The latest edition of WOMEX took place in Sevilla (Spain). WOMEX, which is the acronym for World Music Expo, is the annual gathering of world music industry professionals. Participants include musicians, world music festivals, arts presenters, booking agents, record companies, government agencies, music journalists, NGOs, video producers and other companies and individuals involved in some form with the world music scene. "For four days, you know that you are not alone in the world and that there are other 'madmen' like you out there," said Alejandro Colinas of Alebrije (record company), from Mexico.
While other music industry fairs and conferences are struggling, WOMEX keeps growing every year. A new record was broken in 2008, with over 2800 participants from all corners of the world.

"Opportunities, experiences, great people, emotion," said Mark Clark of Music Crossroads in suthern Africa. "It's a warm fair. World music people are usually good people and it's good to be around good people.î

The Sevilla edition was held at the Sevilla Convention center (Palacio de Congresos), also known as FIBES, located in East Sevilla. From 10 am to 6 pm, WOMEX delegates were able to conduct business at the trade fair area, which was split into two separate pavillions. It is hard to visit every single booth (stand) so it is convenient to schedule meetings in advance and choose the exhibitors you are interested in the most.

The trade fair is not the only event taking place during the day. There are also conferences, panels and press conferences. There is so much to do, that it is nearly impossible to do it all in three and a half days.

Showcases are one of the main attractions at WOMEX. The artists featured each year are chosen by a group known as the seven samurai. To make the process fair, these judges change every year and are selected from various nations and world music-related professions.

In Sevilla, showcases were split into daytime concerts and night performances. The daytime concerts were held at a FIBES theater called. These primarily acoustic concerts were meant for a quiet and intimate atmosphere.

During the night, concerts were held across town, at the historic Lope the Vega theater and two tents located at the Plaza de España, about ten minutes away from the theater. Most concerts run simultaneosuly so it is nearly impossible to see all acts. I chose the Lope the Vega venue because of the great acoustics and beauty of the place. I missed most of the tent performances and one British participant, who asked to remain anonymous, complained about the poor sound at the tent area.

Since showcasing means potential concerts and tours, good sound is essential for both musicians and WOMEX participants. While the main venues usually have very good sound, the smaller venues need improvement. I remember mediocre sound at some of the smaller venues at previous WOMEXes in Berlin, Marseilles, Stockholm and Essen. It seems like some of the sound engineers treat contemporary world music acts like rock bands and crank up the sound. Lower volume and more subtlety would be appreciated.

The first editions of WOMEX included delegates primarily from Europe and North America. Throughout the years, the Asian, Latin American and African presence has increased considerably. For example, in 2008 there were delegations from South Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Cuba, the Baltic area and other parts of the world.

The 2008 edition marked the last WOMEX in Sevilla. After three consecutive years in Sevilla, WOMEX moves much farther north, to Denmark. The Scandinavian countries had a large presence in 2008 and are excited to welcome WOMEX to their corner of the world. "We had a really good Scandinavian coverage in 2008 and our countries joined forces," said WOMEX veteran Inger Dirdal of Music Export Norway. "We look forward to Copenhagen and and we invite everybody to Scandinavia next year." As an appetizer, Norway brought young fiddle wizards Majorstuen, who performed in the Scandinavian area at the trade fair.

Photos:

1 - Galician booth by Angel Romero
2 - Majorstuen by Angel Romero
Read more at: http://worldmusiccentral.org/article.php/WOMEX_2008_another_success_story.

The Song and Dance Ensemble of West Africa will be performing at the Historic Balboa Theatre on Monday, November 17, 2008 at 7:30 pm. With traditional sounds and rhythms, powerful acoustics, excellent dancers, and colorful, inventive costumes, The Song and Dance Ensemble of West Africa performs shows filled with graceful movements and virtuosity. Founded in 1985, this group of percussionists, musicians, and dancers transports audiences to their native land of Mali (West Africa) in accomplished and respected performances.

Walking a line between tradition and modernity, the groups' repertory is rich and varied. Inspired by traditional music and shaped by their own identity and personality, they create original yet authentic musical experiences.

 

Directed by Bamba Dembele, the Song and Dance Ensemble of West Africa's rhythms, songs dances and acoustics are powerful! The Ensemble performs all of the musical styles of Mali: peul, malinke, sénoufo, bambara using varied percussion instruments from the jembe to dunduns and balaphones. The Song and Dance Ensemble of West Africa is an authentic musical experience featuring West African ballets, songs and dances.

 

Presented by San Diego Theatres.
Tickets: $50/$40/$25
When: 7:30 pm, Monday, November 17, 2008
Where: Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Avenue, San Diego, 92101
Event/Ticketing information: www.sdbalboa.org or call (619/858/760) 570–1100 or Ticketmaster
 

 

Read more at: http://worldmusiccentral.org/article.php/Song_Dance_Ensemble_West_Africa_San_Dieg.

On a busy 2008 tour that includes Europe and Africa as well as the United States, UK reggae singing star Lloyd Brown will perform at Ashkenaz with his full band, harmony singers and horn section, singing his best-known songs from the past two decades. The concert will take place Wednesday, September 24.
 
 His twenty-fifth anniversary CD, Silver, was released last year. Born in England to Jamaican parents, Brown spent his early years in sound systems and in a 1987 hit London stage musical, “Black Heroes in the Hall of Fame,” playing Otis Redding, Marcus Garvey, Haile Selassie, and Nelson Mandela.

He also recorded on his own and in a variety of groups. He scored a No. 1 reggae hit in England with “Sharing the Night,” and followed with his interpretations of songs by American greats including Otis Redding, before developing his own songwriting style. Since then Brown’s reputation for conscious and socially-charged lyrics have made him well-known in England and Jamaica. In addition to collaborating with numerous stars, including DJ Tippa-Irie on recordings, Brown leads his fine-tuned band in his own music.

Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center
1317 San Pablo Ave. at Gilman Berkeley, CA 94702
Doors at 8:30 p.m.; Show at 9:00 p.m.
$15/$12 advance & students
Website: http://www.ashkenaz.com

Buy the CD:

• In North America: Silver
• In Europe: Silver
   

Read more at: http://worldmusiccentral.org/article.php/lloyd_brown_reggae_ashkenaz.

Renowned blues singer Nappy Brown died Saturday night at 10:30 pm after a lengthy hospitalization. He was 78. The funeral service will be held September 27 at 1:30 p.m. at St. Paul Baptist Church on 1401 Allen St. in Charlotte, North Carolina. Visitation is at 1 p.m.

Nappy Brown (Napoleon Brown Culp) was one of the last remaining classic R&B vocalists and blues shouters. He was featured on the cover and in the lead article in a recent issue of Living Blues magazine. The seven page article chronicles Brown's life from his birth in 1929 in Charlotte, North Carolina as well as his highly successful singing career which began with a series of hit recordings in the mid 1950s.

During his heyday, in the mid to late 50s, Nappy was a prolific recording artist for Savoy Records and a much-in-demand stage performer, often playing every night and touring all over the country. During that period he traveled and performed with Jackie Wilson, Ray Charles, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Little Richard, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, and T-Bone Walker. He provided ground-breaking hit songs for other artists, one of his biggest being "Night Time Is The Right Time" which was recorded and made famous by Ray Charles in 1958.

 

In the early 1960s, Nappy continued to record and tour, but eventually ended his association with Savoy Records. Except for a lone album done in 1969 on Elephant Records, Nappy remained unrecorded for years. He moved to a small town outside of Columbia, South Carolina, where he concentrated his singing efforts towards gospel during the 1970s and early 1980s. But renewed interest in his R&B recordings abroad and the re-release of a number of his early songs on albums in Europe resulted in a highly successful Scandinavian tour in 1983.

Landslide Records decided it was time to bring back Nappy Brown. After contracts were signed, Nappy went to Atlanta to record during the summer of 1984. The result, Tore Up, was a collection of diverse songs that showed Nappy's incredibly powerful voice to still be in excellent form. The band backing Nappy on Tore Up was none other than the Heartfixers, featuring future guitar star Tinsley Ellis. Brown's voice, a true instrument in its own right, blended so well with the band it's hard to believe that Nappy hadn't recorded for over 14 years.

Since his comeback in the 1980s, Nappy Brown released a series of albums for Alligator, Ichiban, Black Top, and New Moon Music  and appeared as a guest on recordings by Bob Margolin and Bob Corritore.

 

Nappy Brown was active as a performer until the end, performing until his illness was too much. His last CD, Long Time Coming, was recorded with a group of younger musicians with an abiding knowledge of and respect for Nappy's music and the era of its greatest success. Guitarists Sean Costello and Junior Watson, among others, provided superb backing for Nappy on Long Time Coming, his first studio recording in many years, which was released by renowned blues label Blind Pig Records on September 25, 2007. Said an exultant Nappy at the end of the recording sessions, "This is the best record I have done since 1955."

 

His last performance was in May at the 2008 Blues Music Awards.

 

Read more at: http://worldmusiccentral.org/article.php/nappy_brown_dies_charlotte_2008.