Renowned Irish artists Karan Casey and Buille will perform Saturday, November 21 of 2009 at 8:00 pm at Highline Ballroom in New York City. Karan Casey has established herself as one of Ireland's most distinctive and influential vocalists. Known for her early work with Solas and her successful tours and recordings as a soloist, she has redefined the boundaries of Celtic music. She is accompanied by Ireland's Buille (concertina virtuoso Niall Vallely, pianist Caoimhín Vallely and guitarist Paul Meehan), the powerful and innovative ensemble which will also open the show. The program includes selections from Casey's new Ships in the Forest CD (Compass Records).
 
 Karan Casey's career has spanned 20 years, from her early days as a jazz performer in Georges bistro in Dublin to her time in New York with Solas (which became the most celebrated Irish band in the US) to her now blossoming solo career. Following groundbreaking early releases with Solas, she released five acclaimed solo albums and performed on the Grammy-winning Celtic Solstice with Paul Winter & Friends and Tim O'Brien's Two Journeys.

For one night only, Saturday, November 21 of 2009, fado icon Mariza returns to New York City's legendary Carnegie Hall, where she will be joined in Stern Auditorium by special guests, Afro-Peruvian vocalist Eva Ayllón and Afro-Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba. For this highly anticipated performance-her only New York area appearance before heading out on an extensive international tour-Mariza will spotlight songs from her recent CD release Terra (Earth) (Four Quarters Records).
 
 Since her debut less than a decade ago, Mariza has established herself as nothing less than a fado ambassador, by touring frequently and making herself available to the mainstream media, including Hispanic markets-the first fado artist to do so. Following Fado em Mim (2001), Fado Curvo (2003), Transparente (2005) and Concerto em Lisboa (2006), plus the DVD Live in London (2004)-her fifth album Terra (Earth) is the Latin Grammy-nominated singer's most exquisite and far-reaching work to date, expanding her sonic palette and the very definition of fado in the process-the album even ends with an English-language rendition of the Charlie Chaplin-penned standard “Smile.”

The 2009 edition of the San Francisco World Music Festival will take place November 13-22. For a decade now, the San Francisco World Music Festival has developed projects with master artists and youth in the San Francisco Bay Area and in several countries abroad as a catalyst for cultural understanding. The San Francisco World Music Festival has staged works bringing musicians from many backgrounds and traditions together to explore the potential of this essential exchange.
 
 This year, as the centerpiece of the festival, and in celebration of its 10th Anniversary, San Francisco World Music Festival will continue this tradition, launching one of its most ambitious and inspiring projects yet, an International Youth Music Initiative. his initiative brings together youth and master musicians from all over the San Francisco Bay Area, 12-18 years of age, combining a diverse range of our world’s musical traditions and cultures, from the ragas of North India to the choral music of Eastern Europe.

Sound Culture and Mateo Productions will host an exclusive evening with Cuba’s legendary and timeless son ensemble Septeto Nacional Ignacio Piñeiro, the Cuban son group founded by master musician Ignacio Piñeiro in Cuba in 1927. The ensemble is set to tour the US from late October through early December 2009. This historic event marks the first time a Cuban artist is granted a visa to perform in the US since 2003. Chicago tour date confirmed for November 22nd 2009, 7pm at Alhambra Palace Restaurant located at 1240 W. Randolph. Doors open at 5:30pm. Tickets $28 in advance until Friday November 20th and $35 thereafter.

Cuban sonero and composer Ignacio Piñeiro founded Sexteto Nacional as Columbia Records’ answer to RCA Victor’s popular Sexteto Habanero, later adding a 7th member and so defining the classic septet sound. Today, third-generation descendants of Septeto Nacional continue to define Cuba’s consummate son tradition.

renowned Brazilian musician Gilberto Gil will present The String Concert in Berlin on Saturday, November 21 of 2009 at 20:00 h at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt. With this project, Gilberto Gil plays acoustic versions of his top hit songs. He will be joined by his son and guitarist Bem Gil and by cellist Jaques Morelenbaum, who throughout his long career has played alongside such luminaries as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Caetano Veloso, Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Byrne.

The presentation of this trio is a unique event. The Haus der Kulturen der Welt is one of the few stations on this tour, as it also was three years ago during his last set of concerts. Banda Larga Cordel (2008) is Gil's most recent recording.

Savannah Music Festival's 2010 season is comprised of original productions, unique pairings, and a focus on instrumental virtuosity, including world-class artists in jazz, classical, bluegrass, blues, gospel, and a wide variety of other American and international musical traditions. Set in the idyllic atmosphere of Savannah in the early spring, these unique programs combine to create a musical arts event with worldwide resonance. Savannah Music Festival (SMF) runs from March 18 through April 3.
 
 “With the ever widening gap between commercial music and the performing arts,” remarks SMF Executive & Artistic Director Rob Gibson, “we want to serve as a bridge that connects audiences with a wide range of first-class artistry, while also illuminating musical traditions from all over the world.”

On Sunday Nov 22, three folk rock bands will show their support and talents in a benefit gig at Cargo, in aid of the Saharawi refugees. The Zeep (UK) sounds will be joined by the critically acclaimed Venezuelan singer Luzmira Zerpa (Venezuela) with her ensemble Family Atlantica and Henry Blake (New Zealand) and friends.

The event aims to raise funds for the Saharawi Artist Fund and Running the Sahara. Tickets cost £12 (£10 in advance) but we welcome any further donations made with the purchase of the ticket:

For seven years globalFEST has been the springboard festival for world music artists on the brink of North American national mainstage success, performers known in one community but ready to cross into others, and the marquee stars of tomorrow. The globalFEST 2010 concerts will be held at New York City's Webster Hall (125 E. 11th St.) on January 10, 2010 at 7pm.

Traditional music enthusiasts will find appeal in Nightlosers, Cara Dillon, Cedric Watson, La Cumbiamba eNeyé, and La Excelencia. Rock and electronic aficionados will be attracted to Caravan Palace, Namgar, and Federico Aubele. Lovers of singer-songwriters will fast become fans of Souad Massi, Alif Naaba, and Meta and the Cornerstones. The French Embassy in the United States continues to play an important role in bridging global artists to American stages giving France strong representation on globalFEST's stages as well.