Berlin, Germany - The WOMEX organizers have confirmed some of the artists that will be performing at the annual conference. Performing at a WOMEX showcase is very important for musicians because the event is attended by most of programmers of the top folk and world music festivals in Europe and North America.

The concerts will be staged at WOMEX 2005 in Newcastle Gateshead (UK), October 26 - 30, 2005.

The list in alphabetical order:

Debashish Bhattacharya (India): The Master of the Hindustani Slide Guitar

The Chéhadé brothers (Palestine/Lebanon): State of the art Tarab with a Mediterranean flavor

Tiken Jah Fakoly (Ivory Coast/France): African Reggae Griot Style

Marcelo D2 (Brazil): Looking for the perfect Brazilian HipHop Beat - and finding it

Hermeto Pascoal (Brazil) - The Godfather of Brazilian Folk into World into Jazz

Cristóbal Repetto (Argentina) - The timely voice of Tango old and new

DJ Scratchy (UK): Former Clash touring DJ travels through time and the tropical islands

DJ Shantel (Germany): The star of booming Balkan and Gypsy dance floor

Thandiswa (South Africa): The red-hot Afro-Pop queen of Kwaito and Mbaqanga

Wang Lei (China): The future sound of Chinese laptop wizardry