Balla Kouyaté is an internationally recognized balafon player and jaliw (griot). He is a lecturer at the New England Conservatory. He is a National Heritage Fellow of the National Endowment for the Arts 2019. Kouyaté has collaborated with ensembles and musicians such as Silkroad, Yo-Yo Ma, Angélique Kidjo and Vusi Mahlasela.

The two brothers Leo and Niki Waltersdorfer from Graz push the boundaries of the wonderland of percussion instruments together - and often transgress them. They have both played drums since they were children, but have developed in opposing directions. The older, Leo, is a percussionist in the stage orchestra of the Vienna State Opera, the younger, Niki, is an aspiring jazz drummer and composer, singer and lead guitarist in his band "Candlelight Ficus". Together in the "Sound im Getriebe" project, they throw their many years of experience, lots of sounds and even more instruments into a pot. It will be interesting to see what comes out of it...

Nomfusi is a multi-nominated Afrosoul singer from South Africa. Wherever the petite singer takes the microphone, superlatives are not far away - the charm, the voice, the energy! With her mix of groovy township sounds, Afro-soul and Afro-pop, paired with incomparable stage presence and a gigantic voice, the daughter of a South African sangoma (healer) captivates audiences worldwide. With ease, she interweaves the essence of Africa with jazz, soul and her Xhosa culture, to the Maskandi sounds that resonate from the green hills of the east coast. Nomfusi is a true musical jewel who, together with her four-piece band, takes hearts by storm and radiates a fabulous energy. An energy that you cannot escape and that reawakens the joy of life.
"...her concerts are simply irresistible..." - Süddeutsche Zeitung
"Her voice is bigger than mine, but it's smaller than my trumpet. The last time we invited her, she stole the show." - Hugh Masekela