Global Local is an exciting new project aimed at developing and showcasing opportunities for emerging artists in Music – and it’s the place to find the finest in Global music. 25 events featuring between 4 & 6 acts will be performing right across London at all the major festivals in the next 2 years. Many of these acts tour internationally and have appeared at landmark festivals such as WOMAD – they have remixed their culture with the multiplicity of sounds that breed and blend in cosmopolitan London.
Global Local is the latest innovation led by Continental Drifts, whose work ranges from the mainstream, providing Radio 1 stages with the best Asian Beats, to programming areas at Glastonbury, Lovebox and Bestival and working with some of the world’s largest bands. Continental Drifts is fully committed to presenting incredible contemporary Global music, the Global Local Project has 3 themes: Desi Remix [Asian Sounds from across the spectrum, from MCs to Bollywood dance], 21st Century Silk Road [a reflection of the music flowing down the Silk Road from China all the way to Spain] and The Crescent [Belly-Dancing Breakbeats, Bedouin Beatbox, Rai Pop and superb Sufi sounds].
Powered by the diversity of London , Global Local will be celebrating the city’s many sounds at a stage near you. To kick off the project in summer 2006, 21st Century Silk Road criss-crosses the capital featuring Gypsy-Meets-Dance bands, UK Chinese Electronica, Flamenco Remixed and Roma and Flamenco Dancers. Acts include: Chi2 (China, UK), Mukka (Hungary, UK), Forty Thieves Orkestar (Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, UK), Balkanatics (Balkans, Turkey), Ghetto Plotz (UK, Ukraine, Israel), Flamenco Aire (Spain, UK), Romani Rad (Poland, Romania), LaXuLa [a.m.a] (Spain).
Look out for future Global Local events featuring:
The Crescent with Oojami (Turkey, Kurdistan, UK), Ludomix (Morocco, UK), DJ U-Cef (Eygpt), Reem Kelani (Palastine, UK), Cheb Nacim (Algeria), Abdullah Chhadeh (Egypt, Yemen, UK) and Bellydancers and Sufi sounds from Konya, Turkey.
Desi Remix with Hard Kaur (UK, India), Bee2 (UK, India), Kissmet (UK, Pakistan), Bollywood Dancers, Sonik Gurus (UK, Pakistan).
www.continentaldrifts.co.uk
Continental Drifts – Sophie Cammack sophie@continentaldrifts.co.uk 020 8509 3353
Press info, photos, Global Local promo cd:
Jody Gillett jody@freeassociates.org 07818 453 650
Gerry Lyseight gerry@mambo.eclipse.co.uk 07798 533 866 www.gerrylyseight.co.uk
GLOBAL LOCAL EVENTS JULY-SEPTEMBER 2006
DATES EVENTS 06 ARTISTS
July 1st Woolwich Festival – The Great Get Together 21st Century Silk Rd Chi2, LaXuLa [a.m.a], Mukka, Romani Rad,
Flamenco Aire
Time: 11am-5pm www.greenwich.gov.uk
Venue: Woolwich Arsenal SE18 Nearest rail: Woolwich Arsenal
Free
July 2nd Harrow – Under One Sky Festival 21st Century Silk Rd Chi2, LaXuLa [a.m.a], Mukka, Romani Rad, Flamenco Aire
11am-9pm Info: 020 8424 1803 www.visitharrow.co.uk
Venue: Kodak Recreation Ground, behind Zoom Leisure Centre, Harrow View, HA2
Nearest tube/rail: Harrow & Wealdstone/Harrow On the Hill
Tickets: Arts Culture Harrow box office 020 8424 0124 adult £3, children (5-16) £2, family £10
July 8th Lewisham People’s Day 21st Century Silk Rd She’Koyokh, Forty Thieves Orkestar, Balkanatics Flamenco Aire, Romani Rad
12-8pm Info: 020 8314 7321 www.lewisham.gov.uk
Venue: Mountsfield Park, Stainton Road, SE6 Nearest rail: Hither Green
Free
July 15th Croydon Summer Festival 21st Century Silk Rd Romani Rad, Mukka, LaXuLa [a.m.a], Chi2
1pm-8pm Info: 020 8686 4433 www.croydon.gov.uk/summerfestival
Venue: Lloyd Park, Croydon, CR0 Nearest rail: South Croydon/Tram: Lloyd Park
Free
July 23rd Ealing Global Festival 21st Century Silk Rd Balkanatics, Forty Thieves Orkestar, Mukka, LaXuLa[a.m.a], Flamenco Aire
1pm-10.30pm Info: 020 8825 6640 www.ealing.gov.uk
Venue: Walpole Park, Mattock Lane, W5 Nearest tube/rail: Ealing Broadway
Free
Aug 12th I Love Peckham 21st Century Silk Rd Mukka, Forty Thieves Orkestar, LaXuLa [a.m.a], Flamenco
Aire, Romani Rad
12 noon-6pm Info: 020 7525 2000 www.southwark.gov.uk
Venue: Peckham Square, Peckham High St, Rye Lane and Peckham Rye, SE15 Nearest rail: Peckham Rye
Free
Aug 20th Walthamstow Festival 21st Century Silk Rd Flamenco Aire, Forty Thieves Orkestar, She’Koyokh, Mukka
12 noon-6pm Info: 020 8496 3587 www.walthamforest.gov.uk
Venue: Walthamstow Market, E17 Nearest tube: Walthamstow Central
Free
Aug 20th Richmond – On the Edge 21st Century Silk Rd Chi2, Balkanatics, Romani Rad, LaXula [a.m.a]
12noon-8pm Info: 020 8831 6000 www.richmond.gov.uk
Venue: Richmond Riverside [next to Richmond Bridge] TW1 Nearest rail/tube: Richmond
Free
Sept 10th Enfield Town Park Autumn Show The Crescent Oojami, Reem Kelani, Abdullah Chhadeh, belly-dancers
10.30am – 6pm Info: 020 8363 8196 www.enfield.gov.uk
Venue: Town Park, Enfield Town, EN1 Nearest rail: Enfield Town Station
Ticket details tbc
Sept 13th Global Local showcase at SE One Club Reem Kelani, Forty Thieves Orkestar, Oojami
For more info contact sophie@continentaldrifts.co.uk
Sept 30th Molten Festival Barking & Dagenham The Crescent Oojami, Abdullah Chhadeh, Ludomix, belly-dancers
1pm-6pm Info: 020 8215 3006 www.lbbd.gov.uk
Venue: The Broadway Theatre Nearest rail: Barking
Free
Chi2 A dynamic fusion of Chinese and electric violins and electronics, Chi2 perform their inimitable Eastern-tinged contemporary electro-acoustic style to stunning effect. Recently described as “double violin assault specialists” Chi2 are Chinese British-born violinists/composers Liz Chi Yen & Sarah Chi Shang Liew. Drawing on inspiration from their recent tours of South-East Asia, their love of Chinese cinema and their gene pool, Chi2 dish up a charismatic blend of ‘East meets West’ rhythms and melodies. Their music is a melting pot of style and influences and improvisations with a plethora of weird noises and the odd sprinkling of live effects, coupled with keyboard wizardry and angelic vocals.
Mukka Mukka are the ultimate live band, whisking their audience on a whirlwind journey through deepest Transylvanian melancholy to joyful abandon, whipped up by frenetic Balkan instrumentals. If you can get a bunch of people who’ve never met, to join hands and dance themselves crazy in a circle in London, you can do it anywhere. And Mukka have done it everywhere from Glastonbury Festival to the Queen’s Concert at Buckingham Palace. Mukka’s extraordinarily charismatic Romanian singer Dana Codorean-Berciu sings ballads springing from the heart of Transylvanian village life which convey such depth of feeling and humour that they transcend boundaries of place and language.
LaXuLa (a.m.a) “..Evoking the spirits of crooked sun-baked streets, four-day festivities, rootless conditions, home births and Hackney squat parties… LaXuLa (a.m.a) stirs their Fiesta with flamenco, Arabic, klezmer, latin influences, and rocky psychedelic guitars… …The resulting eclectic brew and its unique sound manages to walk the tightrope between the plaintive and the uplifting without falling on either side…” (Notting Hill Arts Club).
Flamenco Aire Discover the rhythms and emotions of Flamenco with Flamenco Aire. Spirited and powerful dancers join with sublime musical accompaniment to produce an act that touches and excites the senses. Defined by their generosity of spirit, Flamenco Aire are a group of between 4 and 8 artists, comprising singer, dancers, guitarists and percussionists, bringing excitement and virtuosity to any event.
Romani Rad A group of gypsy dancers and musicians from Poland, Romani Rad have built a reputation for dazzling entertainment adding a feast of colour to a wide repartee of songs from Eastern Europe. The musicians and singers are all highly skilled and have recently collaborated on CDs with Terry Hall, (ex-Specials and Fun Boy Three) and Besh o’Drom from Hungary.
She’Koyokh Cover the musics of the Steppes and Klezmer and are made up of young Jewish, Spanish, Hungarian and Turks. She’koyokh are a great mix of jumping Gypsy music and polka stomp.
Forty Thieves Orkestar A dastardly infusion of eastern melodies and sultry London beats. With influences ranging from the belly dancing music of the near east, and Gypsy music from Turkey and Eastern Europe, this exciting new project combines these evocative sounds with a selection of contemporary beats, rhythms and sonics. Forty Thieves Orkestar are a sensuous delight for those looking for a more substantial chilling experience as well as providing highlights for the more discerning dancefloors.
Balkanatics is a Balkan inspired brass band that plays wild, rhythmically driving music from the Balkan region and Turkey. Born out of London’s cosmopolitan music scene it combines the cream of the UK with the best immigrant musicians.’kick-ass Balkan brass band…their sound is robust, high energy’ fROOTS
Oojami Belly-dancing break beats. From the dusty blue Mediterranean shores of Turkey to the heady multi-cultural maelstrom of deepest North London comes a man with a musical mission to spread a healthy sprinkling of Turkish exoticism into the eclectic dance beats of the London underground dance massive. Necmi has successfully interwoven the bedroom beat philosophy of western dance culture with the colourful sounds of a Turkish bazaar. Joined by a whirling Dervish and Male belly dancer and a 5 piece live band, Necmi Oojami has created one of today’s greatest hybrids open to all listeners.
Abdullah Chhadeh “Spellbinding”, “innovative”, “gifted” are words that are time and again used to describe the performances and compositions on which Chhadeh’s blossoming international reputation is built. A relentless musical adventurer, Chhadeh has spent the last five years introducing the qanun’s distinctive sound to new and occasionally unexpected settings. His versatility, inventiveness and technical brilliance ensure that he is in constant demand as a guest performer. His recordings and collaborations have included both solo performances and featured soloist work with Sinead O’Connor, Jocelyn Pook, Natacha Atlas and David Arnold among others.
Ludomix The band formed in London 2002. The original lineup included six different nationalities; French, Swedish, Algerian, Estonian, Australian, and English. The potential of this incarnation was never realised as Ludovic the piano player was tragically killed in a car accident in Monte Carlo. It was over one year later that the band decided to reform and pursue an acoustic sound and, in a tribute to Ludovic, the name Ludomix was chosen. This new version of the band still boasted three nationalities and began to perform in the pubs and clubs of Camden Town playing a North African flavoured mixture of Rai, funk, Latin sounds with an unclassifiable energy. The crowd reaction was amazing, spurring the band to continue to develop their unique style. While remaining true to their acoustic roots Ludomix have expanded to a full electric band, fit to perform on big festival stages, and are now joined by electric jazz and funk bassist Mike Flynn from Big Fan and Jasco. Now the electric band has a powerful sound that mixes many musical styles but also takes Said’s voice to new heights.
Reem Kelani Kelani sings magnificently, which puts her near the dazzling level of the Lebanese top singer Fayruz whom she admires so much. But she’s also surrounded by a superior cast of musicians, which makes the music, true to form and as authentic as possible, in line with international standards, without losing itself in mindless cross-over. The meticulous interventions of sax and piano (Idris and Zoe Rahman) do not go against the tradition. That is, in large measure, unembellished (women’s) a capella singing.
