25 october 2001

Orchestra Baobab Holland, as a Northern country, has culinary customs to fit its climate. In other words, they eat huge and varied breakfasts. To be avoided by the weak-livered, these are definitely advised for the WOMEXers, in need of sustenance and stamina, ready for another day of hand shaking, contact making and showcase viewing.
WOMEX's aim is to provide as complete an experience as possible. Alongside the professional stands and the evening showcases, visitors were invited to participate in a wide variety of conferences, on subjects ranging from Maori music to the renaissance in Mozambique and safety issues when organising a festival.
Just after lunch, the first showcase of the day swept the audience far away to the island shores of Okinawa and Hawaii. The meeting of Takashi Hirayasu with his six-string sanshin and the guitar guru Bob Brozman with his slide guitar is a beautifully delicate and subtle exchange between two master musicians. Their mutual love and respect for music, just as their obvious pleasure in playing together, are contagious and, even if a little intellectual at times, this was an occasion to savour.
The evening's performances were divided into an Eastern European programme for the Grote Zaal while Lusomania was the name given to the vibe going down in the smaller hall. Amongst the former, the family group Allaev, originally from Tajikistan and now living in Israel, gave a entertaining performance of traditional Tajikistani and Jewish-Bukharan music.
Beautiful and melodic voices seem to have been the common theme for the Portuguese-speaking artists. Representing Portugal, Fernando Lameirinhas' and his group with a charming unpretentious stage presence, set the scene. Next from Cape Verde, a more funky folk was on offer with the lovely Sara Tavares who went down particularly well with the crowd. By the time the atmosphere was good and tropical, Brazilian combo based in France, Tupi Nagô, took the stage by storm with their rousing Afro beats and soul-lifting melodies.
Eleyo means charlatan in Yoruba, one of the Afro-Cuban tongues. For the young Cuban rap group of the same name, Eleyo is a positive messenger, spreading the new sound of Cuban dance music. Although still in their teething period, they clearly demonstrated their talent for singing, rapping and dancing. With good management, we may be hearing more from this posse.
The night's entertainment continued as usual in the Calypso club, with a high energy programme of crossover electro-trad music. First from the Baul tradition of India Senses, a group based in France and led by Bapi Das Baul. Power drumming, electro beats and traditional dancing, this is great looking, festive Asian Vibes. To end the evening, a poignant project by Afghani Khaled Arman and Italian Francesco Russo - Kabul Workshop. Astounding but true, the traditional instruments of India and Afghanistan - tablas, rubab and sarangi - fuse with the hard-hitting breakbeats of Russo's sampler in a natural blend of atmospheric rhythm. Despite technical difficulties which somewhat hindered the musicians' performances, both groups' positive symbolism and musical mastery shone through.

Marushka