A world of sound back in the 'Naki

Ethiopiques. Photo / Supplied

They're beating a path from Ethiopia, skanking across the water from Jamaica, and singing all the way from the Sahara and Israel for next year's Womad festival.

Ethiopian acts Ethiopiques - veteran singer Mahmoud Ahmed and his 10-piece band - and Dub Colossus, a collaboration between musicians from Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa and British producer Nick Page, are just two of the highlights at the 2010 world music festival at New Plymouth's Bowl of Brooklands from March 12-14.

Womad, which stands for World of Music, Arts and Dance, will feature more than 250 artists from 19 countries performing across seven stages, including original ska band the Skatalites, Saharan singing star Mariem Hassan and Israeli singer Amal Murkus.

Hassan sings in Hassania, the language of her desert homeland, and her band is made up of two electric guitars and two tebals (ground-drums played by women) which conjures up a mix of traditional and spiritual sounds blended with blues and reggae. Just as intriguing is Murkus who brings together pop music with Palestinian folklore and traditional Arabic elements to create a fiery brand of Mediterranean music

Also on the bill is Cuban guitarist Eliades Ochoa, one of the members of the Buena Vista Social Club; the rumba-meets-flamenco sound of Spain's Ojos de Brujo; dusty American experimental country band Calexico; big band afro-beat punks Babylon Circus from France; former Fairground Attraction singer Eddi Reader from Scotland; and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, which is made up of eight horn-playing brothers from Chicago who are inspired as much by Public Enemy as they are Sun Ra.

On the local front there is an impressive line-up of Kiwi female talent, led by singer/songwriters Anna Coddington and L.A. Mitchell, along with soul divas Ladi6 and Iva Lankum, and fusion trio Pacific Curls who incorporate Celtic, Maori, and Pacific influences into their sound.

Other New Zealand acts playing include The Bellbirds, a supergroup of sorts, made up of Sean Donnelly (aka SJD), Don McGlashan, singer Sandy Mill and Victoria Kelly, who describe themselves as a band with a "baroque 60s pop sensibility"; reggae acts 1841 and House of Shem; kapa haka group Te Whanau-a-Apanui; and classical group NZTrio who collaborate with Finnish double-bass and accordion duo Lepisto & Lehti especially for Womad.

The festival also includes workshops and lectures by some performers, cooking demonstrations, a global village and a Kidzone. Camping is available at the racecourse nearby or stay marae-style at TSB Stadium.

Tickets on sale from Ticketek and for more information go to womad.co.nz