Two world music gongs for Kouyate

Kouyate (centre) plays the ngoni, a lute-like instrument from West Africa

Malian musician Bassekou Kouyate and his band Ngoni Ba took home two prizes at the Radio 3 Awards for World Music.

Their 2007 release Segu Blue was named album of the year and they also came out top of the Africa category.

Spain's Son de la Frontera was named winner in the Europe category, while Algerian singer Rachid Taha won the Middle East and North Africa section.

Taha received his award from Joe Strummer's widow Lucinda at this year's ceremony, held in Camden, north London.

The event, which took place at the Dingwalls venue, will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 at 1900 BST on Friday.

Other winners were China's Sa Dingding (Asia/Pacific), Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective from Belize (Americas) and Cape Verdean singer Mayra Andrade, who won the newcomer award.

The evening included live performances from India's Kaushiki Chakrabarty, Mayra Andrade and Rachid Taha, who closed proceedings with an hour-long set.

This year's winners' concert will be held at the Royal Albert Hall on 30 July as part of the BBC Proms.

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