October 07, 2008

By By Howell Llewellyn, Madrid

New York-based Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra (AAO) has been confirmed as one of the additions to the bill at the 14th Womad Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, to be held in the Spanish Canary Islands, off West Africa, Nov. 6-9.

This year's festival, which celebrates world music, arts and dance, features African artists plus Balkan gypsy musicians, French bands and British DJs. AAO will join Femi Kuti, son of the late Afrobeat innovator Fela Kuti, and acclaimed Afrobeat drummer of Nigerian origin, Tony Allen. Also playing at the festival will be Moroccan band Darga, singer Mariem Hassan from the Sahara and kora guitar specialist Ba Cissoko.

Paprikus Balkanicus, a mix of Romanians, Serbs and Slovenians, will perform traditional Balkan gypsy music, while French bands Speed Caravan and Babylon Circus are booked to perform, as are U.K. disc jockeys D. WattsRiot (member of FUN-DA-MEN-TAL), DJ Benn and DJ Yoda. Spanish artists playing include Tulsa (Guipuzcoa), El Tio Carlos (Barcelona), and Gran Canaria locals El Guincho and The F.E.O.S

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