KOCH Records Announces Partnership With The Machat Company to Relaunch WOMAD Records

WOMAD 25th Anniversary Compilation on Deck

KOCH Records and The Machat Company announce a new partnership to release new artist albums and compilations through the WOMAD Festival.

The Machat Company, which specializes in World and Spiritual Music, is owned by Steven Machat, a visionary and music industry veteran. Machat founded WOMAD, the acclaimed world music label with Peter Gabriel and Thomas Brooman 25 years ago. WOMAD (which stands for World of Music, Arts and Dance) brings together and celebrates many forms of music, arts and dance drawn from countries and cultures all over the world. Many of these upcoming releases with fall under the Namaste/KOCH Records imprint.

With a live recording archive spanning 25 years and over 145 events, WOMAD has captured hundreds of now-legendary performances by globally celebrated artists from all continents and representing a kaleidoscope of the world's cultures and musical traditions. The first compilation release by Namaste and KOCH will be "WOMAD 25" a collection of the most memorable moments of the first 25 years. Following later in summer of 2007 will be "WOMAD 2007" featuring many of the artists performing in this year's festivals, including Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan.

The first release will be The Khans' new album, "Truth" and will be available online and in stores on March 13. Amaan and Ayaan Khan use their mastery of traditional Indian music as a jumping off point for a musical exploration mixing elements of worldbeat and global electronic flavors. The brothers have taken classical Indian music and have made it electric.

The alliance between Namaste and KOCH will also focus on Sound Healing Music and other forms of music for body, mind and spirit. Also being released on March 13 is "The Crystal Singing Bowls Collection of Crystal Tones," featuring many of the leading artists in the field of sound healing, including Steven Halpern, Jonathan Goldman, Dr. Michell Gaynor, Patrick Duff and Life In Balance.

About KOCH Records

KOCH Records is a division of KOCH Entertainment, the fastest-growing music company and the market leader among independents in North America. The KOCH Entertainment corporate umbrella encompasses the KOCH Records label, KOCH Vision home video, KOCH Music Publishing and KOCH Entertainment Distribution with operations in both the U.S. and Canada. KOCH Records proudly claims the largest number of Billboard charting albums among independents for each of the last six years (2001-2006). For additional info on the KOCH Records label and its roster of artists, please visit www.kochrecords.com