[FA Worldmusic] music chains and knowledge transfer

[Ian Menzies]

I have only been skimming this thread, but something I don't think has been
mentioned - or given enough credit - is the impact of festivals. Here in
Canada for sure, the summer festivals have long played a major role in
introducing new artists (world and otherwise) to new listeners. Unlike stand
alone shows, festivals draw thousands of people to see artists that they
by-in-large don't know anything about in advance. CD tents at these events
regulalrly sell hundreds of CDs by artists who had previously probably sold
zero in the same town before the event. A band can go from unknown, to
having thousands of people talking about them over night.
Ian

-----Original Message-----
From: fa-worldmusic-bounces+ian=menziesmixedmedia.com at folk.org
[mailto:fa-worldmusic-bounces+ian=menziesmixedmedia.com at folk.org]On
Behalf Of Robert Weisberg
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 4:59 AM
To: fa-world music list
Subject: Re: [FA Worldmusic] music chains and knowledge transfer


Actually this totally makes sense...

I have to think a big part of that is Putumayo's success selling cds not
just in traditional music shops - but in boutiquey shops, and I think that
originated especially with them placing cds in New Age type shops (correct
me if I'm wrong).

I have to admit, my whole modus operandi (particularly on the radio) is to
work against that association in 'world music' in that I tend to focus on
more rocking and, relatively speaking, edgy stuff.  And I've been bothered
by the fact that so much stuff marketed as "world music" in the US used to
be - and sometimes still is - rather saccharine.

Actually Real World is an interesting case because I feel that they
managed to work that angle and still do some good things.  I did (and do)
HATE the overall production values on some of their projects.  But they
did manage to create an identity that could register with that New Agey
market and still introduces folks to rocking stuff by the likes of Nusrat
and the Musicians of the Nile!

Of course now under the cross-marketed "world music" umbrella you have
Sublime Frequencies compilations, bands like Gogol Bordello on the one
hand or Konono No. 1 on the other, Ethiopiques, etc. etc., and even
Putumayo's comps often have a little more kick than they used to...

One opinion...


Rob W / WFMU / http://www.wfmu.org/tsp

************

On Mon, 13 Aug 2007, Gail Sidibe wrote:

> I have to chime in here!
>
> Being involved in music retail all these years one of the "trends" I
noticed
> went like this...
>
> New Age listeners of the '80's became World Music listeners in the '90's.
> That's of course a generalization, but as New Age sales declined - World
> music sales increased. Think Loreena McKennitt. All the world influences
on
> New Age music opened so many doors for many people. Deep Forest comes to
> mind. Enigma. Not necessarily New Age. But this was "accessible" cross
over
> music to many.
>
> I know my next statement may be controversial to some... But I also
believe
> Peter Gabriel and Realworld helped bridge the gap for many people many
years
> ago as well. In some ways this represents my personal path.
_______________________________________________
FA-Worldmusic mailing list
FA-Worldmusic at folk.org
http://www.folkserv.net/mailman/listinfo/fa-worldmusic