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Celebrated by a diverse audience in Latin America, North America, and Asia, Antonio Monasterio was nominated for Best Jazz Fusion Album at the Pulsar Awards. By fusing of electric guitar, piano, bass, drums, and flugelhorn, Antonio Monasterio delves deeper into an exploration of music, creating a rich cultural and sonic mix.
De Mar y Río recognized for weaving a bridge between tradition and vanguard in each of their performances, is the ambassador group of youth and traditional marimba music. This is their first Canadian tour.
Born in March 1990 in Guinea-Bissau and raised in Cape Verde, Fattú Djakité is a talented singer, songwriter, visual artist, and social activist. Performing in Creole and Brazilian Portuguese, her lyrics express themes of freedom and women’s empowerment, revealing the stories of a rich life journey that keeps the audience engaged and moving to the rhythm.
Fulu Miziki Kolectiv is a band born in the Ngwaka district in Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, is an explosive fusion of afro disco-house - post soukous, playing instruments composed entirely from materials they have recycled and assembled for the collective believes everything can be reclaimed and re-enchanted.
Gonia is a unique ensemble featuring a percussionist and vocalist whose styles are deeply rooted in Korean traditional music, alongside a guitarist and bassist with extensive experience in jazz that has captivated audiences not only in Korea but around the world.
Mapuche singer/rapper, Isleña Antumalen, speaks to Chile’s long history of socio-politically charged music with an eclectic patchwork of dembow, reggaetón, cumbia, Jazz, and hip-hop.
La Chiva Gantiva’s original commingling of rock, funk, hip hop and punk with Colombian rhythms effectively preserves their multicultural origins with genre-bending and adventurous music that’ll get you moving.
Although Som Bit’s original music is rooted in Afro and Latin American Afro rhythms, when fused with elements of jazz, the culmination is a unique Afro-Mex Funk sound. Their vivacious and energetic performances, combining music and dance, create an exciting performance and keep the audience engaged and spellbound.
Vancouver-based psychedelic cumbia/salsa ensemble, Empanadas Illegales, delivers contagious cumbia rhythms, hypnotic guitar melodies, and experimental salsa trumpet lines to create a Latin surf-rock/free-jazz fusion.
Rommel is an extraordinary and talented Brazilian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer, whose musical versatility makes him a unique figure in the arts scene. His exceptional ability to blend elements of Brazilian Popular Music (MPB) with Afro-Beat, Reggae, Funk, and Jazz brings a vibrant, authentic approach to his music that transcends boundaries and resonates with the soul of its listeners.
Comprised of bandurist Alina Kuzma and violist Zoë Ëoz, DIVKA is an exciting sonic rebel reckoning charged with mythology, traditional village singing, and generations of femme power, whimsy, and a dash of vengeance.
Tarek - Refugee of the Sea, is a Palestinian/Syrian/Canadian flamenco and fretless guitarist with over than 20 years in the music industry. He developed a passion for blending traditional Arabic and Flamenco styles throughout his journey as a musician in Syria. Tarek has been employing music as a therapeutic means to heal and bring hope since 2016.
Huepaje is a vibrant new cumbia band born in the heart of the Kitchener-Waterloo region, blending the rich traditions of Colombian Caribbean rhythms with the multicultural energy of Canada. Rooted in traditional sounds and instruments, Huepaje brings to life the infectious beats of cumbia sabanera, porro, mapalé, vallenato, tropipop, and bullerengue, inviting audiences to dance and celebrate Latin American musical heritage.
