Preview: Neil Sparkes (MC Siam Stage) recommendations for WOMAD 2015
The last few years have seen remarkable line-ups at WOMAD Charlton Park.
Featuring at some point nearly all the greatest and leading exponents of African and Asian music at the festival this year’s line-up shows the care and wealth of love for the music that is reflected in the programming.
It’s thrilling to see this year’s line-up and the artists I have never seen before performing at WOMAD and some serious greats alongside. I’m very excited to see Mauritanian singer Noura Mint Seymali, I loved her debut album “Tzenni”, soulful and beautiful. I fell in love with Mauritanian music when I first saw Dimi Mint Abba at WOMAD in the early ‘90s.
As a Fan of the legacy of Cuban music I will be checking Ibeyi, French Cuban twins, Naomi and Lisa-Kainde Diaz, daughters of the late Cuban Master percussionist Anga Diaz. From what I’ve heard I think they will be a stand out act for the weekend and combining their inheritance of their late father’s Yoruba culture filtered with their unique combination of percussion and vocals in English and Yoruba with music from their urban landscape, it’s acts like this that keep the music moving forwards.
I’ve always had a great yearning for the music of Tango, so Argentina’s Orquesta Tipica Fenandez Fierro should be one not to miss and a delight.
New Zealand’s Delaney Davidson is another great artist whose recordings I enjoy and am looking forward to seeing live for the first time. Great songs and with a legacy of stories and tales and beaten up folk swamp blues. Go and see him!
I’ll be catching up with my former Egyptian Tabla teacher and friend Hossam Ramzy, whose live performances are always an education; tons of rhythm and melody and stunning musicianship. Hossam’s just the best.
WOMAD has always had a finger on the pulse of dance and club music from around the Globe, this year a feast of artists for the head, heart and feet – I will be enjoying the mighty Shantel & Bucovina Club Orkester who are always brilliant live. Legends De La Soul, and I highly recommend Ghost Poet.
From Nigeria another performer I want to see this year is Orlando Julius and the Heliocentrics.
Red Baraat will be another highlight live, their albums are amazing, not to be missed.
Great to have the legendary Tinariwen performing this year, such a fine live band and with a remarkable cultural and musical legacy.
Rhythm Passport holders, welcome on board With spring officially here, it’s finally time to emerge from hibernation and what better way to do that than with two hours of Rhythm Passport Presents? From RTM.FM, we will be taking you on a journey in sound, exploring the freshest tunes from all…
Influential Tuareg band Tinariwen is set to release its ninth album, Amatssou, on May 19th via Wedge. Because of Covid-restrictions, the album was recorded in a makeshift studio tent at Tassili N’Ajjer National Park in Algeria, with equipment borrowed from another renowned Tuareg ensemble, Imarhan. Amatssou (‘beyond the fear’ in Tamashek…
One of the world’s most eclectic parties returns post covid with a re-launched ethos, providing a party more popular than ever. We are all familiar with the conceptual storyline that follows each year of Boomtown, this time focusing on the idea of coming together and ‘gathering’ after a great time apart,…
Rhythm Passport holders, welcome back for the first post-holiday episode of Rhythm Passport Presents… on RTM.FM Autumn might be getting closer, still for the next two hours, we will try to get rid and let you forget about all the late-summer saudade and moody feelings with a show brimming with upbeats and…
Rhythm Passport holders, welcome on board! Despite delays and cancellations, our monthly round-the-world music flight is perfectly on time and ready to take off from RTM.FM So, sit back, relax and enjoy the ninth episode of Rhythm Passport Presents This month we are going to move in the opposite direction,…
Rhythm Passport holders… are you ready for another round the world journey in sound? The Rhythm Passport Presents aircraft is taxiing on the tarmac and all set to take off from the RTM.FM studio for our monthly two-hour flight exploring and sharing new tunes from all over the world. So,…
Every month, we bring you a collection of the best world music-related videos. That’s our way to give value to too often overlooked, rich and diverse artistic expressions. Listen with your eyes! Watch the full playlist: TweetSharePin0 Shares
Rhythm Passport holders, welcome to a new round-the-world journey to discover some of the freshest tunes coming from the four corners of the world… In the second episode of Rhythm Passport Present, in collaboration with Thamesmead-based radio RTM.FM, we set things in motion in Japan and in around two hours’ time…
This show is a trip through world music and global beats searching for the Oneness in humanity, regardless of all geographical, political, economic and all kinds of divisions, and identifications we might all have, in these times of uncertainties we search for Unity. The unity that music brings to us……
At times, we are the first to lose track of how many exciting music events happen in London each month, so we have decided to offer you some sort of “public musical service”, meant for all the locals and passers-by, with the aim of suggesting where to listen to some…
We’ve partnered with Groovalizacion Radio to bring you a monthly collection of the best world music-related videos. That’s our way to give value to too often overlooked, rich and diverse artistic expressions. Listen with your eyes! Watch the full playlist: TweetSharePin0 Shares
IRL’s double album, Terraforming In Analogue Space – IRL Remixes 2000 – 2015 celebrates 15 years (2000-2015) of the unique, Aztec, spiritual sound for which they are so well known. With a tunnel-like soundscape for the listener to pass through, all the while marvelling at the journey. The very best…
After a much awaited comeback in August 2016 with the release of their first album in 12 years, and the Anonymous Nobody, legendary American hip hop trio De La Soul are now on a tour that will touch down in London on Friday 10th March, at the similarly legendary venue…
There was a time, not long ago, when ‘independent’ was the new hype. During the late-1990s/early 2000s, everything needed to be independent or indie to be cool, almost hipster. Labels, bands and venues competed to be or look like as independent as possible. Unfortunately, very few of those (so-called) independent…
Noura Mint Seymali’s latest release, Arbina (Glitterbeat Records), is probably one of the most unusual and intriguing albums I’ve ever listened to. As someone who unfortunately isn’t very familiar with West African music (let alone that of Noura’s homeland, Mauritania), my first taste of her album initially left me slightly…
Few months ago we met and spent a really great time with Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars. They have just got on board an intriguing project coordinated and promoted by the British Red Cross which has been released today. The Long Road EP is a significant work that gathers six well-known…
No matter that time is limited, the rain is pouring down or that backstage hustle and bustle is off the scale. When you have the chance to interview the most up-and-coming act of the year – and one of the most charming and stylish- you just have to seize the…
Rhythm Passport was delighted to be offered an interview with Mauritanian singer and ardin player Noura Mint Seymali after her set – warmly received despite the pouring rain. Her stepmother was the wonderfully charismatic singer Dimi Mint Abba, and Noura is certainly following in her footsteps, acting as Mauritania’s musical ambassador. We talked…
![Preview: De La Soul @ Roundhouse [London, Friday 10th March 2017]](https://www.rhythmpassport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/62d1a6c543617e14ee1320204ff62d5a-620x349.jpeg)
![Album Review: Noura Mint Seymali – Arbina [Glitterbeat Records, 16th September 2016]](https://www.rhythmpassport.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/noura-mint-seymali-arbina-800-620x620.jpg)
![Album Review: Various Artists – The Long Road EP [British Red Cross, 4th March 2016]](https://www.rhythmpassport.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/thelongroadep-620x620.png)
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