By William Farrington
Special to DNAinfo
GRAMERCY — The 2011 GlobalFEST international music festival is bringing 13 bands from around the world to Webster Hall on Sunday, where three stages will offer a taste of everything from brass funk to Congolese Rumba.
The annual festival, a joint effort between the World Music Institute, Joe's Pub and Acidophilus: Live and Active Cultures, has propelled many international artists into the spotlight since it kicked off in 2003, organizers said.
Among the past bands who got a boost at GlobalFEST include the Afrobeat group Antibalas, which went on to become the house band for the Broadway play "FELA!" about the life of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti.
This year's lineup includes several homegrown groups, including the Pedro Martinez Project, which performs three nights a week at Guantanamera restaurant in Midtown.
RAM, a 16-piece Haitian ensemble, will perform traditional Haitian music from the voodoo tradition, while Red Baraat's Punjabi Dhol and Brass will perform songs from their debut album, which has been described as a mix of brass funk and Bhangra, or Indian traditional music.
This year's festival also includes the New York solo debut of Hawaiian vocalist Kaumakaiwa Kanaka’ole, whose hula-themed renditions of Judy Garland's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" earned him international attention.
"The success of the festival is the way it introduces exciting new artists to America and gives them the opportunty to tour in the U.S.," said Alex Boicel, the president of Afromondo Productions, a Manhattan-based music production and events company that has organized music festivals from St. Lucia to Montreal.
"For African and Caribbean artists, GlobalFEST is very important and the artists are excited to participate."
Boicel said the festival is a huge draw for international artists who have "been struggling to get recognition in the United States after success everywhere else in the world."
"It is an achievement,” Boicel added.
Tickets to GlobalFest cost $40 and are available at the festival website, Ticketmaster, or at World Music Institute's box office by calling 212-545-7536.
