Round up: despite a wobbly moment with the weather on Friday morning, the festival was flawless in every other way. Some great bands, clearly enjoying playing to audiences free to dance and enjoy the non-auditorium experience, strutted the various stages. My favourites were probably Alpha Blondy (I didn’t even know I liked his music that much before), Baaba Maal of course and Faiz Ali Faiz among the bigger names. The dynamo Nomfusi was a refreshing blast of energy and the reflexive Samuel Yirga caught my attention among the newer names.
It was great to see the festival so well organised. Almost no litter at all thanks to enterprising children getting money back on empty plastic glasses, the beautiful arboretum to wander through, great indian food and some damn fine coffee made it a real pleasure to be there. Continue reading WOMAD 2011
Notes:Abigail Washburn and The Village (USA), Afrocubism (Mali/Cuba), Alejandro Toledo and The Magic Tombolinos (UK), Alpha Blondy (Cote D’Ivoire), Aurelio (Honduras), Axel Krygier (Argentina), Baaba Maal (Senegal), Bajah and the Dry-Eye Crew (Sierra Leone), Ballake Sissoko & Vincent Segal (France/Mali), Bellowhead (UK), Bomba Estéreo (Colombia), Booker T Jones (USA), Brassroots (UK), The Boxettes (UK), CW Stoneking (Australia), Danyel Waro (Reunion Island), Dhol Foundation (UK), Dhols of Jaipur (India), Donso (Mali/France), Dub Colossus (Ethiopia/UK), Easy Star All-Stars (USA), Ebo Taylor (Ghana), Gogol Bordello (USA), The Gotipuas, young dancers and acrobats from Orissa (India), Hassan Erraji’s MoRoccan Rollers (Morocco/UK), I Am Kloot (UK), Jamie Smith’s Mabon (Wales), Khaira Arby (Mali), Lau (UK), Le Trio Joubran (Palestine), Mahala Rai Banda (Romania), Majorstuen (Norway), Mungo’s Hi-fi (UK), Nathalie Natiembe (Reunion Island), The Nextmen & MC Wrec (UK), Nidi D’Arac (Italy), Nomfusi & The Lucky Charms (South Africa), Pacific Curls (New Zealand), Penguin Café (UK), Rodrigo y Gabriela (Mexico), Samuel Yirga (Ethiopia), Shunsuke Kimura & Etsuro Ono (Japan), Submotion Orchestra (UK), Susheela Raman (UK), Taraf de Haidouks (Romania), 9Bach (Wales)
As part of Southbank Centre’s Festival of Britain 60th anniversary celebrations with MasterCard, the GREAT BRITISH JAZZ mini-series of four concerts is a celebration of some key moments in the evolution of jazz in the UK and the musical movers and shakers that have defined British jazz over the past six decades, since the Festival of Britain in 1951.
Notes:The Freedom Principle: 50 Years of British Impro. Part of Great British Jazz: Six Decades of Tributes, Stories and Impro at Southbank Centre- 19-26 July 2011
Notes:The GREAT BRITISH JAZZ mini-series of four concerts is a celebration of some key moments in the evolution of jazz in the UK and the musical movers and shakers that have defined British jazz over the past six decades, since the Festival of Britain in 1951.
Notes:Abstract. Tribute to Joe Harriot. The GREAT BRITISH JAZZ mini-series of four concerts is a celebration of some key moments in the evolution of jazz in the UK and the musical movers and shakers that have defined British jazz over the past six decades, since the Festival of Britain in 1951.
In short, its a compilation album on Soundway called Palenque Palenque: Champeta, Criolla & Afro Roots in Colombia 1975-91 – I’d say that was enough information to rush out and buy it, but if you need more…
The return of four brand new Disco Discharge double CD sets is further proof that, to paraphrase, Discos Not Dead and it kicks off diggin’ deeper into the vaults.
Dub has come a long way since Lee “Scratch” Perry, King Tubby, Scientist, Mikey Dread and such legendary knob controllers from the echo chambers pioneered the sound in Jamaica but over the years the UK has had its own stars and here’s one of the best kept secrets.
“You can’t take yourself too seriously dressed in a silver cape” says Jerry Dammers but make no mistake, the Spatial A.K.A is fantastic jazz, ska and fun all wrapped up in a Sun Ra tribute; who could want for more?
Wow! Those boys at Soundway are really too good for us folks as here’s the third release in the Panama! series and there’s a hell of a fire down below.
There was a time when dub was confined to the island of Jamaica but slowly its presence began to be felt in the world of disco when the art of the remix started to gain recognition and credibility. During the late 70s and early 80s dub techniques were embraced by a number of forward thinking remixers. Francois Kevorkian, Larry Levan, Tee Scott & Shep Pettibone amongst others, realised that these sing along disco anthems could be turned into a new musical beast ideal for the hedonistic, late night drug fuelled dance floors.
Original, soulful recordings that are fresh and and direct from Jamaica that have been hand picked by the one and only David Rodigan makes the second edition of Real Authentic Reggae as essential as the first.
If you start a series called Inspiration Information with Amp Fiddler, Sly & Robbie you better have a good idea for the follow up; and boy do Strut have a good idea matching up reggae legend Horace Andy and DJ/producer Ashley Beedle and neither disappoint.
The latest Northern Faction is another great compilation album of modern dubby electronic downtempo grooves that clears out any recessionary tenancies and gives us a more balanced view of things
By this time next year, everyone will know about LatinDub Soundsystem and their genial host Nico Suave, we’re just lucky to have got in first (well nearly first).
Recorded at the height of hippiedom and produced by none other than (the still) living legend, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, this is the first time these tracks have been released!
