womad 2017

[johncorrigan]

Catching up with a few tunes on Womad this morning especially on the Radio 3 simulcast with Cerys' 6 music show. Highlight so far has been a wonderful, if all too short, set from Msafiri Zawose from Tanzania. Wonderful Sunday afternoon listening. I think he's on with his band this evening. I'm going to look for more by him in the weeks ahead.

[Serial_Apologist]

I was listening to this programme while catching up on here, and missed the announcement to the avant-Samba band, which had permutated samba rhythms inbuilt into its arrangements. Latin musicians have undoubtedly come up with music's most thrilling rhythms, and admittedly the more complicated Latin musics are "asking" for this kind of treatement as means of expanding tensions, but to me this went just too far, interfered with the remarkable ease with which how such music normally breathes, and made me feel positively sick; I had to turn off!

[johncorrigan]

I was listening to this programme while catching up on here, and missed the announcement to the avant-Samba band, which had permutated samba rhythms inbuilt into its arrangements. Latin musicians have undoubtedly come up with music's most thrilling rhythms, and admittedly the more complicated Latin musics are "asking" for this kind of treatement as means of expanding tensions, but to me this went just too far, interfered with the remarkable ease with which how such music normally breathes, and made me feel positively sick; I had to turn off!

Was that Las Cafeteras, S_A? Wasn't keen on them. Bit of a mish-mash really, I thought. Earlier in the programme, before the simulcast began there was an interview with Ian Brennan and they played tracks from the Tanzanian Albinism Collective, and from a couple of arists on the Khmer Rouge Survivors Project, both of which he has been involved in and some of whom were playing WOMAD. The Cambodian music in particular was really most fascinating. Womad seems so hit and miss. Last night there was some fado from Raquel Tavares...she sang Cohen's 'Hallelujah'...don't get that. Earlier it was great to hear Toots still in magnificent voice...Master C saw him in Glasgow on Wednesday, while we were on the islands, and said he was wonderful. On Wo3 last night Xaos also caught my attention...might have another listen to them.

[Lat-Literal]

I listened to all of Friday's programme on R3. Nothing really grabbed me except perhaps the theramin but I wish it had been used in a roots context rather than for the Beatles and Barry Gray. On stop and start for Saturday's currently. Agree that Toots sounds fine but the gaps between the first few songs seem very long. I suppose allowances have to be made.

The presentation generally is ok but, as always, I feel that there are elements of insularity. It always seems to me that it wouldn't necessarily draw in new people and I write that as someone who has been to the event - what? - at least half a dozen times. Maybe they just know too much. There is also that slightly routine professional air - we're back here again, next week I am swapping one tent for another tent. While significantly preferable to let's all party, a little more colour could be in the blend, perhaps in their own voices? Not sure.

[Serial_Apologist]

Was that Las Cafeteras, S_A?

I'm sorry to say I wasn't paying enough attention to the announcements, john.

[johncorrigan]

Listened to Ladysmith on Wo3 last night, but it's hard to hear them without the voice of their founder Joseph Shabalala who has now retired. For me they just lacked that special thing that only he gave. I did love what I heard of King Ayisoba - that sounded like it would have been great to see. Wonder if there'll be any clips coming up on that.

[DracoM]

But there really is so much CHAT! Non-stop presenters pushing themselves between listener and music, in relays, or that's what it sounds loike. Blimey!

[johncorrigan]

But there really is so much CHAT! Non-stop presenters pushing themselves between listener and music, in relays, or that's what it sounds loike. Blimey!

I liked having Andrew McGregor around, Draco, but can pretty much always do with less Lopa, although there was a particularly annoying moment where they talked over Indian singer, Parvathy Baul.

I did enjoy Kathryn Tickell's conversation with the Australian choir, 'The Spooky Men' talking about this piece which was inspired by a Brazilian Amazonian tribe who get up early every morning and sing into the forest to let any potential enemies know they are there and up. The Spookies wondered what they would sing if they were to do the same...I thought it quite amusing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05b0j55

Finally I'm a bit of sucker for a spot of Tarantella and really enjoyed Vesevo from Sunday evening.

[teamsaint]

Not really Womad related, ( unless they played there) but I can't see a thread to put this on, so just thought I'd mention that I saw Talisk on Thursday at Wickham, after a bit of a muddy mission to get a tent up and so on.
Anyway, they were really excellent, and almost certainly a far better option than 10CC and KT Tunstall on the main stage. Rather feistier than their records, their mix of Violin , Guitar and accordian gives a nice meaty yet traditional feel to the music. Excellent stuff, although apparently the guitarist is leaving the band.
Definitely a recommended listen both on CD and live.

Not too many other unexpected delights this year, although plenty of fine sets from established folk faves like Shwe of Hands, Eliza Carthy, ( too loud but fun), and Oysterband. featuring anew drummer Pete Flood, and a( presumably) cameo from Ray Cooper. I'll revisit the programme to see who I have forgotten....

I have to say though that The Selecter were one of the standouts of the weekend. I was never really a big fan, ( although I loved Missing Words) but they were superb , and there were magnificent performances from Pauline Black and Arthur " Gaps " Hendrickson, high energy and high quality. I was really impressed at PB's vocals, and a very winning stage personality. Again a definite recommend if they are playing live near you.

[Lat-Literal]

Not really Womad related, ( unless they played there) but I can't see a thread to put this on, so just thought I'd mention that I saw Talisk on Thursday at Wickham, after a bit of a muddy mission to get a tent up and so on.
Anyway, they were really excellent, and almost certainly a far better option than 10CC and KT Tunstall on the main stage. Rather feistier than their records, their mix of Violin , Guitar and accordian gives a nice meaty yet traditional feel to the music. Excellent stuff, although apparently the guitarist is leaving the band.
Definitely a recommended listen both on CD and live.

Not too many other unexpected delights this year, although plenty of fine sets from established folk faves like Shwe of Hands, Eliza Carthy, ( too loud but fun), and Oysterband. featuring anew drummer Pete Flood, and a( presumably) cameo from Ray Cooper. I'll revisit the programme to see who I have forgotten....

I have to say though that The Selecter were one of the standouts of the weekend. I was never really a big fan, ( although I loved Missing Words) but they were superb , and there were magnificent performances from Pauline Black and Arthur " Gaps " Hendrickson, high energy and high quality. I was really impressed at PB's vocals, and a very winning stage personality. Again a definite recommend if they are playing live near you.

Thank you for your interesting report. Pleased you enjoyed it. I think you might be a little younger than me and have not reached the stage where rightly or wrongly you begin to equate camping with arthritis. When I heard you were attending, I looked at the line up. Much of it very much indicates the post 60/70s "new" folk music establishment. I now have a bit of a strange relationship with it. It was ours rather than theirs which has pluses and minuses as ours advance. As for the younger theirs, they are not what were the older theirs, are they.

Here is a clip of your recommendation:

Talisk - Echo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZknSJwYdayI

(Great musicianship - I just feel that it is obvious with the young generation that they are having to operate in life - old heroes always seemed to be an antidote to it - must be my age)