The party starts and ends here at Bush House, London, the home of BBC World Service. Over the past decade London has probably become the leading 'world music city' in Europe with concerts serving ethnic communities in the capital and the growing interest from those with no ethnic connection into the music of other cultures. A glance at the weekly listings will reveal world music of some sort or another every night of the week. London is obviously a key stop for any major artist on tour - like Youssou N'Dour. African and Latin music attracts good audiences as well as London being one of the best cities in the world for high-quality recitals of Indian music.

Opening the party, Youssou N'Dour, probably the biggest name in world music, born in Dakar in 1959 into a traditional musicians' caste and by his mid-teens was in the line-up of Etoile de Dakar, one of the leading dance bands of post-independence Senegal. From there, Youssou became the pioneer and leading practitioner of mbalax, the hugely popular musical style based on traditional drum patterns that has dominated Senegal for twenty years. He came to fame representing the voice of the ordinary people and sings mainly in their language, Wolof. He had his big global hit with Seven Seconds, a duet with Neneh Cherry in 1994, but after several albums directed at the international pop market, he's just released Nothing's In Vain (Coono du R eer), one of his best albums in years, deeply rooted in the sounds of Senegal.

BBC Web Links

World Routes interview with Youssou N'Dour

Youssou N'Dour: Awards for World Music

The World Service Global Party concluded with a performance from the new British singing star Ms Dynamite. Born in north London, 21-year-old Niomi McLean-Daley has emerged from the vibrant London 'garage scene' to win this year's Mercury Music Prize and dominate October's MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Awards. Her album A Little Deeper was recorded in New York, Miami and Jamaica and includes a judicious mix of hardcore sounds and radio-friendly tracks like It Takes More, a big hit through the summer. "I'm trying to bring positivity to people and make light of negative things," she says, "while encouraging people to think. If that means I have to go and stand at the top of whatever building and scream at the top of my voice then I will."

BBC Web Links

Interview with Niomi McLean-Daley AKA Ms Dynamite

One minute profile of Ms Dynamite