Real World

Take a look at the film on the Children Of The Khmer artist page for a look at the world behind some of the entertainment at this weeks WOMAD Charlton Park. The film was shot by Peter Gabriel's engineer Richard Chappell on his visits to Cambodian Arts Association in Phnom Penn with whom he has been working to bring this group to the UK this summer.

Children Of The Khmer can also be seen with The Zawose Family at The World at St George's West as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

If the multifarious entertainment in the Charlton Park programme leave you with time to explore the wonders of the Global Village, there are many wonders to be found on the myriad stalls - who would have though it possible that you could stumble upon interactive workshops with the Aardman animators showing how to create their award winning figures - It's not every day you get taught how to animate by an Oscar winning team, but that's just what you'll find on the Leonard Cheshire Disability stall where the 'Creature Discomforts' campaign is helping to change the way people see disability.

Who knows what else is out there?

Today on Mercedes-Benz TV? Yes, the car people.

This year's Womad will have the most eclectic line-up in its history, reports Tim Cumming...Womad 2008 has a lot to live up to as it enters its second quarter-century. In 2007, it moved to its current site at Charlton Park, a 17th-century pile in 4,500 idyllic acres near Malmesbury, Wiltshire.

Visitors looking at WOMAD Charlton Park information may have noticed the live webcam feed in the side-bar.

The camera is looking across the main arena, so we will see the Siam tent going up to the right of the picture - If you take a look at the site map the camera is behind (above) 'Arena Bar 2' looking into the arena. The entertainment value should increase as activity around the festival build ramps up.

There's a new picture once every minute.

This will be the second year at our new home in Wiltshire's Charlton Park.

It's a fantastic venue in a beautiful location. This year they have very kindly let us have more land and we've put measures in place to improve and enhance the site.

Musically, this is one of the best festivals we've ever had, and I don't always say that. There are very many I want to watch including Orchestra Baobab, Martha Wainwright and the rocking Algerian-French trio, Speed Caravan.

WOMAD is thrilled to announce that Peter Gabriel and Karl Wallinger will be taking part in the In Conversation sessions at this year's WOMAD Charlton Park. They will be playing tracks from upcoming Real World release, Big Blue Ball, and discussing how the project has evolved since its inception in the early '90s.

18 years in the making, Big Blue Ball is an album of wonderful and unexpected musical collaborations between The Holmes Brothers, Billy Cobham, Joseph Arthur, Iarla O'Lionaird, Deep Forest, Hukwe Zawose, Natacha Atlas, Papa Wemba, Sinead O'Connor, Joji Hirota, Guo Yue, Peter Gabriel, Karl Wallinger and more.

You can catch Peter and Karl from 16.15-17.00 on Friday in Little Sicily.

Toumani Diabaté, David D'Or, Celso Alvin from Monobloco, Wasis Diop, and members of Orchestra Baobab and Siyaya are also confirmed for this year's In Conversation sessions.

Get the Big Blue Ball CD in advance of its official release date (on July 28) - on sale in the on-site WOMAD Shop. Plus, buy the WOMAD Souvenir Programme and get a £2-off voucher!

For those not on the mailing list WOMAD's latest newsletter is available to read on-line.

If you've been intrigued by Peter Gabriel and Karl Wallinger's descriptions of Francis Bebey in the Big Blue Ball video and podcasts available on the site, this charming clip is for you.

Peter said of Francis Bebey, "We were hypnotised...he embodied wisdom in lots of ways and it was a real delight". Karl Wallinger, Peter's co-pilot in the Recording Week sessions talks of his amazement at the music Francis produced from his tiny, single note, bamboo flute, describing the sound as "one of the prime numbers of music".

Now available to download - over 23 minutes of music and conversation with Peter Gabriel and Karl Wallinger - featuring excerpts from all the tracks on Big Blue Ball.