Branko Galoić & Skakavac Orkestar

Croatia and elsewhere

The Croatian singer-songwriter Branko Galoić draws on a variety of styles in his songs, from rock and pop to ska and chanson. And he spices them with a strong shot of Balkan brass. Three wind players and a drummer supply the needed drive.

Čao Laru

France/Brazil

Seven voices, one dancer, plus a slew of the most varied instruments: violin and cavaquinho, saxophone, accordion and pandeiro. The group Čao Laru grew up on the streets and squares of Europe and South America – with music from where the roads from France, Brazil, and the Balkans intersect.

Elaionas

Greece

Elaionas means “olive garden,” and this group is like an idyllic grove is where the most beautiful melodies of Greek folk music are cultivated. The quartet’s repertoire ranges from traditional songs to rebetiko and contemporary folk. The focus is on the vocals, but the guitar, accordion, ney (flute), [1] and davul (drum) also come into play.

Katlehong Footlockers

South Africa

Pantsula, the energetic dance from the townships, spread from Johannesburg all over South Africa more than sixty years ago – as a danced resistance to apartheid. Now it’s flourishing again. Pantsula is still about Black self-esteem and about tackling depressing reality with joie de vivre.

Oxus

Uzbekistan

A touch of the “1001 Nights” comes to Lucerne: The musical culture of Uzbekistan dates back to the time when the cities of  Bukhara and Samarkand were important centers on the Silk Road and shows influences from China and Iran. The Ensemble Oxus, which performs with a dancer, maintains this tradition and at the same time is open to the sounds of today.

Pocket Rockets

Switzerland

It started in the spring 2017 as a bachelor’s degree project [1] of the trombonist and bandleader Simon Ruckli. Since then, the Pocket Rockets have been touring Switzerland playing music that’s simply infectious. The quintet – four winds and a drummer – stands for funky grooves, catchy melodies, thrilling solos, and lots of fun.

Sandra Rehder Trio

Argentina

Tango – it’s not only about dance and sexy rhythms but also a great vocal tradition. The singer Sandra Rehder embodies the tango of self-confident women of today: powerful and tender, witty and raunchy. She is supported by guitarist Gustavo Battaglia and Pablo Yamil on bandoneon.

Wild Strings Trio

Slovakia/Slovenia/France

What a mix! A jazz violinist from Slovakia, a classical cellist from France and a Balkan guitarist from Slovenia – and it guarantees exciting, cosmopolitan music. These three musicians with completely different roots have created their very own multifaceted, multi-stringed sound. Poignant and exhilarating.