Celtic Connections 2014

This week sees the start of the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow, and while its focus is on traditional and folk music, there're much of interest to French music fans.

The event has been running for 21 years, and was initially established to fill the normally quiet schedule that the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall had in January.

It has since then become one of the world's biggest celebrations of celtic music, and has become a more diverse event. While celtic music remains at its core, it also embraces traditional music from outwith the traditional celtic countries.

A number of French acts play this year's Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow, including Dub Inc, one of the country's best reggae bands. They play at the ABC on Friday January 17.



Meanwhile, other acts from the wider francophone sphere take to the stage, including Paris-based Cape verde singer  Mayra Andrade who plays on January 21, who was recently shortlisted in the best World Music Album category in the 2014 Victoires de la musique awards.



Amadou and Mariam play on January 22 at the Royal Concert Hall, and while for technical reasons not performing their Eclipse set, it's a great opportunity to see one of Africa's most popular exports in recent years.



There is a Breton night featuring Barzaz and Ronan Le Bars Group



 Manu Dibango from  Camerooon has been a pioneer of world music, with his blend of jazz, funk, afro beat and hip hop. He plays on January 26.



Also, Winston McAnuff and Fixi play on January 31, reggae veteran McAnuff now living in Paris where he collaborated with Fixi for 1007 Paris Rockin' and 2013's A New Day.

Amadou and Mariam feat. Bertrand Cantat: Oh Amadou

A new track from Malian duo Amadou and Mariam featuring former Noir Désir singer Bertrand Cantat.

The track comes from the new Amadou and Mariam, Folila, which was released in France this week.

The album sees them collaborate with other Western artists including Santigold, TV on the radio and Jake Shears from the Scissor Sisters.

The duo have been releasing material outside Africa since the late 90s when they relocated to Paris, and while they enjoyed a a successful career, their 2004 album Dimanche à Bamako that saw them collaborate with Manu Chao giving them a huge international exposure. The album won a Victoire de la Musique best World Music album of the year award.

They went on appear at some of the biggest music festivals in the world, including Coachella, the Lollapalooza tour and Glastonbury, and supported U2 on tour.

While Amadou and Mariam are among the best-known ambassadors for their country, Bertrand Cantat remains a deeply controversial figure in light of events outwith his musical career. Many will never forgive him for killing his girlfriend and see his continuing public career as an endorsement of domestic violence.

Even with Cantat serving four years of an eight year sentence, and Noir Désir finally calling it quits, the question on whether or not Cantat deserves to be critically rehabilitated is unanswered.

Cantat recently collaborated with Shaka Ponk, and it seems that his involvement in music is quite different from the material he made his name with in the days of Noir Désir.

The debate about Cantat will continue to rage. While it does, a song that effortlessly returns blues-flavoured rock to its African roots merits your attention.