It takes tremendous musical connections to organise an experience of rhythm, dance and art from more than 40 countries in a celebratory atmosphere lasting four days.
Over 150 performers from across the world descended on a small town in England last week during an annual showcase of global music.
The Charlton Park in Wiltshire, in the southwest of England hosted 40,000 fans from around the world over four days of spectacular music across six stages, from the main Open-Air stage to the smaller intimate venues such as the Ecotricity stage.
The windy conditions accompanied by the occasional drizzle did not dampen the spirit of the fans who sang along, danced and waved to an eclectic mix of beats.
The festival lived up to the theme of 'Building Bridges Not Walls’ by transcending the spectrum of musical genres: Nigerian veteran Femi Kuti with politically charged Afrobeat, roots reggae from one of Jamaica's elder music statesmen, Horace Andy, the irresistible guitar sounds of Zimbabwean band Mokoomba and the uplifting sound of the gospel from northern Ghana.
WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) was started in 1980 by legendary British musician Peter Gabriel and the first festival took place two years later in Shepton Mallet a market town in Somerset, England.
Kenyan singer and nyatiti player Ayub Ogada got his big international breakthrough when he performed at WOMAD in 1988 and then recorded his debut solo album with Gabriel’s Real World record label.
The festival, which moved to its present site in 2007, is today one of the biggest platforms in the world to showcase music performed by established global stars and artists on the threshold of global success.
Fela and his Positive Force Band performed his signature high-energy style tapping into his wide discography with Truth Don’t Die, Look Around, Sorry Sorry and You Can’t Fight Corruption with Corruption.
Nigerian Afrobeat star Femi Kuti & The Positive Force Band playing on the Open Air Stage at Charlton Park, Wiltshire, U.K. PHOTO | POOL
Incidentally, Dele Sosimi, who played keyboards for Fela and his legendary father, Fela’s Egypt 80 band, before going solo, also kept the Afrobeat spirit alive at this year’s WOMAD and his band’s performance of songs like Too Much Information, Colonial Mentality and Money Get Power was one of the highlights of the Saturday programme at the festival.
Zimbabwean powerhouse Mokoomba lived up to their billing as one of the most exciting live acts to come out of Africa in recent years with a stomping show on the Open-Air stage.
The six-piece band from Chinotimba township in Victoria Falls, with their sweet guitar-based dance rhythms, were returning to WOMAD after their much-heralded maiden performance a decade ago,
Their set included songs from the new album Tusona: Tracings in the Sand including Makisi, which celebrates the beauty of the initiation ceremony of the Luvale community of southern Africa, the beautiful acapella-delivery of Kwelintaba and the drum-induced rhythm of Wayile.
Two African acts made a splash on their WOMAD debut— Alogte Oho and his Sounds of Joy who are raising the profile of Frafra gospel, an infectious harmony-filled rhythm, driven by lively horns, from northern Ghana, and the frenetic Lova Lova (Wilfried Luzele) from the DR-Congo who rocked the Siam stage with a sound that mixes funk, rock and elements of traditional music.
Memories of 1990s club music came flooding back thanks to British band Soul II Soul performing their classic hits including Back to Life and Keep on Movin’.
The legendary US gospel trio the Staples Jr. Singers blessed the Sunday programme opening the Siam Tent stage with an uplifting set featuring their rendition of the freedom song Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round and their 1975 classic When Do We Get Paid.
Saramaccan Sound made history as the first ever artiste from the island of Suriname to appear at WOMAD while the Palestinian outfit 47Soul served their politically charged grooves accompanied by their compatriots Shadia Mansour and Ana Tijoux,
Peruvian singer Susana Baca, 79, a one-time minister of Culture in her country, defying age delivered a masterful performance of Afro-Peruvian tradition on the Siam Tent stage. Even at the age of 72, legendary Jamaican roots reggae giant Horace 'Sleepy’ Andy still showed great form, backed by his Dub Asante Band, as one of the headline acts on the last day of the festival
The festival also hosted a range of workshops, yoga dance classics, poetry readings, debates and discussions.
At the Taste of the World stage artists cook their favourite dishes interspersed with music featured Rokia Kone of Mali and Balimaya Project from the UK providing the soundtrack as the popular West African Yassa stew bubbled behind them.
It is no wonder that WOMAD has become a byword not just for world music, but for an entire global cultural experience.
