Search: ashram singers

Farida Mohammed Ali's mastery of the ancient maqam discipline - a lifetime’s pursuit - is truly extraordinary. In execution, this traditional singing technique requires full command of comp...

In 1975, family group The Staples Jr. Singers released their first and only album: ‘When Do We Get Paid’ - recorded when the gospel band’s youngest members were in their early teenag...

Yonatan Gat became known as a member of revolutionary Israeli punk band Monotonix, as well as an acclaimed recording artist. After powwow drum group the Eastern Medicine Singers initially turned down...

Hailing from the small town of Como, Mississippi, this vocal trinity of gospel singers perform their spirituals together with musicians from the Daptone family. Each heartwarming voice has its own set...

Farida Mohammad Ali's mastery of the ancient maqam discipline - a lifetime’s pursuit - is truly extraordinary. In execution, this traditional singing technique requires full command of complex m...

Declared a ‘cult hero’ by The Guardian, Perfume Genius has invited Canadian songwriter and actress Mary Margaret O’Hara to Utrecht for a very rare live performance. The undisciplinar...

Renowned for her extraordinary vocal range, The Chicago Reader described Maja S. K. Ratkje as “one of the most astonishing singers on the planet.” Even more of an accomplishment when you t...

Mazaher are a small group of mostly women musicians and singers who play Zãr music: chanting songs and playing hypnotic polyrhythms used as a purification and exorcism ritual to help pacify and...

In our opinion, by the time November rolls around, Catalan duo Tarta Relena should head a-many top-of-year lists thanks to ‘Pack Pro Nobis’. The release, an expanded edition of prior works...

Cottica Territory is Now Only in Memory is a short documentary about the Marron music & culture of the Cottica area. After the internal war, many villagers stayed in Moengo on their return from th...

Street vendors are often referred to as merchandisers who use public spaces to sell their products and services. In Mexico, street vendors go back to the pre-Hispanic times, when people started sellin...

One would be hard-pressed to not be spellbound by Rəhman Məmmədli’s effervescent playing. The guitarist’s blazing practice sprung from one of Azerbaijan’s most tumultuous and transfo...

Since debuting in 2017, Miami-based producer Coffintexts (whose real name is Alexandra Muggli) has been growing her unruly catalog. Despite largely centering club music, much of Coffintexts’ mus...

In the flamenco world, Frente Abierto is presenting new possibilities; by welcoming genres as diverse as metal and ambient into their realm, the music they play takes on a whole new form. Their sound...

Aftab Sr. was born in what was, up until the seventies, the beating cultural heart of Pakistan - Lahore. Raised amidst culture (music, fine arts, crafts, progressive literature, socio-political discou...

Ever since being a young boy, Katokye dedicated his life to traditional songs from the Bahima (Western Uganda). He roamed his homeland to refine his art and now—in his mid-50s—he is one of...

In a recent interview with Noisey, the Sai Anantam Ashram Singers reflect on the inspiring and influential Alice Coltrane: "I hadn't really realized what an inventive music it was, and how special it...

Just around Sunset on Sunday, 12 November, the spiritual Sai Anantam Ashram Singers will gather in TivoliVredenburg's Grote Zaal. Over the years, they have been bringing chants as followers of the leg...

Le Guess Who? 2017 celebrated the life & work of Alice Coltrane with the Sai Anantam Ashram Singers performing her ecstatic music live at the festival. Listen to three tracks of the performan...

The Sai Anantam Ashram Singers - hailing from the Ashram that Alice Coltrane herself founded in LA - perform Coltrane’s ecstatic music which was recorded in seclusion inside the temple. It is th...

The full line-up for Le Guess Who? is now revealed, with 60 acts completing the program - check out the full line-up here.  The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda performed by...

Le Guess Who? & de Volkskrant bring you video portraits of artists performing at Le Guess Who? 2017. Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda’s devotion to spirituality defined the final decades o...

(Artwork by Raimund Wong) Playing live following ‘The Inheritors’ was a complete new experience for James Holden; improvising with live drums, sax and synths opened a new world for Holden...

Did you always wanted to know what was happening backstage during Le Guess Who? Photographer Sara Amroussi-Gilissen was present at the festival last November, and captured artists like Kelly Lee Owens...

Yesterday (Thursday, 23 April), Utrecht's Stranded FM broadcasted a Le Guess Who? special with an hour of LGW live recordings and memories, teleporting you back and forth to blissful festival moments of these past few years. The special featured a.o. Selda Bagcan; Mario Batkovic; Sun Ra Arkestra; Junun ft. Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny...

"Abstracting gospel, folk and blues roots, Sharrock did with the voice what John Coltrane, Albert Ayler, and Pharoah Sanders did with the saxophone: pushing beyond their natural range to find ecstatic...

The legendary Sun Ra Arkestra isn’t so much an ensemble as it is an ideology passed on from generation to generation. Vulture has created an extensive guide to Sun Ra, highlighting various perio...

Anthology Recordings announces the reissue of 3 of Pharoah Sanders' significant albums: 'Tauhid', 'Jewels of Thought' and 'Summun Bukmun Umyun (Deaf Dumb Blind)'. The records are available exclusively...

Earlier this year, Aldous Harding released her beautiful album 'Party', striking that rare balance between fragility and full-blown, theatrical possession. Now, she premieres new song 'Elation' i...

Le Guess Who? is celebrating an impressive milestone with the publication of its 100th festival recording: dub-reggae ensemble African Head Charge live at Le Guess Who? 2023. Over the years, the festival has continuously expanded its online recording archive via leguesswho.com/recordings. The archive reflects the eclectic nature of Le Gue...

Our residential photographers Juri Hiensch and Melanie Marsman have been exploring Le Guess Who? again in 2022, captured different photo series during the festival. The upcoming time, we'll be sharing these series on this website and our social media. Curated by Animal Collective, by Juri Hiensch For LGW22, Baltimore quartet Animal Co...

This November, Le Guess Who? will feature a special performance by Cheikha Rabia, a renowned singer with over five decades of experience in reinventing rai music. Her performance will be a collaboration with Esraa Warda, a prolific dancer expert in traditional North African dance forms. Both artists hail from Algeria, but currently, Cheik...

In 2019, the concert series Hidden Musics originated between Le Guess Who?, Chris Eckman of Glitterbeat Records and GRAMMY Award-winning producer and writer Ian Brennan, from the shared belief that it is important to platform underrepresented artists, and magnify music produced far from the mainstream. In 2022, we are proud the present th...

We're proud to reveal the full line-up for Le Guess Who? 2018 with 47 new additions to the program. Starting today, day tickets for the festival are also on sale.  The final additions to the Le...

This November, Le Guess Who? will feature a rare performance (their first European show in over 15 years) of Egypt’s Mazaher: a small group of mostly women musicians and singers who play Zar music: chanting songs and playing hypnotic polyrhythms used in a ceremonial event to cleanse the spirits and to clear away illness and discomfo...

The West African collective of Les Amazones d'Afrique performed live at Le Guess Who? 2017, with Mamani Keita, Rokia Koné, and Kandia Kouyate as lead singers. Now, OkayAfrica pre...

Le Guess Who? is a Celebration of Sound. From 10-13 November, the festival returns to Utrecht, The Netherlands, for its 15th Anniversary Edition. We now reveals the guest curators and their full curated programs, as well as the first artists for the general program. Curated programs by Animal Collective, clipping., and CURL Inviting gue...

Pakistani singer Faiz Ali Faiz gave a spectacular performance as one of the closing acts of Le Guess Who? 2023. You can now relive this glorious moment with our concert film, as well as the full audio of the show.  "Another kind of passion was found in the lovely old Vredenburg hall with the transcendent qawwali of Faiz Ali Faiz a...

In the flamenco world, Frente Abierto presents new possibilities. The group welcomes genres as diverse as metal and ambient into their realm, fusing their experimental streak with some of new flamenco’s most powerful singers.  At Le Guess Who? 2024, the Andalusian collective collaborated with Israel Fernández, a cantaor...

We would like to introduce you to Black Midi: part band, part mystery. Despite the fact that they've got almost no online presence and are still unsigned, the group has already garnered praise from me...

Hailing from Jogjakarta, Senyawa pushes traditional Indonesian music and experimental music far, far beyond their accustomed boundaries, resulting in a thrilling blend of their cultural heritage,...

Originally conceived as a medium for Chicago-based multi-media artist/activist Damon Locks’s sample-based sound collage work, Black Monument Ensemble (BME) has evolved from a solo mission into a vibrant collective of artists, musicians, singers, and dancers making work with common goals of joy, compassion, and intention. Follo...

Mazaher are a small group of mostly women musicians and singers who play Zãr music: chanting songs and playing hypnotic polyrhythms traditionally used as a purification and exorcism ritual to help pacify and cleanse the human spirit. Zar practitioners have been stigmatized because of this exorcist tradition and the aim of...

In the mid-1960s, Art Ensemble of Chicago sprung from the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Ever since, they have been celebrated as one of the most remarkable free ja...

Ahead of her performance at Le Guess Who?, we catch up with Tunisian singer, musician & artist Emel Mathlouthi while on her way to a performance in Washington DC. It became a talk about being challenged by collaborators, the Arab Spring and the role of social media, being categorized by singing in Arabic, and the importance of being t...

Leading up to their forthcoming album 'For A Lark', set to be released on the exact same day as their performance at Le Guess Who?, King Champion Sounds has shared a new video for 'Memory Is Imagined'. Premiered via Louder Than War, this track is a deeply psychedelic and transformative song featuring heavy guitar action courtesy...

During Le Guess Who? 2017, Perfume Genius and Mary Margaret O’Hara met backstage for a side-by-side interview. Mike Hadreas invited the Canadian cult hero to Utrecht as part of his curated...

Violinist and vocalist Sudan Archives writes, plays, and produces her own music. Drawing inspiration from Sudanese fiddlers, she is self-taught on the violin, and her unique songs also fold in el...

Hailing from the small town of Como, Mississippi, The Como Mamas consist of Sisters Angela Taylor and Della Daniels together with their friend Ester Mae Smith. They have been singing together since ch...

Following the announcement of the curated programs and the initial names for the general program of Le Guess Who? 2022 last month, we are now adding four special projects to the program. These include the third edition of Hidden Musics and programs hosted by Coco Maria, GNOD, and Uncloud. Hidden Musics Le Guess Who? proudly presents the...

Ever since they started working together in the mid-eighties, Czech artists Irena & Vojtěch Havlovi have traveled far and wide, crossing continents, cultures and mediums with styles of European classical music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary. In the process, the duo made fans which include Sufjan Stevens, The National's...

Chanting songs and playing hypnotic polyrhythms, Egyptian ensemble Mazaher gave a rare performance at Le Guess Who? 2021. It was their first European show in over 15 years. Mazaher is an Egyptian ensemble, a small group of mostly women musicians and singers who play Zãr music: a combination of chanted songs and hypnotic polyrhythm...

Celebrated Israeli singer, musician and producer Dudu Tassa and award-winning composer and guitarist Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead, The Smile) have teamed up for the collaborative album Jarak Qaribak, which is released today via World Circuit Records. Jarak Qaribak translates, more or less, as ‘Your Neighbour Is Your Friend. It&r...

Swedish psych outfit Goat performed live at Le Guess Who?'s 15th Anniversary Edition in 2022, following the release of their latest album 'Oh Death' via Rocket Recordings. You can now relive part of the performance via our concert film below, which features the tracks 'Under No Nation', 'Gathering of Ancient Tribes', 'Do The Dance', 'Disc...

This November, Le Guess Who? will feature a special performance by Pakistani qawwali singer Faiz Ali Faiz. Having been born to seven consecutive generations of qawwals (those who perform the ancient form of religious Sufi music from Pakistan and Northern India - Punjab - known as qawwali), Faiz Ali Faiz was raised on the practice. After...

This November, Le Guess Who? features a performance by Kamilya Jubran, which was curated by mastering engineer Heba Kadry. Born in Palestine and currently based in Paris, Kamilya Jubran is one of the most revered figures in the experimental and alternative Arabic music scenes.  Through her multi-disciplinary work, Jubran continues t...

You can also listen to this story – below or via your favorite podcast app. On the closing day of Le Guess Who? 2023, the festival features the first international performance of Ndox Electrique, whose music is inspired by an ancient ritual of the spirit-world originating from Senegal’s n’döep ceremonies. ...

As part of Arooj Aftab's curation at Le Guess Who? 2024, the artist invited her father, Aftab Sr., to perform together with her at the festival. As Aftab Sr. was denied his visa to travel to Utrecht, Le Guess Who? in collaboration with Pakistani label Honiunhoni and filmmaker Daniyal Yousaf, captured a performance of love poetry sung at h...

Noura Mint Seymali performed on the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2024 as part of the program curated by Arooj Aftab. You can now listen to, and relive, the full performance below.  Noura Mint Seymali is a nationally adored Mauritanian musical star, born into a prominent line of Moorish griot; West African praise singers, poets a...

Pakistani singer Faiz Ali Faiz gave a spectacular performance as one of the closing acts of Le Guess Who? 2023. You can now relive this glorious moment with our concert film, as well as the full audio of the show.  "Another kind of passion was found in the lovely old Vredenburg hall with the transcendent qawwali of Faiz Ali Faiz a...

In the flamenco world, Frente Abierto presents new possibilities. The group welcomes genres as diverse as metal and ambient into their realm, fusing their experimental streak with some of new flamenco’s most powerful singers.  At Le Guess Who? 2024, the Andalusian collective collaborated with Israel Fernández, a cantaor...

Chanting songs and playing hypnotic polyrhythms, Egyptian ensemble Mazaher gave a rare performance at Le Guess Who? 2021. It was their first European show in over 15 years. Mazaher is an Egyptian ensemble, a small group of mostly women musicians and singers who play Zãr music: a combination of chanted songs and hypnotic polyrhythm...

Junun featuring Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood, and the Rajasthan Express was the closing act of Le Guess Who? 2016. Relive their magical performance. About JununInside a 15th century Mehrangarh fort in Rajasthan, India, Israeli composer Shye Ben Tzur and Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood met the Rajasthan Express: an Indian ensemble...

Swedish psych outfit Goat performed live at Le Guess Who?'s 15th Anniversary Edition in 2022, following the release of their latest album 'Oh Death' via Rocket Recordings. You can now relive part of the performance via our concert film below, which features the tracks 'Under No Nation', 'Gathering of Ancient Tribes', 'Do The Dance', 'Disc...

Noura Mint Seymali performed on the opening night of Le Guess Who? 2024 as part of the program curated by Arooj Aftab. You can now listen to, and relive, the full performance below.  Noura Mint Seymali is a nationally adored Mauritanian musical star, born into a prominent line of Moorish griot; West African praise singers, poets a...

The Netherlands 3FM: Eva Koreman nieuwe presentator 3voor12 radio 3FM: Le Guess Who? 2018: Ralph-Herman snapt niet wat Colin Stetson doet3FM: Timo op Le Guess Who: van gevoelige liedjes in een kerk tot stoned rappers3voor12: Kijk terug: James Holden & The Animal Spirits op Le Guess Who? 3voor12: Festivals willen dat je een kaart...