Music Review: Womad 2018

Norah Jones
Norah Jones

I couldn't help but recall that famous line from the movie Forrest Gump while I was listening to this outstanding sampler of next year's WOMAD line-up set to hit the stages at New Plymouth's Bowl of Brooklands over the weekend of March 16 to 18.

Yes, it's a veritable box of chocolates, with a different taste and style to every track, as you'd expect I guess. In 19 tracks this WOMAD CD circumnavigates the globe, more than once I suspect.

There are many cultural and musical moments that are simply stunning.

From the combination of sitar playing Anoushka Shankar and her sister Norah Jones, to Kasami Washington's new age jazz, or the essential desert blues of Grammy winning Mali performer Tinariman.

From the UK comes dub's star Adrian Sherwood, out of Chile multi genre Chico Tujillo, progressive folk from Quebec with Constantinoble and Ablaye Cissoko.

Ghana, Chile, Lebanon, Cuba, Iran, Israel, Senegal and Mexico are all represented with evocative and diverse musical experiences. Once you have heard this you won't need much persuading to leap into the fray that is WOMAD. Yet again we're in for one heck of a ride.

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