Africa Oyé to bring celebrated Malian musician Afel Bocoum to Liverpool

Africa Oyé have teamed up with the Liverpool Philharmonic to bring the acclaimed Afel Bocoum to the city in January 2026 for what’s set to be a spectacular start to the year.

The evening will no doubt set the scene for Africa Oyé’s much-anticipated return to Sefton Park following a ‘fallow year’ for the event in 2025 due to rising infrastructure and health and safety costs.

For over three decades, Afel Bocoum has been a guardian of the Niger River’s musical soul. A musical companion to Mali’s late great desert blues pioneer Ali Farka Touré, he launched a solo career with debut album in 1999, Alkibar (The Messenger), and gained international recognition through collaborations with Damon Albarn.

Now, as one of the Sahel’s most beloved artists and ambassador for endangered instruments like the njurkel lute and njarka fiddle, Bocoum is set to release singles from his new album Harber in October 2025.

Bocoum previously played the Africa Oyé Festival itself back in 2006 and Paul Duhaney, Artistic Director of the charity behind the festival, says his return to the city is long overdue:

“Afel was an important member of the iconic Ali Farka Touré’s band but has long stepped out of his mentor’s shadow to become a legendary musician in his own right. His set at one of our early Sefton Park festivals went down a storm and we can’t wait to welcome him back to Liverpool next year.”

Afel Bocoum plays the Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room on Tuesday 20th January 2026. Tickets are available now via the venue’s website.

For more details, visit the Africa Oyé website.

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