WOMAD

WOMAD would like to pay tribute to the life and work of Gil Scott Heron who sadly passed away yesterday. His performance at last year's Charlton Park was very special and we feel privileged that he performed at the festival.

Photograph: York Tillyer

• Publisher Jamie Byng Pays Tribute to Gil Scott-Heron

From fish nibbling at your feet to a session of jacuzzi bubbles, come and enjoy the spa at WOMAD Charlton Park.
Don't miss out- Buy your spa tickets early. They are selling pretty quickly!

Spoil yourself and pre book your treatments at WOMAD Charlton Park 2011 now.
Holistic/Swedish Massage
Shiatsu
Thai Yoga Massage
Indian Head Massage
Reflexology
Acupuncture
Sports Injury Massage
Deep Tissue Massage
Energy Balancing
Aromatherapy

• Book your WOMAD Spa experience
• Pre book your treatments for WOMAD Charlton Park 2011

And this evening of music, frivolity and of course, the extraordinary setting is fast becoming a once in a life time experience. Put Saturday 11th June into your diaries.

Expect dancing, lots of dancing and very little control over your legs. First up is the aptly named Gabby Young & Other Animals. Their circus swing won't give your dancing shoes a moments peace. Alejandro Toledo & The Magic Tombolinos will take you by the hand and whirl you around in time to their Balkan gypsy- with a twist of Latin & Afrobeat, Middle-Easten & Hip-Hop. Finally, Bristol-based Biram Seck asks you to consider his songs, delivered through his tender, husky vocals, 'as an appeal for unity, education and civilisation.'

These artists join Rua Macmillan, Muntu Valdo and Siyaya on the stages with Malarky mixing their magic in the children's workshops. Prepare for your little monkeys to come from the workshops as little gorillas.

Expect a Wild Night of World Music.

• See the full lineup for WOMAD at Bristol Zoo.
• Buy your WOMAD at Bristol Zoo Ticket Here.

Yes... You guessed correctly. The delightful Penguin Café will be one of the bands performing at WOMAD Charlton Park 2011...
And of course this announcement has far more meat to it than just this one band, albeit a brilliant band...
Alpha Blondy (Cote D'Ivoire)
Dub Colossus (Ethiopia/UK)
Bajah & The Dry Eye Crew (Sierra Leone)
9Bach (Wales)
Submotion Orchestra (UK)
The Nextmen & MC Wrec (UK)
Taraf de Haidouks (Romania)
CW Stoneking (Australia)
The Gotipuas, young dancers and acrobats from Orissa (India)
Penguin Café (UK)

For those who have bought their additional Thursday night tickets, here is what is in store for you:
Bellowhead (UK)
Easy Star All Stars (USA)
The Dhol Foundation (India/UK) with local school children.

The BBC Radio 3 stage have come up trumps yet again with their choices:
Jamie Smith's Mabon (Wales)
Abigail Washburn & The Village (USA)
Mahala Rai Group (Romania)
Axel Krygier (Argentina)
Susheela Raman (India/UK)
Majorstuen (Norway)
Hassan Erraji's MoRoccan Rollers (Morocco)

Whether you are a soloist or band, signed or unsigned we welcome you to participate in the WOMAD Open Call to Bands where the prize is a slot on the Charlie Gillett stage at WOMAD Charlton Park 2011, with the possibility of up to 30,000 people watching you perform!

If you are not musically minded we need you just as much. Phase two of the competition really wouldn't work without you.

Phase one of the WOMAD Open Call to Bands. Wednesday 18 May 2011- Wednesday 1st June 2011.

Soloists and bands (signed and unsigned), please embed your best music videos onto the WOMAD Charlton Park Festival (Official) page. You will need to have a Facebook account to do this. Don't forget to read the Terms & Conditions before you start.

Phase two of the WOMAD Open Call to Bands. Thursday 2nd June 2011-Wednesday 22nd June 2011.

The voting phase. Open to everyone. Please vote for the musicians that you want to see playing on the Charlie Gillett stage. Remember it is entirely down to your vote so make sure you have your say.

On Friday 24th June 2011 WOMAD announces the competition winner.

We wish you all the very best of luck,
the WOMAD team.

• WOMAD Open Call to Bands on Facebook