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Claire Cowan and Kiri Schumacher set their sights on this month’s upcoming WOMAD festival.

An Auckland based couple, Claire is a composer and Kiri a jeweller. Together they ready themselves for a stellar festival of music and dance. WOMAD regular Kiri sets the scene and first-time-caller Claire gives us her programme picks.

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Well! We’re well and truly gearing back into the busyness of another year. Heads down and tails up, I’m busy! All this sitting at a desk prompts me to think of the month ahead. …. Summer will soon curtsy and farewell us, which is all the more reason to get out into the sunshine. I cast my mind over the month ahead and the first outdoorsy treat that comes to mind is of course my never-miss annual pilgrimage to WOMAD.

And what a treat it is. A veritable pick-n-mix of the world’s best music packed into one weekend. I recall the scents, sounds and ambience of the three day event over recent years; the gloriously swaying hips of Mahotella Queens; the frenzied Eastern European romps of Babylon Circus; the suspended poise of Black Grace dancers; Beirut’s lyrical melodies travelling out over the moat (yes, moat) towards a spell-bound crowd. You name it. Big bands; sitars; trumpets; Inuit throat singers; Sufi poets so ecstatic with devotional song that their hands rise spontaneously towards the heavens.

Which may have you begging the question ‘What is WOMAD’?

It’s a three day celebration of world music, art and dance. Each year’s WOMAD performers travel a global circuit, and the only NZ stop-off is in New Plymouth every March:

Set in Pukekura Park, WOMAD goers are also treated to the lushness of attending a festival in a botanic garden. The park spans over 120 acres and the festival itself is set at three staggered levels of the park. It’s easy to get from place to place, but stage placement ensures there’s no noise pollution (bar the occasional roar of a nearby zoo animal). There’s plenty of shade, and beautiful greenery from every angle. There are even smaller stages tucked away in what feel like wee grottos amongst the trees.

The park setting makes for a unique sense of arrival each day too. I remember wandering at dusk for 20mins through the enchantingly lit park to emerge at a massive natural amphitheatre just as Gotan Project hit the stage. What a way to start a festival, it felt like stumbling across an epic, top-class pixie party in the woods.

So, you may ask…who’s playing this year?

Of course it’s always so much more thrilling to see a live band when you know their songs. Well, yes…and no. Trust me, I’ve been doing this for a while. And after a couple of years of scouring the WOMAD acts as soon as they were released each year I’ve since changed tack. I used to get scared off (and slightly embarrassed) by the fact that I hadn’t heard of half of the bands. But every single year the music astounds me, and I’ve come to enjoy that particular feeling of being deeply moved by completely unfamiliar performers.

In fact, I’d say that I now take an active disinterest in the line-up. It’s like when I know a movie will be good, and so don’t want friends to talk about it. I don’t want to spoil the surprise. I know the music will fantastic, it always is.

Claire on the other hand is taking a more conservative approach.

This is her first WOMAD experience, and although I’ve been raving about it since October she still has a wee bit of the World-Music-Fear. You know, she has the unnerving anxiety that she may well be walking headlong into three days of warbling and wailing in foreign tongues. And resist as she may, may somehow get talked into buying a poncho.

The stakes are particularly high of course. Claire is a composer, and has been blessed with the gift of sensitive ears. Which is good. But can be bad, very bad, when exposed to sounds that don’t ring with natural harmony. But she’s done her research and is assured.

Here’s a few of Claire's picks:

Wayang Kulit with Gamelan Padhang Moncar (Java/New Zealand)

Puppets! I love puppets, and who doesn’t? (Come on, just secretly?) I’ve always found the pointy noses and enlarged eyes and elongated limbs of Javanese puppets to be a little bit creepy, and all the more enticing. I’m really interested to see how they’ve weaved in local jokes to the script and NZ references, all put to the unusual sound of the Wellington gamelan ensemble. Ohh, excitement! I can tell I’m going to be that whiney festival partner who is always asking ‘’Can we go see the puppets now, please, pretty pleaseeee, huh, huh, can we now, can we?”

Sivouplait (Japan)

A pair of Japanese mime artists. Mime is like marmite. You either love it or you hate it. Or are mildly scared of it. I reckon this Japanese couple could be an awesome visual treat, and a bit of a laugh, once you’ve exhausted your ears and are after something to look at while you munch away on that paella you’ve bought for lunch. Here's a sneak preview.

Pascals (Japan)

If music can be ‘cute’, I reckon this’ll be a prime example. That inventive and playful aesthetic that that encapsulates Japanese modern culture is embodied with a 14-piece ensemble. I can’t wait to hear what they do with their orchestra of plastic toys and real acoustic strings and wind instruments. It’s bound to be a twinkly plinky plonky stringy strummy yummy feast for the ears. Bring your hello kitty slippers and we’re in for a happy clappy ride. Watch them play.

Mahala Rai Banda (Romania)

“Fierce Gypsy Funk.’’ Need I convince you any more? I can’t wait to let my knees go wild to these guys, with ACTUAL Balkan brass players! No cheap imitations here. Make sure you take your disco nap before listening to these fellas, as Gipsy music aint no gentle sway. They should make a Les Mills fitness class based around dancing to gipsy music, I reckon. “Feel the Balkan burn”?

Chapeleir Fou (France)

This one man band looks like France’s answer to our kiwi Andrew Keoghan. With violin on hand, he creates film-score inspired soundscapes involving elements of rock, pop and electronic sounds. I’m always intrigued at how solo acts manage to build layer upon layer of sound alone to work up grooving sonic experiences, whilst playing instruments and live mixing.. and who says men can’t multi-task?

NZ Pick:

The Yoots (New Zealand)

Isn’t there a muppet called Yoot, who wears sunglasses and plays the saxophone? Perhaps that’s why I’m initially drawn to this kiwi band. Oh wait, I think he’s called Zoot. Ah well, it looks like they’re wearing Zoot suits in their picture. So that’s another tick in the coolness factor column. And reading the first line of their bio, which features the member Joe Lindsay, trombonist for Fat Freddy’s drop, I am totally THERE. Nothing says ‘this is danceable’ more than the wah wah of a trombone boppin’ up a beat. And not just one brass, but LOTS of brass. My knees will be moving in the up and down direction for sure.  Watch them here.

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So afternoon of festival musing we’re now mentally prepped for another week’s work. Safe in the knowledge that treats are in store. Treats of epic proportions.

And you? I say indulge in what may very well be your last summer road trip and head along to one of the most well-rounded musical experiences on offer. Come and be wowed by a festival of astounding breath and beauty, in a park setting second to none.

And then there’s New Plymouth’s French café recommendations. And gallery finds. But more of that to come.

Till then, hold tight, string your ukes and shake out that picnic rug.

You’re in for a ride.

Kiri and Claire.

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WOMAD New Zealand 2012 takes place from 16-18 March at New Plymouth’s Brooklands Park and TSB Bowl.