Last night the multiple stages of Global Fest played host to more strong female headliners than ever before. This was deservedly a point of pride for the event’s co-producers. Earth Mother energy was so pervasive in this year’s lineup that even most of the bands led by men had the wisdom to include women as singers or dancers. This was also the most conceptually balanced roster of talent I recall seeing at any Global Fest. Moving from room to room throughout the evening you could often sense one performer’s key qualities instructively illuminating another’s. Continue reading “Global Fest – Webster Hall – 1/13”
Tag: Global Fest
Why “World Music” Doesn’t Mean Anything Anymore: What I Learned at APAP
If you ever had any doubts about whether the global pop promotion game was an intellectual enterprise as well as an entrepreneurial movement, this year’s 10th pairing of NYC’s annual Global Fest with the yearly Association of Professional Arts Presenters’ conference would set you straight. Continue reading “Why “World Music” Doesn’t Mean Anything Anymore: What I Learned at APAP”
GlobalFest Surges On
A worldly showcase flourishes, recession notwithstanding
GlobalFest showcases so much high-quality talent that artists accustomed to headlining elsewhere can find themselves opening this three-stage marathon to less-than-capacity crowds. But not in vain. Magnificent early sets by Ghanian neo-highlife combo the Occidental Brothers and New Orleans’ resplendent Hot 8 Brass Band were streamed live to Internet millions via WNYC and NPR radio, which will also offer Sunday’s performances for download beginning this Friday. Continue reading “GlobalFest Surges On”
Post-Iberia: Multicultural Musicians Attain Authenticity Without Purity
| Globalfest Public Theater January 10Okay Player Tour Irving Plaza January 3 |
With an aural smorgasbord as ambitious as last Saturday’s GlobalFEST, it’s inevitable that a few choice items will go untasted. In five hours on three stages at the Public Theater, a sold-out crowd scrambled to see 16 multicultural attractions from around the world and around the block. Forty-minute sets were just long enough to leave most of us wanting more. Continue reading “Post-Iberia: Multicultural Musicians Attain Authenticity Without Purity”