When John Burnett was traveling around 30 countries for National Public Radio (NPR), music probably wasn't the first thing on his mind — at least, that's what a casual listener would think.

In fact, the political issues Burnett covered were as complex as ever, but he started framing them through music. In February of 2022, his headlines looked like, "Americans are fleeing to places where political views match their own." But around his retirement in January of 2023, one after another started reading, "Musicians use rhythm and harmony to heal America's toxic divide" or "Prison-to-College Pipeline brings the Blues to Parchman Farm."

Burnett, a harmonica player, didn't suddenly pick up an interest in ethnomusicology. But his retirement did seem to free up more of his mind and time for pursuing musical connections.

One of those new pursuits is World Music Encounters, a nine-part performance and interview series (so far) in partnership with the Downtown Austin Alliance and KUT/KUTX. It aims to bring local world music groups into the spotlight at the recently renovated and historical St. David's Episcopal Church, starting this September.

"I've been here for 36 years ... for NPR," says Burnett. "I used this as my base of operations, and we raised three children, and I played all around town for years... We have grown up. We're becoming an international city. I started poking around, and this there's just this wealth of international musicians who've moved here, because we're a musical Mecca."

Where before, when Burnett visited new countries and habitually sought out musicians to learn about the culture, he's now learning to find more musical diversity at home. Always a journalist, he's not content just to locate and book acts. Every time he's booked a group, he's gone out to meet them over coffee, after which he'll send a followup. He'll find out which musicians can provide the most insight. By the time they appear on stage together, it's their third time meeting, and Burnett's questions are adjusted accordingly.

"I've never done this before," says Burnett. "I've had to learn how to be an impresario, learn how to do contracts, learn how to negotiate with bands, learn how to stage a concert ... It's good for the brain."

Burnett's research started with an exhaustive list from KUTX's Michael Crockett, who hosts a Latin music show, of all the international bands in town — followed by a lot of listening on YouTube. His only firm criteria was that they'd need to be able to perform for a Western concert setting, while also being able to represent a traditional performance from their homeland. It's a progressive church, he says, but still not much of a place for dancing.

"We get away with this in Austin — a combination performance and interview series — because we're a smart city, and we care about the arts, and we're interested in the rest of the world," says John, offering something between a compliment and an affirmation.

The lineup for the inaugural season includes six bands from Austin, and three from elsewhere. Burnett hopes to pull more from neighboring cities and even states as the series evolves, aiming for a three-year arc.

Directly from a release, Burnett and his team describe the first season's performances:

• Sept. 10 – Atash, voted Austin’s best world music group six years running.
• Oct. 15 – Ana Barajas and Cruz del Sur, traditional music from the Andes ofSouth America.
• Nov. 5 – Mahmoud Chouki, Moroccan oud player brings his hot Mediterranean jazz band to Austin from New Orleans. He plays the international festival circuit and recently performed with Jon Batiste.
• Dec. 10 – Ulla, Celtic quintet with the phenomenal Irish singers Andrea Magee and Pat Byrne, and Rich Brotherton on guitar.
• Jan. 7 – Ibrahim Aminou and Seed Africa, traditional West African music from Niger and Ghana played on the 21-string kora.
• Feb. 11 – Gabriel Santiago, virtuosic Brazilian jazz guitarist.
• March 3 – Mariachi Las Alteñas, 12-piece, all-female powerhouse mariachi from San Antonio.
• April 14 – Sofrito y Su Melao, Cuban and Caribbean hip-shaking music.
• May 12 – Oliver Rajamani, blends Indian, Flamenco, Romani and Texas music.

“Atash is honored to serve as the premiere band for the World Music Encounters series,” said Atash band leader John Moon in the release. “After Austin-area musicians endured the unfortunate pandemic-imposed break, this series at St. David’s in the center of Austin is an excellent place to revive, celebrate, and showcase world music.”

The church, which is no stranger to secular music series, also chimed in via the release: “St. David’s is proud to host World Music Encounters to connect Austinites to global music and meaningful conversation. We offer this exciting music series as a gift to the city as well as an opportunity to expand our cultural understanding and global consciousness,” said the Rev. Chuck Treadwell.

Burnett notes that the series is completely nonprofit; All funds will go to the musicians and the technicians running each event.

"It's hard to make a living when you're playing music that people are unfamiliar with," he says. "It's a pure project to to bring this interesting music that we may not have heard before, to the city, as a gift to the city, and then to put money in the pockets of these great musicians who we're so privileged that they call Austin home."

Tickets ($10-35) come in various tiers based on seating and student discounts. Events will appear as available on Eventbrite. More information about the series, season tickets, and sponsorships is available at stdave.org.