MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLE ON THE LEE DELTA

A broad sweep from the Balkans to the west coast of Portugal, with Bulgarian choirs and accordion players from Poland, Music Migrations brings music by the people for the people to the people's republic of Cork. Colette Sheridan reports

Life-affirming music that is, in the words of Philip King, "inclusive rather than exclusive" is at the heart of Music Migrations: A Continent Undivided (March 11th to 30th), presented by Cork 2005 European Capital of Culture.

Curated by King, producer of Bringing It All Back Home, and Bryn Ormrod, director of the contemporary music programme at the Barbican in London, Music Migrations promises to take audiences on a journey through an eclectic mix of musical expressions that have all played their part in shaping the musical landscape of Ireland today.

A Continent Undivided features six headline concerts with over 120 artists and bands from 15 countries, most of them making their Cork debuts. With everything from wild gypsy brass from the mountains of Macedonia to the sound of the polyphonic Bulgarian Women's Choir, this, according to Ormrod, is the biggest festival of European music ever staged in Ireland.

King has travelled all over the world, "following music".

"Music has the ability to tell us who we are," he says. "While we're a homogenous group of Europeans, we have a uniquely individual way of expressing ourselves through music. Since the Berlin Wall came down, masses of people have been on the move across Europe, taking their songs with them. We're bringing some of those musicians to Cork, to the Lee Delta, to celebrate 2005. The music is neither high nor low culture but is true to the well of tradition out of which it comes." King cites Cork's own musical tradition, taking in everything from "the lilting voices of the Echo boys to John Spillane, Rory Gallagher and the Lee Valley String Band still going strong after 30 years".

Ormrod's interest is in world music, programming it thematically for the Barbican, in the context of social history. "When Cork 2005 approached myself and Philip to curate a series of musical events, we started from the point of the influences on Cork itself, taking into consideration the notion of it being a port city on the periphery with a lot of migration from Eastern Europe. As more people migrate to Cork from the new EU states, their cultures will mix and spread. That is the idea behind Music Migrations. The aim is to present a snapshot of what's interesting from different European countries. It's a broad sweep from the Balkans in the east to the west coast of Portugal. It includes Bulgarian choirs, gypsy music and accordion players from Poland."

A hugely ambitious project commissioned for the Athens Cultural Olympiad and an ideal opener for the Music Migrations programme, Sounds of the Balkans (Cork Opera House, March 11th) received its premiere in an ancient amphitheatre in Athens in 2003. The 43-piece ensemble features Bulgarian group Angelite performing in the polyphonic chord tradition. From Serbia comes the gypsy brass of Bojan Ristic Orkestar, from Greece, the voice of diva Savina Yannatou and from Turkey, one of the world's finest percussionists, Okay Temiz, and his Magnetic Band.

On March 12th, Taraf De Haidouks & Kocani Orkestar will perform at the Cork Opera House. "Audiences will be blown away by these gypsy musicians, who sell out in London," says King. Taraf de Haidouks ('Band of Honourable Brigands' and a great favourite of film star, Johnny Depp) are from a remote Romanian village and range in age from 20 to 80. Joining them on stage are the Macedonian tornados, Kocani Orkestar. Later that night, at the Half Moon Theatre, the "ultimate 21st-century urban wedding band", Hungary's Besh O Drom (Gypsy idiom for "go your own way"), will play their original blend of East European music vernaculars fused with club culture.

Enzo Avitabile & Bottari Motion Trio will take to the stage on March 19th at the Everyman Palace Theatre. Naples-born Enzo Avitable has become one of the biggest stars in Italy, working with artists such as James Brown, Tina Turner, Randy Crawford and Pino Daniele. His music is described as Mediterranean blues and jazz merged with the tradition of the "Bottari", who use olive storage barrels as percussion instruments. Opening the concert is Polish accordion sensation Motion Trio.

Also at the Everyman Palace Theatre on March 20th is Radio Tarifa, billed as "North Africa meets Southern Spain in a heady swirl of Andalusian guitar, flamenco and hypnotic African rhythms".

The first part of the Music Migrations series ends on March 30th at the Savoy with what is promised to be a beguiling performance by Mariza, the Queen of Fado (the Portuguese blues). It's thought Fado, a sentimental song genre, originated in sailors' bars in Lisbon at the end of the 18th century. In just a few short years, Mariza has established herself as the new face of Portuguese Fado.

"Nothing of this sort of profile has ever happened in Ireland," says Ormrod

"All of these musicians are of the people," enthuses King. "They have great heart and style and guts. Their music will open your ears. It's undeniable stuff. You'll gravitate towards it and it will wrap its arms around you. People should come in their droves."

Booking: Cork Opera House, tel: 021-4270022. Savoy Theatre, tel: 021-4251419, Everyman Palace Theatre, tel: 021-4501673.