Ton's Musical Musings: Yamandu Costa at Womex

Since last Tuesday I am in Seville, Spain to attend the annual World Music Expo (Womex). This year's crop was indeed very good, with some spectacular highlights that will no doubt make their appearance on many world music festivals around the globe.

I will report on several of the "showcases" in the next few days, but one performance that really stood out, was that of Brazilian guitarist Yamandu Costa, whom I had only seen in a documentary about choro by Finnish film maker Mika Kaurismaki (indeed, Aki's brother). Even at twenty six, Costa is still sort of a child prodigy, with his cherubin looks and juvenile spontaneity, contrasting sharply with his ferocious playing on the seven string guitar. Aided by violin and double bass, he expands the roots music from his birth ground in the southern part of the country, near the Argentine and Paraguayan borders, with a playfulness and virtuosity few other musicians in this world can match.

For more info: www.eyefortalent.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/artist.detail/artist_id/106