Here is (rbrimel) Ruth's Culture Musical Club video that I spoke about yesterday. Culture Musical Club, not the Culture Club, with Boy George, that many of you will expect but great performers that typify the spirit of WOMAD and I am sure that they would win his musical approval.
Next week, WOMAD returns to Parque de Santa Catalina in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, for another weekend of music, arts and dance from around the world and the really good news is that the festival is free. You have just enough time to arrange a short break, so you can enjoy some great performances plus the usual workshops and global market.
While browsing some video clips to give you a feel for WOMAD Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, I came across this great solo performance by drum maestro, Billy Cobham at the 2007 Womad festival. The performance was captured by Ruth (rbrimel) and tomorrow, I will try to upload another of her videos from the festival, featuring the exuberant Culture Musical Club.
Wiltshire rocks this weekend as World Music fans head for the WOMAD festival at Charlton Park, Malmesbury.
Peter Gabriel plays live on Saturday July 25th and WOMAD Charlton Park also features Ethiopia's Ethiopiques and Dub Colossus. Other performances to look forward to, include Australia's The Black Arm Band, US soul legend and Grammy award winner Solomon Burke, Nigeria's Afro beat singer/songwriter Nneka, and two of Mali's most talented musicians, Oumou Sangare and Rokia Traoré. As always, there will be plenty to do at this notably, family orientated weekend.
Musical youngsters from the Malmesbury area have been asked to take part in the WOMAD procession scheduled to take place at the end of the festival.
Two atmospheric videos from the recent WOMAD festival in Abu Dhabi, courtesy Arasan822 who has posted a delightful clip of the Robert Plant guest appearance, and Oumick who has brought us a great video, displaying the dancing skills of Youssou N'Dour.
First, Robert Plant with Uldeh Camara, Justin Adams and other musicians:
and now, strictly come dancing! With the great Senegalese Musician turned world superstar, Youssou N'Dour.
Two clips this week, portraying the spirit of the WOMAD festivals. The first is a short video from sollyfilms of the Mamaku project's stunning performance at Womad NZ in 2007.
And next, we have a longer video from Shiuli (Swarajmusic) featuring the mind-blowing flautist Nathan 'Flutebox' Lee in an incredible duet with the equally talented flamenco guitarist Niki Mukhi at WOMAD Gran Canaria, Spain in 2008.
It has been announced that in April of this year, Abu Dhabi is to host a WOMAD festival. The three day, ethnic music and dance festival will be the first time for the Middle East to experience the WOMAD phenomenon.
The 2009 WOMAD season kicks of in March with the Australian and New Zealand festivals, Abu Dhabi now follows in April and then in May, the circus moves to Spain.
The last WOMAD festival of 2007 is again in the Canary Islands, 22 - 27 November. Fabulous music, arts and dance from around the world, with the exhilarating backdrop of the beachside city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
The festival is free and open to the public, so no need to book tickets, just be there.
The last WOMAD festival of 2007 is again in the 
