Realworld at Celtic Connections

Wednesday 31st January 2007, 9.00pm

Peter Gabriel's eclectic record label, Real World, is delighted to present it's first Scottish showcase. This represents an exciting new direction for Celtic Connections, as the festival seeks to share common ground and forge fresh new links between the folk and world music scenes.

In this one-off event Real World brings uplifting voices, superlative musicianship, dub-heavy grooves and irresistible rhythms from West Africa to Central Asia, from London to Ohio - a truly global celebration, bursting with talent.

The legendary blues-and-beyond guitarist Skip McDonald, aka Little Axe, will be joined by the renowned rhythm section of Doug Wimbish and Keith LeBlanc (Sugarhill Gang, Tackhead) with Bernard Fowler (Tackhead, Rolling Stones) on vocals. They will be joined by production maestro Adrian Sherwood, of On-U Sound Records, who as well as producing their current album, Stone Cold Ohio, will also perform his own live sound-system.

Other special guests include the latest incarnation of pioneering Asian fusioneers Joi and the young Mauritanian singer-songwriter Daby Touré who has been described as an African Cat Stevens or Nick Drake. Also flying in is the gorgeous, vibrant Sevara Nazarkhan - Uzbekistan's ravishing young star and winner of a BBC Radio 3 World Music Award.

We will not be forgetting the much loved, much missed Martyn Bennett and will be paying tribute to his special legacy to Scottish music.