Prince Moussa Cissokho

Prince Moussa Cissokho is one of the great Kora players and singers from Senegal. Born and raised in an influential Griot family, he was taught early by his father, traveled with him and played at traditional ceremonies in Senegal, Guinea Conakry and Guinea Bissau. Moussa Cissokho belongs to the Mandinka family, the people of medieval Mali, the largest West African empire in history. According to his tradition, he learned to play the Kora and the dances and chants from childhood. Moussa Cissokho was a member of the Ballet National de Senegal for 6 years. Today he lives in Austria and plays with musicians from Europe and Africa.

www.princemoussacissokho.com

Aly Keita

Aly Keita has earned worldwide recognition for his mastery of the balafon. While rooted in tradition, Keita’s Afro-pop, funk-fueled rhythm section and taste for complex jazz-oriented arrangements set him far apart from most balafon players.
The way he plays is just spectacular. The sticks in his hands seem to dance on the wooden keys of the instrument. He has played alongside artists like Joe Zawinul, Amadou & Mariam, Pharoah Sanders and Rhoda Scott. Aly Keita lives in Berlin today, where he met the Dutch drummer Marcel van Cleef and the Italian Bass player Roberto Badoglio. The Trio combines the West African rhythms with elements of jazz and creates a fantastic soundscape. 

www.alykeita.org

Stefan Bauer

Stefan Bauer, vibraphonist, marimba player and composer, is active in a wide-ranging field of music between tradition and avant-garde. Inspirational journeys and memorable collaborations with many fantastic musicians resulted in his nine CD releases to date under his own name. Bauer sees himself as a musical narrator who uses various stylistic means and the “voices” of a large group of individualistic musicians for his compositions. Stefan Bauer has performed at festivals from Abidjan to Zurich over decades and is an established jazz musician in Germany, Canada and in his home town of Brooklyn, NY.

“Bauer is a player of no uncertain gifts, strong in the technique and introspective feeling, whose instincts suggest a Euro-Canadian jazz connection.” Josef Woodard, Jazziz

 

Photo Stefan Bauer by Volker Beushausen

http://www.stefanbauer.net/

Rhani Krija

Drummer Rhani Krija was born in 1971 in Essaouira, Morocco, in the heart of Gnawa culture. As a teenager he began to listen to traditional musical styles from North Africa, the ones that form the basis of his music today. Known for his knowledge and ability to play authentic Andalusian, Arabic, African and Latin American rhythms, Rhani has become a sought-after international drummer. Rhani, who lives in Germany, has recorded some fine percussion samplers for major record labels in recent years and performs all over the world. Rhani has recorded, toured and shared the stage with: Sting, Dominic Miller, Herbie Hancock, Al Di Meola, Placido Domingo, Peter Gabriel, the WDR Bigband, the SWR-Bigband, et. al.

Photo Rhani Krija by Jürgen Bindrim

http://www.rhanikrija.com

Karl Seglem

Karl Seglem is regarded as one of the most exciting contemporary tenor saxophonists and composers of Norway. This country has produced a whole line of musicians who have made it their mission to combine musical traditions – often from their homeland – with contemporary music, world music and jazz. Amongst them Karl Seglem plays an important role and is, without doubt, one of the great innovators and visionaries of Norwegian music. He stimulates both the traditional Norwegian genre and jazz with his unwavering will to fuse forms of expression, pursue crossover ventures and embrace new instruments, sounds and perspectives. A celebrated Norwegian jazz star, Karl Seglem has created his own identity by fusing the sound of his tenor sax and goat horns with the Norwegian Hardanger violin. The result is powerful and wonderful – melodies, jazz, electronics.

Photo Karl Seglem by Jacek Brun

www.karlseglem.no

Berit Opheim

Berit Opheim is one of Norway’s most popular traditional singers. With an inquisitional approach to music, she is constantly evolving towards new forms of expression in medieval, contemporary and improvised music. Many listeners are drawn to Opheim’s music because of her versatility and willingness to explore different genres. She started her career in the late 1980s and is known for her wonderful stage presence and warm voice.

Photo Berit Opheim by

www.beritopheim.no