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A member of an acclaimed Nigerian musical family, a band fusing Jamaican and Cuban styles, and star locals Fat Freddy's Drop will headline the Womad world music festival in New Plymouth next year.
Organisers of the Womad (World of Music and Dance) festival today announced 20 of the international acts and eight New Zealand acts that will play at the annual festival from March 13-15.
Among the headliners is Seun Kuti and his Egypt 80 band from Nigeria. Known for their fiery and frenetic style, the Afrobeat band's fans reportedly include United States presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Kuti is the son of legendary performer Fela Kuti, who also played with Egypt 80. Another of Fela Kuti's sons, Femi Kuti, was a headliner at the 2007 Womad.
Other African performers of note will be Mikidache, a singer-guitarist from Mayotte, near Madagascar, and the Seckou Keita Quartet from Senegal.
From Cuba and Britain comes Ska Cubano, who blend Cuban mambo and Jamaican ska, while there should be plenty of fans of Mercedes Sosa, regarded as the doyenne of Latin American music.
Multiple award winners Fat Freddy's Drop will headline the New Zealand acts. Since their last Womad performance in 2005, the Wellington-based dub act produced the mega-selling album Based On A True Story (which spent 11 weeks at No 1) and their second album is due for release this year.
Other New Zealand acts include harmonica star Brendan Power, celebrated Maori acts Moana and the Tribe and Hinemoana Baker, and jazz/reggae act Little Bushman.
Among the other oddities that should arouse some curiosity are The Mobile Sewing Machine from the Netherlands, a theatrical pair of seamstresses who re-decorate the clothes of spectators.
- NZPA
