Appendix 6 - International Music Council

coloured by local traditions. All of this musical mixture was arranged according to
geographical origin. Traditional musics form the core of this wave, and remain a source of
inspiration.
There have been some prominent musicians, like Paul Simon or Joe Zavimul who gave way
to the creation of music styles using non-European music traditions. The most important
propagator of the world music was Peter Gabriel with his music label Real World (UK),
today still number one of the sector.
The main meeting point for all involved in world music is WOMEX, the international but
European dominated World Music Exposition organized by the music label Piranha
(Germany), taking place annually in a chosen European city. The WOMEX 2005 in
Newcastle, UK, has brought more than 2000 world music makers together.
The World Music Charts Europe plays an important role in consolidation and promotion of
this music genre.
In the Western European countries world music is underrepresented and remains rather a
market niche.
In the countries with strong local music traditions, e.g. Balkan countries, these local
traditions are mixed with all possible music styles. These musical mixes sometimes play an
important role on the music market, for example chalga in Bulgaria – a mix of oriental
tunes with club dance music.
In the last years, there is a tendency in Europe to link the governmental promotion of world
music with political "themes".
Two arbitrarily chosen examples:
La Fanfare du Belgistan – Belgian band founded in 2001. Combines gypsy rhythms,
Balkan and afro-American sounds. Is known for playing on the road, on festivities and
marriages, played with Les Ogres de Barback. Integrates electric guitars and bass, piano
and drum set into their music.
Karde Türküler (Songs of Brotherhood) is a folk music group from Turkey. Since 1990 the
group has a fixed order of its programme: first they sing international folklore, then
Anatolian pop, then in Turkish, Kurdish, Azeri and Armenian language, later songs of the
Lase, Cherkessians, Georgians, Gypsies, Makedonians and above all Alevites. Today the
twenty members of Karde Türküler are seen as the precursors of the Turkish neo folk
scene.
6.5 Networks
Networks provide communication structures for people with similar interests, usually
private initiatives, often non-commercial and non-governmental. Typically they bundle the
interests of their members and constitute a point of contact for politics, institutions and
other networks. Networks connect people from different fields, different countries or
different social structures according to their common interest. They are usually a result of
personal engagements and long term development.
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