Artists A – Z© Ritva Välimäki© Kendall MessickAntti Paalanen (Finland)Contact: Rockadillo ProductionLabel: Siba RecordsFriday 14:15Daycase Stage ForumAntti Paalanen has a new name for his three-row diatonicaccordion: the breathbox. Sometimes it takes deep,meditative breaths, exhaling sweeping tone-poemsevoking space and light. Sometimes it breathes rapidlyas it takes a traditional tune on a fast run through the citystreets. Whatever moods he evokes, he does so with asure-fingered, melodic sensibility that seeks to utilise thefull harmonic possibilities of the instrument. Breathbox isalso the title of his recent album, produced by Finland’sexperimental accordion master, Kimmo Pohjonen. Agraduate of the Sibelius Academy, Antti Paalanen is indemand as a member of several ensembles and hastoured throughout Europe as well as in China, Russia andMexico, breathing fresh ideas into Finnish folk melodiesand creating captivating sonic landscapes.www.anttipaalanen.com› CD <strong>WOMEX</strong>IMIZER <strong>11</strong>› <strong>WOMEX</strong> <strong>11</strong> Showcase Trailer on www.womex.comAntti Paalanen three-row accordionAra Dinkjian (Armenia/Greece/USA)Contact: ARTos & TheamaLabel: unsignedFriday 22:15 Studio 1Multi-instrumentalist, multi-million-selling songwriter,Ara Dinkjian is recognised as one of the leading oudplayers in the world today. Born in America, he startedhis career at a young age, accompanying his father OnnikDinkjian, a renowned Armenian folk and liturgical singer.Ara went on to study Western and Eastern instruments,finally graduating with a special degree in the oud. In thefollowing 35 years, in addition to maintaining his postas organist of the Armenian Apostolic Church in NewJersey, he has continued to develop his highly personalcompositional style, which blends his Eastern andWestern roots, recording and touring internationally asa solo artist and with his ensemble, Night Ark, featuringArto Tuncboyaciyan, as well as composing majorsuccesses for such international stars as Turkish pop iconSezen Aksu and Greek diva, Eleftheria Arvanitaki.www.aradinkjian.com› CD <strong>WOMEX</strong>IMIZER <strong>11</strong>› <strong>WOMEX</strong> <strong>11</strong> Showcase Trailer on www.womex.comAra Dinkjian oudSokratis Sinopoulos kemencheVangelis Karipis percussionYiannis Kirimkiridis piano, keyboardsArtists A – ZS h o w c a s e s179
© Zaman Production © Nono© JahseAsif Ali Khan & Party (Pakistan)Contact: Zaman ProductionLabel: Long DistanceAyarkhaan (Russia)Contact: Window to EuropeLabel: unsignedBaianaSystem (Brazil)Contact: Roberto BarretoLabel: Garimpo MúsicaBlitz the Ambassador (Ghana/USA)Contact, Label: Embassy MVMTArtists A – ZS h o w c a s e sFriday 00:45 Studio 1 Saturday 23:30 Studio 1Praised by the great qawaali singer, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan,as one of his finest students, Asif Ali Khan has establishedhimself as a worthy bearer of the late maestro’s torch. Stillat a young age, his vocal prowess and thrilling im pro vi sationsalready show the mark of a master. He comes froma well known family of Sufi musicians and the group ofwhich he is now the focal point was started by his grandfatherand carried on by his father. Since Nusrat’s deathin 1997, Asif has participated in tribute concerts andrecordings, dedicated to the memory of his teacher, buthas also developed a style and presence all of his own,making him hugely popular in his homeland of Pakistanand an emergent figure on the international stage.www.zamanproduction.com/artiste/asif-ali-khan-partyAsif Ali Khan vocalsRaza Hussain harmoniumSarfraz Hussain harmoniumKhawar Ali tablaMuhammad Shahid Hussain backing vocalsManzoor Hussain Shibli backing vocalsUmar Draz Hussain backing vocalsImtiaz Hussain Shibli backing vocalsNasir Khan backing vocalsBakhat Fiyyaz Hussain backing vocalsAyarkhaan are international ambassadors of the musicof Yakutia, now the Republic of Sakha in eastern Siberia.Founded in 2002 by Albina Degtyareva, they are leadersin the revival, preservation and interpretation of theancient traditions and wisdom of the Yakut people.Drawing on a variety of singing styles – nasal, throat andpalatal – and utilising their astonishing dexterity on thekhomus, they transport the listener to the vast, sparselypopulated expanses of their homeland with sounds thathark back to the shamanistic rituals of centuries past. Thekhomus functions like a jew’s harp but is much louderand capable of a wider range of expression. Chorallyconceived yet almost electronic sounding in effect,Ayarkhaan create ethereal evocations of the power ofnature, the animal and spirit world with a captivating,contemporary presentation.www.ayarkhaan.comAlbina Degtyareva vocals, khomusNariana Renanto vocals, khomusAlisa Savvinova vocals, khomusFriday 23:00 Foyer Stage 2At the heart of this multi-layered, multi-media soundspectacle are the cascading arpeggios eked out of theguitarra baiana by project creator Robertinho Barreto. It’sa small, solid electric guitar derived from the cavaquinho,which for decades has shaped the urban styles of frevoand choro characterising the carnival of Recife. Barretoexposes the instrument to a range of influences, fromAfrican guitar styles to the looping psychedelia ofJamaican dub, creating a stunning melodic centre to therhythmic inventions of the System, who meld bass guitar,percussion, samplers and inspired improvised interplayfrom singer and lyricist Russo Passapusso into a joyouslydriving whole that is light, tight and massive, while VJFilipe Cartaxo provides the visual concept of a soundsystem jumping straight from the Bahian streets into yourimagination.www.baianasystem.com› CD <strong>WOMEX</strong>IMIZER <strong>11</strong>› <strong>WOMEX</strong> <strong>11</strong> Showcase Trailer on www.womex.comRusso Passapusso vocalsFilipe Cartaxo VJ, art directorJuninho Costa/Junix guitar, keyboard FXRobertinho Barreto guitarra baiana, guitarMarcelo Seco bassWilton Batata percussionFriday 21:00 Foyer Stage 2Blitz the Ambassador spins tales of the struggle forlove and dignity, the trials of émigré alienation and theshadows cast by history, all set to swirls of brass, distortedguitars, and the crackle of old amplifiers. The Ghanaianborn,New York-based MC, composer and producerunleashes psychedelic afrobeat colours and triple-timerhymes sparked in Accra yet forged in the Africandiaspora, where Fela meets Chuck D and highlife meetship-hop. Hearing Public Enemy at school in Ghana wasthe catalyst that awoke his poetic talents. Later, studyingin the USA, he began to meld the disparate influences hehad grown up with, learning to rap in 6/8 time, riffing onold r&b and Ethiopian funk. Now with his self-producedalbum and the remarkable short film Native Sun, he’s onhis way to invade your consciousness.www.blitz.mvmt.com› CD <strong>WOMEX</strong>IMIZER <strong>11</strong>› <strong>WOMEX</strong> <strong>11</strong> Showcase Trailer on www.womex.comBlitz the Ambassador lead vocalsEzra Brown saxophoneClemens Braun tromboneSydney Driver drumsRaja Kassis guitarRamon de Bruyn bassArtists A – ZS h o w c a s e s180181
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