Crammed has released over 250 albums and 250 singles by artists from all over the world, ranging from Aksak Maboul to Bel Canto, Carl Craig, DJ Morpheus (& the Freezone series), Eddie Fowlkes, Flat Earth Society, The Gruesome Twosome, The Honeymoon Killers (let's skip some letters) ... to Snooze, Suba, Tek 9 & 4hero, Zap Mama, Hector Zazou and Zuco 103 ...
Crammed's sub-labels have included the Made To Measure composers' series, world music collection Cramworld, electronic music imprints SSR, Language & Selector, and Ziriguiboom, a collection devoted to new Brazilian music. Nowadays, Crammed would like to believe that borders between genres are no longer indispensable, so most releases tend to come out under the simple "Crammed" banner.
Crammed's current roster includes Konono N°1, Cibelle, Koçani Orkestar, Taraf de Haidouks, Bebel Gilberto, Balkan Beat Box, DJ Dolores, Tuxedomoon, Shantel, Kasai Allstars, Think Of One, Mahala Rai Banda, newcomers Lonely Drifter Karen & Allá, and more.
STAFF BENDA BILILI Conquer Euro Crowds; receive Womex Award
The magnificent Staff Benda Bilili have been wowing French audiences on their first short tour outside of Kinshasa.
3000 people gathered round the stage at Les Eurockéennes Festival in Belfort, France, for a phenomenally-received late afternoon set of their infectious rumba-rooted grooves...
Staff then moved on to Les Temps Chauds Festival in Bourg-en-Bresse, where before another great show they spent time with the young offenders who had helped build replicas of the customized tricycles the band's disabled members use to roam around Kinshasa. And finally, the crowning glory - a triumphant show at Cabaret Sauvage in Paris with fellow Crammed Congolese bands Konono No.1 & Kasai Allstars...
All this follows the news that that Staff have been awarded the WOMEX (World Music Expo) 2009 Artist Award, which will be presented to them at the event in Copenhagen at the end of October - when the band will embark on their much-anticipated full European tour, including a just-announced date at The Barbican Centre in London on Nov 10th...
Then there's the band's recent two-month residency at the top of the World Music Charts Europe, and their high positioning in the CMJ World Charts in the States... the sound of Staff Benda Bilili, already "Très Très Fort" (as the title of their wonderful debut album tells us), is getting louder and stronger by the day....
