13TH RAINFOREST WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL ON JULY 9-11

KUCHING (Malaysia), June 21 (Bernama) -- The 13th edition of the Rainforest
World Music Festival (RWMF 2010) will be held on July 9-11 at the Sarawak
Cultural Village, a living museum at the foot of Mt Santubong where the
traditional habitats of Sarawak's major ethic groups have been lovingly
reproduced.
Supported by the Tourism Minsitery, Sarawak Tourism and Heritage Ministry
and Tourism Malaysia, the three-day annual festival features 20 confirmed
performers, including two local bands -- Bakih and Pingasan'k from Sarawak.
Sarawak is a Malaysian state located in north-west Borneo.
A Sarawak Tourism Board statement here says the foreign performers are Debu
from Indonesia, De Temps Antan (Quebec, Canada), Farafina (Burkina Faso), I
Beddi (Sicily, Italy, Kimura Ono Duo (Japan), Layatharanga (India), Leila Negaru
(Reunion Island), Minuit Guibolles (France).
Monster Ceilidh Band (United Kingdom), Novalima (Peru), ReelRoad (Russia),
Shanbehzadeh Ensemble (Iran), Yerboli (China), Galandum Galundaina (Portugal),
Musafir Gypsies of Rajastan (India), Bisserov Sisters (Bulgaria), BraAgas (Czech
Republic), and Corey Ledet and his Zydeco Band (United States).
"The magic of the festival is our afternoon themed interactive workshops,
where artistes of similar instruments or interests are pulled from the various
groups to demonstrate their craft and to find a common music," it says.
The festival also features two side-by-side evening stages which run
alternately for a non-stop evening of music.
One of the bands, Zydeco, is expected to draw the crowd to dance to its
infectious upbeat dance music of the Creole culture of southern Louisiana
because of its distinctive sound, featuring an accordion and washboard, the
statement says.
In 1999, Corey, nicknamed "Lil Pop" Ledet, formed his own Zydeco band and
has been setting local Zydeco and Cajun dance halls and festival stages on fire,
having performed through US and on tours to France and Germany.
Two types of pass sor festival tickets are available -- the one-day pass at
RM110 (US$33) for adults and RM55 (US$17) for children aged 3-12 and the
three-day pass at RM300 (US$91)for adults and RM150 ( US$45) for chilren aged
3-12.
The three-day pass is limited and strictly not available for sale at the
venue but can be purchased at visitors' information centres in Kuching, Sibu
and Miri, Sarawak since last month.
More information on the festival can be obtained at :
www.rainforestmusic-borneo.com.
-- BERNAMA