World Circuit (record label)
Encyclopedia
World Circuit is a world-music
record label
that specializes in Cuban and West African recording artists, among other international music stars. World Circuit celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2006 by releasing World Circuit Presents..., a 2-disc retrospective compilation album. Its recordings are distributed by Nonesuch
/Elektra Records
in the USA.
World Circuit’s first taste of major success was with the teaming up of Ali Farka Touré with Ry Cooder
on the 1993 Talking Timbuktu
album. In 1996, American guitarist Ry Cooder was invited to Havana by British world-music
producer
Nick Gold of the World Circuit record label to record a session with two Africa
n High-life musicians from Mali
in collaboration with Cuban musicians. On Cooder's arrival (via Mexico
to avoid the ongoing U.S. trade and travel embargo against Cuba
), it transpired that the musicians from Africa had not received their visas and were unable to travel to Havana. Cooder and Gold changed their plans and decided to record an album of Cuban Son Cubano music with local musicians., who became The Buena Vista Social Club. Their eponymous multi million selling first album was recorded at Egrem
studios, Havana
and mixed by Jerry Boys and Nick Gold at Livingston Studios
, London. They released it on the World Circuit label in 1997.. In 2008 World Circuit released a 2CD set of the Buena Vista Social Club
live performance at Carnegie Hall recorded in 1998.
Nick Gold met Jerry Boys after working together on an album with Oumou Sangaré
during 1993 and they started to work together with the Buena Vista Social Club
afterward. In 2001 Gold bought the Livingston Recording Studios
from Boys, which enabled most of World Circuit's artists to record and mix music at Livingston Studios.
Nick Gold and World Circuit are also responsible for catapulting the legendary Senegalese band Orchestre Baobab
to world fame after its 2001 re-release of the 1982 record Pirates Choice in Europe (originally compiled and released by World Circuit in 1987).
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
that specializes in Cuban and West African recording artists, among other international music stars. World Circuit celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2006 by releasing World Circuit Presents..., a 2-disc retrospective compilation album. Its recordings are distributed by Nonesuch
Nonesuch Records
Nonesuch Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Bros. Records.-Company history:Nonesuch was founded in 1964 by Jac Holzman to produce "fine records at the same price as a trade paperback", which would be half the price of a normal LP...
/Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
in the USA.
History
In 1986, the label released its first albums, María Rodríguez's La Tremenda and Abdel Gadir Salim's Sounds of Sudan Volume One.World Circuit’s first taste of major success was with the teaming up of Ali Farka Touré with Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder
Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder is an American guitarist, singer and composer. He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music from the United States, and, more recently, his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.His solo work has been eclectic, encompassing...
on the 1993 Talking Timbuktu
Talking Timbuktu
Talking Timbuktu is the 1994, Grammy award-winning collaboration between Malian guitarist Ali Farka Touré and American guitarist/producer Ry Cooder...
album. In 1996, American guitarist Ry Cooder was invited to Havana by British world-music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Nick Gold of the World Circuit record label to record a session with two Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n High-life musicians from Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
in collaboration with Cuban musicians. On Cooder's arrival (via Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to avoid the ongoing U.S. trade and travel embargo against Cuba
United States embargo against Cuba
The United States embargo against Cuba is a commercial, economic, and financial embargo partially imposed on Cuba in October 1960...
), it transpired that the musicians from Africa had not received their visas and were unable to travel to Havana. Cooder and Gold changed their plans and decided to record an album of Cuban Son Cubano music with local musicians., who became The Buena Vista Social Club. Their eponymous multi million selling first album was recorded at Egrem
EGREM
is the oldest Cuban record label, it is located in Havana. It was founded in 1964 following the Cuban Revolution...
studios, Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
and mixed by Jerry Boys and Nick Gold at Livingston Studios
Livingston Recording Studios
Livingston Studios were started by Ray Kinsey, a film director from North London, who branched out into recording talking books for the blind. The first Livingston Studio designed for recording music was set up in Barnet UK during 1963 where work on talking books continued alongside the recording...
, London. They released it on the World Circuit label in 1997.. In 2008 World Circuit released a 2CD set of the Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
The Buena Vista Social Club was a members club in Havana, Cuba that held dances and musical activities, becoming a popular location for musicians to meet and play during the 1940s...
live performance at Carnegie Hall recorded in 1998.
Nick Gold met Jerry Boys after working together on an album with Oumou Sangaré
Oumou Sangaré
Oumou Sangare is a Malian Wassoulou musician, sometimes referred to as "The Songbird of Wassoulou." Wassoulou is a historic region south of the Niger River, and the music there is descended from traditional hunting songs, and is accompanied by a calabash...
during 1993 and they started to work together with the Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
The Buena Vista Social Club was a members club in Havana, Cuba that held dances and musical activities, becoming a popular location for musicians to meet and play during the 1940s...
afterward. In 2001 Gold bought the Livingston Recording Studios
Livingston Recording Studios
Livingston Studios were started by Ray Kinsey, a film director from North London, who branched out into recording talking books for the blind. The first Livingston Studio designed for recording music was set up in Barnet UK during 1963 where work on talking books continued alongside the recording...
from Boys, which enabled most of World Circuit's artists to record and mix music at Livingston Studios.
Nick Gold and World Circuit are also responsible for catapulting the legendary Senegalese band Orchestre Baobab
Orchestre Baobab
Orchestra Baobab is a Senegalese Afro-Cuban, Son, Wolof and Pachanga band. Organized in 1970, as a multi-ethnic, multi-national club band, Orchestre Baobab adapted the then current craze for Cuban Music in West Africa to Wolof Griot culture and the Mandinga musical traditions of the Casamance...
to world fame after its 2001 re-release of the 1982 record Pirates Choice in Europe (originally compiled and released by World Circuit in 1987).
External links
- World Circuit Records Official site
- World Circuit Records at MySpace