WOMAD opens for three full days of world music, arts and dance at the weekend (after some initial concerts tomorrow) running through from Friday to Sunday with two new names added to the bill now including Angélique Kidjo and Sierra Maestra. Cuban group Sierra Maestra carries on where Buena Vista Social Club left off, playing new and more traditional material in the son cubano style, while Kidjo is a Beninese vocal star and one of Africa’s most forward-looking singer/songwriters.

The biggest name at the festival – which takes place at Charlton Park in Malmesbury, Wiltshire – is American poet and musician Gil Scott-Heron, who will play the main Open Air Stage on Sunday July 25. Other names to look out for at the festival are Salif Keita as well as the spectacular Drummers of Burundi and the Senegalese vocalist Cheikh Lô, who plays a late set on the Open Air Stage.

WOMAD is not only known for its music of course, encapsulating the entire cultural spectrum with many dance workshops, as well as the Taste the World tent which features delicacies from all over the world. The festival is also very family friendly with under-13s getting in for free and many music, cooking and dance workshops for children.

There are plenty of homegrown artists appearing too ranging from the exuberance of the Afro Celt Sound System to the heavy improvised dance-grooves of The Bays to the expansive jazz-meets-classical sounds of The Heritage Orchestra. The dizzying array of international artists also appearing features such diverse acts as Calypso Rose (Tobago), Alim Qasimov Ensemble (Azerbaijan), Bibi Tanga and the Selenites (Central African Rep/France), Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotono (Benin) and Muntu Valdo (Cameroon) all taking their sound to the stage.

– James Bourne

For more go to www.womad.org