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A perfect opportunity to discover refreshingly good music

WOMAD has built up a well-earned reputation for consistently bringing together the hottest talents from all corners of the globe and this year was no exception. 

A particular highlight was Cigdem Aslan. A Turkish singer specialising in the “rembetika” tradition of Turkish-Greek music and her band (double bass, violin, kanoun and percussion) create a particularly danceable and uplifting take on the genre. 

Given that rembetika (which she calls the “blues of the Aegean”) is known largely for its sorrowful songs of tragedy and pain and complex rhythmic arrangements, this is no mean feat. 

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