Mariachi Flor de Toloache
By Ernest Barteldes
Although the weather might be less than inviting in New York in January with record cold temperatures, snow and sleet, it is also the month when various important cultural events take place – one of them being the World Music smorgasbord known as GlobalFest, which this year takes place at B.B. King’s Blues Club and its adjacent bar Lucille’s Grill and Liberty Theater across the street.
For those who have never been to the event, GlobalFest is a six-hour long event that brings together several artists from around the globe who showcase their music to an audience made up of music journalists, label scouts and curious fans willing to know “what’s next” in the scene.
Few of the artists on the list are necessarily household names Stateside – in fact, I had only heard about one of them, New York-based Mariachi Flor de Toloache, who I heard at Celebrate Brooklyn as co-headliners with LAMC in 2013 and as special guests with Mexican-American singer Lila Downs in 2016.
That, however, is the entire point of the festival – to introduce these musicians to U.S. audiences and specially bookers in search of acts to perform in their own festivals and venues. Over the years, I recall hearing then lesser known artists such as Lenine (then already a star in his native Brazil), Cambodian retro pop outfit Dengue Fever, Cape Verdean singer Sara Tavares and yes, a then up-and-coming Lila Downs, who graced the stage (then at Webster Hall) back in 2007.
La Dame Blanche
Sure, there were many others who came and went without making much noise in spite of good performances, but this is a golden opportunity not only for artists to be discovered but also for many of us music fans to get to know artists that we would not otherwise be exposed to, especially when many of us fail to diversify our listening habits more and more as we stream music that we are comfortable with.
GlobalFest takes place at BB King’s Blues Club and Liberty Theater. For more information, visit http://globalfest.org. Click here for info on the lineup, and tickets can be had here.
Music Whatever 