With artists hailing from 17 countries including Palestine, China, Japan, Ivory Coast, France, Romania and Burundi, WOMAD NZ 2012 is truly an international festival.
International artists:
Described by Rolling Stone Magazine as "Australia's most important voice", Gurrumul returns to WOMAD for the 2012 festival. Solo performances by this multi-award winning musician are rare treats for music lovers. Other WOMAD favourites making a return visit are the globe-trotting French band Lo'Jo and India's master santoor player Shivkumar Sharma.
From Africa comes the Master Drummers of Burundi; Ivory Coast singer Dobet Gnahore, who is fast becoming known as one of Africa’s great female voices; and Staff Benda Bilili – a group of polio-afflicted musicians who were discovered living on the streets and whose music has raw power and fragile delicacy.
Palestine’s Le Trio Joubran features with the great Yousef Hbeisch on percussion; while Europe brings France’s ‘Mad Hatter’ Chapelier Fou – a classically trained violinist who melds together classical, electronic and acoustic sounds looping string instruments and a synthesiser; Spain’s Diego Guerrero y El Solar de Artistas and Romanian Gypsy funksters Mahala Rai Banda. The UK's Mad Professor – known for the Ariwa studio and label and for the Dub Me Crazy albums – mixes dub sounds at WOMAD New Zealand 2012; while the Sharon Shannon Big Band from Ireland mixes rock, funk, Cajun and country.
California’s Groundation’s spiritual roots reggae sound will feature at WOMAD 2012; while from China comes Anda Union – a 10-strong band whose music digs deep into traditional Mongolian history. Japan has two acts featuring this year – Pascals, a 14-piece acoustic orchestra featuring a variety of toy instruments; and Sivouplait, a mime couple performing a series of short sketches of the perfect couple in love.
Narasirato Pan Pipers from Solomon Islands bring their music and traditions and from Australia comes a strong contingent of musicians including multi award-winning blues and roots musician Ash Grunwald; sassy soulstress Mama Kin; Melbourne’s The Bombay Royale who revive funky and bizarre music from vintage Indian cinema productions; and Latino-tinged roots rockers Watussi.
Kiwi artists:
The Kiwi music line-up features one of the newest music projects – Pajama Club (with Neil and Sharon Finn); ever-popular reggae act The Black Seeds, Adam Page performing solo and with Riki Gooch in Band of Thousands; Christchurch singer songwriter Amiria Grenell; the dynamic Batucada Sound Machine; a special collaboration between Minuit and Wellington-based Indonesian music ensemble Gamelan Taniwha Jaya; blues musician Paul Ubana Jones; award-winning Maori kapa haka from Te Matarae I Orehu; original ukulele trio The Nukes; and The Yoots performing their blend of calypso-ska and country-soul.
Not just a music festival.
As well as 30 hours of music on the seven stages, WOMAD features artists in conversation, Taste the World – this year hosted by Masterchef runner-up Jax, artist workshops, a global village, sustainable village, Kidzone and the option to camp at the adjacent racecourse. WOMAD is an international festival created by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Brooman in 1982. Since then 21 countries have hosted the festival and entertained millions of festival goers.
