Half The World Returns to London for a New Season of Live World Music

London, UK – Half The World is a new venture for London, an occasional season of live world music gigs being staged at Live On The Park, below the Pizza On The Park, 11-13 Knightsbridge, in association with fRoots magazine.

With a capacity of just 100, an intimate, elegantly comfortable atmosphere, excellent sound and lights, and good food at affordable prices, this is the ideal venue at which to see first class world music artists up close.

 Following the success of the August 2006 Half the World season, the next is in February 2007:Thurs 8th Feb: Jaune Toujours
The pulse of today’s multicultural Brussels, show-stealers in the last Half the World season, a wild mix of accordion, brass and Piet Maris’ gruff vocals. (A track from their new live album “Club” is on the fRoots 28 CD that comes with the Jan/Feb double issue of fRoots magazine)
www.choux.net, www.myspace.com/jaunetoujours

Fri 9th Feb: Liu Fang
World-leading virtuoso of the pipa (4-stringed teardrop-shaped lute) and gucheng (long zither), from Yunnan, China. Acclaimed at Womad 2005, she’s a performer of extraordinary intensity of focus.
(This show will be recorded for BBC Radio 3’s “World Routes” program)

Sat 10th Feb: Andrew Cronshaw And…
Meetings with remarkable musicians: zitherist multi-instrumentalist Andrew Cronshaw plays with Armenian duduk master Tigran Aleksanyan, Iraqi oud virtuoso Attab Haddad, Syrian ney master Louai Alhenawi, cello ace Jenny Adejayan and exceptional mbira player/singer Zuzana Novak. (Hear a track by Cronshaw and Aleksanyan, and one by Novak too, on the fRoots 28 CD)
www.myspace.com/attab, www.myspace.com/zuzananovak

Sun 11th Feb: Thierry ‘Titi’ Robin
Generating a big buzz at Womad 2006, oud, guitar and bouzouki doyen Titi has deep experience of Middle Eastern, Breton, Indian, flamenco, Rajasthani and European Roma musics, and with his trio plus two dancers he creates his own distinctive tradition. (Also Tues 13th)

Mon 12th Feb: Ellika & Solo
Boundary-crossing winners of BBC Radio 3 Award for World Music. The vocals and kora of Casamance griot Solo Cissokho intertwine with Ellika Frisell’s masterly Swedish polska fiddling.
www.ellikasolo.com
(This show will be recorded for BBC Radio 3’s “World Routes” program)

Tues 13th Feb: Thierry ‘Titi’ Robin
(See Sun 11th)

Upcoming Half the World seasons include a show on April 3rd by Eliza Carthy & the Ratcatchers.

Bookings via the venue, www.pizzaexpresslive.com , phone 020 7235 5273.

Tickets for all shows in the February season are £15. (The Eliza Carthy & the Ratcatchers show in April will be £20).

You can book without any obligation to eat, but most people do dine – it makes for a pleasant evening out to combine food and music, and means you don’t have to rush a meal before it. Service is sensitive, quiet and unobtrusive, so eating doesn’t distract from the performance. The first set begins at 9pm, but most people arrive around 7.30-8pm so they can begin their meal before the show.

For constantly updated Half the World news and performance schedules see www.myspace.com/halftheworldconcerts