On Thursday, April 10th the winning artists of the annual BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music were announced at a special ceremony at Dingwall’s in London’s Camden Town. The celebration featured performances by Indian classical singer Kaushiki Chakrabarty, a previous winner, as well as the Algerian rai-rocker Rachid Taha, one of this year’s nominees. The following day Radio 3 announced the winners publicly during its Performance on 3 segment.
2008 marks the seventh year of the BBC Radio 3 Awards, but also introduces the new Audience Award, a public vote for all the 30 nominated artists. Viewers can visit BBC Radio 3’s website now through May 8th to cast their votes through an online poll. The winner will be invited to appear at the Winner’s Concert held at the Royal Albert Hall planned for July 30th.
The Audience Award winner is certain to join Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba (“the big ngoni) who took home the Critic’s Album of the Year Award for their debut record, Segu Blue. Kouyate and his quartet, the first from Mali, also won in the Best African Act category and were nominated as Best Newcomer. Kouyate is well-known for his talent with the ngoni, a lute-like instrument from West Africa with a history that dates back to the 13th century. Check out the full list of nominees and winners below.
2008 Nominees:
Africa:
*Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba
Simphiwe Dana
Tinariwen
Toumani Diabete and the Symmetric Orchestra
Asia/Pacific:
Anoushka Shankar & Karsh Kale
Faiz Ali Faiz
Huun Huur Tu
*Sa Dingding
Americas:
*Andy Palacio & The Garifuna Collective
Bajofondo Tango Club
Hazmat Modine
Maria Rita
Europe:
Manu Chao
Ojos de Brujo
*Son de la Frontera
Thierry ‘Titi’ Robin
Mid East & North Africa:
Malouma
Nass El Ghiwane
*Rachid Taha
The Idan Raichel Project
Newcomer:
Balkan Beat Box
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba
*Mayra Andrade
Vieux Farka Toure
Culture Crossing:
Balkan Beat Box
Bole 2 Harlem
The Idan Rachel Project
*Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara
Club Global:
Balkan Beat Box
Bajofondo Tango Club
Gaudi Nursat Fateh Ali Khan
*Transglobal Underground
Album of the Year:
Andy Palacio & the Garifuna Collective
*Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba
Orchestra Baobab
Tinariwen