ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ

Billy Cobham

Drummer Billy Cobham has wielded his sticks for jazz greats Miles Davis, Horace Silver and Dexter Gordon, as well as Peter Gabriel. The partnership between Cobham and Cuban young bloods Asere formed at the Womad festival in Spain in 2002. Since then the collaboration has led to the release of an album and global performances including this one at the Bridlington Spa.

Youngsters perform with Etran Finatawa

Etran Finatawa and ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Blast showcase

Formed in 2004 at a festival in Mali, the six band members of Etran Finatawa, meaning β€˜the stars of tradition’ come from two nomadic tribes in Niger: Woodaabe and Tureg. Within a year they had recorded an album and toured Europe. Using electric guitars and traditional percussion instruments, the band combine the music of the two tribes with desert blues.

Working with ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Blast and Music 4U, the Humber Region Youth Music Action Zone, Etran Finatawa hosted a music workshop with young people from Bridlington which culminated into a live performance on stage at the Spa before the band’s main set.

Mor Kabasi

The music of London-based Israeli singer Mor Kabasi is steeped in her rich Middle-Eastern roots. A direct descendant of Moroccan and Persian Jews, Kabasi sings in Hebrew, Spanish and Ladino, the latter being an ancient language – combining Hebrew and Spanish – spoken by Jews of Spanish origin or Sephardic Jews.

After the Christian re-conquest of Spain in 1942 when many Sephardic Jews fled the country, few Ladino songs survived. It’s only recently, in the last few years, that artists such as Yasmin Levy and Mor Kabasi are bringing them to the attention of the wider public.

Liana (left) and Reem Kalani

Reem Kalani and Liana

Back in 2006, the organisers of Musicport commissioned a project titled β€˜From Palestine to Portugal’ exploring the similarities and influences of Arab and Portugese music and culture between the two countries.

The project brought together British-born musician Reem Kalani, who is of Palestinian ancestry and Portugese singer Liana. Premiering at the Bridlington Spa, their performance was also a dedication to the memory of Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish who died in August 2008.

Toumani Diabate

Toumani Diabate

One of Mali’s greatest musicians, Toumani Diabate comes from a long lineage of kora (African harp) players which stretches back 71 generations.

Recognised in his home country as β€œthe prince of the kora”, he received global attention after winning a Grammy award for the album β€˜In the Heart of the Moon’ on which he collaborated with the late fellow Malian musician Ali Farke Toure. Other collaborations include albums and performances with Damon Albarn and Bjork, amongst others.