The following artists will be performing at the National Hispanic Cultural Center for ¡Globalquerque! 2009. Performances will take place on three stages, all located at the NHCC (1701 4th St SW, at Avenida César Chávez). Enjoy the intimate courtyard setting of the Fountain Stage, the state of the art 692-seat Albuquerque Journal Theatre and dance outside on the Plaza Mayor.

Performances start at 6 PM and the Global Village will be open into the night. There will also be FREE day programming on Saturday for families and adults, including workshops on music and folklore, crafts, and live performances.

Tentative schedule (exact times TBA):

Friday:
Väsen with Darol Anger and Mike Marshall
Mono Blanco
Novalima
Toppah & Yazzie
Kusun Ensemble

Saturday:
Indian Ocean
Kusun Ensemble
Little Cow
Susan McKeown & Lorin Sklamberg
Robert Mirabal

 

Indian Ocean (India)

Indian Ocean are the biggest underground success in India. A cult band in its own right, the group has amalgamated Indian folk music with Western rock. Indian Ocean started in 1984 as an instrumental duo with Susmit Sen on guitars and Asheem Chakravarty on percussion; the lineup was later completed with bassist Rahul Ram and drummer Amit Kilam. Their breakthrough album, Kandisa, released in 2000, catapulted Indian Ocean to national stardom and became one of the biggest-selling albums ever by an Indian band. They have also written and recorded the soundtrack to a Bollywood film, "Black Friday" (2005). "It's easy to notice what clicked with Indian Ocean—a focus on East Indian folk music that quickly gained attention from youthful listeners, an almost unplugged sound that complements their cultural attributes, and a rigid compact lineup with each member bringing in his unique technical preeminence, all rolled into a perfect body of work," wrote the All Music Guide. Reviewing one of the band's live performance in the Seattle Times, Shawn Telford raved, "The song 'Kandisa' is based on an ancient Syrian Catholic hymn and translated literally means 'grace.' To know grace is one thing, but to feel its presence during that moment of unity between the band and the fans, when the room feels the rhythm and the melody emerges from everyone, singing the sound of suffering, of plight, of longing, this is the oneness, the magic, the grace of music."

 

Kusun Ensemble (Ghana)

The Kusun Ensemble is an extraordinary group of musicians and dancers based in Ghana, West Africa. Founded by Nii Tettey Tetteh, the group includes past members of The National Ballet and The Pan African Orchestra. Although rooted in traditional music, the ensemble has developed a new brand of music and dance they have dubbed "Nokoko." They have created innovative rhythms and dances by fusing bass and lead guitar, electrifying jazz and African rhythms, and traditional Ghanaian instruments. In their quest to develop a new style of Ghanaian music, they have been dazzling audiences in Ghana and around the world.

With headlines reading "Kusun Electrifies Frenzied Audience" and reviews proclaiming the Kusun Ensemble's sound as a "revival of a vital art," the band is now considered one of Ghana's most innovative and powerful music and dance ensembles. By blending the authentic sounds of traditional instruments with the exuberance of hilife music and the complexity of African jazz, they are developing a unique Ghanaian sound and bringing the tropical passion of West African music and dance to the world stage.

 

Little Cow (Hungary)

Little Cow is a fine mix of joy and melancholy, humor and lyricism. Dadaist dance music and classic ballad songs are performed by highly energized, charismatic musicians. The style is a crazy listening underground poetic pop. "Little Cow rocked. I loved it! The band sounded great and did a really good job. It was really everything I expected... a great band: unique, fun and interesting." (Joe's Pub, New York) "Hungary’s hottest export since goulash." (Funkhaus Europa 103,3) "A fantastical gypsy-like pop rock group from Hungary. They are absolutely crazy, fun and lovely!" (Hide Out Festival Chicago)

Little Cow was founded by László Kollár-Klemencz. They have become one of Hungary's most popular bands, and have played festivals throughout the U.S. and Europe. Their song "Virágok a réten" (featuring their gypsy friends Romano Drom) was selected for the Top of the World album of Songlines Magazine UK and the Gypsy Grooves album released by Putumayo. The band started recording their new album in New York and San Francisco with American producer Ben Yonas; it is scheduled for release in Fall 2009.

 

Robert Mirabal (Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, U.S.)

Two-time Grammy winner Robert Mirabal lives with his family at the foot of sacred Taos Mountain in northern New Mexico. Maintaining a traditional life, keeping the centuries-old customs of the Taos Pueblo people, Robert has been described as a Native American "Renaissance man"—musician, composer, painter, master craftsman, poet, actor, screenwriter, horseman and farmer—and travels extensively playing his music all over the world. His first flute came when he was 18 with money he borrowed from his grandmother, and shortly afterwards he had the opportunity to meet Native American flute player R. Carlos Nakai, who greatly influenced him. In the years since, Robert has continued the evolution of his flute-making and has also become a concert performer and recording artist. His dozen albums of traditional music, rock and roll, and spoken word present a contemporary view of American Indian life that is unequaled. A leading proponent of world music, Robert has merged his indigenous American sound with those of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, tapping into a planetary pulse with a style that defies categorization. His 2002 breakthrough PBS special, "Music From a Painted Cave," is unsurpassed in Native American theatrical expression. His first novel, Running Alone in Photographs, the coming-of-age story of a young Native American musician who travels the world before returning to her ancestral home, was published in 2008.

At ¡Globalquerque!, this two-time Grammy Award winner and virtuoso of the Native American flute will be performing as a trio. With keyboardist extraordinaire Paul Fowler and guitar legend Larry Mitchell, they will perform material from Mirabal's "In the Blood" and "Totemic Flute Chants" CD's, blending an array of ancient and contemporary cross-cultural influences. In concert, Robert spreads 20 or more of his traditional flutes, drums, and percussion instruments directly opposite Fowler and Mitchell's modern sonic setups—featuring several guitars, keyboards, and computers—merging tribal rock, pop, jazz, classical, world beat and everything in between.

 

Mono Blanco (Mexico)

Grupo Mono Blanco (White Monkey) takes a progressive approach to preserving Son Jarocho, music of the southern Mexican state of Veracruz, by incorporating Afro-Caribbean flavor and presence and juxtaposing those aspects with traditional son guitars, vocals, and dance. Formed in 1980, Mono Blanco's members consist of families from the rural areas surrounding Veracruz. The group has toured throughout Asia, Europe, Central America, Mexico and the United States.

Making and playing the instruments; versada, the art of writing jarocho verses; and traditional dance are all aspects of the traditional music that Grupo Mono Blanco support directly by organizing informational workshops to continue the tradition of the Son Jarocho. Their ability to relate ancient tradition to new audiences is inspiring, and draws attention to the group's immense talent.

 

Novalima (Peru)

NPR's Weekend Edition: New Latin Music: Three Albums Not To Miss

Since its formation in 2001, Novalima has been breaking down boundaries, uniting seemingly irreconcilable genres, communities and generations to create an inspiring movement that has revolutionized the music scene in their native Peru. Founded by four friends from Lima with a shared passion for both traditional Afro-Peruvian music and modern DJ culture, Novalima searches for the common ground between past and future, between tradition and innovation. Their efforts have also helped bridge the divide between the Peruvian mainstream and the Afro-Peruvian community, a minority population that has struggled against discrimination and the threat of cultural dissolution for generations. While their sound is futuristic and cutting-edge, the roots of Novalima's music stretch back hundreds of years to the times of slavery and Spanish colonial rule. African slaves were brought to Peru as early as the 1500s until the middle of the 19th Century, establishing an outpost of African culture in South America. Over the years, the soul and rhythms of Africa blended with the melodies and instruments of Europe and the Andes. The result is rich musical repertoire that has existed for generations on the periphery of Peruvian popular culture.

The founders of Novalima, Ramon Perez-Prieto, Grimaldo Del Solar, Rafael Morales, and Carlos Li Carrillo, became friends while in high school in Lima. While they grew up listening to the popular and folk music of Latin America, they also shared a fascination for rock, pop, reggae, salsa, dance and electronic music. Indeed, without modern technology, Novalima might not have developed, as the group came together at a time when the four founders were each living in different parts of the world. From their homes in London, Barcelona, Hong Kong and Lima, they started emailing song ideas to each other. These long-distance experiments resulted in their 2002 debut album, the self-titled Novalima. The reception to the album exceeded their wildest expectations, eventually reaching platinum sales status in Peru, and for their next album they invited more Afro-Peruvian musicians to join their recording sessions.

With a fresh and innovative sound that stands on a centuries-old foundation of soul and heritage, Novalima promises to keep Afro-Peruvian expression thriving long into the future.

Novalima - Coba Guarango from Cumbancha on Vimeo.

 

Saints & Tzadiks: Susan McKeown & Lorin Sklamberg (Irish/Yiddish)

Following on the heels of their GRAMMY Award-winning work with the Klezmatics, vocalists Susan McKeown and Lorin Sklamberg have begun an exciting musical collaboration: an album of Yiddish and Irish song.

Culled from rare archive material and old recordings, McKeown and Sklamberg have selected songs on various themes from the Jewish and Irish traditions: love, death, betrothal, betrayal and the demon drink, as well as cumulative and macaronic songs are represented.

"We love singing together and started to explore the connections between Yiddish and Irish songs awhile ago," says McKeown. "Lorin is a true scholar and so he's come up with some beautiful songs. It's been both fascinating and fun to learn these Yiddish songs from him." In fact, the bulk of the Jewish material is being drawn from the papers of the legendary collector and performer Ruth Rubin, specifically from the recently published Yiddish Folk Songs from the Ruth Rubin Archive, drawn from her field recordings held at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, where Sklamberg serves as Sound Archivist. "Part of the thrill of this project is having the privilege of being the first to commercially record most of these treasures," enthuses Sklamberg. The Irish songs come from both the popular and the ancient Gaelic sean nós traditions.

When Sklamberg, the voice of the Klezmatics, decided with his band mates to seek an additional vocalist for their Woody Guthrie project Wonder Wheel, the choice was McKeown. The resulting album went on to win the 2006 GRAMMY for Best Contemporary World Music Album.

 

Toppah & Yazzie (Diné/Kiowa)

Raised in Weatherford, Oklahoma, Cheevers Toppah comes from a strong family line of singers and has spent most of his life around the Pow-Wow drum. While in high school, he studied choir and was eventually enlisted to sing and travel with the All-State Chorus. This experience later inspired Cheevers to combine his choral training with his extensive knowledge of Pow-Wow singing. Currently, Cheevers travels the Pow-Wow trail with the Thunder Hill drum group.

Born in Teesto, Arizona, Kevin Yazzie now resides in Mesa, Arizona with his wife and children. Kevin started singing at the age of six at Pow-Wows and the Native American Church. At the age of thirteen Kevin grew closer to the Native American Church and its songs of prayer and started composing songs soon after. The Peyote medicine and prayer songs have provided him with comfort throughout his life. Many of his songs come from his inspirations, his friends, family and those who are in need of comfort, healing and spiritual uplifting. In 2009, Kevin's solo harmonized Peyote recording Faith was a finalist for the 2009 Grammy in the Native American Music category.

Toppah & Yazzie's album First Light was a finalist for the 2008 Indian Summer Music Awards and 2008 Native American Music Awards. Their new album, Awakening of Life, features unison and harmonized singing to inspire, balance and guide the listener through the journey of life.

 

Väsen with Darol Anger and Mike Marshall (Sweden/U.S.)

- Mike Marshall, Darol Anger & Väsen Live at the Savannah Music Festival

Mandolin virtuoso and festival favorite Mike Marshall and extraordinary fiddler Darol Anger team with Sweden's premiere acoustic string trio, Väsen. This spirited collaboration bridges the gap between the fiddle and dance tunes of Appalachia and the polskas of Sweden. You will discover just how small our Atlantic Ocean really is when you hear The Duo and Väsen weave together centuries old traditional forms from separate continents into such a natural fabric.

Väsen and the Duo have actually been fans of each other for many years before meeting at the Lotus World Music Festival in Bloomington, Indiana in 2004. Mike and Darol had already learned a few Väsen tunes from their earlier CDs and were dreaming of one day playing with these guys. So when they were thrown together on stage (at their own request, of course), it was obvious to all from the first few notes that something very special was being born here; a connection based on their love for traditional music and this quest for the answer to where it might be heading. With the Duo and Väsen, you have a similar mind set about the potential for creative musicians from separate worlds to work together with joy, understanding and open hearts. The creative and respectful birth of something with roots that reach way back in time to the fathers of their music, while at the same time, pushing ahead towards something new.