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SATURDAY 19th SEPTEMBER

Saturday 19th of September is headlined by legendary artist Khaled, the Algerian singer is universally acknowledged as one of the biggest stars of world music. Rai musician Khaled is a phenomenon in the Arabic world, with a popularity that has reached almost surreal proportions. In 1992 his monster hit single 'Didi' sold over a million copies in European, Arabic and Asian countries, and made him more popular than Michael Jackson in India. He was also elevated to the status of nationwide celebrity and ambassador for the Arab minority in France, when his first French-language single, 'Aicha', put his brand of rai, a blend of traditional Algerian music and more Western styles such as soul, reggae and rock, at the top of the French charts for months, and sold 700,000 copies in France alone.

Joining Khaled on the bill is the Imagined Village featuring Billy Bragg, Martin Carthy, Eliza Carthy and Chris Wood perform a thrilling live show. The brainchild of Afro Celt Sound System veteran Simon Emmerson, The Imagined Village certainly has a stellar cast list with contributors from across the British musical spectrum to create a formidable line-up of contrasting styles. The project aims to reinterpret some of England’s most venerable folk songs by fusing old and new sounds to reflect the multicultural society of the country today.

With his trademark live fluteboxing [beat boxing and playing the flute at the same time] Nathan ‘Flutebox’ Lee’s explosive blend unites Hip Hop, Drum ‘n’ bass and Ragga beats with Indian classical, Jazz and Funk melodies. He will be bring his hi-octane, hyper-percussive show to the Tower. His show combines the raw energy and attitude of Hip Hop and Jazz beats with the intricacies and musicianship of classical Indian music. In his spellbinding live show he is joined by an astounding array of talented musicians from all parts of the globe who take you on a magic carpet ride through the dusty streets of Asia and Central America via New York block parties and the grimy clubs of London..

Paprika Balkanicus, hailing from Romania, Serbia and Slovenia will play a hot and fiery blend of traditional and gypsy music from the Balkans and Eastern Europe that fully justifies their spicy name. With violinist Bogdan Vacarescu creating breathtaking melodies that range from the silkily smooth to the impossibly furious, Jozef Secnik on bass and Vlad Jocic on guitar provide an intriguing harmonic foundation of frequently odd rhythms with unpredictably riotous solo eruptions. Meanwhile, the accordionists Milos Milivojevic and Zivorad Nikolic do the wild gypsy fling with abandon.
Also performing is Dulsori. Formed in 1984, the fundamental basis of their creative work is a Korean percussion play. Since the beginning of Dulsori, they have tried many different kinds of performances based on the traditional rhythm of Korea. As a result, they have developed unique performances and interactive programs. Their energetic and passionate team has staged hundreds of international performances and recently toured Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Israel, Africa and across Europe. They also conduct workshops, classes and camps on Korean traditional arts and are open to all age groups.

SUNDAY 20th SEPTEMBER

Sunday 20th of September is headlined by the groundbreaking improvisational sound clash of The Bays and The Heritage Orchestra following on from their storming performance at the Big Chill and their sellout show at the Royal Festival Hall last year, the TOWER FESTIVAL is their only London performance in 2009 with the project. The Bays and The Heritage Orchestra are pioneering UK groups, recognised for their individual take on dance and orchestral music and at the festival they will come together in an adventurous multifaceted collaboration. The Bays, throw away every accepted notion about live music, creating electronic dance grooves on the spot to fit the moment. Extensive appearances on the Festival circuit are testament to their huge success. The mighty Heritage Orchestra, led by talented composer and conductor Jules Buckley, is one of the most exciting and radical young orchestras in the UK.

The Bays and The Heritage Orchestra’s drummer Andy Gangadeen commented “We are delighted to have the opportunity to bring our unique project to such a unique historical setting as the Tower Of London. Our music, improvised on the spot, reflects our environment. What better venue to take energy and inspiration from for our performance than at WOMAD in The Tower Festival! We look forward to it.”

Also on the bill is the legendary Tony Allen. One of the world's great original rhythmatists, Nigerian drummer Tony Allen is revered for his work with Fela Kuti, co-creating the style they call Afro-Beat while in the infamous orchestra Africa 70. Their heady brew of jazz, highlife and various other mostly local ingredients was at its peak between 1969 and 1978 . Fela once stated that, "without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat." He has also been described by Brian Eno as "perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived." Bandleader, composer and husky rapping vocalist, Tony Allen has recorded a string of groundbreaking solo albums since parting company with Fela. In 2006, Tony Allen joined with Damon Albarn, Paul Simon, and Simon Tong as drummer for The Good, the Bad and the Queen. His critically acclaimed album ‘Secret Agent’ is out now (5* Songlines)

‘Tony Allen's Secret Agent is unfailingly compelling’ The Telegraph 5*

Joining the bill will be the raw and gutsy Afro-Blues of Justin Adams and Juldeh Camara. Seasoned by work with Robert Plant and Tinariwen, Adams' driving guitar finds a perfect match in West African Master Musician Juldeh Camara's hypnotic ritti ( African fiddle) and powerful voice. Their album Soul Science is in the fRoots and Songlines 2007 top 10 albums of the year, and is nominated for a Radio 3 World Music award. Tell No Lies, their second album released last month, was reviewed by Songlines and received a five-star rating. As a live act, they invoke the spirit of ancient juju rock 'n' roll.

'rock and Africa come together in a rousing, urgent fashion' The Guardian

Also performing on the 20th is Abdullah Chhadeh & Syriana a musical dialogue between the peoples of the Eastern and Western worlds-about their points of connection, hopes and fears -of cold war film soundtracks and the yearning for a better future. Syriana is a trio (though occasionally joined by a percussionist when playing live to become a quartet). Abdullah Chhadeh is a Syrian Qanun virtuoso from Damascus. Leader of the group Nara, composer, orchestral soloist and recitalist. Chhadeh's recordings and collaborations have included both solo performances and featured soloist work with Sinead O' Connor, Jocelyn Pook, Natacha Atlas and David Arnold among others. Dubulah, half Greek, half English, Guitarist, formerly of Transglobal Underground, Temple of Sound, now working under the name Dub Colossus. He has produced written, remixed and featured on many artists recordings and concerts, including Los de Abajo, Rizwan Muazzam Qawwali, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Almamegretta, The Congos, Enzo Avitabile.

Opening on the Sunday is Siyaya. The band were formed in 1989 and originally known as Nostalgic Actors and Singers Alliance (NASA). They started with 5 members and were led by Mike Sobiko. The members of the group have changed a lot over time, with many former members going on to other, similar projects. The line-up now consists of 13 members under the leadership of Saimon Mambazo Phiri. On their 10th anniversary they changed their name to Siyaya (meaning 'on the move'). Its a veritable Tour De France of African forms – traditional and contemporary. They use the heavier Ghanaian Djembe bass drum alongside the smaller Zimbabwean Ngoma, with South African and Zimbabwean dance routines.

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