The Japanese percussion group Gocoo, appearing in Budapest for the first time, will inaugurate the stage, and Cuba's Sierra Maestra Orchestra, established by Juan de Marcos González in 1976 to bring back the popular musical style of the 1920s and 30s, will follow.
Also on the bill are the Orchestre National de Barbés, which has revolutionised gnawa melodies from Morocco; the king of Afro-pop Salif Keita from Mali; Sundyata Keita, founder of the Manding Empire; Ska Cubano, which plays a mix of mambo, ska, rhumba, son and reggae; and Cesaria Evora, who sings songs from Cape Verde.
Returning to the Sziget Festival will be Mau Mau, who made their debut in Hungary in 2000, the same year the World Music Stage was first set up. Skatalites will arrive from Jamaica, and the "founder of rai-rock" Rachid Taha will come from France. Cameroon's saxophone legend Manu Dibango will be at the Sziget with his own band this year. Matt Darriau from the Klezmatics will perform with his quartet, the Paradox Trio will play a mix of klezmer and Balkan music, and Romania will be represented by the Roma brass band Fanfare Ciocarlia.
The African reggae band Alpha Blondy will play before Eddie Palmieri's salsa band from New York, which can boast nine Grammy Awards.
Sidestepper is a joint project by Britain's Richard Blair and Columbia's Ivan Benavides; Sergent Garcia is regarded as the creator of "salsamuffin," a combination of raggamuffin and salsa; and Norway's Mari Boine is the harbinger of Lapland's musical culture.
Krakow's Motion Trio will play before Saint Petersburg's ska-punk band Leningrad, and the Finnish band Varttina will conclude the programme on the World Music Stage.
Some of the best Hungarian folk groups will also play at the Sziget Festival, among them Besh o droM, Baba Yaga, Pannonia Allstars Ska Orchestra, Söndörgő, Muzsikás, Szájról szájra and Napra.
