The Afro Celt Sound System

Formed by Simon Emmerson in 1992, the Afro-Celts got their start before the idea of fusing world music with dance beats had even entered most musicians' consciousness -- and long before entire labels began to devote themselves to the sound. Core members James McNally, Iarla O Lionaird, Martin Russell, Johnny Kalsi and N'Faly Koyate have brought in a number of big-name collaborators over the years, playing with notables like Robert Plant, Sinead O'Connor, Peter Gabriel as well as a score of other, lesser-known but deeply talented musicians. They created the template for an entire sound, fusing cinematic textures with dance beats and improbably finding common ground between the musical traditions of West Africa and Ireland.