveting set that put the headliners to shame. To my ears, LaXula is among the outstanding artists based in the UK right now, and I look forward to welcoming her to the foyer stage at the Barbican on the afternoon of Sunday May 27th, when I will also be talking with Camille, K’Naan and Gilles Peterson. It’s all free, folks, so come along and say hello.

The Sunday before that, May 20th, Mayra Andrade will make her UK debut at the Purcell Rooms as part of the London African Music festival on the South Bank. Born in Havana, Cuba, to parents from Cape Verde, Mayra moved around quite a bit as they were posted to various other cities, before settling in Paris where she recorded her first album Navega. The album has become one of my favourites of the moment, and I’ve just learned it will be released in the UK on Sterns in September.

It’s been great to see what a positive reception Andy Palacio’s Watina has had from reviewers across the board in the UK.  Hopefully the impact will be sustained when he tours in June. As they say on the t-shirts back home, You Better Belize It.

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