Songlines Music Awards 2011

[Guest]

Here are the winners:

Best Artist: Femi Kuti for his album 'Africa for Africa'
Best Group: Bellowhead for their album 'Hedonism'
Cross-Cultural Collaboration: AfroCubism For their album 'AfroCubism'
Newcomer: Raghu Dixit for his album 'Raghu Dixit'

[Lateralthinking1]

The first is well-deserved, a moment when he really got his act together. The third was surely a shoo-in? The second, hmmm, I find their newer albums disappointing compared with their first. The fourth - I'm ashamed to say that I don't know it but I will make sure now that I listen to it soon.

[Paul Sherratt]

EuroCharts, pop pickers !

But they don't mean a thing if they ain't got that swing ...





1.CICADA Last month: 26
Hazmat Modine USA Jaro

2 UNIKO Last month: 6
Kronos Quartet, Kimmo Pohjonen, Samuli Kosminen Finland/USA Ondine

3 RADIO BABEL Last month: 26
Watcha Clan France Piranha

4 AFRODIASPORA Last month: - -
Susana Baca Peru Luaka Bop

5 SONGS OF FREEDOM Last month: 12
Nguyen Le France/Vietnam ACT

6 THE IMAM BAILDI COOKBOOK Last month: 63
Imam Baildi Greece EMI Greece/Kukin

7 ADDIS THRU THE LOOKING GLASS Last month: - -
Dub Colossus Ethiopia/UK Real World

8 TOUMASTIN Last month: - -
Tamikrest Mali Glitterhouse Records

9 AS FAR Last month: - -
Le Trio Joubran Palestine World Village

10 AFRITANGA -THE SOUND OF AFROCOLOMBIA Last month: 9
C.A. Colombia Trikont

11 UNA Y OTRA VEZ Last month: 5
Sergent Garcia France/Spain Cumbancha

12 COTONOU CLUB Last month: 40
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo Benin Strut

13 CARTAGENA! Last month: 4
Various Artists Colombia Soundway

14 ACOUSTIC AFRICA IN CONCERT Last month: 0
Habib Koite - Afel Bocum - Oliver Mtukudzi Mali,Zimbabwe Contre-Jour

15 COURAGE Last month: 32
Mamadou Diabate Mali World Village

16 WILKEY MAY TRIP Last month: 15
Balaxy Orchestra Belgium Bolstermusic/Munich

17 LAGRIMAS MEXICANAS Last month: 7
Vinicius Cantuaria & Bill Frisell Brazil/USA Naive

18 O TEMPO Last month: - -
Marcio Faraco Le Chant du Monde

19 MALI DENHOU Last month: 2
Boubacar Traore Mali Lusafrica

20 KATLA Last month: 10
Amsterdam Klezmer Band Netherlands Essay

[Paul Sherratt]

Awards, charts, ain't go no swing.




( imo )

[Globaltruth]

Meanwhile, the World music No 1's from:

1 Finland
Tinakenkätyttö
by Kaija Koo

2 Japan
月光
by 鬼束ちひろ

3 Greece & 4 Mexico
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

5 Belgium
Ambiance à l'africaine
by Magic System

6 New Zealand
Poi E
by Patea Maori Club

7 UK
Lak 28 Kudi Da
by Diljit Dosanjh & Honey Singh

8 Ireland
The Island
by Paul Brady

9 Portugal
Encosta-te a Mim
by Jorge Palma

10 Sweden
Bögarnas Fel
by Grotesco

with thanks to itunes

[Martin Reynolds]

Depends who's picking the charts Paul. Anyway don't all of us 'world music' DJs hand out awards when we pick certain tunes over others? No point being cynical and overgeneralising. I must admit though that the Songlines selection, from my research, does seem a little odd. But awards have the potential of spreading the good news, when they are used with a bit of discrimination imo.

[Paul Sherratt]

Hi Martin,

I don't think I'm being cynical. I simply don't see the musical value in them. Awareness for the magazines and a few artists maybe but otherwise ...
That Eurochart thing is chosen by a panel of broadcasters and formed by figures based on their airplay ( I think ) And I suspect that list members all get
very similar promo items* from assorted interested labels - but you can be certain that any individually uncovered, divine-sounding gem, won't ever feature
on any chart.




* And that's a problem in itself don't you think ?

[Martin Reynolds]

That's very interesting Paul. Thank you for clarifying your position. You talked mostly about charts. I'm curious to know whether you felt the R3 Awards for World Music were a waste of money best done away with. I'd also be curious to know what everybody else thinks about that. I thought they turned up some gems myself although discrimination must be applied of course. As for promos, us poor online DJs can only dream of such luxuries. If I haven't paid good money nothing ever gets featured it seems.

[Lateralthinking1]

I think there is a place for awards and charts as long as caution is applied. Their limitations are mentioned above. They also stimulate debate and, crucially, provide a reminder of artists and groups with updates on their latest material.

I guess you could additionally wade through them all and so try the unknown. You could do that anyway on Spotify and from a feeling based on personal knowledge.

Some of the ones in Global's list ring alarm bells simply because of their titles. By contrast, I have seen Susana Baca live and she was terrific. Dub Colossus are good, etc. etc.