Most artists that perform at WOMADelaide travel a long way to get there. As Cuba’s young jazz sensation Daymé Arocena told the crowd during one of her festival sets, it was a 36 hour journey for her and her band.
Despite those gruelling travel distances performing artists are inevitably seen on WOMADelaide stages smiling and speaking genuinely of how blessed they feel to be there. And for good reasons.
Daymé Arocena at WOMADelaide 2018
They are programmed to perform amongst hundreds of incredibly diverse and phenomenally-talented music, arts and dance artists from all corners of the world. Those performances are to crowds who are warm, friendly, welcoming, open-eared and super appreciative of the chance to experience them. And they happen under sunny blue skies amongst the magical trees of Adelaide’s Botanic Park.
Like each festival past, WOMADelaide 2018 was a delightful 4 day feast of non-stop live music, dance, theatre, food, art installations, workshops, environmental speakers and more. Punters could take their pick of genres ranging from classical Indian, electronica, Australian hip hop, Latin fusion, contemporary psychedelic jazz, highlife from Ghana, Icelandic/Swedish folk to Malian desert blues – and lots more in between.
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- Place des Anges
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- Rodrigo y Gabriela
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- Thundercat
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- Sly Dunbar
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- Remi & Sampa
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- Tinariwen
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- Chico Trujillo
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- Nai Palm
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- Dustyesky
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- Place des Anges
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- Thievery Corporation
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- Kamasi Washington
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- Tank and the Bangas
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- Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
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- Havana Meets Kingston
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LA’s tenor saxophonist Kamasi Washington and his band The Next Step brought the refreshing flavours of progressive jazz to WOMADelaide.
Kamasi Washington
Every single note played in this set was a joy to hear. And the obvious display of humility, respect and appreciation each musician on stage has for one another, was a pleasure to watch. Every player had their turn to shine while the others listened. And Kamasi Washington was happy to use 15 minutes of his 75 minute set to play one of his “favourite songs in the world”, written by “one of his favourite musicians in the world”, The Next Step’s keyboardist Brandon Coleman. The remaining set time was given to songs from The Epic and Washington’s more recent EP Harmony of Difference. And all of it was simply sublime.
Brandon Coleman
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Humility by Kamasi Washington – Harmony of Difference
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In stark contrast to Kamasi Washington’s set was the main stage closing performance that followed from Havana Meets Kingston– led by Melbourne’s Jake “Mista” Savona.
With 14 or so very talented and experienced musicians in the group including long-established legends like Jamaica’s Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare and Winston “Bopee” Bowen; and Cuba’s Barbarito Torres, Rolando Luna and Julito Padron, this show could have been spectacular. What it was in fact, was underwhelming.
Julito Padron
Rolando Luna
The group progressively lost the crowd to other stages or home as loose, seemingly unrehearsed songs from the Havana Meets Kingston album were played; and, as Jake Savona gave directions to musicians over the microphone and delivered long-winded, narcissistic commentary in between songs about how he came up with and put the project together.
Thundercat, aka bass virtuosic, singer, songwriter and producer Stephen Bruner, was another refreshing and welcome inclusion in the WOMADelaide 2018 program. Most songs in his set were from his latest album Drunk, which he asked the crowd if they had before stating with a laugh “Isn’t it messed up?”. Thundercat fans would get why he’d say that – but I’d say kooky, humorous, musically complex and innovative, awesome and utterly unique are better descriptives.
Thundercat
Hearing Stephen Bruner, Dennis Hamm (keys) and Justin Brown (drums) play their instruments live, especially jamming out within songs, each with insane levels of musicianship and skill, was simply one of those crazy-amazing music experiences we’re all looking for.
Dennis Hamm
Justin Brown
Hear a sample of Thundercat’s awesomely “messed up” Drunk tracks here:
Them Changes by Thundercat Featuring Flying Lotus – Drunk
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WOMADelaide did another wonderful thing in bringing one-of-a-kind New Orleans group Tank and the Bangas to Australia for the first time. Despite the tough gig they landed in facing the burning afternoon sun they gave a stunning and energetic performance. The band played flawlessly but it was hard to take your eyes and ears off beautiful lead vocalist and poet Tarriona “Tank” Ball as she sung her heart out and bounced around the stage poking her tongue out, dancing, smiling and otherwise sharing her delightful personality and artistry.
Tank and the Bangas
Having spent the past 6 months recording a new album, not playing live shows, Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela admitted to being a little nervous to start. Not surprisingly it only took them a few minutes on stage to settle back in and “remember what to do”. Individually as musicians and together as a duo, they proceeded to create that indescribable guitar magic they’re known and loved for worldwide.
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Nai Palm (Hiatus Kaiyote) was also a 2018 festival highlight. She performed this show on the heels of her recent solo album release Needle Paw – showcasing those songs in mesmerizing harmony with the the album’s three back-up singers as well as the Adelaide bats.
Nai Palm
Good vibes of the musical and other sorts were created by all WOMADelaide 2018 participants. There’s no doubt they should (and do) appreciate that WOMADelaide exists in Australia to bring everyone the distance and make them smile.
Thievery Corporation
You can check out video footage of WOMADelaide 2018 live performances by Nai Palm, Thundercat, Kamasi Washington & The Next Step, Havana Meets Kingston, Pat Thomas and Daymé Arocena here. And find more photos from those and other WOMADelaide shows on Facebook.
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