The sounds of Budapest on an African band caravan /20th Sziget Festival, 2012, Desert Blues/

Abstract

The old face of the Sziget Festival’s African Village was organized with a rare frequency, but this year with a renewed role and courage. After the previous multifaceted presentations of African music (Arab, Iranian-Turkish, Black African, and Middle Eastern), the festival was the scene of an unheard-of exciting experiment this year. Stars such as the Orchestre National de Barbés from Paris, the Fanfare Ciocărlia from Romania, or the Narasirato band from the Solomon Islands, who perform magic with their acoustic “drum organs,” also appeared on the world music stage, but one of this year’s musical treats was the improvisation series taking place in the Tuareg Tent, a multi-day workshop and improvisational magic modeled on the Trans-Saharan desert festivals.