WE ARE CURRENTLY FINALISING THE MUSIC PROGRAMME. YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO A VARIED PROGRAMME AGAIN – this site is constantly updated.
Thursday, 29th May 2025
Evening concert, 8:30 pm
HABIB KOITÉ, ALY KEÏTA, LAMINE CISSOKHO, MAMA KONÉ
WESTAFRICAN ROOTS UNPLUGGED
Mali’s exceptional guitarist and songwriter Habib Koité has teamed up with three experts in their field and created a new project ‘Mandé Sila’. With the balafon player Aly Keïta, the kora virtuoso Lamine Cissokho and the percussionist Mama Koné, he will delight his fans this time ‘unplugged’ and invite them on a unique musical journey to West Africa. He can count on the many years of stage experience of his fellow musicians. Aly Keïta, born in Abidjan, comes from a famous Malinké griot family, Lamine Cissokho from Senegal has already worked with a number of musicians such as Ballake Sissoko and Eric Bibb, and Habib has been working with Mama Koné from the Mopti region for a long time, including as a member of his band ‘Bamada’.
Evening concert, 10:00 pm
OMAR PENE & SUPER DIAMONO DE DAKAR
THE MBALAX LEGEND FROM SENEGAL
The singer is considered one of the most important Mbalax singers in his home country. He is revered as a legend and his voice is considered one of the most beautiful in West Africa. He founded his band ‘Super Diamono de Dakar’ in 1974. Pene influenced West African pop music just as much as Youssou N’Dour, who jokingly refers to him as his ‘rival’, but at the same time calls him a living legend of African music. Omar Pene also mixes elements of jazz, reggae and salsa into the classic Mbalax sound, which makes his music sound very varied. We can look forward to seeing this legend again after his last appearance in 2012! With his band Super Diamono de Dakar, he is simply one of the best live bands and will bring the atmosphere in the tent to boiling point!
Friday, 30th May 2025
Evening concert, 8:30 pm
FAADA FREDDY
SOLO & UNPLUGGED
Faada Freddy aka Abdoul Fatah Seck has already proven that he can enchant and enthral with his voice alone during his last performances with his A-Cappela Band. Now, after ‘Gospel Journey’, his new solo album ‘Golden Cages’ has also been released on the market. Now the singer, who was born in Saint-Louis in Senegal in 1975, will face his audience without any accompanying musicians and thus ensure a sensational German premiere. With Afro-soul, blues and jazzy elements, he will present his unique skills with the support of his acoustic guitar. Usually on tour with his long-time partner N’Dongo D. and their Daara J Family, his hip-hop roots will certainly not be neglected. More than exciting!
Evening concert, 10:00 pm
ELIDA ALMEIDA
FINE GROOVES FROM THE CAPVERDIAN ISLAND SANTIAGO
Elida Sofia Cabral Almeida, born in Pedra Badejo on the Cape Verdean island of Santiago in 1993, grew up under simple conditions in the mountains of her home island and the neighbouring island of Maio. She began her singing career at the age of 17 in a church choir. Through smaller and larger concerts in local bars and festivals, she came to the attention of producer José da Silva, who had already worked with Cape Verdean legend Cesária Évora. She is one of the biggest voices in contemporary Cape Verdean music and is now back with her fifth album ‘Di Lonji’. With traditional grooves from Batuku, Morna or Funaná, she already thrilled the audience at the 29th International Africa Festival when she performed on the Open Stage.
Saturday, 31st May 2025
Evening concert, 8:30 pm
YARIMA BLANCO Y SON LATINO
DANCE MUSIC FROM CUBA
During her studies at the music academy in Cuba, Yarima Blanco impressed not only her fellow students but also her professors with her skills on the tres cubano (Cuban instrument with 3 sides). She quickly made a career with this instrument and was part of the Cuban women’s orchestra ‘Anacaona’, in which she played successfully for ten years.
In 2015, she founded her own septet ‘Son Latino’, in which she combines various Cuban styles with a range of Latin American influences. She has also taken on the role of front woman and singer. The audience loves her charismatic voice and her band inspires with their typical Cuban style. We are looking forward to a hot festival debut with lots of danceable music!
Evening concert, 10:00 pm
RAÚL PAZ
LATINO-POP FROM CUBA
Raúl Paz was born in 1969 in Pinar del Rio, Cuba, a city famous for its excellent tobacco and musicians. He is considered one of the most important representatives of contemporary Cuban music. Since the release of the album Mulata in 2003 (Naive), Raúl Paz has proved himself to be an innovator of traditional Cuban music, constantly influencing the new musical trends in his country. He played for the first time in 2005 at the 17th Africa Festival.
His music has captivated Cuban and international audiences with 14 albums and hundreds of concerts around the world. His new CD ‘Guajiro Chic’ will be released in February 2025, which he will present during his return to the festival. An evening to dance to!
Sunday, 1st June 2025
Evening concert, 7:30 pm
Treesha
POWERFUL AFRICAN REGGAE GROOVES FROM KENYA
Treesha, aka Patricia Wambui Mwaura, has long been recognised as one of the great female reggae artists in the mostly male-dominated scene. Her gifted voice was born in her native Nairobi – like her middle name ‘Wambui’, the ‘singer of songs’ in the Kikuyu language. She was already in demand as a soloist in her church’s gospel choir at the age of eight. She now tours as a sought-after backing vocalist with Gentleman, among others, and is working on her own solo career. She recorded her latest album ‘Love, Scars N’ Attitude’ in 2024. With reggae, RnB, dance hall and lots of African soul, she will inspire us all, as she did recently at the Federal President’s Citizens’ Festival in Berlin!
Evening concert, 9:00 pm
SEBASTIAN STURM & FRANK DELLÉ
CELEBRATING THE MUSIC OF BOB MARLEY
Germany’s long-time reggae icon Sebastian Sturm has joined forces with his friend Frank Dellé full of anticipation to celebrate the 80th birthday of the unforgettable reggae legend Bob Marley in 2025. Sebastian Sturm, born in Aachen in 1980 with Indonesian roots, dedicated himself to roots reggae from an early age. Whether with his own band, Marley’s Ghost or Klub Kartell, he has been thrilling audiences for years.
Frank Allessa Dellé, a native of Berlin who spent six years of his childhood in Ghana, has been the frontman and singer of the band Seeed for many years and is also active as a solo artist. With the support of a first-class band in the original Marley line-up, the unforgettable ‘Songs of Freedom’ will be revived.