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29 March 2024

Womad acts offer introduction to world music

Womad acts offer entertaining introduction to world music. (SUPPLIED)

Published
By Rachel McArthur

Iceland's volcano may be putting a huge percentage of the world on hold, but so far, Womad Abu Dhabi 2010 insists it is business as usual this weekend.

The world music festival is expected to go ahead as scheduled tomorrow and Friday at Al Jahili Fort, Al Ain; plus tomorrow, Friday and Saturday at the Abu Dhabi Corniche.

Chris Smith, Womad's Festival Director, said in a statement earlier this week: "Womad's raison d'être is to bring people together to enjoy the various forms of music, arts and dance and so, despite the issues presented by the air travel crisis our aim is to ensure that Womad Abu Dhabi will go on, with plenty of great entertainment for the audience to enjoy."

They may not be chart toppers, but these 24 eclectic artists performing during the free event from represent all sorts of genres. Among them are Jamaica's Damian Marley, Egyptian singer Hakim, Amparo Sánchez from Spain, Mayra Andrade from Cape Verde, and Iraqi legend Ilham Al Madfai as well as a brand new show specially created for Womad Abu Dhabi, being premiered here. Other names include Tinariwen from Mali performing with Mehdi Haddab from Algeria, and Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe from TV on the Radio.

With a number of artists already in the UAE capital to prepare for the shows, as well as Womad's workshops, Emirates Business spoke to five of the performers online.

They are the Tanzanian Zawose Family – who continue the legacy of the late Hukwe Zawose, one of world music's biggest stars; one of India's most talented slide guitarist, Debashish Bhattacharya; Malian guitarist Habib Koité; Indian musician Dr Joel, and UAE drummers group, Dubai Drums. Here is what they had to say.

The Zawose Family

 

First time in the UAE?

Yes. We have been to the Middle East before, but not here. We're enjoying the Gulf culture that is so evident here.

Describe your sound.

We play music that represents the music of the dry interior of Tanzania called the Wagogo. It's also a desert there so we feel very much at home here in Abu Dhabi. We play ilimba, which are thumb pianos that play high pithed tones tuned to our voices. When you see us in our costumes dancing we are like magical fireflies in the dark.

Who are your musical influences?

We were influenced by our father who developed many of the instruments we use today and wrote many famous songs. Of course we listened to our own music, but it would be difficult to compare artists such as Alpha Blondie and Bob Marley to our own traditional music!

What are you listening to at the moment?

We like P Squared from West Africa, and we're crazy about Bollywood music – we love the composer Salim Sulaiman. We also like Magic System, Rokia Traore, Khaled, and The Fugees.

If you could perform with any artist in the world, who would it be?

It would be pretty incredible to work with someone like Youssou N'Dour. Inshallah!

Which artist would you never share a stage with?

We are from Tanzania, so it is our culture to work with anyone who wants to work with us! Our stage is like our house and is open to anyone.

What can we expect from your Abu Dhabi performance?

We will be working with 60 students from Emirati schools for five days before the festival. So expect something really special as the cultures of Tanzania and the UAE meet on stage for an explosive and high energy start to the festival.

What should we listen to before the festival?

Our music is rooted in the thumb piano. We play these when walking through the bush in Tanzania to keep our tempo up on long walks through the heat of the day as we match our steps to the infectious rhythms of our ancestors.

What's next for you?

We return to Tanzania before a six-week European tour in June and July.

What is the one question you wish someone would ask you, but never get asked?

What's the price of a kilo of maize meal in Tanzania? We are always confused why that question is not asked.

Habib Koité

First time in the UAE?

Yes, and I am amazed and proud of the culture of this country just as if I am from the UAE myself. I had the honour of attending a press conference on my arrival, and as an artist, I consider that to be a sign of respect and opening the door for other cultures.

Describe your sound.

I'm one of the first Malian artists who worked on traditional rhythms from all over my country. I play rhythms, melodies and languages from different Malian ethnicities. Usually Malian musicians only play music from their own area. I call my style Dansa Donso: dansa refers to the name of a rhythm from Kassonkhe in the North West of Mali, and donso is the name of the confraternity of the hunters.

Who are your musical influences?

When I was a child, I used to listen to my mother singing at traditional events, my father used to play guitar. Later, I began listening to a lot of rock music thanks to the launch of national radio.

What are you listening to at the moment?

Jimmy Hendrix, James Brown, Ottis Redding, John Lee Hooker, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, and some Arabic music.

If you could perform with any artist in the world, who would it be?

Sting, for the beauty of his music, and because of his protests against the destruction of the Amazonian forests. Also, Michael Jackson, but he is not with us anymore.

Which artist would you never share a stage with?

No one.

What can we expect from your Abu Dhabi performance?

Discovering a musical moment with Malian music.

What should we listen to before the festival?

I think the best way would be to discover my music live, and then listen to the CD later on.

What's next for you?

A new album is out soon, plus I am involved with an association in Mali that takes care of children's health and education, which is very important.

What is the one question you wish someone would ask you, but never get asked?

Do you have a precise idea about your project for the children in Mali? I would say I'm working on it.

Debashish Bhattacharya

First time in the UAE?

Yes. I have been to the Middle East before – I have great memories from my time in Doha; music, sightseeing and camel riding.

Describe your sound.

My last album is O'Shakuntala, which I composed, performed, recorded and produced to remind the world musically about forgotten love. This is the band I am bringing to Womad Abu Dhabi – passionate yet spiritual, lovable yet fiery, religious yet free-spirited.

Who are your musical influences?

A lot of jazz, blues, Hawaiian, Afro-European, Western classical, Spanish flamenco and Chinese.

What are you listening to at the moment?

I like John McLaughlin.

If you could perform with any artist in the world, who would it be?

Jerry Douglas, as he is very close to my heart.

Which artist would you never share a stage with?

A musician who has a bigger ego than music and humanity.

What can we expect from your Abu Dhabi performance?

A lot of different colours of human life and its various expressions.

What should we listen to before the festival?

Calcutta Chronicles and O'Shakuntala.

What's next for you?

Me and my musician friends from all over the world will be getting together to record an album.

What is the one question you wish someone would ask you, but never get asked?

Why is it that immigration forms all over the world have no specified box to tick for the purpose of visiting a country as a musician? Are musicians not considered as important categories as economic, cultural, social, educational or entertainer, sports or diplomats? If not, then what is the purpose of music festivals and why do we have to tick in a box that's called 'other'? Maybe Womad Abu Dhabi can ask this question from all the musicians and journalists around the world. And we can spread the word to make travel easier for artists.

Dubai Drums

You guys are based in the UAE. Tell us about Dubai Drums.

Dubai Drums was started eight years ago, and we are looking forward to drumming with residents when we're 80! We conducted community drum circles last year for Womad Abu Dhabi, and it was a blast. Great energy and great people.

Describe your sound.

Our sound is very tribal, because it's all about rhythm and drumming. I formed a group called Drums of the World four years ago and people have been asking us for a CD ever since, so I guess it will be on the cards some time in 2010. Watch this space.

Who are your musical influences?

I always liked world music, particularly drums. And I remember once buying a CD called Voices of Forgotten Worlds, which featured songs from loads of tribes that hardly anyone had ever heard of. People thought I was crazy, but I loved it.

What are you listening to at the moment?

Anything that has great drumming in it, and I certainly hope that the Drummers of Burundi will be selling CDs at Womad.

If you could perform with any artist in the world, who would it be?

Joe Cocker, because I think he is so natural and down to earth and just enjoys being himself. And of course any great drumming group such as Drummers of Burundi.

Which artist would you never share a stage with?

Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones.

What can we expect from your Abu Dhabi performance?

Lots of drumming and uniting people through rhythm.

What should we listen to before the festival?

I recommend you come down to the workshop tents and try out the community drum circles. They are great.

What's next for you?

Hopefully some gigs in other countries. We've been approached for Sri Lanka, which is great – I'll get to ride elephants.

What is the one question you wish someone would ask you, but never get asked?

Do you dream about drumming? And strangely enough the answer is no. I guess I get to drum enough whilst I'm awake.