by RUPERT BOTTENBERG

Either event on its own would be good news for the ears. But for their 2005 editions, the Folk Alliance Conference (of the North American Folk and Dance Alliance) and Strictly Mundial, a pot-pourri of the best from Europe's world-music fests, have chosen to pull a double header right here in Montreal, where the old and new continents meet.

The conference aspect will see a long weekend's worth of panels, workshops and similar convention fare at Palais des Congrès and the Hyatt Regency, tailored to folk-music folks from around the world. There are a number of showcase concerts, however, that don't require a convention tag reading, "Name: Jebediah, Occupation: stump fiddler/jaw-harpist." Here are some standouts among the dozens and dozens of artists hitting town.

Lhasa: She may have a wanderer's heart, but Montreal is proud to call itself a home to this wonderful singer. As last year's The Living Road again proved, Lhasa's gorgeous, melancholic songcraft has few peers. Give her a room to serenade and she'll have the audience hanging breathless on every note. She's joined by Norwegian fiddle sextet Majorstuen, Mexican calentana revivalists Los Carácuaros and Sweden's Ale Möller Band. At Club Soda tonight, Thurs., Feb. 24, 8 p.m., $18.75

Abdullah Chhadeh & Nara: Syria's Chhadeh is a virtuoso on the qanun, the trapezoidal zither 10 centuries old that he's breathed new life into. His latest CD Seven Gates pays homage to the landmarks of his native Damascus. Chhadeh shares the bill with Portuguese fado ingenue Joana Amendoeira, Armenian traditionalists Shoghaken Ensemble and Kiran Ahluwalia, a Torontonian adapting classic Desi poetry to song. At Salle de Gesù tonight, Thurs., Feb. 24, 7 p.m., $20

Harry Manx: Not only is U.K.-born Canadian Manx a skilled and witty raconteur handy with the bluesman's familiar toolkit, the banjo, harmonica and lap steel, but he's also bridged the east/west divide and become remarkably adept at the mohan veena, an Indian slide guitar/sitar. He kicks off the night for Nathalie Natiembe, South African troubadour Vusi Mahlesela and Linda Tillery & the Cultural Heritage Choir. At Salle de Gesù, Fri., Feb. 25, 7 p.m., $20

Globesonic: The brainchild of NYC's Fabian "Sultan23" Alsultany, this DJ collective is central in the high-tech end of the world beat movement. They're closing out both Friday and Saturday nights at Club Soda (Saturday's the Montréal en Lumière's all-nighter, so they're spinning till the wee hours), and include the Shakti Spirit Dancers and VJ Casey Meade in their show. At Club Soda with H'sao, Plena Libre, Romano Drom and Yerba Buena on Fri., Feb. 25, $18.75, and on Sat., Feb. 26, 12:30 a.m., free

Stimmhorn: Switzerland's Christian Zehnder and Balthasar Streiff are more than simply a duo playing the human voice and the sonorous, avalanche-inducing alpenhorn off each other. With a dash of art theory, a bunch of technology and a fair dose of humour, the pair pull off something as precise as a cuckoo clock and utterly unique to boot. They're slotted between the guitar, tuba and squeezebox of Amestoy Trio from Toulouse, France, and the oud stylings of brother act Trio Joubran. At Salle de Gesù, Sat., Feb. 26, 7 p.m., $20

The Strawbs: Tickets are understandably limited for this very rare, acoustic afternoon appearance by the three founders of this celebrated English psych-folk-rock unit (of which Yes's Rick Wakeman was once a member). And it ain't just the Strawbs - a whole bunch of notables, including Kate & Anna McGarrigle, flamenco star Juan Martín and Ray Bonneville, will be making the Hard Rock Café rock a little softer, but rock nonetheless. At Hard Rock Café, Sat., Feb. 26, 1 p.m., $20

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