Small World Music Festival 2009 Program Announced

Zakir Hussain
Zakir Hussain
Small World Music announced the Eighth Annual Small World Music Festival, which will take place at some of Toronto’s most popular venues from September 24th through October 4th. Once again the festival presents an engaging snapshot of the world music scene, ranging from Zakir Hussain’s new collaboration with Bela Fleck to Gypsy rockers Parno Grazst and Iranian powerhouse singer and dancer Saied Shanbehzadeh.

Audiences are invited to "come home” to the Small World Music Festival where bridging cultural gaps through music and celebrating the city’s diversity has been the mainstay for this burgeoning non-profit organization. The intention is to pave the way for music fans to reunite with the cultures they left behind and to encourage exploration of other traditions and ethnicities right in their own neighborhood.

Launching the festival will be a CD release concert by Toronto’s internationally-renowned Indo-jazz fusion group Tasa and it will continue with the return of tango-tamers Bajofondo and Balkan Beat dance party Electric Gypsyland, as well as new additions such as klezmer group Beyond The Pale and Omnesia Live, a dynamic East-meets-West ensemble.

This year, as part of the festival, Small World is programming the music stage for Word On The Street, Canada’s pinnacle literary festival, which will be celebrating its

10-year anniversary on Sunday, Sept. 27. Highlights will include performances by French Gypsy Joanna Moon, Latin funk group Rebel Rhythm, reggae jammers High Plains Drifter, Afro groove band Masaisai and many more.

Other outstanding events include the “Meeting Of Masters” concert featuring virtuoso performers Béla Fleck / Zakir Hussain / Edgar Meyer and two free afternoons of family-oriented programming under the umbrella “World Music for Small People”. The daytime shows highlight interactive performances by belly dancer Roula Said and Parent’s Choice award winner CHRIS Mckhool, who’ll celebrateToronto’s multicultural mosaic through song.

For more information, visit www.smallworldmusic.com

Author: World Music Central News Room

World music news from the editors at World Music Central

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