BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music
BBC Radio 3 has announced the winners of their Awards for World Music 2007. There are awards in 9 categories (and a 10th, Audience Award announced at the winners’ concert in May) and there are some great artists being recognized this year.
There’s Ghada Shbeir winning the Mid East & North Africa category with her Al-Muwashahat, which is both the title of her album and the over 10-century-old style of music she performs. Her music is very vocally-focussed and emotive. Ghada Shbeir performs both modern and traditional (and we’re talking 1,000-year-old-traditional, here) pieces. One of her goals is to keep alive this art form of muwashah and bring it to new audiences.
With a very different sound, Gogol Bordello won the Americas Award this year. They perform an imaginative style of punk that incorporates (amongst other elements) accordian, violin, a wild sense of humor, and a much-remarked-upon mustache. Fans say Gogol Bordello live shows are not to be missed.
Visit both Ghada Shbeir and Gogol Bordello’s sites for samples of the music they’re making.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. To find out about the rest of the winners and the upcoming concert, visit BBC Radio 3.
bbc 3, radio 3 awards for world music 2007, world music, music, ghada shbeir, gogol bordello, lebanon, u.s, asia, western asia, north america, middle east, punk, gypsy punk, muwashah
April 3rd, 2007 at 6:36 am
You mean to tell me that the entire world doesn’t revolve around just the American top 40? LOL!! It’s great to have you here - how exciting to see what *else* is going on in the music world
April 3rd, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Why limit ourselves, right? There’s so much great music out there! Thanks for stopping by, Cyndi!