As forces re-align around the globe, Glasgow celebrates it’s renowned eclecticism with Big Big World, embracing music from Africa to Asia and Europe to the Americas. Words: Jan Fairley
his years shrevvd programming balances top groups with an
impressive posse of arresting solo voices. At a time of searching
questions. fevv will be able to resist the challenge of the magnetic tones of Mercury Music Prize nominated Susheela Raman. the compelling Appalachian tales of Grammy nominated Gillian Welch. the soul-baring of Louisiana‘s Mary (iauthier or the blistering satire of Hamell on Trial. Closer to home is the city's ovvn distinctive nevv collaboration involving James Grant vveaving into the (iaclic sensibilities of Karen .\'latheson.
Perhaps the most remarkable visitor vvill be the charismatic Petrona Martinez. vvho vvith her seven-piece band comes from the Caribbean coast of Colombia with an irresistible fusion of South American. African and Spanish influences. Petrona is a riveting singer. and her music. handed dovvn in her family from generation to generation. is both povverfully local in celebrating the daily life of her tiny village of Palenquito while its danceable rhythms give it universal appeal.
In many parts of the vvorld. from Buenos Aires to Budapest. the most popular ‘vvorld‘ music is Celtic. as the collective of super-stars who come together as Cliar remind us. In similar vein and promising to do for Scandinavia \vhat Buena Vista have done for Cuba. Abba hit man Benny Andersson brings the evocative sounds of Sweden. with a big band of fifteen boasting five fiery fiddlers and the beautiful vocals of Helen
‘Orchestra Baobab’s re- Africanisation of Cuban rumba and son is simply glorious’
music@list.co.uk
On the road with Orchestra Baobab
Sjoholm.
Anyone who caught Zimbabwe‘s Bhundu Boys when they jumped back to the heart of the UK scene in June. will knovv they offer one of the most dazzling dance nights out. as does Gambia‘s lfang Bondi with their Afro- Manding sound.
Big Big World‘s coup is getting both Spain‘s Radio Tarifa and Senegal‘s Orchestra Baobab. Tarifa blevv everyone’s minds back in the early 1990s vvhen they put together an album called Rumba Argelinu. a Mediterranean mingle of flamenco rumba and the north-African rhythms of the Magreb vvith a medieval slant. in a small studio set tip in the Madrid bedroom of leader Fain Duefias. The record embodied their name: ‘Tarifa'. from the furthest point of Spain which almost touches the African coast. and ‘Radio‘. by joining one song to the next using fragments of distorted radio as if they vvere coming from different radio stations found by a simple roll of the dial. Their latest album. Cruzando [5/ Rio (Crossing The River) drops the radio fragments. delving deeper into Spanish sounds.
But the jewel in Big Big World's crovvn is undoubtedly Senegalese superstars Orchestra Baobab. There‘s nothing of the time-vvarp in the October rc- release of their I982 platter Pirates Choice (named because their recordings were ripped off so much on cassette). with its six new tracks. Rather. its mellovv. philosophical re-Africanisation of Cuban rumba and son is quite simply one of the most glorious vvorld musics. and the very fact that they have been persuaded to re-form and take to the road to plug it is nothing short of a miracle. Just vvhat the times need. as they sing in ‘On verra ca' — ‘We‘ll see about that!’
Big Big World is at various venues from Fri 19 until Sat 27 Oct. See listings starting on page 53 for more details.
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OLD ROCKERS NEVER DIE, they just fall out with their brothers and form new bands. Take Jim Reid of the Jesus And Mary Chain, he unveils his new band, Freeheat at King Tut’s on 27 November. The band also stars JAMC guitarist Ben Lurie, Gun Club bassist Romi Mori and Earl Brutus’ Nick Sanderson. A single, ‘Retox’ is released next month. BLINK 182 HAVE
rescheduled their SECC date from 1:: November until 17 January. The show has been moved LII) from 3:300 to a 9000 capacity hall so more tickets are on sale now.
Smog for free
SOMEONE ELSE WHO IS thinking ahead is Aimee Mann, whose cancelled autumn date has been rescheduled for 6 July next yean
STUDIO 24's BATTLE OF THE Bands final takes place on Thursday 25 October. See listings for full details of line up. IF FREE STUFF IS YOUR desire then look no further. We have freebies coming out of our shapely bottoms and feel compelled to pass them on to you, the reader. We have tickets for no less
than three upcoming shows:
The Waterboys at Barrowland, 7 November;
Mogwai, Barrowland, 8 November and Smog at Glasgow’s Grand Old Opry, 12 November and La Belle Angele, Edinburgh, 13 November. We have three pairs of tickets and three copies of the latest release by each artist to give away. All you have to do is email music@|ist.co.uk with your name and address and which gig you’d like tickets for or send a postcard with these details enscribed in virgin’s blood (it’s a joke; please don’t) by Monday 29 October to: Live Music Giveaway, The List, 14 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1TE.