Friday May 5, 2006 SGN.org |
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Volume 34 Issue 18 |
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Saturday, Nov 21, 2009
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EXPLORING NEW YORK CITY - GlobalFest delivers a world of music |
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| EXPLORING NEW YORK CITY - GlobalFest delivers a world of music | ||
| by E. Joyce Glasgow
- SGN A&E Writer
For two nights, on January 21 and 22, as part of the 49th annual Association of Performing Arts Presenters Conference (APAP), the second annual "GlobalFest" World Music Festival took place in New York City at The Public Theatre. It reminded me of the eclectic, international performances beloved by Seattle audiences at Seattle's Womad Festival, U.S.A., (now sadly long gone after only three summers). Since September 11, 2001, it has become increasingly more difficult for foreign musicians to get visas to come and perform in the U.S. Just when we most need to connect with and understand people, customs and cultures different from ours, we are ironically finding it harder, even in an ever shrinking world. That's why wonderful events like "GlobalFest" are so necessary and a beautiful celebration of humanity. This amazing and wild, energetic cacophony of musical performances kept audience members in high spirits and thoroughly involved. My absolute favorite of the line-up was Frank London and his "Klezmer Brass Allstars" (U.S.A.), who expressed so perfectly the sounds and emotional intent of old, Lower-East-Side- tinged, uproarious Jewish music. First, the brass band of nine approached the stage, playing with intensity from the start, followed by the surprising appearance of another nine piece group, this time a Brazilian percussion ensemble called "Maracatu New York", who paraded through the hall with driving Brazilian rhythms that blended uncannily with the Klezmer beats. Now, everyone was dancing furiously to this combo and a third group was added to the mix. The Hasidic group of all female vocalists, "Kol Isha", (a third group of nine), joined the other 18 on stage to create a rapturous, unbelievably wonderful and unique heartfelt performance for an hour and I thought; "this IS New York and boy am I glad to be here to experience this!" Frank London and the "Klezmer Brass Allstars" have just released their third CD entitled "Carnival Conspiracy (In the Marketplace All is Subterfuge)". The festival program called their music a "wild sensual feast" and said to "shake your tuchis, blow your mind". I heartily agree. I highly recommend this group and their recordings. Visit them at London's website: www.franklondon.com. As a complete contrast, the sultry and beguiling vocalist, Lura (Cape Verde/Portugal), wove her songs into a lovely spell. Born in Portugal, her father from the Cape Verde island archipelago, off the coast of Senegal, her music has West African influences and varies from wild and rhythmical to passionate ballads. She follows in the footsteps of the great Cape Verde vocalist, Cesaria Evora. Visit her at: www.luracriola.com. Then I went back to hear another frenetic and wild group "Balkan Beat Box" (Israel/U.S.A.), whipping up a storm with fearless horns, percussion, belly dancers and women singing Balkan folk songs in traditional costumes, mixed with electronic music and Jewish and North African folk music. This group is very popular in New York and performs quite a bit live and is terrific for dancing. You may visit them at: www.balkanbeatbox.com. The evenings were well planned and rounded out with an eclectic variety of performers including: "Daara J,(Senegal), an African hip-hop group, (who appeared at Seattle's Bumbershoot Festival last year), "Auktyon"(Russia), a theatrical band with jazz and rock influences, Flamenco guitarist, Juan Carmona (France),and his group, one-man band, Daby Toure(Mauritania), and "Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys"(Louisiana/U.S.A.), who played Cajun music. Roxane Butterfly, the tap dancer and her "Worldbeats"(France/U.S.A./Morocco), performed as did vocalist, Keren Ann (France/U.S.A.), the Middle East/ South Asian influenced group "Niyaz"(Iran/India/U.S.A.), and "Los Ondas Marteles"(France), who dedicated their new bolero pieces to the poetry of the late Cuban artist, Miguel Angel Ruiz. The nights each ended in Joe's Pub with a dance set by DJ Dolores(Brazil), innovator of mangue-beat, who uses politicians' statements in dub-remix, creates technoid ragga versions of old folksongs, and finds inspiration in Brazilian working class urban and rural musical styles. The festival was produced by The Public Theater and Joe's Pub, World Music Institute and World Music/ CRASHarts on three stages at The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street, New York. For more information on next year's "GlobalFest" or for further information on other events at The Public Theater, please visit: www.publictheater.org. |
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International Readers |
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