Review of the 'Global Cafe' one-day conference for the world music industry, held in Toronto, Canada in 1998, written by Grant Goddard in November 1998 for Toronto World Arts Scene magazine.

1. REVIEW: THE GLOBAL CAFÉ,
TORONTO, 13 NOVEMBER 1998
by
GRANT GODDARD
www.grantgoddard.co.uk
November 1998

2. THE GLOBAL CAFÉ, TORONTO, 13 NOVEMBER 1998
Subtitled 'a gathering of the world music community in Toronto', this one-day
conference was a first attempt to draw together in one room a diverse selection
of workers in the city's world music industry. But the event would have
achieved a much more cozy and informal ambience if a greater number of the
sixty-odd participants had chosen to sit in the almost empty rows of seats at
the front of the conference room, rather than at tables at the very back.
Four seminars, each with a different set of panelists, covered a wide range of
pertinent topics. Contributions from the floor greatly enlivened these
discussions, offering viewpoints that often cut through the inevitable platitudes
and self-promotion. Why do so many music buyers in record stores have so
little knowledge of the music product whose fate they determine? When are
the world music categories of the Juno Awards going to be included in the
televised show? Will the major Canadian record companies ever invest in
Canadian world music talent? Where is the effective national distribution for
Canadian world music CD releases? And, of course, the age-old question –
does the 'world music' tag help or restrict an artist's success?
There were several points on which participants (almost) agreed. Toronto is
lucky to enjoy a world music 'scene' unparalleled in North America, thanks to
the Harbourfront's excellent summer concert series, and to the sheer cultural
diversity of the city. But the market for world music across Canada is still not
big enough to make good financial sense, so that artists must think more
globally and less parochially. Major record label representatives suggested
that selling 1,000 copies of a world music CD across Canada was a major
achievement, even with their marketing budgets and teams of sales
representatives.
Everyone was confident that the interest in world music is still growing,
particularly amongst young people becoming bored with rock and pop (and
MuchMusic). The conference organisers, Music Alliance Projects, hope
eventually to create a real-life Global Café in Toronto, offering facilities and
services to musicians, alongside a retail space for CDs, magazines and
international beverages. In the meantime, you can visit their virtual café at
www.interlog.com/~mapsters or call (416) 631 7041 for more information. The
World Music Directory distributed to participants of the conference will prove
particularly valuable to anyone actively involved in this genre of music.
[First published in 'Toronto World Arts Scene' magazine, November (??) 1998]
Grant Goddard is a media analyst / radio specialist / radio consultant with thirty years of
experience in the broadcasting industry, having held senior management and consultancy
roles within the commercial media sector in the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia. Details at
http://www.grantgoddard.co.uk
Review: The Global Café, Toronto, 13 November 1998
©1998 Grant Goddard
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