James Gruntz

Vocals

Keyboards

Bass

Guitar

Drum Kit

«Blink Twice»

Just over ten years ago, James Gruntz burst onto the Swiss music scene with his funk-pop hit, &#x27;Heart Keeps Dancing&#x27;. A lot has happened since then: From Swiss Music Awards and chart positions to sold-out concerts, Gruntz has established himself as one of the best-known voices in Swiss pop. Now, James Gruntz is back with new music and a new band. With &quot;Blink Twice&quot;, the exceptional Swiss artist continues on his successful path. His trademark? Great, stripped-back songs sung in such a gentle voice that you never want to leave this weightless world of sound. Gruntz&#x27;s handling of his voice is unique and unmistakable. Get ready for a soulful, spherical evening. This concert has been organised in collaboration with our main sponsor, Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB). If you have a ZKB customer card, you can purchase your ticket at half price.

Majur

Producer

Director

Percussion

Adalu & Moods present

Blending notes of R&amp;B, Blues and rap with the waves of soul. The Bahian artist had a striking start to her career, featuring in the Latin Grammy nominated song “AmarElo” alongside Emicida and Pablo Vittar. Majur’s debut album “Ojunifé” (2021), documents her journey of self-discovery and features collaborations with Liniker and Luedji Luna, reinforcing the message of diversity and black affection. She made her international debut at the Roskilde Festival and has been featured in major Brazilian lineups such as Rock in Rio. With a powerful musical presence, Majur merges African, Indigenous, and modern influences, solidifying her place in the music scene.

Sélène Saint-Aimé String Trio

Violin

Cello

Sélène Saint-Aimé only appeared on the music scene a few years ago and has already developed a strong, independent voice. With a father from Martinique and a Franco-Ivorian mother, she describes herself as an “Afro-descendant”. Accordingly, her musical identity is clearly cosmopolitan, as she is influenced by both her roots and her travels. In this exclusive concert series, she will reinterpret songs from Louisiana, the Antilles and La Réunion and get to the bottom of her Creole identity. She will be accompanied by French violinist Thèo Ceccaldi, who has already won a Victoire du Jazz as “Revelation of the Year” and demonstrated his versatility with the French-Ethiopian project “Kutu”; and Guillaume Latil, one of the most sought-after jazz cellists.

Ingoma Busuku

Saxophon

Piano

Jonas Ruther

The story of Ingoma Busuku began with an initial contact between Jonas Ruther and South African saxophonist Linda Sikakhane. Mediated by Nduduzo Makhathini, the two had originally planned to tour Switzerland in 2020. However, due to the pandemic, the tour had to be postponed several times before finally taking place in 2022. On the subsequent tour in South Africa, they also performed with singer Paras Dlamini. This tour will be his first appearance in Europe. The band&#x27;s name &#x27;Ingoma Busuku&#x27; also comes from the South African singing tradition and means &#x27;song of the night&#x27; in isiZulu, referring to the lyrics, which are deeply rooted in the Zulu tradition and at the same time reflect universal themes such as love, spirituality and connection to the ancestors. The band combines these with groovy rhythms, spiritual melodies and fine improvisation. During their tour of South Africa, the band recorded their first album, &#x27;Isambulo&#x27; (2022), produced by none other than Nduduzo Makhathini.

Electronics

First the world moved closer together, then the borders were drawn up again. That&#x27;s the bad news. But the good news is that OY are not part of it. rSinger/keyboardist Joy Frempong and producer/drummer Melodydreamer have been making music across all musical, linguistic and cultural borders for a decade. The Berlin-based duo with roots in Ghana and Switzerland have thrilled audiences on stages around the world, whether at festivals such as Eurockéenes in France, Rec Beat in Brazil or at club shows in downtown Cairo and New York. 2022 saw them on tour in Europe with the Colombian band Bomba Estéreo as a support act. It is therefore only logical that the title of their current album is World Wide We Polyglot negotiations of political and personal themes are musically realized. From electronica Afrobeats avant-pop to hip-hop, trap and jazz. OY&#x27;s music is more versatile and unified, stylistically more open and self-contained than ever. World Wide We is an open invitation to everyone who wants to dance all clichés to the ground at the duo&#x27;s celebrated concerts. This concert recording was made with the support of Migros Culture Percentage.

Bassekou Kouyaté & Amy Sacko

Ngoni

He is “a genius and living proof that the blues comes from Mali,” says Taj Mahal about his colleague Bassekou Kouyaté. He is the undisputed master of the ngoni (traditional West African long necked spit lute), which he has made internationally known by adding additional strings and using effects devices. With his extraordinary dexterity, he creates soundscapes that lie somewhere between blues, jazz and traditional Malian music. In his traditional Griotprogram “Folo Djelia” he reinterprets his parents&#x27; music and is accompanied by his wife, the fantastic singer Amy Sacko. A concert with a chamber music character that gets under your skin.

Mercadonegro

Trombone

Trumpet

Timbales

Congas

Bongos

Album Release «Se Acabó El Cuento» 

MERCADONEGRO - They are probably the best salsa band in Europe and are going on tour in Switzerland with their new album SE ACABÓ EL CUENTO. Mercadonegro has become one of the most sought-after groups for Latin American music over the years. Founded by José Armando Miranda, Cesar Correa and Rodrigo Rodriguez, the trio has grown over the years into a twelve-piece band with roots in Latin America and an adopted home in Europe. They are passionate about taking salsa out into the world and infect every audience with their enthusiasm. No leg will stay still and no shirt will stay dry!

EMEL

jazzhane & Moods present

EMEL became known as the figurehead of the Jasmine Revolution and the revolutionary voice of young Tunisia; and her song &#x27;Kelmti Hourra&#x27; (&#x27;My word is free&#x27;) became an anthem of the movement. Now the singer is coming back with a new album, with the same evocative power and rallying lyrics, but in a new musical guise. Inspired by musicians such as Rosalía, Aya Nakamura and Charlie XCX, the result is a powerful and feminist album with influences from hyper-pop, hip-hop, electronica and reggaeton: &#x27;MRA&#x27; is a danceable, hard-hitting rebirth. This concert recording was made with the support of Migros Culture Percentage.

Božo Vrećo

Accordion

Kultur Shock & Moods present

Božo Vrećo is an artist who breathes Sevdah, experiences it in a lively way, reinterprets it and embodies it. With the unmistakable voice of a lyrical tenor, he presents an impressive melange of duality, freedom, courage and love. International media such as El Periódico and the New York Times praise him as an avant-garde artist with a global voice who has become a symbol of freedom in the Balkans. They describe his voice as a voice that touches souls and opens wounded hearts. His concerts are an emotional catharsis and the embodiment of love, where he enchants his listeners with the song of an angel. This year sees the release of his seventh studio album Sevdahology. His first documentary film Maldita, produced in Spain and directed by Kanaki Film, won the prestigious Goya Award for best documentary film at the festival. Božo Vrećo is currently working on a book and touring festivals in the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe and the Balkan region.

Kyoto Jazz Massive ft. Vanessa Freeman & Echoes Of A New Dawn Orchestra

Spirit Music Society & Moods present

The cross-genre project Kyoto Jazz Massive, founded by the Okino brothers and discovered by Gilles Peterson, is celebrating its 30th anniversary with new album release and a refreshed line-up. Under the direction of Shuya Okino, with Vanessa Freeman on lead vocals, KJM will be supported by the powerful Echoes Of A New Dawn Orchestra, showcasing their unique crossover vision from jazz-funk, broken beat, and soulful house to cosmic grooves and everything in between! After a highly energetic night in late December 2023, they are back to rock Zurich out of its socks.

DakhaBrakha

Derbouka

Clear the stage for the musical fireworks known as DakhaBrakha! The Ukrainian sound rebels tear down traditional boundaries and create a storm of sound that pulsates between folklore and avant-garde. A wild fusion of ethno chaos and experimental passion. From hypnotic rhythms to powerful vocals. There are no taboos. DakhaBrakha make the stage shake and take the audience into a collective trance that questions everything. Supported by the SüdKulturFonds.

Tromboranga Orchestra

Leitung

Tromboranga stands for the raw power of salsa music from the 60s and 70s. One of the band&#x27;s trademarks is its three-piece trombone section. The instrument that strongly influenced salsa through Willie Colón or Jimmy Bosch and reflected life in New York&#x27;s El Barrio. Tromboranga play and arrange their music in this tradition, setting new accents and inviting you to dance. After more than 10 studio albums, they have become one of the most important ambassadors of this genre, also in the Big Apple and Cali, the capital of salsa.

Balthvs

BALTHVS is one of the positive results of the pandemic! The three musicians used the time of standstill to form a band in 2020. Since then, the psychedelic funk trio from Bogotá has already released over 30 singles and three albums, on which they cross genre boundaries and fuse influences from cumbia, surf rock and funk. And they don&#x27;t intend to stop there: In addition to their many releases, they are also busy conquering the world&#x27;s stages and thrilling audiences with their energetic live shows.

Benin International Musical

The Benin International Musical combines traditional rhythms and songs from the voodoo culture with electronic melodies, trip-hop grooves, hip-hop and rock from Benin&#x27;s trendy club scene. With their project, the collective aims to revive the diverse musical heritage of their ancestors and make it accessible to a wide audience. The traditional voodoo culture, which was spread in the wake of slavery, may be unknown to many, but it laid the foundations for musical movements such as jazz, blues, salsa and hip-hop. A groovy homage to a rich cultural history! Before and after the concert, DJ Voilà Tim will play a selection of African grooves. Supported by the SüdKulturFonds. This concert recording was made with the support of Migros Culture Percentage.

La Sonora Mazurén

E-Gitarre

La Sonora Mazurén are the latest representatives of Bogotá&#x27;s lively alternative music scene. The seven musicians are influenced by traditional rhythms and sounds from Ecuador, Colombia and Peru and enrich them with synths and electric guitar. This is how they have developed their very own sound, which can be described as trippy cumbia, psychedelic chicha or African fuzz. A must for lovers of bands like the Meridian Brothers and for anyone curious to discover the new Tropsychedelica sound of Colombia. Supported by the SüdKulturFonds.

BALKAN MOODS

Kaval

Theodosii Spassov, Atanas Ourkouzounov, Dimitar Ivanov, George Vassilev, Irina-Kalina Goudeva

Balkan Moods is a group of five renowned soloists from Bulgaria centred around the kaval player Theodosii Spassov. The instrumentalist and composer is known for his virtuoso and innovative playing on the traditional kaval flute - one of the oldest instruments in Europe - and for his ability to combine different genres. The love of cross-genre music has also brought this quintet together: Their repertoire is made up of works by contemporary composers from Bulgaria and Serbia, combining traditional Balkan music, classical music and jazz. 

Konkolo Orchestra

The Konkolo Orchestra is a Zurich-based band centred around multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer Alexis Malefakis. Their debut single «Blue G» (2022) was already a hit, now the album «Future Pasts» (2024) follows, a collection of funky to jazzy Afrobeat and highlife songs. An exuberant atmosphere and dancing mood are guaranteed when the Konkolo Orchestra performs in front of the audience with its light-hearted lyrics, cheerful melodies and a powerful brass section. This concert is free of charge, but admission is only guaranteed with a valid reservation.

El Morabba3

Synthesizer

Moods & jazzhane present

Back in 2009, their fresh rock/post-rock electronic sound, described as euphoric, holistic, spacey, and raucous quickly catapulted the Jordanian-Palestinian band from Amman to massive success; an artistic journey that saw them become one of the leading socially and politically outspoken bands reviving the Arab independent music scene. El Morabba3 broke cultural barriers and appealed to a generation of hunger-stricken fans living in an unstable and restless region, as they craved a new sound; one that expressed the thoughts, concerns, and anger of the people towards the realities they are living today. Today, Muhammad Abdulla and Basel Naouri live in Berlin, they have restructured the band and take El Morabba3&#x27;s earlier aesthetic evolution into a new direction. Departing from the raw post-rock energy of the first album and the polished instrumental/electronic fervor of the second, the artists have taken a deep dive into experimentation with electronic tunes and storytelling.

Siselabonga

Siselabonga are back with a new EP called &#x27;In Stone&#x27;. This time, South African singer-songwriter Nongoma takes the mic as the group moves through a kaleidoscopic mix of acoustic and electronic sounds. The rhythmic foundation is West African to the core, with selected elements of hip-hop, soul, Afrobeats and electro-pop thrown in for good measure. Lively, sensual and transcendent. This concert recording was made with the support of Migros Culture Percentage.

Nubiyan Twist

Acclaimed by the press and critics, celebrated by fans, part of the crème de la crème of British jazz, Nubiyan Twist from Leeds bring together virtuoso musicians, experienced producers and inspired composers under the direction of Tom Excell. Together they create an unmistakable, infectious big band sound with influences from jazz, hip hop, Afrobeat, Latin, soul, reggae and dance music – a captivating, powerful musical experience.

Çiçek Taksi

Clarinet

Album Release «Bin Dilde»

Even if you don&#x27;t understand the lyrics, the music of Çiçek Taksi goes straight to the heart. The band, which the Turkish-Kurdish-Swiss singer Selin Dettwiler founded with three musician friends in Bern, dedicates its new album to the love of poetry; a love that knows no language barriers. Bin Dilde - in a thousand languages – is about love, repression, pain and hope, all woven into the songs. The Turkish poems that the band members collected as the basis for the songs were written by people living in Switzerland. They provide touching insights into arriving in an unknown place and tell of the very different circumstances that led to a departure to new homes in the writers&#x27; country of origin. This concert recording was made with the support of Migros Culture Percentage.

Elina Duni Trio feat. Rabih Abou-Khalil

Flugelhorn

Jurykonzert

Born in 1981 as the daughter of a writer and a director in the Albanian capital Tirana, Elina Duni first appeared on stage at the age of just five. A lot has happened since her first musical steps on radio and television: today, Elina Duni is an ECM artist and, since 2017, a laureate of the Swiss Music Prize. In this ZKB Jazz Prize Special, the oud virtuoso Rabih Abou-Khalil meets the Elina Duni Trio with Marc Méan and Matthieu Michel. A unique constellation that will probably bring some golden moments. The concert took place as part of the ZKB Jazz Prize.

Orchestra Baobab

Moods Summer Special

Last year, Orchestra Baobab, one of Africa&#x27;s greatest bands, celebrated its 50th anniversary. Its story begins in the heart of Dakar&#x27;s medina in Senegal in the late 1960s and stretches around the world and into the 21st century. The group of singers and musicians from all over the continent play a mixture of Afro and Latin American styles, international pop and traditional griot music. After last year&#x27;s sold-out concert, the band returns to Moods this August. Before and after the concert, DJs Afreekaya &amp; Voilà Tim will be spinning some tunes.

Schmidi Schmidhauser & The Hasta Luegos

Abschiedskonzert

What luck: Mrs. Schmidhauser buys a guitar but doesn&#x27;t find enough time to practice. So she gives the instrument to her boys. Beat and Jürg don&#x27;t waste much time and start rocking. Some time later Beat, meanwhile matured to Schmidi, plays his first gig at the age of 14. Today, about 1500 concerts and 46 years later, Schmidi delights us for the last time live on stage, because – and to our regret – &quot;it&#x27;s enough of a good thing.&quot; From now on, he wants to devote himself to things that have came up short in all these years. Schmidi has experienced indescribable things on a thousand and one stages, on the road with &quot;Stop the Shoppers&quot;, &quot;HOT DC&quot;, &quot;Los Hobos&quot;, &quot;Chica Torpedo&quot;, &quot;Traktorkestar&quot;, &quot;Oso loco&quot;, with Polo, Kuno, Endo, Büne, Sina, Lo &amp; Leduc - and again and again with Jürg/Jiri, the beloved brother. So then: clear the stage!

Yarima Blanco Y Son Latino

Tres

Yarima Blanco is an outstanding Tres Cubano player and one of the few outside of Cuba to master this unique three-stringed instrument. With her own septet, Son Latino, she combines various Cuban styles with Latin American influences. Her electrifying performances showcase not only her impressive technique on the tres, but also her powerful voice and charisma. Blanco perfected her skills during several years of study in Cuba and quickly became a sought-after artist, also making waves on the international jazz scene with the orchestra ANACAONA. Pancho Amat, international master of the tres cubanos, describes Blanco&#x27;s talent as exceptional. This concert recording was made with the support of Migros Culture Percentage.

Alina Amuri + Special Guests

Flute

Sousaphon

Tuba

Album Release im Moods

Alina Amuri&#x27;s record launch will take place as part of the Schiffbaufest. The concert is free of charge, but we ask our guests to reserve a ticket via the link in order to have guaranteed admission. With different cultural influences and a lively and bold message, Alina Amuri manages to create magical musical moments. Born in DR Congo Kinshasa and raised in Switzerland, the singer and multi-instrumentalist has developed her own homemade style between Afro, Neo Soul and Trip Hop in the last ten years. An unforgettable voice meets Congolese percussion joy and surprising flute interludes, releasing forces where optimism returns and dancing becomes inevitable. A sound that creates a new sense of togetherness and the promise that everything will be alright. Alina Amuri&#x27;s music combines influences from Lauryn Hill, Nina Simone and Alicia Keys with a fresh, lively twist. Alina has already been selected for SRF 3 Best Talent, has been nominated for the most important Swiss music award (Swiss Music Awards) and won the Swiss Live Talent Award with her last album (Chasing Traces). At this concert Alina Amuri will present her next studio album Back To You. It is the most personal record so far and tells about her journey back to her birthplace Kinshasa, back to her family roots.

Yoni Mayraz

Yoni Mayraz, who grew up in Tel Aviv and lives in London, has made a name for himself in the British new jazz scene since 2020 with a few singles and the EP «Rough Cuts». On his debut album «Dybbuk Tse!» he combines jazz with elements of 90s New York hip-hop, old-school breakbeats and Middle Eastern music. In Jewish folklore, the «Dybbuk» in the title is the spirit of someone dead in sin who drives into a living body. «Dybbuk Tse!» is the command to the spirit to leave the afflicted body. In this sense, the debut album can be read as the exorcism of evil spirits.

Boubacar Traoré

Mundharmonika

In the early years of Mali&#x27;s independence, 20-year-old Boubacar Traoré picked up an electric guitar and shaped the sound of the young state. But with the military coup in 1968, his songs were banned from the radio and Traoré had to support his family as a farmer and small trader. In the late 1980s, however, his comeback was abruptly interrupted once again by the death of his wife. Traoré went to Paris and made a living as a construction worker. Finally, in 1990, he re-emerged as a musician and recorded six albums in short intervals. Very soon, Vincent Bucher&#x27;s harmonica became the sonic alter ego of Traoré&#x27;s voice and guitar playing. Since the turn of the millennium at the latest, he has been celebrated as one of the great fathers and ambassadors of modern Mandingo music, combining characteristic playing techniques and ideas from West Africa with the philosophy of the blues from the southern United States.

Global Sounds

Rap / R'n'B / Brass

Experimental

Jazz Experimental

Jazz

Soul / Blues / Funk

Rap / R'n'B

Pop / Rock / Singer / Songwriter

Jazz Modern Creative

Electronic / Party

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ZKB Special

James Gruntz