ARTIST ROSTER 2023

Critically Acclaimed, Internationally Diverse, 10-Piece, Afro-Orchestra led by Ghanaian Djembe master and vocalist Afla Sackey. Blending High-Life, Afrobeat, Traditional Ghanaian Rhythms, Tight Funk and Roots Music this ensemble is a true spectacle.

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Rapidly ascending Welsh Reggae star Scott, possesses a truly natural soul and truly astonishing power. Constantly pushing the boundaries of her genre and with great eclecticism, her voyage of discovery is responsible for creating a truly authentic yet unique reggae sound. This is Lovers Rock and beyond.

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The 6 piece live band fuses the mystical energy and instruments of traditional Scottish music and Gaelic song with the heavy, meditative, driving basslines digital dub music. The band is a unique mix of experienced traditional folk musicians and Dub Reggae specialists, using acoustic and digital instruments. The result is an explosive heavyweight blend of what the band call ‘Future Dub from Ancient Scotland’.

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Awen Ensemble are a Leeds based Contemporary Jazz Collective. Taking inspiration from global folk music, the band are melodically driven with a modal and groove based focus. Incredible virtuosic performances from all members……These guys are properly listening to each other which means you should too!

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A special mix brought together by DJ Chris Arnold showcasing a collection of covers, remixes, mashups as well as tunes that sampled arguably the greatest band that ever existed - The Beatles. Expect to hear plenty of reggae, ska, latin, hip hop, funk and even drum & bass takes on the wonderful music created by John, Paul, George & Ringo. Welcome to The Beatles Dub Club.

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Welsh born , Newcastle based, Ceitidh blends warming cello tones and soaring vocals to create a transformative sound that puts a progressive twist on the alt.folk genre. Her live show is an innovative take on traditional and alternative folk songs, sitting alongside her own original material which explores topics ranging from illuminating everyday experiences to subjects of deeper self reflection.

The brain-child of award winning, Glasgow based, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and visual artist Liam Shortall. Corto.alto bring together an international ensemble of genre spanning musicians in deep exploration of new and original sounds from the world of Jazz & beyond. Expect addictive melodies, a super tight rhythm section and inimitable musicianship from this incredibly adept, virtuosic assemblage.

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Easy Stride Band use a deft fusion of soul and reggae to create upbeat, feel-good music, combining live vocal and guitar loops with deep bass and head-nodding beats.  Fun, fresh and fantastic! Immediately captivating, this uplifting trio scream positivity and celebration, a sentiment which is echoed through the band's performance style.

A high energy Afro Fusion Collective fusing powerful and upbeat Latin & African percussion, brass, vocal chants, Blues, Jazz, Afro-beat, and Funk, to create a unique sound and an invigorating party atmosphere that will get you up on your feet.

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Shimmy shimmy ya, shimmy yam, shimmy yay!  Following three decades of working with the creme de la creme of the reggae world, Winston Williams aka Horseman steps into the spotlight with the Mighty Upper cut Band. This is a serious Combination pack!! Roots Reggae Royalty, a full blooded thoroughbred, true pedigree!

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JAMU samples genres from around the world, with classic hip-hop tracks, to create a cleverly constructed showcase, which includes reggae, jazz, dub, swing, trip-hop etc.

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Manchester based, Conscious, Current, Elastic and chilled….. Backed by a super eclectic, mega tight live band; Expect a banging live show from these Hip Hop heavyweights.

Ghana’s finest, K.O.G, Best known for his loose limbed, bendy bodied, fantastically explosive live performances, Is back with a brand new project; Blending high-life, hip hop, hypnotic and high energy African jazz, incredible vocal dexterity and ballistic party vibes. These won’t just cut the rug, they’ll wear it out!!

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Tipped as the hottest new Surf Rock Band in the UK right now, This experience is sure to be wild, exotic, and drenched in Reverb! Heavy heavy surf beats, meandering latin bass lines, and intricate sun soaked Gtr riffage, link limbs to deliver rocking instrumentals to get us a shakin’ and a shimmying’…..

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From ancient sea shanties to southern gothic ballads, haunting indie folk to full power witchy feminist sass; Message from the Ravens are the girlband who sing the lost stories that the ravens have witnessed since the dawn of time

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The former frontman of The Correspondents, one of Britain’s most in-demand festival acts for a decade, went solo in spectacular style last year, unveiling a new sound which draws on decades of UK dance music, from tech house and jungle to garage and house. This summer Mr Bruce lets loose as never before. Lyrically candid yet flamboyant in delivery, as honest as it is inventive and as theatrical as we’ve come to expect from the bendy-bodied performer.

Fronted by identical twin sisters and supported by a formidable rhythm section, NOOKEE offer tastefully served musical flavours for you to stir together as you please. Combined to make one big soup of sound, they bring a mouth watering experience to any person, from any walk of life. Driven by blood matched harmony woven into sunny-side up rhythm and blues, these twins pour their soul into the genre-busting sound of their rhythm section. Varnished with funky aesthetics, this outfit will quench the thirst of both eyes and ears.

Omega Nebula are a digital dub duo with firm roots in the UK sound system and dub reggae scene. This Husband and Wife duo offer a unique blend of dub reggae and dance music, that brings the heaviness you need for late night club slots and festival sound systems. Revered for their high energy performances, in their live show you can expect a dynamic fusion of synthesizers, dub sirens, live instruments and killer vocals…

Potts is a natural soul singer, lyrically honest with a penchant for a catchy chorus, He’s as happy on his own with a guitar and kick drum as he is fronting a heavy band.  Since cutting his teeth as a guitarist and singer on the festival and live circuit across Europe and the UK, he has immersed himself in the world of theatre, shifting the context of his practise with great success gaining critical acclaim for his work as a composer and performer alike.  

New wave dancefloor instrumentalists Snazzback bring a renewed, daring energy to dance music. The 7-piece embrace their Bristol beginnings to create a sound fusing abstract beats with spiralling improvisation, that doesn’t shy away from chaos. Their music is soaked in influences including interlocking West African rhythms, rootsy Brazilian flavours, sprawling soundscapes, deep dubstep basslines and flickering arpeggiators.

These two Bristol based rascals are pioneers of the party, teachers of turntablism, bringers of bangers. They say…. “We like breaks, funky bass lines, horns, and dance floor grooves. We’re inspired by the golden eras of funk, soul, disco and hip-hop, and we try and cram that into three and a half minute songs”. Get the picture!? Definitely won’t bring you out in a rash, they might make your feet hurt though. Not to be missed.

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The Wax Preachers are a 6-piece hard hitting, horn led, instrumental funk band from London. Relatively new on the the scene, but with a wealth of experience to the game, featuring members from London's finest Soul Grenades and Smith and The Honey Badgers.

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Live African dance music, fusing Congolese guitar + Gambian kora virtuosity with UK electronic sensibilities to create captivating, beautiful, dancefloor- friendly new music for a new generation of world music fans with one foot in the clubs.

Absolute Power. Guts. A Rawness that cannot be taught, nor learned for that matter. A true Rock n Roll performer. Once described as a musical Force of Nature, this incredible songstress, straight from the rolling hills of Ireland, is a rising star. What a voice. 

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The ANIMANZ & JUANITA EUKA safari has been adventuring for a decade now, fuelled by body-popping funk raves, basement-cumbia bailars and psych-rock festivals... Raising pulses at dance-thriller shows in our residency performances and special event gigs throughout Europe.

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From humble busking beginnings Bare Jams now sit firmly ‘pon top of the Reggae tree. A six strong collective, a sunshiney disposition, nostalgic flavours of ska, dub, reggae and soul all contribute to the construction of beautifully crafted songs, relatable lyrics and singable choruses to stick in your lug holes and yo dancing daps. You can fall in love to this band, you can dance your feet raw to this band, you can sing your voice away to this band. THIS BAND are a must for your summer. Big love Bare Jams you beautiful buggers you.

BB are an explosive and energetic brass band from the Netherlands. This is next level brass music. Explosive and energetic, combining the energy of brass with the attitude of rock ‘n’ roll, the drive of funk and the flow of hip hop.

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Chainska Brassika represents everything there is about London's underground ska scene. The band bring energy, swagger, attitude and an atmosphere everywhere they go, which has seen the band establish themselves as one of the hottest UK acts in the genre.

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Their high octane, award winning live show is considered to be the World's best live drum & bass act. Expect Fire from the Brass, Heart Wrenching Soul from the incredible voices of Celestine and Laurent John, and a rhythm section sent from space to shatter the Earth!! This promises to be a unique experience of cyclical energy, unity and euphoria. Let’s Go. Dr Meaker!!

Big voice, big bass and big hair is what Singer/MC Eva Lazarus is all about! Her musical flavours span across genres from Reggae to Hip Hop, DnB to Jungle and beyond!

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On a three-man crusade to set dance floors alight with their inimitable brand of razor-sharp funk and disco, Edinburgh’s High Fade captured the attention of a global audience with their music amassing over 30 million views and streams within six months of their first release and, in the process, gaining recognition from music heavyweights including Jack Black, Cypress Hill, Deep Purple’s Glenn Hughes, and Brad Wilk from Rage Against The Machine

Straight out of Cambridge, HybridMp is an alternative Hip-Hop artist, at the beginning of a very exciting musical journey. Expect intricate flows, thought provoking lyrics & a heartfelt relatability. A key partner in Cambridge based collective - Sabotage Audio, Nigee is definitely on the rise, and we are mega pumped to have him on Chai this year. 

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4 x Champion DJ Title Holder JFB is considered the UK’s leading Scratch DJ and Turntablist. A uniquely talented artist; JFB uses his superb technical ability to appeal to any live environment. Be it a Nightclub, Festival or Dive Bar, he never fails to entertain, covering all musical genres from Hiphop, Funk, Dubstep, Glitch Hop, Trap, Swing, Breakbeat and Drum & Bass in his own ‘JFB’ style.

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British Born, Sweden based, Nigerian Story Teller Joshua Idehen is a true wordsmith. Silver tongued, Rich Tones, Gospel, Feel Good Choruses and Whompy beats to lift the spirit, move the body and transport the mind. Before embarking on his solo career in collaboration with Producer Ludvig Parment; JI contributed Poetry to the work of Mercury Nominees ‘The Comet is Coming’ and ‘Son’s of Kemet’. Having also kicked it with Alabaster DePlume and the Calabashed crew, this character is worldly wise, epically versed, conscious and current.

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Influenced by New Orleans Jazz, Soul and Hip Hop, Lazy Habits blast their sound into the 21st Century with hard hitting beats and slick lyrics about modern British culture and urban life. The band describes their sound as: "Beats, Rhymes and Brass of the highest calibre.”

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This is the sound of modern Black-British Soul. A duo hailing from Nottingham, these two Sisters of Soul are a multifaceted harmonic force, embodying contrast and compliment, ebb and flow, balance. Signed to Tru-Thoughts the future is bright. Check in for perfect harmonies and soulful grooves.

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Michael Sebastian improvises dance music. His music has the structure of electronic; the freedom of jazz, and the depth of world music. Sebastian's music is an expression of musical interactions and insights from around the world. His mission is to cultivate connection and share freedom through music and performance.

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Drawing you in with progressive grooves, energetic rhythms and jazz fluidity, Nebula Sun launches you into psychedelic space with their evolving riffs that weave through thick layers of delay and distortion. Whilst leaning into moments of ‘raw chaos’ with their double saxophone and heavy bass, Nebula Sun also bring moments of tranquillity with soulful vocals and lyrics that inspire togetherness. “A burst of radiant interstellar sunshine”​

Driven by post-punk rawness, yet still letting fly with moments of audacious, operatic singing over the tumultuous drums, Nuala Honan leads a killer band through a hopeful pop-dream with her skill for timeless song writing.

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Afro-futurist band ONIPA is the collaboration between multi-instrumentalist artist and rapper K.O.G (Kweku Sackey) and Tom Excell, which fuses music from Ghana and London, alongside bandmates Finn Booth (Nubiyan Twist) and Wonky Logic (Steam Down).

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This is pure sunshine. Genre defying producer and DJ Sam Redmore, backed now by a full live band, presents a truly rare fusion of Disco, Afrobeat, Broken beat, Cumbia and Samba with wide cross-cultural appeal and huge danceability.

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10-piece ensemble celebrating a myriad of cultures, and the unity that music provides for humanity. An exploration of global styles and genres, including Afrobeat, Breakbeat, Jungle, Jazz and Highlife.

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A little bit of London for yer…… The Kubricks. Seven-piece, mixing Ska, Reggae, and Infectious Melodic Pop. Been around for a decade now and have firmly planted themselves as one of the must see UK Ska bands. These chaps have a seeming knack of bringing the best Ska sensibilities, modern pop perfections, and socially conscious lyrics to echo the voice of a generation, twisting them together to present carefully crafted, he’d nodding bangers!! 

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WATP as you’ve never seen them before delivering a capricious, chaotic, punky tight dance ska and bass infused pop music party especially created for the final live slot of the festival. A true brotherhood on an endless creative mission to expressing everything they’ve ever been inspired by and that which comes from their own unlimited souls. Perhaps this is just what makes them such a thoroughly exciting and entertaining band to follow.

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Cardiff-based collective Afro Cluster are perfect proof that genre boundaries and national borders are a help not a hindrance when it comes to creating musical magnificence. Inspired by the legacy of West-African funk, Afro-beat and the golden age of Hip-Hop, their live shows reflect this copious cacophony of sounds and influences, encompassing a rally cry for our generation to confront disparity and injustice, alongside an opportunity to relinquish inhibition and have a Cluster shaped riot!

Forward thinking, British Born, Irish/Ugandan Poet and Songwriter Amy True has been delivering her unique fusion of politicised hip hop, jazz and soul since 2011. A true wordsmith, Amy’s steady stream of conscious, iconoclastic verse sits in visceral harmony amongst soulful melodic hooks and rich jazz motifs as she punches out poetry with unapologetic flare.

Sounds that make you want to move & dance together again, whilst satisfying any craving for the menacing side of bass music.  Their 2 piece Drums and Modular Synthesis set is never the same show twice, Injecting life into the music on stage, where it belongs.

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These three sisters can't recall when or why they started playing, the music’s always just been there. Their hearts lie within a foundation of classic "roots music and Americana" however, the urge to break the rules of traditional music has always been at the forefront of their work. Baskery is a band built on what three people can do together and it's all about turning the music on its head, blending the straightforwardness of punk with the subtlety of singer/ songwriting.

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BLOCO B performs and celebrates Rio de Janeiro Carnival style samba. Emphasis is on creating authentic versions of Rio samba tunes using rhythm, song, melody& dance. To achieve this they blend percussion & drumming (bateria) with singers, cavaquinho players and dancers.

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The UK’s biggest folk band. A stage busting 50 members mix traditional English and Celtic reels, heaving rock grooves, funk, jazz, hip-hop, ska and reggae. Eastern European and Asian flourishes complete the sound, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the group.

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Singer songwriter Dub Princess has been writing new music with Hotsteppas for the past few years, as well as adding her original songs to the set. This has sparked a new flavour to an already established and well respected band in the Bristol scene.

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Gasper Nali is a roots one-man-band from the small town of Nkhata Bay on the shores of Lake Malawi. He plays a one-string home-made 3-metre long Babatonibass guitar with a stick and an empty beer bottle, and together with a cow skin kick drum and catchy melodies, he creates the most amazing and danceable original Afro Beats possible!

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There's only 3 of them, but it sounds humongous!! Hippo is an electronic jazz trio based in Bristol, UK. Their music buries a jazz aesthetic in a nest of beefy electronics and bouncing rhythms. The earnest muscular sound has seen them entertain diverse crowds across the UK - from techno raves to basement jazz clubs and everything in between.

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Reaching into the worlds of Soul, Blues, Gospel, Funk and Disco; Izo’s powerful vocals, uplifting melodies, rich harmonies and deft, Jazz influenced keyboards set her apart from her contemporaries. Her songs are built for Live; sincere and compelling lyrics delivered over tight and melodic grooves. A unique setup, shunning typical soul instrumental combinations to instead feature up to 9 gospel vocalists, this harmonious horde of perfect pitch, provide a truly exceptional live show.

Join The Din is an international ensemble that embodies the vibrant and exploratory nature of the contemporary UK Jazz scene. Consisting of explosive double drums, duelling saxophones, pumping bass and imaginative synths, Join The Din are driven by intricate rhythmic interplay and intense melodic improvisations, combining influences from NU Jazz, Afrobeat, Psychedelia, Progressive Rock, EDM and Rave.

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Karma Sheen is the brainchild of singer-songwriter, and lead guitarist Sameer Khan. An incredible blend of classic rock ala Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Hindustani classical and most notably a strong link with Sameer's cultural heritage through Sufi-poetry inspired lyricism.

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Bristol born and Raised 4 piece, they’ve been defining their own unique brand of sophisticated, sludgy, sex rock for around a decade. This is not just any old rock band…….There’s an underpinning story behind everything they do. Celebrate, the weirdo’s, the unlucky ones, the clumsy ones, and sit comfortably in whatever skin you’ve been born into, these songs are for all of us…..Massive riffs, even massiver drumming….This is Little Thief

Bristol based, collaborative ensemble that have that uncanny ability to find that perfect line between pop and experimentation. They achieve a rare and colourful psychedelic minimalism that is strikingly engaging. Bone-melting. Intravenous Cup-a-Soup. Intimacy. A unique and bright collage of dead-good. Not for the faint of constitution. For divers not paddlers. 

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Mike Dennis is a classically-trained violinist and poet whose boyhood love of Run DMC, Beastie Boys and Gangstarr led him to create a unique kind of string-heavy hip hop music he refers to as Violinica. Not only that but he’s potentially the nicest man in music. Even nicer than Dave Grohl I reckon…..!!

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A collective of friends and musicians challenging each other to express themselves honestly. And the result is a sound that we’re really feeling ~ lively percussion, sultry sax lines, twinkling keys and a variety of vocal textures.

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A blend of virtuosic players, skilled producers and inspired composers join forces to create a unique, infectious sound drawing on jazz, hip-hop, afrobeat, latin, soul, reggae and dance music - expect ultra-tight musicianship and a powerful 10 piece, big band sound.

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Pigeon Wigs are a 5-piece rock ’n’ roll band newly sprung from Cardiff’s fertile soil. Formed from the writing partnership of Harry Franklin-Williams & Louis Jugessur, their music ranges from the bombastic and unrelenting to the sombre and fragile, indulging whatever genre best suits their aims while maintaining a through line that one can only describe as Pigeon Wigs.

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Putting the groove into a selection of traditional and original European Folk music dating from the medieval times to present day, it’s difficult – nay, impossible – for your limbs to remain stationary when you’re within earshot of them in full flight. The fact that they often play with a knowing wink shouldn’t obscure their impeccable technique, and outstanding musicianship that raises the roof in every place they play.

Soaring indie anthems for the modern generation. Hip-hop-inflected beats, dance-tinged rhythms and blistering breakdowns. This is pure, eclectic adventurism from Walsalls finest.

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It's still early days for this Essex based, self taught, 21 year old producer, singer, rapper, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist ...but there's been a rich and varied life lived in Wavysof's short years. Every tricky situation and circumstance she’s found encompassed in her societal troubles are displayed within her undeniable story-telling ability, underground melodic sounds and the incredible honesty and relatability within her lyrics. Messages of love and truth ring out from her powerful, soulful voice. Feels like being punched in the heart repeatedly. Rising Star right here.

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