Celtic Connections review: Rokia Koné & Togo Allstars, Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow

Rokia Koné's a cappella encore to her Celtic Connections show was so good, it appeared to win her a marriage proposal from a fan. Review by Fiona Shepherd

Rokia Koné & Togo Allstars, Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow ****

Among the many delights of this rich comeback edition of Celtic Connections has been the opportunity to welcome back international guests of such a party calibre as the Togo All Stars, a nine-piece groove machine who get off on snake-hipped polyrhythms, bright bursts of brass and an Afrobeat backline of ringing guitars, all helmed by their voodoo priest, Aguey Cudjoe, a bear of a frontman with roots in the emerging West African highlife scene of the Seventies, who was introduced as “the papa of the group”.

Following their irresistible ceremonial incantations, Rokia Koné was a more mercurial proposition. A previous visitor to the festival as a member of diva supergroup Les Amazones d’Afrique, this Malian singer, dubbed the “Rose of Bamako”, has taken the bold step of collaborating with Western electronica producer Jacknife Lee to make her debut album Bamanan.

Rokia Kone at the Old Fruitmarket PIC: Gaelle Beri for Celtic Connections.

Lee, originally advertised for the show, was unable to perform but the moody, mellow soundtrack of ambient keyboards, looped African rhythms and hypnotic desert rock guitar was effectively delegated to her two-piece band. Her kinetic backing singers acted as infectious cheerleaders while Koné took her time setting the levels of her mix, monitors and mike stand so her beseeching voice could be heard over the quaking bassline.

What began as an ethereal exercise, as floaty as her frock, gained definition and personality, with Koné removing her high heels to ground herself in an almost conversational back and forth with her fellow singers. The audience were encouraged to clap along to slippery rhythms, and Koné gave the impression of freestyling over the repetitive backing before changing the script with some wordless testifying to a commercial dance pop sound, and a raspy ballad and bonus a cappella encore which appeared to win her a marriage proposal from a fan.