Cerys Matthews and Orchestre National de Barbes Added to WOMAD 2010 Line Up

Welsh songstress Cerys Matthews and Paris-based Arabic supergroup Orchestre National de Barbés are among the latest names to be added WOMAD 2010 world music festival taking place at Charlton Park in Wiltshire on July 23-25.

Every WOMAD regular will, at least in their head, have collated a list of classic performances from over the years and many would nominate the scintillating show by Orchestre National de Barbés back in 2001. Nine years on, they’re returning with their irresistible tagine of North African grooves. Another mighty performance surely awaits. The Toubab All Stars hail from the same Barbes district of Paris and give a first WOMAD outing to their French-language take on ska, dancehall and soukous. Barcelona’s Planeta Lem also mix things up, stirring together pop, rock, funk and reggae.

Elsewhere, keep both ears out for leftfield Norwegian jazzers Farmers’ Market, fast-fingered flamenco guitarist Javier Conde and the delightfully lilting old-school mento sound of Gilzene and the Blue Light Mento Band from Jamaica.

Cerys Matthews leads the latest crop of homegrown talent that’s just been added to the bill. The musical riches of London Town’s ex-pat African community are well-represented – through the slinky Ethiopian trio Geata Krar Collective, Cameroonian troubadour Muntu Valdo and the pedigree rumba and soukous of Congolese guitar wizard Safroman.

One of WOMAD’s stages has just been renamed in memory of the recently departed world music guru Charlie Gillett and it’s fitting that the first act to play on this new stage, funky horn force Zoo For You, were booked thanks to a gushing recommendation from the man himself. Charlie’s radio shows brilliantly shrinked the planet through music, a trick that the globetrotting Sofrito Soundsystem DJ collective will also pull off with their magic box of impeccable records.

These performers join several dozen artists already confirmed for this year’s festival, among them Gil Scott-Heron (USA), Salif Keita (Mali), Staff Benda Bilili (Democratic Republic of Congo), Nouvelle Vague (France), Horace Andy (Jamaica) and Afro Celt Sound System (UK).

Booking line: +44 0845 146 1735
Online: womadshop.com
Adult Weekend Ticket: £125
Teenager (14-17 Year Olds) Weekend Ticket: £60
Disabled Weekend Ticket: £125
All Children (13 and under): Free
Please note that all minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult
For the full line-up, visit www.womad.org