Black History Month: rhythm, resistance and joy with African Soul Rebels

Last night, the Usher Hall hosted the electrifying Les Amazones d’Afrique, a powerhouse collective of West African artists. Their richly melodic, pan-African styles and collaborative harmonies blended with a gritty, contemporary pop sound, and their lyrics struck a a chord of strength, unity and change, particularly around gender equality and the eradication of ancestral violence against women. Before their concert, the group led a workshop with Edinburgh's very own Love Music Choir.

Opening the evening was the phenomenal Gasper Nali, a not-so-traditional babatoni player from the shores of Lake Malawi. With his 3-metre-long, one-stringed homemade bass guitar, a stick and an empty beer bottle, plus a cow-skin kick drum and collaborators on percussion and guitar, he produced fiercely danceable Afro beats and many joyful hooks. It was impossible for the audience to stay in their seats and not groove along.

October is Black History Month which made this a particularly poignant concert. While it is essential to scrutinise the legacies of empire and colonialism, we want to highlight the diverse and vibrant artists and movements coming out of Africa, those fearless artists who are reshaping tradition, challenging borders, and putting rhythm at the centre of resistance and joy.

This event was made possible by Music Beyond Mainstream, a network of 11 of the UK’s leading concert halls, dedicated to showcasing diverse artists, voices and experiences from around the world.