"It's the best lineup we've had in years," says Bill Bragin of Acidophilus: Live & Active Cultures (globalFEST, Inc. is a not-for-profit production presented in association with Acidophilus, World Music Institute, Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater and The Bowery Presents).

            "I think a lot of the artists will have a strong impact, from the bigger bands that are fantastic dance bands that are great for festivals, to the beautiful, sublime performers that are intimate and special," Bragin continues. "There's such a great range and really good balance of artists."

            The artists performing at the eighth annual globalFEST are the kora/cello, Mali/France duo Chamber Music: Ballaké Sissoko & Vincent Segal, in their U.S. debut; the Cuban/Haitian Creole Choir of Cuba; Congolese soukous guitarist Diblo Dibala; Native Hawaiian singer Kaumakaiwa Kanaka’ole, in his New York debut; Columbian salsa/dura/mambo/boogaloo band La-33; electro-based Afro-Peruvian band Novalima; Brazilian carnival frevo/rock/funk/ska mangue beat band Orquestra Contemporânea de Olinda; Afro-Cuban percussionist-led traditional batá-rumba/jazz/son/timba band Pedrito Martinez Group; Haitian vodou-infused rocker RAM; dhol ‘n’ brass bhangra/funk band Red Baraat; Indian music/dance group Rhythm of Rajasthan; Senegalese Afropop dance music mbalax vocalist/guitarist Yoro Ndiaye, in his U.S. debut, and Arab music/dance group Zikrayat.

            Bragin is especially looking forward to seeing the artists who haven't performed here before.

            "Yoro Ndiaye is part of a new wave of singers following Youssou N'Dour, who are exploring the more lyrical singer-songwriter side of mbalax," he says. "Kaumakaiwa Kanaka’ole has the most beautiful voice coming out of traditional Hawaiian chant, and what I've seen from his videos is sublime. Chamber Music: Ballaké Sissoko & Vincent Segal's recordings and live video are absolutely gorgeous."

            Bragin adds that some of the globalFEST 2011 bands are among the strongest he's seen of late.

            "Orquestra Contemporânea de Olinda represents the new generation of music from Northeast Brazil and was fantastic at Lincoln Center last year," he says. "RAM is one of the most prominent artists to remain in Haiti: I saw its first New York show at SOB's after the earthquake and he [RAM leader and namesake, via initials, Richard A. Morse] is an important political leader and spokesman for what's happening in Haiti--and it's very important to include Haitian artists this year because of the relationship between the artist community, which brings home money from touring, and rebuilding the economy."

            La-33 sold out Midsummer Night Swing at Lincoln Center last year--its first performance in New York, notes Bragin. "It's a great live band with a great stage show that's really infectious--and it's ready to become a major player on the touring circuit."

            Of the other acts, he praises Novalima as "one of the strongest synthesizers of danceclub music with traditional rhythms." Diblo Dibala has been "an important part of the scene for over two decades but has never gotten his due."

            The ethnically Haitian Creole Choir of Cuba "represents the Haitian migration into Cuba, connecting traditional Haitian music as perpetuated in Cuba," says Bragin. Rhythm of Rajasthan likewise demonstrates the traditional music of India and the roots of gypsy culture.

            Bragin also singles out the world music groups that are based in New York.

            "It's always important to us is to say that world music is not all from 'out there,' and that some of the finest world musicians are in our own backyard," he says. "Pedrito Martinez is one of the baddest Cuban percussionists in this country. He was in [New York band] Yerba Buena and has a regular Midtown residency that has brought out Eric Clapton, Roger Waters, Steve Winwood, Derek Trucks--so there's a huge musicians' buzz."

            New York-based Zikrayat plays Egyptian/Arabic music from "the golden age of Arab cinema," says Bragin, "and shows that you don't need to be a 'crossover' world music artist to succeed in the U.S."

            Local bhangra buzz band Red Baraat "is one of the few live bhangra bands led by a dhol [Punjabi drum] guy [Sunny Jain] and often plays out of the wedding and social music tradition, and with great funk and brass arrangements that connect with broader audiences than Asian," says Bragin. "It represents the New York edge of working with tradition but combining it with all the music streams that are part of New York."

            So there's something for every world music taste, Bragin concludes, noting, too, that some artists--Diblo Dibala, Creole Choir of Cuba, Kaumakaiwa Kanaka’ole--will have dancers, manifesting "the strong relationship between music and dance."

            "The goal is not only to have a great event but inspire future bookings," concludes Bragin, and to facilitate this, globalFEST is again an adjunct of this week's huge Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP)|NYC conference.

            "A third of the audience are professionals, many of them programming performing arts centers, festivals and nightclubs around the world," he says. "We hope that these globalFEST artists will appear on global stages--and make a lot of noise!"