Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Tuesday 9 March 2004

I DID NOT really have much of an idea of what to expect from this evening, but whatever my expectations were, they were exceeded on a grand scale!  The BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music represented a rich and varied cross-cultural experience.

These awards are decided by a jury made up of BBC World Music figures and representatives from WOMAX, fRoots, Rough Guides and other partners. There are also other categories which are decided by listeners to Radio 3 itself and the BBC World Service.  Now in their 3rd year, the awards have become a major event in the UK music industry calendar and also equally important internationally. This was the first time the awards concert had been taken outside of London and I believe that the Usher Hall provided an appropriate venue in terms of space, hospitality and facilities.

The floor had been cleared to make room for those who wished to dance their way through the concert, whilst the more sedate of us took great seats in the Dress Circle. We were all adorned with wee flashing strobes in our lapels or, for the more adventurous of us, in our ear holes – I suppose these are the 21st century equivalent of the candles we all held for Donny Osmond et al?! Our home grown compere for the night was our own amazing Mary Ann Kennedy , accompanied by poet Benjamin Zephaniah, resplendent in Royal Stewart kilt outfit and white trainers!

The music varied from the sharp edge of flamenco from Ojos de Brujo of Barcelona – a sort of flamenco hip-hop, a dashing flamboyant gypsy style to lift our spirits – to the mature and sultry soul sound of Rokia Traore of Mali, now based in France.  Her songs provided a striking balance between her very traditional African roots and a new modern view of the world today.

From Uzbekistan we heard the wonderful voice of Sevara Nazarkhan  who  concluded her set with a beautiful duet with Mary Ann on clarsach.  A mix of sounds not many will have experienced. The gentlemen were represented by the very sultry sound of Kadim al Sahir from Iraq. The effects of the Gulf War have severely impacted on Kadim’s musical career, but he is beginning to reclaim the spot on the international circuit which he so richly deserves. A definite favourite with the female audience here!

From Senegal, in the trio Daara J, we were given a show of how hip hop has allegedly got its roots firmly from the African tradition, rapped in French and heavily influenced by funk and soul. From Cuba, bandleader Juan de Marcos Gonzalez collected an award on behalf of Ibrahim Ferrer, who was back home in Havana suffering from bronchitis.

Also a delight was the refreshing band from Belgium – Think of One – emerging chrysalis-like from the depths of the audience itself. This collective of up to 20 musicians consist of guitars, bass, drums, brass, and percussion. Lots of influence from Brazil here! Great fun!  Also included was a half hour interval of Club music, DJ’d by Helder Aragao, better known as DJ Delores ( better not to ask why!)

Mary Ann and Benjamin did a fantastic job of managing the whole event on stage and had an excellent rapport both with the audience and themselves, obviously enjoying the whole occasion. Mary Ann even managed to open the whole concert with her Gaelic greeting “Feasgar Math Dhuibh a Chairdean” – echoed by an enthusiastic bunch of Gaels in the Dress Circle!  The Eurovison Song Concert doesn’t have a look in, Mary Ann!!

It was a shame that more British acts were not represented in the Awards, and in particular no Scottish representation. With all the exciting work taking place in Scotland now, in all spheres of music, traditional and contemporary, it is time that we had a place on rostra such as this. So next year, all you listeners get out and nominate and vote!! [it was even more dispiriting to see the lack of Scottish artists nominated in the recent very Anglocentric BBC 2 Folk Awards – ed.].

Gateshead is the venue next year – if you can be in the vicinity, make sure of your tickets. We can all learn a lot from observing the diverse strands of roots music from across the world.

© Fiona MacKenzie, 2004