Erik trufazz
Erik Truffaz (Switzerland)
Born in the Pays de Gex, a no man’s land that is neither really France nor quite Switzerland, Erik Truffaz has spent his decades-long career pushing the boundaries of what trumpet-led jazz can be. With a hauntingly beautiful tone and innovative use of effects, Truffaz’s music transmits a deep emotional resonance even as it straddles jazz, electronica, drum and bass, rock, and a number of world music traditions. His breakthrough album The Dawn, released in 1998, established him as a pioneering force in contemporary jazz, seamlessly blending acoustic jazz with electronic rhythms.
Truffaz has recorded in India on the banks of the Ganga, has sung with the Malian diva Rokia Traoré and the indie rockers the Dandy Warhols, showcasing his ability as a peerless all-rounder and ceaseless innovator. He has given scores to symphony orchestras, including his critically acclaimed work with Murcof on ‘Being Human Being’, and has also written extensively for cinema. Along the way, he has amassed an array of acclaimed albums, including the genre-defying Bending New Corners (1999), the introspective Arkhangelsk (2007) and the fusion gem Benares (2008). Today he stands in the ranks of European jazz royalty, continuing to inspire a new generation of musicians and music lovers.
Erik Truffaz – Trumpet
Alexis Anérilles – Keyboard
Marcello Giuliani – Bass
Raphael Chassin – Drums
https://music.apple.com/us/album/kollar-cox-truffaz-raineri-live/1722426013
Sheroes
Sheroes (USA)
An all-female band spearheaded by the pianist, composer and arranger Monika Herzig, Sheroes is simultaneously a celebration of the group’s 10th anniversary and a salute to their perseverance. This is the fourth project under the Sheroes banner; the first, formed back in 2014, was meant to bring together women jazz musicians to present powerful role models on stage and break some lingering stereotypes.
The various Sheroes ensembles over time have brought together an extended family of bandleaders in their own right. The potent current line-up, boasting eye-watering talent and accomplishment, keeps that streak up as Sheroes continues to elevate some of the top composers and players in jazz today. Together, the musicians conjure up an undeniable chemistry as they navigate with skill and style through challenging originals by Herzig and Gina Schwarz — and one surprising cover — delivering impassioned improvisations along the way.
Monica Herzig – Piano
Jamie Baum – Flute
Reut Regev – Trombone
Gina Schwarz – Bass
Rosa Avila – Drums
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ARuSOxWvIg&t=27s
Alma Naidu
Alma Naidu Quartet (Germany)
Rightly described by Süddeutsche Zeitung as one of “one of the most promising singers on the German scene”, Alma Naidu is a singer, composer and lyricist based in Munich. Naidu boasts an enviable collection of top prizes honouring rising German jazz artists, and has also appeared in various musical theatre and opera productions. After appearing on the renowned drummer and producer Wolfgang Haffner’s 2020 album Kind of Tango, in 2022 she released her debut album, Alma, comprised almost entirely of her own compositions and arrangements. She has performed across Germany, the Czech Republic and France with her touring quartet, which features her on the keys as well as vocals.
Alma Naidu – Vocals and piano
Andeas Dombert – Guitar
Ferdinand Schwatrz – Bass
Florian Stierstofer – Drums
Antonio Lizana Quintet Feat. Al Mawi
Antonio Lizana QuintetFeat. Al Mawi (Spain)
Born in the town of San Fernando, a cradle of flamenco in the south of Spain, Antonio Lizana is a jazz saxophonist, flamenco singer and composer, and one of the most celebrated representatives of new flamenco jazz. Lizana has performed with his band in more than thirty countries – including at festivals in London, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Madrid, Barcelona and beyond – and has joined hands on Grammy-winning works with artists such as Arturo O’Farrill and Alejandro Sanz. His other collaborations have included Snarky Puppy, Marcus Miller, Chano Domínguez, Alfredo Rodríguez, Ari Hoenig, Carmen Linares, Pepe Habichuela, José Mercé, and many other luminaries of the jazz and flamenco worlds. Lizana’s live shows have been described as a “breathtaking journey from flamenco roots to contemporary jazz”, with his soulful lyrics carrying messages of optimism and sincerity to his audiences access the globe.
Antonio Lizana – Vocals and saxophone
Adriano Lozano – Guitar and and backing vocals
Ismael Alcina – Bass and backing vocals
Vincent Thomas – Drums
El Mawi – Flamenco dancing and backing vocals
https://www.antoniolizanamusic.com/
https://music.apple.com/at/album/vishuddha/1748583475?l=en-GB
Afro Dizzi Act
Afro Dizzi Act (Australia)
Born as an adventurous jam band in Brisbane in the late 1990s, Afro Dizzi Act has been described as one of the best fusion bands to ever come out of Australia, and is celebrated as one of the country’s premier festival bands alongside contemporaries such as the Cat Empire and Fat Freddy’s Drop. From an early sound that blended in hip-hop as well as drum and bass, the band took on influences from jazz and world music as its growing reputation took the musicians to new places, arriving at a world-beat sound that comprises a dizzying variety of musical traditions and a mind-opening global perspective. Afro Dizzi Act has headlined top Australian festivals such as the Big Day Out and the Byron Bay Bluesfest, performed in Dubai with the percussion icon Trilok Gurtu, toured the Northeast of India, and played at the first edition of Jazzmandu in 2002. This year, to celebrate Jazzmandu’s 20th anniversary, the band is joined by Navin Chettri of the Cadenza Collective to revive a cherished friendship from Jazzmandu’s early days.
Nick Aggs – Saxophone
Shannon Sol Carroll – Guitar
Oj Newcomb – Bass
Matt Ledgar – Percussion
Navin Chettri – Drums
Cadenza Collective
Cadenza Collective (Nepal)
One of the most unique and eclectic bands from Kathmandu, Nepal, Cadenza Collective led by drummer and composer Navin Chettri seamlessly blends Jazz, Afro-funk, and Nepali folk into an irresistible sound for your ears and booty.
From their humble beginnings in 1998, Cadenza was one of the first bands to experiment with jazz in the Kathmandu Valley, a city dominated by bands playing rock and pop covers. Cadenza broke the mold and has evolved into a mature and experienced collective of musicians and music educators. Their music has pumped vitality into the improvised music scene in Nepal and beyond through regular performances with both classical and western musicians. With 5 albums to date showcasing their original music, their CDs are often referred to as instant collector’s items. The latest album, Back to the Roots, released in February 2014, is further evidence of their nature as a band to push boundaries. With their unique jazz, Nepali-afro-funk sound, far from popular mainstream music, the album was nominated in 5 categories for the 2014 Nepal Hits FM Music Awards. They won Best Pop/Rock Composition for their song “Namaste”, and Best Pop/Rock Album of the Year.
They have performed in many international musical festivals and venues including the Palmer Street Jazz Festival Australia, ELB Jazz Festival in Hamburg Germany, RSJ Festival in India, La Baiser Sale and LaTimbale in Paris, Klunker Kranich in Berlin, and prestigious jazz clubs in Copenhagen and Brussels to name a few.
Navin Chettri – Vocals and Drums
Rajat Rai – Guitar
Samir Chettri – Bass
InapRaj Shrestha – Ternor Sax
Pravin Chhetri – Alto Sax
Dhrupad Gurukul Kathmandu
Dhrupad Gurukul Kathmandu (Nepal)
Dhrupad Gurukul Kathmandu carries forward the ancient tradition of Dhrupad, a major form of Hindustani classical music that is distinguished by its emphasis on maintaining the purity of ragas and swaras. Vishal Bhattarai trained in the Dagarvani tradition at the Dhrupad Sansthan Bhopal Nyas under the Gundecha brothers, disciples of the late Ustads Zia Mohiuddin Dagar and Zia Fariduddin Dagar. He joined hands with his gurubhai Inoue Sou to establish Dhrupad Gurukul Kathmandu, and the duo has been performing and teaching Dhrupad in Nepal for the last decade. They are joined by the renowned pakhawaj player Mukesh Shakya, who trained under the late Rabin Lal Shrestha, as well as two students currently training under the Gurukul, Rajin and Keshab.
Samundra band
Samundra Band (Nepal)
Samundra Band Nepal is a musician and sarangi player known for their performances of Nepali folk fusion music. They have a YouTube channel where they share videos of their musical hiking adventures, performances in Gandharba villages, and sarangi lessons taught by Anil Gandharba. The videos provide instructions on how to learn sarangi and showcase the beauty of this traditional Nepali instrument. Samundra Band Nepal is passionate about promoting and preserving the rich cultural heritage of Nepal through their music.
gandharva
Gandharva (Nepal)
Nepal is home to a group of music makers called the Gandharvas. The word Gandharva appears in the ancient text the Mahabharata, as singers and entertainers. The work of the Gandharva is to make songs, to sing stories of the lives of the people, to entertain, provide social commentary, give news, and heal the people. They were inspired by heavenly female creatures known as Apsaras.
The Gandharvas historically are known as the link between the heavens and earth, bringing messages from the heavens to the people on earth.
Up until very recently, the Gandharvas earned their living, traveling from village to village around the difficult mountainous terrain, to bring news to the people in the ages before radio, television, and the internet. They are commonly known as “Walking Newspapers.”
Eastern Classical Musicians
Jonisha Poudel
and the decorated Indian vocalist Pt.Rajeshwor
Acharya.In 2017,she performed a solo concert
organised by the Sanskritik Sansthan (National
Cultural Corporation).
Roshan Putwar
Roshan Putwar is a passionate musician and researcher dedicated to
preserving the rich traditions of Eastern Classical and Nepalese Traditional Music. With performances on more than 1,000 stages across countries like India, Kenya, and Nepal, Roshan Putwar has represented Nepal in the South Asian Residency 2017, collaborating with artists from various nations.
Nimesh Kapali
One of Nepal’s most promising young Tabla players, Nimesh Kapali began his journey in music learning the maadal with his father at the age of three before starting on the tabla at the age of six with his guru Nhuchhe Darshandhari. He went on to study for five years with the late Nepali tabla maestro Rabin Lal Shrestha, and has received instruction from the Indian master Pt. Gourishankar Karmakar. He has won multiple prestigious awards and performed at numerous musical concerts.
