‘WE SPEND TOO MUCH TIME TRYING TO PIGEONHOLE MUSIC IN THIS COUNTRY'
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How much is the whole notion of worl
music just about cultural tokenism and
easing western consciences? Mark Robertson asks Big Big World curator Billy Kelly.
his month. Big Big World returns to Glasgow.
The well-established. and. to be fair. excellent
series of live shows showcases talent from all around the world. this year’s attraction coming from Scotland. Iran. Canada. Cuba. India. the US and all over Africa.
Isn‘t it easy to become cynical though? In this age of global economies and the internet isn‘t all music technically world music? There is also the danger of tokenism. Punters can be seen as 'broadminded‘ by dabbling. rather like stretching to a few glasses of sangria on a Spanish package holiday. Does organising an event showcasing music from all over the world and branding it as such simply give people an opportunity to sample a bit of the other in a sterile. safe environment?
I put these thoughts to Billy Kelly. the man who for more than a decade has been bringing acts from all over the globe under the BBW banner. My thoughts were. to be honest. made from more of a devil’s advocate‘s position. trying to get some kind of reaction but Kelly. who. in his own unpretentious. enthusiastic way. has simple but effective arguments as to why events like BBW not only should. but need to exist.
‘I always worry about our desire to try and analyse everything instead ofjust accepting the great gifts that come our way.‘ says Kelly. ‘We find a large number of people who come along to Big Big World events are open-minded folks who just want to dip their toe in and hopefully savour a new experience. We spend too much time attempting to pigeonhole music in this country. steering people towards something they might
feel ‘safe‘ with if they are already ‘into‘ a particular narrow field of focus.
‘The World Music tag is a catch-all heading which simply confirms that artistes come from many wide and varied backgrounds. Some of the music originates from strong traditions going back many generations. while some may have started out with those threads but been moulded through innovation. imagination and virtuosity to become something very distinctly different in much the same way that you find in the jazz world.
‘World music gives all of us. more than any other genre. a chance to embrace other cultures and step out of the box for a few moments. We all need to do that from time to time. It has a unique ability too. to lure diehards over from the jazz. folk. rock. pop. Celtic and classical scenes to come together under the one roof. I know. I‘ve seen them. That's a healthy situation.‘
The point inevitably. is about taking a chance on something new. not for the ‘we feel we should‘ or because it eases our political or social conscience or reflects our liberal credentials. but because. like all music from wild. experimental metal to the most oblique and troubled folk music. it forces us to listen and take in something not only new and perhaps unfamiliar. It may have a different crowd perhaps but the principles behind BBW mirror those of say. lnstal. Soundings or Free RadiCCAls — events revelling in the joy of the other.
Various venues, Glasgow, 22-28 Oct. See Folk, Jazz and Rock listings for full details.
King Creosote It may have been last year that his incredible KC Rules OK album came out but there’s still plenty who haven't had the chance to catch Kenny Anderson's joyous sound live. Now here's the perfect chance. ABC, Glasgow, Sat 27 Oct.
(Rock 8. Pop)
:73: The Dears Two albums in, Canada's finest prove that it’s not only fellow countrymen and kindred spirits Arcade Fire who can dish out the ingenious, affecting musical one-liners. Swoonsome. Oran Mor, Glasgow, Fri 20 Oct.
(Rock & Pop)
51" James Yorkston Another mild mannered musical master from the Kingdom who’s going from strength to strength. Who'd have thought Fife could be filled with so many sublime melodies? See feature page 14. Liquid Room, Edinburgh Sun 22 Oct; ABC, Glasgow, Mon 23 Oct. (Rock & Pop)
73: Big Big World See preview, left and on page 61. Various Venues, Glasgow, Sat 27-Sat 28 Oct.
(Rock & Pop, Folk, Jazz)
2%: The View A cracking wee Dundonian punk pop outfit, riding the post-Artic Monkeys wave with aplomb. Most excellent support comes in the shape of shrewd janglers Pull Tiger Tail and The Cinematics. Barfly. Glasgow, Sun 22 Oct; OMU, Glasgow, Wed 25 Oct. (Rock & Pop)
Calexico Messrs Burns and Convertino have rocked up their cinematic Tex/Mex blend of late but that doesn't change the fact that they are still one of the best live acts around anywhere. ABC, Glasgow, Wed 1 Nov. (Rock & Pop)
19 Oct—2 Nov THE LIST 59