Celebrating its thirty-seventh year, WOMAD is a melting pot of music, dance, food, art, spoken-word, poetry, science and more; embracing the joys of diversity and tolerance at a time when the world needs it more than ever. This year WOMAD bring you Ziggy Marley, Macy Gray, Orbital, Salif Keita, Anna Calvi, Saving Grace with Suzie Dian and Robert Plant, and Thursday headliner was Afro-Cuban All Stars, alongside a jam-packed line-up of incredible musicians from across the world. (Image credit: Courtesy of WOMAD)
On Friday, reggae superstar Ziggy Marley will brought the richest Jamaican heritage with his soulful and empowered sounds. Headlining on Friday, was soul sister supreme and Grammy-Award winning singer Macy Gray appears twenty years on from her global smash I Try, the gravelly-voiced legend will be brings her smoky jazz and R&B-tinged pop to WOMAD 2019.
Runs until the 28th July here is our pick of who to see if you missed it you can still check out their music on the links below.
The Beatbox Collective (UK)
The official world beatbox champions, this superhuman group have collectively won nearly every beatbox competition on the planet. https://www.thebeatboxcollective.com/
Salif Keita (MALI)
One of Mali’s musical elders, Salif’s album Soro was one of the records that really broke African music in the UK in the late ’80s. Formerly the vocalist with the legendary supergroup Les Ambassadeurs, his golden voice retains the power to both thrill and chill in equal measure. Check out the soulful African vibes here:
Petite Noir
AKA Cape Town singer-songwriter/producer Yannick Ilunga – is one of the forefathers of noir wave, that South African sound that squeezes together kwaito, pop and post-punk to deeply imaginative, neo-gothic effect. As he himself calls it, it’s “new wave with an African aesthetic. https://petitenoirmusic.com/
Macy Gray (USA)
Twenty years on from her global smash I Try, Macy is still the soul sister supreme, with her ear for an sublime and anthemic tune undiminished – and that gorgeously raspy voice still in the finest of fettles
Sunday 28th Performance- From Daptone, the record label that has given the world some terrific vintage soul over the last decade or so, comes another revivalist outfit – the Cuban big band Orquesta Akokán. Heavy on the horns, this dirty dozen bring back, with a contemporary twist, the fulsome sound of classic-era mambo.
Kokoroko UK
Saturday 27th Performance – Signed by Gilles Peterson to his Brownswood Recordings label, Kokoroko are a bunch of young Londoners lost to Afrobeat and highlife. The octet’s horn-led sound is supple yet strong, and a cool grace underpins everything they play. Video here.
WHAT WOMAD Festival 2019
WHERE: Charlton Park
NEAREST TUBE: Paddington (underground)
WHEN: 25 Jul 19 – 28 Jul 12:00 AM
PRICE: £185-£225 (standard adult ticket for 3 or 4 days)
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