SATURDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2008
Around the Iranian percussionist Keyvan Chemirani, there is a cast of very talented musicians forming the Beats in the Heart of Orient project. Two other members of his extraordinary family are also here - his brother Bijane, on zarb and saz and his sister Maryam with her enchanted voice. Beside them there is Cretan prodigy Stelios Petrakis, playing lauto and lyra, French flautist Henri Tournier who has been disciple of bansuri virtuoso Hariprasad Chaurasia and the tabla magician Prabhu Edouard. What we hear is a constant dialogue between strong traditions and the joyous musical result of fraternity and deep friendship. The warmest start possible to the day’s showcases.
The diva of Kyrgyz folk music Salamat Sadikova performed a startling daytime solo set in the Al-Andalus auditorium. Looking resplendent in neon pink, playing the Kyrgyz komuz lute. Sadikova’s voice was delicately sublime. Holding impossibly long sustained notes, her singing stilled the air.
Later, famed Bedouin hospitality was conjured up inside the Teatro Lope de Vega. With a traditional tent set up on stage it felt that the Bedouin Jerry Can Band had invited us to come sit around their desert camp fire. The collective of semi-nomadic musicians from the Egyptian Sinai play tribal songs from across the region. ‘Where will I find my love?’, super-charismatic Khaleid Al Sharawy asked, explaining the lyrics of one song, adding ‘perhaps I will find her at Womex’, mischievously descending into the audience and finding a dance partner in the aisles. ‘BJB’ add junk percussion to their traditional instrumentation of reed pipes, lyre, desert flutes and fiddle, giving them their name and a metallic twang to their charming, sparky sound.
At the same moment the Neapolitan saxophonist Enzo Avitabile took the Plaza de Espaňa stage accompanied by I Bottari, who drummed on wooden barrel as the tradition goes on some little cities in south Italia. Their show was impressive and give us a rare mix of heavy south Italian beats with free jazz grooves.
As a farewell to the Womex audience the Spanish partners of the event proposed a special focus on Galician music. The virtuoso bag pipes of Muthenrohi attract not only the local dancers but also a group of enthusiastic Korean fans in the front row. Later it was Xosé Manuel Budiňo who presented his special blend of tradition, noisy rock and multimedia show.
Back in the intimate Teatro Lope de Vega the Argentinian Astillero orchestra leads the audience through their very oniric vision of tango. A charismatic singer, a classy piano player, accompanied by cello, double bass, violin and of course bandoneon. The dreamy mood was accentuated by some abstract movies and spectral lights.
Malian griot singer Bako Dagnon is celebrated for her unparalleled knowledge of ancestral popular culture – her memory is a living national archive. At 50 years old, she has just recorded her debut album for the international market with a sound reflecting centuries old history with gentle updated touches. This is secular music but the soaring vocal harmonies filling the Pavilion felt celestial, and it was a welcome pleasure to discover yet another glorious Malian artist at WOMEX.
With requisite flamenco family credentials, as the son of legendary singer Perrate, Tomas de Perrate channeled bone-cracking emotion through his voice and brought real gravitas to his performance. As one of the new generation, he also has license to take flamenco forwards in new directions. His personal sound is a meeting of flamenco with another music tradition with heartfelt lament at its core – reggae. Embedded in bouncy jazz, Perrate’s sound was a surprisingly playful Andalusian adventure.
Mundo Livre kicked off the Mangue Beat movement alongside fellow Pernambuco innovators Nação Zumbi. Described as the most significant Brazilian cultural movement since Tropicalia, Mangue Beat takes punk, rock and politics to party with samba, maracatu and coco. With psychedelic-shirted lead singer Fred 04 alternating between electric cavaquinho and guitar, the band tipped fun and dreamy chaos into their set then powered up the finale for a happy dancing crowd. Unfortunately surf-guitar outfit La Pupuña cancelled their appearance at short notice, leaving Mundo Livre as the highlight of the off-Womex ‘Noite Brasileira’.
Closing the night for delegates keen for a farewell party was Bamako’s Morike Keita AKA Mo DJ – getting a name for himself as Africa’s top remixer he has remixed tracks for the likes of Amadou & Mariam, Ba Cissoko and Franz Ferdinand. With Mo on the decks the party was strong and long, and on All Souls Day, Mo DJ rocked ours.
Buenas noches Sevilla!
Jody Gillett and Benjamin MiNiMuM |
Womex 2001 | 
