BBC World Introducing

Lopa Kothari presents a hand-picked selection of exclusive world music studio sessions, showcasing new and emerging talent resident in the UK. Featuring musicians from Greece to Gambia via Tibet, discovered by Radio 3’s Music Planet through BBC Music Introducing.

In this episode of BBC World Introducing we meet Kourelou, a London-based collective of musicians on a mission to refresh our perceptions of traditional Greek music - ‘it’s not all Zorba the Greek!’.

We hear the beginnings of Tibetan folk singer (and former Buddhist monk) Ngawang Lodup’s remarkable BBC Music Introducing journey, with the studio session that was the springboard to a performance at Womad and ultimately performing for the Dalai Lama at the O2 Arena. Gambian Griot Sefo Kanuteh, described as a Master Kora player by Baaba Maal, beguiles us with his hypnotic kora loops.

And we revisit the very first of our BBC Music Introducing sessions with Algerian guitarist and singer Nazim Ziryab whose raw infusion of afro-blues, jazz and reggae will transport you into the heart of the Sahara.

(Photo: Ngawang Lodup, former Tibetan monk talks to Sean Rafferty of BBC Radio 3 ahead of his performance at a talk by the Dalai Lama at London's O2)