Anoushka Shankar and Kamasi Washington join WOMAD line-up

Anoushka Shankar (left) and Kamasi Washington have joined the WOMAD 2018 lineup. Photos / supplied

New Plymouth's WOMAD Festival has added major international artists Kamasi Washington and Anoushka Shankar to its 2018 line-up.

The two artists join legendary New Zealand rockers Dragon, the band behind the hit song April Sun in Cuba. Dragon formed in 1972, and reformed in 2006 and continue to tour extensively.

Kamasi Washington is a groundbreaking jazz musician who has worked with artists such as Lauryn Hill, Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar. Last in New Zealand for Auckland City Limits in 2016, he will perform at WOMAD with his full band.

He released his critically acclaimed debut The Epic, a triple-album more than three hours long, in 2015, with Pitchfork, The Guardian and Stereogum placing it on their 50 best albums lists for that year.

Washington is following up The Epic with the Harmony of Difference EP, out tomorrow.

Anoushka Shankar is a master of Indian classical music and an accomplished sitar player. The daughter of the legendary Indian classical musician Ravi Shankar, and sister of singer-songwriter Norah Jones, Shankar explores the crossovers between Indian music, electronica, jazz, flamenco and Western classical music with ease and expertise.

A six-time Grammy nominee, Shankar has released eight studio albums, most recently Land of Gold in 2016.

WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) returns for its 14th installment at the TSB Bowl of Brooklands over the weekend of March 16-18.

Early-bird tickets sold out in record time in July, while general tickets are still on sale. Punters can choose to purchase camping spots with their festival tickets, while single-day tickets are also available.

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