Every January I attend the Artist Presenters Conference (APAP) in NYC to see the latest artists one might bring to Delaware for concerts, and to photograph and write about these artists for posterity.  What is great about APAP is the wide variety of music from all around the world which is present each year – it’s a great antidote to the sameness of pop radio and the concert circuit where only radio friendly music seems to rule.  For this article I would like to preview the APAP conference coming January 8-11, 2011, in particular the big festival style concerts for booking agents: Jazzfest on Friday and Saturday night in the Village and Globalfest on Sunday evening at Webster Hall.  First I will talk about what is coming there this year, then I will give a little peak at the 2009 concert where I took photos and made notes.  For more photos or live footage, email me at ro@well.com

APAP 2011 http://www.apapnyc.org is a gathering place for a huge group of concert and arts presenters and the booking agents that sell the talent to the world.  It is a chance to see hundreds of artists in one weekend and to talk with agents about next season’s big deals.  There are also educational sessions such as technology and the arts, speeches by government officials, political theorists, a world music forum, and endless opportunities to network.  For music lovers like myself the conference offers limitless chances to hear showcases at the conference and at venues all around the city.

Globalfest is what I call “The Best Concert in the World.”  With 3 stages and overlapping set times, you can see 13 acts from all over the world, including the USA in the newly renovated Webster Hall near the East Village.  This year they have another great assortment of music for your pleasure, a fascinating mix!  The full lineup is posted here with videos and biographies ( http://www.globalfest-ny.com/media ) One duo I am excited to hear and see is Vincent Segal (France) & Ballake Cissoko (Mali) who produce a “chamber music” all their own. A French cellist known for his collaborations with rock and hip-hop musicians, and a Malian Kora virtuoso create an unforgettable sound. One great African music form not featured often in previous Globalfest concerts is Soukous from Congo.  This infectious dance music has a beat and style all its own. Diblo Dibala presents us with spitfire guitar and an awesome band to fill the Webster Hall dancefloor with writhing happy folk.  South America is featured with La-33 from Columbia, a horn driven almost salsa, a tropical funk that breathes new life into Columbian jazz.  And from Peru another African hybrid with the exciting Novalima, a combination of traditional classic Peruvian sound with modern dance beats.  Other countries represented include Brazil (Olinda), Haiti (RAM), and Egypt (Zikrayat).  On 3 stages, this is an all night concert to treasure.  May some of these great acts find there way to the tiny state of Delaware eventually!

The Winter Jazzfest in the village is another major coup-de-music to watch out for on the weekend of APAP in NYC.  The 2011lineup (produced by the amazing BOOM music production team) is vast as usual, and by no means all jazz music. Preview the more than 30 acts over Friday and Saturday evening here http://bit.ly/fxFQC5 I’ll focus on just a few of these acts and then invite you to 3 bars in the village (including my favorite, Le Poisson Rouge). Asphalt Orchestra made headlines in New York and Philly in 2009 with their impromptu concerts on the street and in train stations of brass band versions of modern compositions by everyone from David Byrne to Bjork.  Now with a CD release and acclaimed shows at Lincoln Center at World Café Live in Philly, it’s time to see them at Jazzfest. Dana Leong fuses trombone, cello and electronics for a unusual sound all his own.  Other groups to watch out for at Jazzfest include NOMO a big Afrobeat jazz ensemble, The Portico Quartet (unique arrangements and interpretations of rock classics), and the oddly named Water Surgeons who promise The repertoire ranges from "denatured classical excerpts" for trombone quartet to "music drama" for "indeterminate instruments.”

To close the article I want to give you a little taste of Globalfest 2009, one of the 4 that I have attended, so you can see photos of what the excitement is all about and read a few more descriptions.  APAP is a place to learn new art, and Globalfest is one of the highlights of the weekend for me (and the photos of the conference at the hotel simply don’t tell as great a story!)

I’ll focus on 5 acts.(Follow images on left).