World Circuit (record label)

World Circuit is a world music record label, specialising in Cuban and West African recording artists, among other international music stars. World Circuit was established in London in the mid-1980s. Artists featured on the label include Buena Vista Social Club, Orchestra Baobab, Radio Tarifa, Toumani Diabate and the late Ali Farka Touré.

History

In 1986, the label released its first albums, Venezuelan Maria Rodriguez’s ‘La Tremenda’ and Abdel Gadir Salim’s ‘Sounds of Sudan Volume One’.

Ali Farka Touré

World Circuit’s first taste of major success was with the teaming up of Ali Farka Touré with Ry Cooder for the 1993 recording of ‘Talking Timbuktu’ album.

Buena Vista Social Club

In 1996, American guitarist Ry Cooder had been invited to Havana by British world music producer Nick Gold of World Circuit to record a session where two African High-life musicians from Mali were to collaborate with Cuban musicians. [http://www.pbs.org/buenavista/musicians/bios/cooder_int_2_excerpts.html "Interview with Ry Cooder in Los Angeles, by Betty Arcos, host, “The Global Village” Pacifica Radio June 27, 2000"] . "Buena Vista Social Club" site. Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Retrieved 18 March 2007.] On Cooder's arrival (via Mexico to avoid the ongoing U.S. trade and travel embargo against Cuba), [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/1997/06/28/brcuba28.xml "Hurricane Cooder hits Cuba"] . Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 March 2007] it transpired that the musicians from Africa had not received their visas and were unable to travel to Havana. Cooder and Gold changed their plans and decided to record an album of Cuban son music with local musicians. That record became Buena Vista Social Club, possibly the most famous world music record of all time.

Orchestre Baobab

Nick Gold and World Circuit are also responsible for catapulting the legendary Senegalese band Orchestre Baobab to world fame after their 2001 re-release of the 1982 record "Pirates Choice" in Europe (originally compiled and released by World Circuit in 1987). [Frank Bessem, [http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/4939/frames/art_baobab.html “Musiques d'Afrique: Orchestre Baobab”]
Lucy Duran, [http://www.worldmusiccentral.org/artists/artist_page.php?id=1292 “Orchestra Baobab,” World Music Central] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.worldcircuit.co.uk Official site]
* [http://www.worldcircuit.co.uk/#About Official World Circuit Story]
* [http://www.myspace.com/worldcircuit Official MySpace page]

See also

* List of record labels