Front Row: World

Balval: It isn't just New York that boasts a busy modern Balkan-roots scene. Out of Paris comes this polyglot unit with a violin-rich, folky sound that draws on the many strands of the Roma (or gypsy) experience and updates them with cosmopolitan flair. Sept. 22, Club Passim. 617-492-7679, www.passimcenter.org

Zucchero: His name means "sugar," though saccharine is a better comparison at times. The Italian crooner has made a long career out of a bluesy kind of European soft-rock, and he's got what it takes to satisfy a room packed with adult Italophiles. Sept. 25, Somerville Theatre. 866-448-7849, www.livenation.com

Lo Còr de la Plana: This Marseille-based vocal unit sings in Occitan, the medieval-era language of Southern France. But its members' sensibilities are as modern and multicultural as the port city they call home, with its bustling interplay of Italian and Arab influences and its proud native hip-hop and reggae. Oct. 3, Somerville Theatre. 617-876-4275, www.worldmusic.org

Simon Shaheen: Born near the Israeli city of Haifa and based in New York, violin and oud player Shaheen is a rigorous virtuoso and composer who has played a major role in developing a thriving Arabic classical music scene in the United States, while also venturing into numerous cross-cultural hybrids and experiments. Oct. 10, Museum of Fine Arts. 617-369-3306, www.mfa.org

Kayhan Kalhor: Master of the kamancheh, the spiked fiddle of Iranian classical music, Kalhor has been busy with supergroups Ghazal and Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble, or collaborating with the Kronos Quartet or, lately, the modern classical combo Brooklyn Rider. This time he leads his own group. Oct. 17, Museum of Fine Arts. 617-369-3306, www.mfa.org

Toumani Diabaté: Last year, Diabaté, the uncontested master of the 21-string lute called kora on the international circuit, anchored a brilliant large ensemble, the Symmetric Orchestra. This year he presents his virtuosity in a whole different light, with a solo album, "The Mandé Variations," and a supporting tour. Nov. 1, Somerville Theatre. 617-867-4275, www.worldmusic.org

Eva Ayllón: A major figure in Peruvian music and Afro-Peruvian culture, Ayllón is the "Queen of Lando" - Peru's creolized answer to Cuban son or Dominican bachata - and a true recital diva. Boston-based Peruvian bassist Oscar Stagnaro leads the ensemble. Nov. 6, Berklee Performance Center. 617-747-2261, www.ticketmaster.com

SIDDHARTHA MITTER