Review: Womex 2008

It could be described as a music lovers paradise. A conference center filled with some of the worlds most talented musicians. One radio presenter from Brazil was rolling around filling her suitcase with CD´s from each and every stand. But this is business. A brief insight into the moving and shaking that goes on behind the scenes before that one special sound reaches your ears. More than 650 exhibitors and 2800 delegates, from 49 countries in Seville for five days of music and face-to-face networking.

But, what is World Music? Many people believe World Music is traditional or ethnic music, epitomized by the sitar or the didgeridoo. “World Music is great music,” clarifies Phil Patterson International Business Specialist from UK Trade and Investment. “It covers anything from Colombian rock to French electronic music Soho style”. Womex is a music trade fair, whose aim is to facilitate the creation of contacts and business in the World music community. Organized out of Berlin, from 2005 – 2008 has been celebrated in Seville, and it has brought some of the most important people in the buisness to the city. “Womex is one of the most important events in the World music industry. It is also much cheaper to participate, in comparison to events like MIDEM”, explains Judith Govey from the Association of Independent Music in London.

By day the FIBES conference centre was a hive of activity. There was an expectant feel in the air. People trying to sus out exactly who you are, and if you were important to them. “There is a lot of talking, but nothing concrete. There is talk of possibility,” explains Juan Carlos Camacho Garcia from el Puchero (Granada, elpucherodelhortelano.com). One of the biggest barriers to participation has been the price. “To have a stand you have to pay about 800 € plus the cost of entrance. If they choose you to showcase your work (public concerts at night) you have to pay more”. It can seem like a bargain for the big record labels, but for local bands such as Son de Nadie (Granada, sondenadie.com) and Los aslanticos (Cordoba, losaslandticos.com), this is a huge investment. Entrance assured open access to the stands, as well as several other activities including talks organized on subjects such as festival management, Muslim Women Music Makers, or the future of digital music. There was also a film market (for music documentaries), awards, and Radio Womex Studio.

But the most important aspect is making contacts. “Over a thousand bookers for festivals here last year,” explained Patterson. “Sometimes you can feel a little ridiculous here. But its about spreading the word. The hardest part is after Womex, where you have to keep up your contacts”, said Juan Manuel Bueno from los Asladticos (los aslandticos.com) who played off-womex in the Sala Malandar. “Being at the stand is nerve-racking. You don´t know whether to go out searching, of wait for them to come to you”. One aspect mentioned by several young Andalusian musicians was the importance placed on flamenco in Spain. “Flamenco has support both in Andalusia and in Spain. But we make mestizaje music, which makes us a less interesting national symbol”.

Womex was a bizarre mix of people, wearing their hopes and dreams on their sleeves at a time when the crisis has become a global obsession. At one point a crazy bearded Latvian began singing, scratching head and moaning. In an attempt to escape I ran to a small party being held at the Australian stand. Russel Smith, representative of Aboriginal music and singer of Brolga Boys (myspace) sat me down, and calmly explained, “Music is a way out in Aboriginal communities”.

Its crazy to think of all the music that is out there, especially with the drivell we are made to listen to on most radio stations. Representatives from the Sounds from Spain (who aim to make it easier for Spanish companies belonging to the music sector), Promusicae, Rain Forest Fesival in Borneo, Gauteng Economic Development Agency in South Africa, Estonian Traditional Music Center, West Midlands World Music Consortium, the Urban Jungli Project… There was even a Wallonia-Brussels stand! And each had an incredible story. Creators of the Laya Project, based on the folk music of the coastal communities of the Asian countries affected by the December 2004 tsnami, the world music label EarthSync (earthsync.com), was looking for distribution of their work. A friendly French journalist told me that he had performed in an electronic music concert to the monkeys at the Paris Zoo. “These days you need to do something different to get peoples attention. Everythings been done before!”. (ETC… au Zoo Youtube)

At night, it was a totally different scene. The showcases were set up in el Teatro Lope de Vega, and in the Plaza de España there were two tents to allow spectators to watch the showcases without any hanging around. We wandered between venues, as musicians from all over the World played almost every style imaginable. The most surprising performance, apart from the crazy bearded Latvian, were les Amazones de Guineé, a female army band in full army geer playing electric guitars. Basselkou Kouyate & Ngoni ba (outhere.de) were an impresionante mezcla musica africana con blues rock. David Walters (http://www.davidwalters.fr/ , http://www.myspace.com/davidwaltersawa) was a personal favorite (davidwalters.fr, myspace). From the calm of the stage in the Lope de la Vega, he charmed his way into the minds of a pretty challenging audience. Other notable performances were by Miguel Poveda, Eneida Marta (algarpalcos.com) from Guinea-Bissau, Ramiro Musoto & Orchestra Sudaka (ramiromusotto.com) from Brazil. The Womex Award 2008 went to Muzsikás, representatives of Hungarian world music (muzsikas.hu).

Aside from the many delegates, 850 members of the public attended the concerts, a pretty low number considering the quality and variety of the sounds being placed in the spectacular venues. “It took me more than thirty hours to get here”, explained Russel Smith from Australia as he watched one of the showcases, sheltering from the rain outside. “It costs us an arm and a leg to get here. It’s a bit quieter this year. Maybe its the weather, maybe not”. This was the last time Womex will be held in Seville. Next year they are heading to Copenhagen. From Seville, there is hope that they will return. “It´s not a goodbye, but a see you soon,” added the Provincial Cultural Representative Maribel Montaño. Fingers crossed.

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