ABOUT With a lifelong passion for World Music and Music of Black Origin, DJ Mayeva comes from a multicultural background with parents of Peruvian-Scottish and Norwegian-Irish origin. 

ABOUT With a lifelong passion for World Music and Music of Black Origin, DJ Mayeva comes from a multicultural background with parents of Peruvian-Scottish and Norwegian-Irish origin. 

ABOUT Originally from the Dominican Republic, Bachata and Salsa singer, July Julay is now resident in Manchester, UK. His vocal expertise has gained him recognition throughout Latin America and has led to TV and radio performances around the Globe.

ABOUT Mumbai-born Hamit Walia grew up in a family whose members were passionate about Indian classical music. His grandfather was a tabla player, so Hamit’s father sent his son for tabla lessons from age four, continuing to study the theory behind the instrument during his early teenage years. 

ABOUT The inherited title, Jali, means traditional griot or storyteller and Jali Nyonkoling Kuyateh was born into a traditional griot family – the keepers of the oral traditions of West Africa.  Although he was born in The Gambia, Jali’s ancestors were originally from the ancient Kingdom of Mali. 

ABOUT Jeff Ukiri, who dreamed of becoming a singer from childhood, first discovered his talent at his local church in the Delta State of Nigeria. Several years later he formed a gospel band, G-Light, with a group of friends and they went on to tour their native country.

ABOUT Jamsalana is a group of musicians from the Caribbean and Sierra Leone. Paul Aikens and Byron Calame hail from Jamaica, Morris Clarke is a British musician whose parents are from Nevis and Barbados. The three Caribbean musicians play steel pan and Sam Maitland, from Sierra Leone plays djembe and congas. The band plays traditional Jamaican and Trinidadian folk music and covers of pop songs.

ABOUT Master pianist, Tshepe Tshepela, hails from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He started in music and vocals in his church choir until as a teenager he left the choir to concentrate on his chosen instrument, the piano. His influences included piano players from a wide variety of genres, including French jazz pianist, Michel Petrucciani, Oscar Peterson and many others.

ABOUT Magaly Flores, was born in Coyuca de Catalan, Guerrero in México. A member of the Institute for the Institute for the Preservation of Mexican Folk Dances (IDDMAC) in Mexico, CIOFF and the UNESCO CID Dance Council, in 2021 she received the Distinguished Mexican Award from the Mexican Government for promoting Mexican culture overseas.

ABOUT Mumbai-born Hamit Walia grew up in a family whose members were passionate about Indian classical music. His grandfather was a tabla player, so Hamit’s father sent his son for tabla lessons from age four, continuing to study the theory behind the instrument during his early teenage years. 

ABOUT Liverpool-based Felix Ngindu is a professional musician from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is an experienced drummer and percussionist who can play a wide variety of styles, including African and other world rhythms, as well as rock and jazz.

ABOUT Performer, singer-songwriter, recording artist and workshop facilitator, Papa Sam Alafia, moved to the UK in the late 1980s from Freetown, Sierra Leone in West Africa.

ABOUT Born in Withington, South Manchester, Carol grew up in a family of Jewish musicians, and part of her family band The Jacksons (no not that one!). Mum played piano, her father was a drummer and her younger sister played clarinet and sang vocals. Carol was also a vocalist and learned the piano and guitar. During her teenage years, she set up a band Black, Brown and Beige with two girls from school, performing folk music on guitar with vocal harmonies.

ABOUT Tebu is a multi-instrumentalist musician from Douala in the Cameroon. His music blends African rhythms, jazz, Latin and Caribbean musical influences.

ABOUT Jokeh is a dance artist from Latri Kunda in the Gambia, specialising in West African ballet. Ballet is a group dance which originated in the communities of Gambia Conakry involving adults of both sexes and children.

ABOUT One of the most promising Kathak dancers.” Asian Leader, UK

ABOUT known as Mento-B or Calypso George, George Linton is a stalwart of the Manchester Caribbean community, preserving and performing the songs of his Jamaican parents and grandparents.

ABOUT Individually already well-known on the UK and African world music scenes.

ABOUT Kinga Malec is an accomplished performer of Polish folk and Indian dance based in Liverpool, UK.