A series of eclectic showcases, anchored by globalFEST, unveils myriad music

By Jay Lustig/The Star-Ledger

January 04, 2010, 6:58AM

Jorge Navarro of the Cuban Cowboys, who will perform at the Here Comes Trouble showcase Friday in New York.

With 12 acts performing on three stages, globalFEST — an annual event whose 2010 edition takes place Jan. 10 at New York’s Webster Hall — offers an opportunity to hear a lot of world music, quickly.

"You get your comfortable shoes and clothes on," says Stephanie Hughley, vice president of programming at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, "and you just roam from room to room and meet people as they’re smashing through to the next place and saying, ‘Hey, did you hear this? You should go hear these people. They’re going back on at midnight.’ "

Four of the 12 acts will be making their American debuts. One, the Russian-Mongolian shaman-rock band Namgar, from Buryatia, concocts distinctive blends of and rock Buryat traditions. Another is French-Vietnamese guitarist Nguyên Lê’s’s Saiyuki trio, featuring Mieko Miyazaki on koto (a Japanese string instrument) and Prabhu Edouard on tabla (an Indian percussion instrument).

"It really is about the up-and-coming artists that maybe don’t have the biggest names in the world, but may have that someday, and we’d love to be able to get them on their way up," says Hughley.

GlobalFEST, now in its seventh year, is one of many New York concert events (see sidebar) timed to coincide with the Association of Performing Arts Presenters’ annual conference, which begins Jan. 8 and ends on Jan. 12. About 4,000 people involved in the arts, many of them concert progammers, are expected to attend.

While globalFEST and other APAP events around the city may be aimed, primarily, at people like Hughley — who have the power to give the bands gigs — they are also, in most cases, open to the public.

"There are no real official APAP showcases, in the sense that they’re sanctioned by APAP," says Phil Ballman, whose Mondo Mundo festival, Jan. 9 at the Hiro Ballroom, will feature such artists as psychedelic Latin-funk group Ocote Soul Sounds and West African electronica combo Burkina Electric. "But there are things going on all over town at many different venues, so it’s a festival in the sense that there’s this great convergence of talent."

There are also showcases by individual artists. The surf-rock group the Cuban Cowboys, for instance, will perform at the Here Comes Trouble showcase Jan. 8 at the 92Y Tribeca. But the band has also booked a pre-conference show at Maxwell’s in Hoboken on Jan. 6.

APAP is not devoted only to world music. Still, it has become, arguably, the most important annual world music event in the United States because so many world-music artists are showcased and so many world music presenters attend.

"We have special sessions where all the world-music presenters, plus the artists and the agents, get together and exchange ideas on how to promote this kind of music," says Alexandra Casazza, who runs the Trouble Worldwide booking agency in San Francisco and is co-presenting the Here Comes Trouble showcase.

GlobalFEST, the granddaddy of these showcases, was initially organized by Americans who had found themselves traveling to Europe every year for the WOMEX world-music festival, and wanted to create something similar in America.

"Artists who showcased at globalFEST in the past have done so well that a lot of their agents have built similar events, with their own rosters of artists," says globalFEST co-founder Bill Bragin. "They realize that the performing-arts world is hungry for an international perspective."

Here Comes Trouble, now in its third year (though it had a different name the first year), focuses on non-traditional world-music artists. This year’s roster includes Rana Santacruz, whose music draws from elements of Irish and Mexican music, and Slavic Soul Party, which blends gypsy music with funk.

"We came up with the term dirty world music," says Casazza. "It’s not really pure world music."

GlobalFEST organizers, says Ballman, "were the first ones to have a really great concept, and they grew it over several years. It was well curated, and got good attention and a lot of industry focus."

Still, with just 12 coveted slots available, globalFest remains an exclusive event.

"There were a lot of artists out there vying for a showcase," says Ballman, "so there was an opportunity to say (to APAP attendees and world-music fans), ‘Well, your Sunday night is booked at globalFEST. But what are you doing Saturday? Here’s another group of bands that we think are great.’ "

Here is information on some of the showcases that will be presented in conjunction with the APAP conference. In some cases, discounts are available for APAP attendees. All showcases are in Manhattan, and are listed in chronological order

Here Comes Trouble, with Slavic Soul Party, the Cuban Cowboys, Chicha Libre, Pistolera, Rana Santacruz, Pierre de Gaillande
Where: 92Y Tribeca, 200 Hudson St.
When: Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.
How much: $15; call (212) 601-1000 or visit 92YTribeca.org.

Charisma Artist Agency Showcase, with the New Familiars, the Hot Seats, Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade, Christabel and the Jons, Sxip Shirey, the Two Man Gentlemen Band
Where: 92Y Tribeca, 200 Hudson St.
When: Jan. 9 at 7 p.m.
How much: $12 in advance, $15 day of show. call (212) 601-1000 or visit 92YTribeca.org .

Mondo Mundo, with Ocote Soul Sounds, Toshi Reagon, Burkina Electric and Abaji
Where: Hiro Ballroom, 371 W 16th St.
When: Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m.
How much: $15; call 866-468-7619 or visit Ticketweb.com.

GlobalFEST, with Alif Naaba, Cara Dillon, Caravan Palace, Cedric Watson, Federico Aubele, François Ladrezo and Alka Omeka, La Cumbiamba eNeYé, La Excelencia, Meta and the Cornerstones, Namgar, Nguyên Lê’s Saiyuki and Nightlosers
Where: Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St.
When: Jan. 10 at 6 p.m.
How much: $40; call (212) 545-7536 or visit GlobalFest-NY.com.

Charisma Artist Agency Showcase, with Sxip Shirey, Kailin Yong Peace Project, Moira Smiley, Asylum Street Spankers, Boulder Acoustic Society, the Wiyos, Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade, Jan Bell, Fishtank Ensemble
Where: City Winery, 155 Varick St.
When: Jan. 10 at 7 p.m.
How much: $10 in advance, $15 at door. Call (212) 608-0555 or visit CityWinery.com.

Eye for Talent World Music Fest, with Vagabond Opera, De Temps Antan, Lucía Pulido, Cedric Watson, Greely Savoy Duo, Son de Madera, Rob Curto’s Forró for All
Where: Highline Ballroom, 431 W 16th St.
When: Jan. 11 at 7 p.m.
How much: $20 in advance, $25 day of show; call (212) 414-5994 or visit HighlineBallroom.com.

Charisma Artist Agency Showcase, with the Wiyos, Luminescent Orchestrii, the Two Man Gentlemen Band, Asylum Street Spankers, Boulder Acoustic Society, Kailin Yong Peace Project, Moira Smiley
Where: Gramercy Theatre, 127 E. 23rd St.
When: When: Jan. 11 at 7:15 p.m.
How much: $12; call (800) 745-3000 or visit LiveNation.com.

For information about the conference itself, visit APAPConference.org.