BORN blind and under the name of Paul Blake, 50 year old Frankie Paul is often referred to as Jamaica's Stevie Wonder. “Like Wonder, he is a talented multi-instrumentalist with a tremendous vocal range”, it says here.
But there the similarity ends. Paul does reggae, lots of reggae, 30 albums and countless singles, a bit of a wonder in itself.
Anyroad, that's exactly the sort of soundtrack required for a warn midsummer night in the open air. Africa Oye is back this weekend for the 23rd time - a song, a smile and a spliff wafting over Sefton Park.
Paul is Sunday's headline act in a two day line-up featuring, as one of the highlights that stalwart champion of world music, broadcaster and all round good laugh Andy Kershaw.
Omar tops the bill on Saturday, and there are plenty of turns booked from around the world inbetween
Gordon Masiala & NKA Musica return with upbeat and high tempo soukous, rumba, salsa and Afro-Cuban music and amid hot Senegalese, Kenyan and Peruvian combos are Trenchtown DJs spinning the decks over the two days in their own dedicated area. They include Fila Brazilia co-founder Steve Cobby, Banana Hill, Truth & Lies and a host of Liverpool’s finest - including No Fakin', One A Penny, Rich Furness and the finest of the finest, Bernie Connor. The area will be hosted by Beaten Tracks – Liverpool-based collective and longtime supporters of the festival.
With a whole village of traders taking contactless payments for beads, juggling equipment and candles, lie back, chomp into an alligator burrito and think of the Burundi.
The full running order is below - and as ever, the main events are in the night, when you've likely gone home for tea.
And if you thought the fun was confined to L17, it's not. Saturday's revelry is set to spill over into the dawn of Sunday at nightspots including The Magnet, The Kazimier Garden, 24 Kitchen Street and Envi - all making June 21 the longest day of the year in every sense.
Loads more about it here.
Africa Oye 2015 running order, Sefton Park, Liverpool
Headliner Frankie PaulSATURDAY JUNE 20
Pieces of a Man - 12:30 till 13:00
BKO Quintet - 13:20 till 14:35
Community Performance - Kreative Kaos 14:35
Derito - 14:55 till 16:10
Gordon Masiala & NKA Musica - 16:30 till 17:45
Sarabi - 18:05 till 19:20
Omar - 19:40 till 21:00
Sarabi play Saturday evening SUNDAY JUNE 21
Merki Waters - 12:30 till 13:00
Modou Toure & Ramon Goose - 13:20 till 13:50
Community Performance: Beatlife - 13:50
Diabel Cissokho - 14:10 till 15:25
Andy Kershaw (1 Hour DJ Set) - 15:35 till 16:35
Lindigo - 16:55 till 18:10
Cumbia All Stars - 18:30 till 19:45
Frankie Paul - 20:05 till 21:15
