LA CHIVA GANTIVA starts in Brussels with a group of Colombian percussionists playing together for around 10 years.

Las Cafeteras sprouted in 2005 as students who enjoyed free Son Jarocho classes at the Eastside Cafe in El Sereno, Los Angeles and were inspired to utilize teachings of Son Jarocho as a tool to build autonomy, community and solidarity while sharing the magic of this folk music from Southern Veracruz with the public. They’ve since performed at community centers, churches, schools, museums, parties, protests, youth conferences, theaters, festivals, weddings, & art exhibits.

Born out of intense personal hardship, Les Rav is the musical brainchild of Lauren Bruno, an energetic and waifish young woman who’s cheery demeanor hardly belies the haunting ethereal quality of the melodies she composes. To Bruno, Les Rav represents many things – certainly music, but also a very important message and artistic connection. The multifaceted nature of the group’s musical efforts is a crucial element for the rest of the band, which includes Caleb Hans on violin,David Thomas Jones on bass, Robert Wills on drums, and Andrew Noble on guitar and viola.

Newest member of Taylor Gang.

eth Sentry (born 1984) is an MC from Melbourne, Victoria.

Emerging from Melbourne’s live hip hop scene with the November release of his highly-anticipated debut EP, The Waiter Minute, Seth Sentry has a busy summer ahead, finalising his debut full-length (due for an early 2009 release) whist touring and promoting in support of the EP.

The culmination of several years’ involvement in the local scene and a strong musical partnership with respected Melbourne producer Matik, The Waiter Minute EP has quickly garnered widespread media attention and favourable reviews:

“What the hell is that?” is a question pretty familiar to the controversial Brooklyn band Prince Rama. The answer is far from simple; sisters Taraka and Nimai Larson have lived in ashrams, worked for utopian architects, written manifestos, delivered lectures from pools of fake blood, conducted group exorcisms disguised as VHS workouts and have now finished inventing an apocalypse on which to base their new pseudo-compilation album, Top Ten Hits of the End of the World, comprised of ten singles “channeled” from fictional deceased pop bands.

The beginning of Pirates Canoe was when Sara, a Buddhist monk/mandolin player, happened to walk into a baseball bar in the middle of Kyoto, Japan. That’s where she met Kanako, carrying a fiddle case and drinking beer. The very next day, the two heard the singing of Reika in another Kyoto bar. Thus was the band born—Instruments, voice, bars and alcohol.

Songwriter and DIY instrument maker Matthew Steinke returns with emotionally driven anthems backed by a collection of homemade animatronic musical instruments that comprise the latest installment of OCTANT. Steinke has recently relocated back to Austin, his hometown, after spending several years in Brooklyn, Chicago, and the Pacific Northwest creating multimedia art installations and playing in pioneer indie-rock bands Mocket and Satisfact.

A Greek bassist ducked into a little bar in New York’s Alphabet City and heard the Eastern Mediterranean and Southern Balkans pouring across the packed room. The clarinet was keening and singing, and he knew every tune.