POLISH roots music pioneers the Warsaw Village Band kick off this year’s season of Town Gardens Bowl Concerts on Saturday.

The Swindon date is part of a tour coinciding with the release of their new studio album, Nord.

Formed 15 years ago by a group of friends on the Polish folk scene, the band quickly became one of the biggest surprises in world music.

Early accolades included a BBC Radio 3 Award in the Best World Music Newcomers category and a Best Folk Recording award by the European Broadcasting Union.

In the US their album, Uprooting, made it into the final 10 of the Grammies for world music. Fans say the Warsaw Village Band are living proof that Eastern Europe can bring unique music to the global village.

The BBC has made a documentary about the band and their music, entitled Journey. A Bowl spokesman said: “It is hard to pigeon-hole their sound, which is steeped in many different genres - roots, folk, world and reggae undertones. However, one thing is for sure, it’s modern music, played by modern musicians inspired by tradition for this and the next generations.

“Supporting Warsaw will be Casabella. Taking you on an exhilarating trip to Rio, Kingston and the Mediterranean Sea via their unique relentless groove, Casabella's music is an irresistible mix of Latin beat and reggae with lyrics in English, Italian, Spanish and French.”

Casabella was formed in London in 2007 by Gianni, a Milanese guitarist and vocalist with a background in funk music, and Sam, a London vocalist with roots in rock music.

Animated by a common idea to start a new Latino music project, they began to write songs and play in clubs in London.

The doors at the Town Gardens Bowl open at 6.30pm, with the show starting an hour later. Tickets cost £13 for adults and £5 for children.

To book, call 01793 614837 or visit www.swin-don.gov.uk/bowlconcerts.