World music celebrates its best

Johnny Depp, right, flew in from Paris to present an award

The biggest of BBC Radio 3's World Music Awards have been presented, with Hollywood star Johnny Depp flying in for the occasion.

Senegal's Baaba Maal and fusion band the Afro Celt Sound System won the critics' and listener categories.

The successful musicians were presented their awards after they took to the stage in London for an evening that was part concert and part prize-giving ceremony.

Malian guitarist Tounkara won the Africa award

Depp flew in from Paris to present Romanian gypsy group Taraf de Haidouks with the prize for top European act.

Depp worked with the band in his film The Man Who Couldn't Cry.

The winners in all nine categories performed live at Hackney's Ocean venue, with the exception of France's Manu Chao, winner of the Innovator category, who was present on video only.

For the purposes of the event, the world's music was divided into four regional and five other categories.

The regions were Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Americas and Europe-Middle East.

The other categories, besides the Listeners' and Critics Awards, were for the best Innovator, Newcomer and example of Boundary Crossing.

The award in the Americas category was handed to Cachaito Lopez by British musician Damon Albarn, founder of the massively successful bands Blur and Gorillaz.

BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music winners

Newcomer - Susheela Raman (UK)

Innovator - Manu Chao (France)

Boundary-crossing - Nitin Sawhney (UK)

Africa - Djelimady Tounkara (Mali)

Asia-Pacific - Yat Kha (Tuva)

Americas - Orlando "Cachaito" López (Cuba)

Europe-Middle East - Taraf de Haidouks (Romania)

Listeners' Award - Afro Celt Sound System

Critics' Award - Baaba Maal (Senegal

Cuban bass player Lopez was one of the founder members of the Buena Vista Social Club, whose music has sparked an international vogue for the island's music.

Veteran Cuban singer Ibrahim Ferrer - another member of the Buena Vista Social Club - was featured on a track on the last Gorillaz album.

Pioneering producer and Roxy Music founder member Brian Eno gave the Asia-Pacific award to the band Yat-Kha.

The band came to London from their native Tuva - a small, landlocked republic at the very heart of Asia that is part of the Russian Federation.

Joe Strummer, of legendary punk band the Clash, was also present at the event - a recording of which will be broadcast this evening on BBC Radio 3.