Media Script Incl

Media Script incl. Line-up

Session Basel AG, Grenzacherstrasse 79, 4058 Basel

BALOISE SESSION 2017 21 October - 09 November 2017 ______

Contents Page Long media text 3 Short media text 5 Concerts and Admission Prices 6 Advance Ticket Sales 7 Artist Photos 7 Contact BALOISE SESSION 7 Social Media 7 Sponsors / Media Partners 8 Chris Rea / Imelda May 9 Goldfrapp / Clean Bandit 11 Nelly Furtado / Nek 13 Kaleo / Ásgeir 15

Madness / Manfred Mann’s Earth Band 17 Alicia Keys / Ira May / Annie Goodchild 19 Kool & the Gang / Dabu Fantastic 21 Gilberto Gil / Amadou & Mariam 23 Tim Bendzko / Max Giesinger 25

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Long media text

BALOISE SESSION 2017 – Unforgettable concerts in an intimate, club-like setting by candlelight

From 21 October to 9 November 2017 Basel once more pulses to the beat of music. That’s when the BALOISE SESSION opens its doors for the 32nd time. Ten star-studded evenings of concerts featuring 19 artists with powerful voices, great songs and energetic performances. Concerts held in the intimate club-like setting by candlelight are an experience not to be missed. Music fans can look forward to appearances by legendary guitar icon Chris Rea, the cult electropop duo Goldfrapp, hitmaker Nelly Furtado, international star Alicia Keys, the Brazilian maestro Gilberto Gil and German pop poet Max Giesinger.

The OPENING NIGHT of the BALOISE SESSION features none other than Chris Rea. After years as a blues singer, he has returned to pop for his latest album. The British artist will be supported by the equally versatile Imelda May.

Lift off for the «ELECTRONIC COSMOS» and enjoy an evening of electro vibes: On 25 October the English band Goldfrapp brings one of the most influential and atmospheric electro pop duos of the past two decades to Basel. The chart-topping British electro-crossover group Clean Bandit rounds off the evening’s entertainment.

An evening chock-full of earworms: Nelly Furtado and Nek have both churned out catchy hits such as «I’m Like A Bird» and «Laura non c’e». Now the two POP SUPERSTARS appear together on 27 October at the BALOISE SESSION, bringing along old favourites like «Say It Right» and «Lascia che io sia» as well as songs from their current albums.

On 29 October it’s time for «ICELAND CALLING»! The Icelandic music scene is gaining cult status. So it's high time to dedicate an evening to the country in the Far North. For the first time live in Switzerland, we bring you Kaleo: the electrifying shooting stars of 2017. Before that, Icelandic singer-songwriter Ásgeir will be capti- vating the audience with his spherical sounds.

31 October is «MAD MANN’S NIGHT»: they are part of England’s cultural musical heritage and have influenced an entire generation with their genres: Madness with ska, Manfred Mann's Earth Band with melodious prog-rock. Let the party begin!

Enjoy «AN EVENING WITH …» Alicia Keys. The icon and winter of 15 Grammys will be performing on two consecutive evenings – 1 and 2 November – in what is, for her, the very intimate club-like setting of the BALOISE SESSION. Each concert will be opened by a prominent female singer on the local scene: Ira May and Annie Goodchild.

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On 3 November the BALOISE SESSION is honoured to present Kool & the Gang, arguably the most successful disco, funk and soul group ever. Dabu Fantastic from the Zurich Oberland will open the concert with toe-tapping dance sounds. «LET’S CELEBRATE»!

On 7 November, Brazil and Africa come together at the Rhine knee: A world music summit at which the Brazilian maestro Gilberto Gil meets the duo Amadou & Mariam from Mali in West Africa. A multi-faceted encounter under the motto «HEAR THE WORLD»!

Two of Germany's hottest pop poets meet on 9 November under the motto «MANN SINGT DEUTSCH». Both belong to a new generation of German pop-poets who evoke strong feelings through their songs.

«Established global stars side by side with new musical discoveries; every year this is how we envision our programme, which evening after evening tells new stories and lets our audiences escape the everyday. Here the discovery of the year, Kaleo; there the international superstar Alicia Keys. In our view, a line-up of which we can be proud, and one that once more brings the world to Basel», says Beatrice Stirnimann, CEO.

For more information about the programme and advance ticket sales, visit baloisesession.ch. All concert performances are recorded and broadcast to 140 countries on five continents.

All concerts start at 8 pm and are held in the Event Hall of the Basel Fair.

Presenting Sponsor Basler Versicherungen

Principal Sponsors Notenstein La Roche Privatbank, Novartis, Dufry, MCH Group, Cornèrcard, Merian Iselin Klinik, Land Rover

Principal Media Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF), Partners Schweizer Illustrierte, Basler Zeitung

Advance ticket sales Tickets are available at baloisesession.ch and at all Ticketcorner advance ticket sales offices as well as ticketcorner.ch, Tel. 0900 800 800 (CHF 1.19 per min.).

Basel, 21 October 2017

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For further media information, contact: Session Basel AG, Beatrice Stirnimann, Grenzacherstrasse 79, 4058 Basel Tel.: +41 61 686 44 98 E-Mail: [email protected], Website: baloisesession.ch

Session Basel AG 21 October 2017 4 BALOISE SESSION 2017 21 October - 09 November 2017 ______

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BALOISE SESSION 2017 – The finest musical entertainment in a unique club-like setting

The autumn concert season is almost here, and with it the 32nd edition of the BALOISE SESSION. From 21 October to 9 November the international boutique music festival presents a star-studded programme full of musical gems.

On 10 evenings, 19 top acts and newcomers will be conjuring up musical magic for visitors:

Sat 21 Oct. Opening Night Chris Rea / Imelda May Wed 25 Oct. Electronic Cosmos Goldfrapp / Clean Bandit Fri 27 Oct. Pop Superstars Nelly Furtado / Nek Sun 29 Oct. Iceland Calling Kaleo / Ásgeir Tues 31 Oct. Mad Mann’s Night Madness / Manfred Mann’s Earth Band Wed 01 Nov. An Evening with … Alicia Keys / Ira May Thurs 02 Nov. An Evening with… Alicia Keys / Annie Goodchild Fri 03 Nov. Let’s Celebrate Kool & the Gang / Dabu Fantastic Tues 07 Nov. Hear the World Gilberto Gil / Amadou & Mariam Thurs 09 Nov. Mann singt Deutsch Tim Bendzko / Max Giesinger

All concerts start at 8 pm and are held in the Event Hall of the Basel Fair.

Presenting Sponsor Basler Versicherungen

Principal Sponsors Notenstein La Roche Privatbank, Novartis, Dufry, MCH Group, Cornèrcard, Merian Iselin Klinik, Land Rover

Principal Media Partners Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF), Schweizer Illustrierte, Basler Zeitung

For more information, visit baloisesession.ch.

Basel, 21 October 2017

Characters: 933

For further media information, contact: Session Basel AG, Beatrice Stirnimann, Grenzacherstrasse 79, 4058 Basel Tel.: +41 61 686 44 98 E-Mail: [email protected], Website: baloisesession.ch

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CONCERTS AND ADMISSION PRICES (incl. advance sale fee & VAT, excl. service charge of max. CHF 1.90) All concerts are held in the Event Hall of the Basel Fair.

Prices in CHF Cat. 1 Cat. 2 Cat. 3 Sat 21 Oct. 2017 OPENING NIGHT Chris Rea / Imelda May 160 130 100

Wed 25 Oct. 2017 ELECTRONIC COSMOS Goldfrapp / Clean Bandit 110 90 70

Fri 27 Oct. 2017 POP SUPERSTARS Nelly Furtado / Nek 150 120 90

Sun 29 Oct. 2017 ICELAND CALLING Kaleo / Ásgeir 100 80 60

Tues 31 Oct. 2017 MAD MANN’S NIGHT Madness / Manfred Mann’s Earth Band 130 110 90

Wed 01 Nov. 2017 AN EVENING WITH … Alicia Keys / Ira May 270 230 190

Thurs 02 Nov. 2017 AN EVENING WITH … Alicia Keys / Annie Goodchild 270 230 190

Fri 03 Nov. 2017 LET’S CELEBRATE Kool & the Gang / Dabu Fantastic 120 100 80

Tues 07 Nov. 2017 HEAR THE WORLD Gilberto Gil / Amadou & Mariam 100 80 60

Thurs 09 Nov. 2017 MANN SINGT DEUTSCH Tim Bendzko / Max Giesinger 100 80 60

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ADVANCE TICKET SALES

Tickets are available at:  baloisesession.ch  Ticketcorner advance ticket sales offices  ticketcorner.ch  Tel. 0900 800 800 (CHF 1.19 per min.).

ARTIST PHOTOS

 Promotional artist photos can be downloaded from baloisesession.ch under «Media». If required, you can request your personal media login online. Please include the photo credit provided in the file when using the photos.

 Live photos can be ordered from our festival photographer Dominik Plüss.

Contact: Photo Pluess Productions Office: +41 61 373 83 10 Mobile: +41 79 606 71 59 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: photopluess.ch

CONTACT BALOISE SESSION

Session Basel AG Grenzacherstrasse 79 4058 Basel CEO: Beatrice Stirnimann E-Mail: [email protected] Website: baloisesession.ch Tel.: +41 61 686 44 44

SOCIAL MEDIA

BALOISE SESSION can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

facebook.com/BALOISESESSIONBasel twitter.com/BALOISESESSION instagram.com/baloisesession

We would be grateful if you could use our official hashtag #baloisesession when posting on social media channels.

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SPONSORS / MEDIA PARTNERS

 Presenting Sponsor Basler Versicherungen

 Principal Sponsors Notenstein La Roche Privatbank, Novartis, Dufry, MCH Group, Cornèrcard, Merian Iselin Klinik, Land Rover

 Principal Media Partners Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF), Schweizer Illustrierte, Basler Zeitung

 Co-sponsors Valencia Kommunikation AG, Andreas Messerli AG, Clear Channel Schweiz AG, Birkhäuser + GBC, Divina Food AG, Café Royal, Confiserie Sprüngli, IWB, Swiss Prime Site, Swisslos-Fonds Basel-Landschaft, Swisslos-Fonds Basel-Stadt

 Other Media Partners ARTE, TV24, TV25,

 Regional Media Partners Telebasel, Radio Basilisk

 Product sponsors Adcom Event AG, AudioRent Clair AG, Bacardi-Martini (Schweiz) AG, Bongénie Grieder Basel, Corporate Fashion International AG, Dobler Gärtnerei, Dyson, Eptinger Mineralwasser, Garage Schmid Reinach, Gelati Gasparini, Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois, Hotel Euler, ICSystems + Support AG, JMT Mietmobiliar, Kathrin Senn Blumen, lucentive, Novotel Basel City, Nüssli (Schweiz) AG, Papyrus Schweiz AG, Ramseier Suisse, Stoffler Musik, Unser Bier, Weber Floors, Yamaha, Zweifel

 Benefactors «Freunde der BALOISE SESSION», President: Bruno Dallo, Basel

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OPENING NIGHT Chris Rea & Imelda May CH-Exclusive

CHRIS REA / IMELDA MAY

Saturday, 21 October 2017, 8 pm, Event Hall of the Basel Fair

Chris Rea is as much a blues-man as a pop star. After years as a blues singer, he has returned to pop for his latest album. At the «OPENING NIGHT» of the BALOISE SESSION on 21 October the British artist will be supported by the equally versatile Imelda May. Chris Rea has numerous classics of the softer variety to his name. «Josephine», «On The Beach», «Auberge» and the Christmas evergreen «Driving Home For Christmas» have all been penned by him. With these easy-listening songs, his intricate guitar playing and his warm, husky voice he has developed an inimitable style over the past four decades – and sold 30 million albums in the process! Although best-known for his ballads, Chris Rea always regarded himself first and foremost as a blues musician. Which is why, after recovering from a life-threatening cancer, he returned to his roots in the noughties, turning his back on the major concert halls of the world and recording albums dedicated solely to the blues. Seen in this light, the latest album produced by the 66-year-old can be viewed as a sort of comeback: «Road Songs For Lovers» is the first more pop-oriented album of ballads that Chris Rea has recorded for years. Imelda May also has a flair for authentic roots music. Known until a few years ago as the rockabilly star with a fifties look, the singer born in Ireland in 1974 has recently adopted a softer, more acoustic folk, rock and blues style. Imelda May recently said she felt corseted in her petticoats and with the whole fifties look, so she decided on a radical makeover. This metamorphosis is reflected in her best- selling and critically-acclaimed current album, «Life Love Flesh Blood», a collaboration with the famous roots musician T Bone Burnett, who produced the album and plays guitar on it. Blues legend Jeff Beck also features on the album.

Marko Lehtinen

 Ticket prices: CHF 160 / 130 / 100  www.chrisrea.com  www.imeldamay.co.uk

Please include the following photo credit when using photos of Chris Rea: © Talgarth

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LINE-UP

Chris Rea

First names / Names: Instruments: Chris Rea Guitar, Vocals Neil Drinkwater Keys Mal Maddock Keys Robert Ahwai Guitar James Ahwai Bass Martin Ditcham Drums

Imelda May

First names / Names: Instruments: Imelda May Vocals Jake Fileds Keys Donald Little Lead Guitar Oliver Cheney Rhythm Guitar Oscar Golding Bass Guitar Ryan Jefferey Aston Drums James Knight Sax David Priseman Trumpet

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ELECTRONIC COSMOS Goldfrapp CH-Exclusive

GOLDFRAPP / CLEAN BANDIT

Wednesday, 25 October 2017, 8 pm, Event Hall of the Basel Fair

Two generations of British electropop – Goldfrapp and Clean Bandit – share the stage in Basel: What they have in common is their aptitude for warm sounds and melody with a capital M.

The initial sounds on their first album gave a foretaste of their talent: The melancholy keyboard at the intro to «Felt Mountain» sounded like a Morricone soundtrack from the 1960s. At the beginning of the millennium, Goldfrapp burst onto the scene with their outstanding debut to rapturous reviews. The atmospheric mix of melodies redolent of film music, sung by elfin-like front-woman Alison Goldfrapp, and the toe-tapping synth-beats of keyboarder and producer Will Gregory were unique. The duo from London went on to dominate the electropop scene of the noughties, and Goldfrapp is still proving its versatility today. Their seven albums to date – including their latest, «Silver Eye» – switch eclectically between acoustic folk and pop and dance beats. Small wonder, then, that they have been nominated for awards that range in category from «Best Pop Artist» to «Best Dance Act».

Clean Bandit belongs to a younger generation of electropop bands. The British trio shot into the Top 10 in 2014 with their debut album «New Eyes», and has since scored two international hits with «Rather Be» featuring guest singer Jess Glynne and «Rockabye» featuring guest singer Sean Paul and singer Anne-Marie. This year’s single, «Symphony», featuring Zara Larsson, also topped the charts in their home country, Britain, and reached No. 6 in the Swiss charts. These achievements illustrate that Clean Bandit have a distinct flair for catchy earworms and, with their mix of house, R’n’B and electropop, have their finger on the pulse of the times. To date, Grace Chatto, Jack Patterson and Luke Patterson have sold 13 million singles and 1.6 million albums.

Marko Lehtinen

 Ticket prices: CHF 110 / 90 / 70  www.goldfrapp.com  www.cleanbandit.co.uk

Please include the following photo credit when using photos of Clean Bandit: Photo 3 © Rita Zimmermann

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LINE-UP

Goldfrapp

First names / Names: Instruments: Alison Goldfrapp Vocals Charlie Jones Bass Seb Sternberg Drums Hazel Mills Keys/ Vocals Angie Pollock Keys/ Vocals

Clean Bandit

First names / Names: Instruments: Luke Patterson Drums Jack Patterson Keys Grace Chatto Cello Stephanie Bendetti Violin Yasmin Green Vocals

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POP SUPERSTARS Nek CH-Exclusive

NELLY FURTADO / NEK

Friday, 27 October 2017, 8 pm, Event Hall of the Basel Fair

She comes from Canada. As a young student in the metropolis of Toronto, her musical influences came from hip-hop and trip-hop. Yet her warm, powerful voice hints at a southern European heritage.

As does her name: Nelly Furtado is the daughter of Portuguese immigrants who emigrated to the Canadian province of British Columbia from the Azores island of São Miguel. So the artist speaks fluent English and Portuguese, as well as Spanish and Hindi. This cultural mix is what makes Nelly’s music so unique: At times she lets her voice float in a feather-light melody as in her super-hit «I'm Like A Bird». At other times she rattles out a razor-sharp rap, as in her powerful «Promiscuous». Small wonder, then, that this multi-talented woman, who is also a presenter and actress and has released five hugely successful albums to date, has also won several Grammys.

Italian Filippo Neviani, who has made his career as a pop star under the stage name Nek, also has the makings of a Grammy winner. Inspired by his idol Sting, he began to play guitar and drums at the tender age of nine. As a young musician he played in various bands at festivals and clubs, at the same time consistently working on his own repertoire and developing a unique style that is totally different from the music of other well-known «Cantautori»: Nek seeks out the urbane, the cultural diversity in his songs. This is apparent in his first major hit, «Laura non c’è», with which he took part at the Sanremo Festival in 1997 and which shot to the top of the Italian charts. To date, he has scored no less than 21 Number 1 hits in his home country – most recently with the earworm «Freud», featuring J-Ax.

As a style-mixer, Nek is a kindred spirit of Nelly Furtado’s. So the evening at the BALOISE SESSION should highlight some surprising similarities in style and taste, both for the two artists and for the audience.

Zeno van Essel

 Ticket prices: CHF 150 / 120 / 90  www.nellyfurtado.com  www.nekweb.com

Please include the following photo credit when using photos of Nelly Furtado: Photos 1-3 © Ben Guzman, Photo 4-5 © Joachim Johnson

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LINE-UP

Nelly Furtado

First names / Names: Instruments: Nelly Furtado Artist Adam Pickrell Keys Bobby Ray Sparks Keys Jay Micheal Smith Guitar Brannen Temple Drums Celia Palli Backing Vocals

Nek

First names / Names: Instruments: Nek Vocals Emiliano Fantuzzi Guitar, Keys, Backing-Tracks Lorenzo Poli Bass Luciano Galloni Drums Chicco Gussoni Guitar

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ICELAND CALLING Kaleo CH-Exclusive

KALEO / ÁSGEIR

Sunday, 29 October 2017, 8 pm, Event Hall of the Basel Fair

For years now, the Icelandic music scene has been surrounded by an aura of other- worldliness bordering on the mystical. So it's high time to showcase the country in the Far North with an evening at the BALOISE SESSION featuring Icelandic group Kaleo and the singer Ásgeir. What happens when an Icelandic band moves to Texas? The four young members of Kaleo took this daring step three years ago, leaving their island to steep themselves in the passion and groove of American blues, folk and rock. The group has absorbed American music in its bloodstream, at the same time interpreting it in a restrained Nordic way, embellished by the irresistibly sonorous voice of front-man Julius Son. This combination helped to propel Kaleo into the international charts last year. Their second album «A/B», recorded following an intensive tour of the USA, was a huge success, reaching No. 6 on the charts in Switzerland and in other countries. This meteoric rise was also fuelled by the success of their Top 10 single «Way Down We Go», which sold more than 500,000 copies in the USA alone. Less influenced by the blues but also typically Icelandic is the music of Ásgeir. What distinguishes the 25-year-old singer-songwriter from Reykjavik is a high, clear voice that produces a spherical, almost ethereal sound. The calmness and beauty of his songs enable listeners to almost visualise the landscapes of Iceland. But Ásgeir also uses unconventional, quirky tones to paint his musical pictures. He, too, has released two albums to date. His debut album, recorded initially in Icelandic and released worldwide in English in 2014, made Ásgeir a star in his own country, and attracted interest abroad. Last spring the singer added another feather to his cap with his new album «Afterglow», which made it to the Top 50 in various countries, including Switzerland.

Marko Lehtinen

 Ticket prices: CHF 100 / 80 / 60  www.officialkaleo.com  www.asgeirmusic.com

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LINE-UP

Kaleo

First names / Names: Instruments: Jokull Juliusson Lead Vocals, Guitar Daniel Kristjanss Bass David Antonsson Drums Rubin Pollock Guitar Thorleifur Davidsson Harmonica/ Keys

Ásgeir

First names / Names: Instruments: Asgeir Einarsson Vocals Gudmundur Jonsson Keyboards, Guitar, Bass Julius Robertson Guitar Thorsteinn Einarsson Keyboards, Guitar, Bass Kristinn Agnarsson Drums Tomas Jonsson Keyboard

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MAD MANN’S NIGHT Madness CH-Exclusive

MADNESS / MANFRED MANN’S EARTH BAND

Tuesday, 31 October 2017, 8 pm, Event Hall of the Basel Fair

There’s the sound of the 1970s. And there’s the sound of the 1980s. Originally, neither wanted to have anything to do with the other. Because both started as a backlash to the prevailing social and cultural order: rebellious rock on the one hand, and caustic punk and pop on the other.

Two British representatives of these two musical genres share the stage this evening: the prog-rockers of Manfred Mann's Earth Band and the cult ska group Madness. A killer combination: bombastic anthems like «Blinded By The Light», «Davy's On The Road Again» and «Mighty Quinn», versus quirky, humorous pop songs like «One Step Beyond», «Our House» and «It Must Be Love». Songs that on first hearing do not appear to have much in common, yet they share one major quality: they are great mood-makers and manifest a willingness to experiment.

In the case of Manfred Mann's Earth Band, this is because it was one of the first rock bands to incorporate Afro elements in their music. Madness, on the other hand, adopts the offbeat style which originated in Jamaica in the 1950s and blends it with the light melodiousness of British pop. So the combination of these two outstanding bands this evening at the BALOISE SESSION suddenly makes perfect sense: The rock band fronted by South African keyboarder Manfred Mann, and the members of Madness, a band which has gone through several breakups and comebacks, share the stage as equals rather than opposites, to illustrate the broad diversity of the British rock and pop scene, and to prove that the perceived barriers and boundaries between the music generations should not be taken as seriously as purist critics often insist.

This evening at the Event Hall of the Basel Fair, the accent is on enjoying excellent music and remembering the good old days!

Zeno van Essel

 Ticket prices: CHF 130 / 110 / 90  www.madness.co.uk  www.manfredmann.co.uk

Please include the following photo credit when using photos of Manfred Mann’s Earth Band: Photo 1 © Frank Baumann

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LINE-UP

Madness

First names / Names: Instruments: Graham McPherson Vocals Daniel Woodgate Drums, Percussion Chris Foreman Guitar Mike Barson Keys, Piano, Vocals Mark Bedford Bass Lee Thompson Sax, Percussion, Vocals Joe Auckland Trumpet Steve Hamilton Sax Mez Clough Percussion Mike Kearsey Trombone

Manfred Mann’s Earth Band

First names / Names: Instruments: Manfred Lubowitz Keys, Vocals Michael Oldroyd (Mick Rogers) Guitar, Vocals John Lingwood Drums Steve Kinch Bass, Vocals Kevin O'Neill Guitar, Vocals

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AN EVENING WITH … Alicia Keys CH-Exclusive

ALICIA KEYS / IRA MAY / ANNIE GOODCHILD

Wednesday, 1 November 2017, 8 pm, Event Hall of the Basel Fair Thursday, 2 November 2017, 8 pm, Event Hall of the Basel Fair

Clive Davis, founder of Atlantic Records, was already a shrewd music industry pun- dit when he awarded a recording contract to 17-year-old high school graduate Alicia Keys in 1998, having previously discovered artists like Pink Flloyd, Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, Patti Smith and Aerosmith and scored more than 300 Number 1 hits with them.

Yet in his 40 years of the music business, he had never experienced what he experienced in the young New Yorker: Within the first week of launching her debut album «Songs In A Minor», Alicia Keys sold more than 300,000 copies. Demand out- stripped supply, and the pressing plant had a hard time keeping up. Thus begins the fairytale career path of a girl who became a superstar and has already been named one of the «greatest artists of the 21st century», according to the music industry bible «Billboard». But Alicia Keys’ music is not about numbers or records; it's about emotions: a world of feelings as can only be produced by the fascinating cultural mix of her native New York. Growing up in the city’s Hells Kitchen neighbourhood, she absorbed the sound track of the Big Apple’s lifestyle and translated it evoca- tively in her own music. R’n’B, soul, hip-hop and jazz are blended to create a bril- liant mix of hits, enriched by her characterful voice and elegant piano playing.

The opening acts for the international star, who will be performing on two consecutive evenings at the BALOISE SESSION, feature two soul-pop singers from Basel:

On 1 November it's the turn of Ira May, whose piano playing and vocals invite a few parallels with Alicia Keys and whose debut album «The Spell» shot to Number 1 on the Swiss hit parade three years ago. She will also be presenting songs from her current album «Eye of the Beholder».

On 2 November Annie Goodchild is the warm-up act for Alicia Keys. Based in Basel but also originally from New York, Annie will be opening the evening with her ex- pressive brand of alternative pop.

Zeno van Essel

 Ticket prices: CHF 270 / 230 / 190  www.aliciakeys.com  www.ira-may.com, www.anniegoodchild.com

The festival would like to thank the «Friends of the BALOISE SESSION» for their valuable support in engaging Alicia Keys.

Please include the following photo credit when using photos of Ira May and Annie Goodchild: Ira May © Oliver Sloss, Annie Goodchild © Larissa Jordan Session Basel AG 21 October 2017 19 BALOISE SESSION 2017 21 October - 09 November 2017 ______

LINE-UP

Alicia Keys

First names / Names: Instruments: Alicia Keys Vocals, Piano Anthony Parrish Bass Hanan Rubinstein Guitar Andre “DJ DUMMY” Smith DJ Johnnie “Smurf” Smith Keys Whitney Keaton BGVs Raphael “RAII” Smith BGVs

Ira May

First names / Names: Instruments: Iris Bösiger Vocals Simon Ehrat Drums Chris Heath Guitar Marcel Frautschi Bass Benjamin Leuenberger Keys Nadia Koller Vocals Valery Lindemann Vocals Singoh N'Ketia Percussion Julien van Gogh Barisax Jonas Schmidli Trombone Lukas Häne Tenorsax Andreas Lindegger Trumpet

Annie Goodchild

First names / Names: Instruments: Gabriel Wyss Guitar Anna Vogt Backing Vocals Theo Evers Bass Phillip Gut Drums David Cogliatti Piano, Synth Annie Goodchild Lead Vocals

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LET’S CELEBRATE Kool & the Gang CH-Exclusive

KOOL & THE GANG / DABU FANTASTIC

Friday, 3 November 2017, 8 pm, Event Hall of the Basel Fair

To correctly assess the status Kool & the Gang enjoys on today’s music scene, you only need to look at the line-up of stars congratulating the group on their 40-year anniversary album. The list includes superstars such as Sean Paul, Jamiroquai, Angie Stone, Jimmy Cliff and Lil’ Kim. And it’s worth remembering that this album was released 13 years ago. Since then the legend of the cult group from New Jer- sey has only grown.

Even now, 53 years after their first gigs at the Lincoln High School, the founding members form the core of this unique band that combines jazz, funk and disco: brothers Ronald Bell (vocals, saxophone) and Robert «Kool» Bell (bass), keyboarder George Brown and Dennis Thomas on trumpet and trombone define the sound that characterised immortal world hits like «Celebration», «Get Down On It», «Fresh» and «Cherish»: driving beats, pumping bass, hot wind sections and swinging hooklines. A sound that served the young generation of dance and hip-hop musicians not only as an inspiration, but also as a template for oft-used samples in new hits.

It’s quite possible that the band also influenced the musical career of the no-less iconic group from the Zurich Oberland which opens the evening: why else would Dabu Fantastic happen to christen their first records «Agglo Disco», «Discochugle» and «Disco Titanic»? Clearly there’s a good deal of irony intended; yet if you listen to their music, you find in the characteristic Swiss-German hip-hop style echoes of the same clever songs and multi-layered arrangements produced by the great American role models. High time to explore the fascinating repertoire of the two likeable protagonists David Bucher (lyrics, vocals, misc. instruments) and DJ Arts (DJ, Vocals), whose mega-hit «Angelina» topped the Swiss charts for weeks, when they perform live at the BALOISE SESSION.

Zeno van Essel

 Ticket prices: CHF 120/100/ 80  www.koolandthegang.com  www.dabufantastic.ch

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LINE-UP

Kool & the Gang

First names / Names: Instruments: Robert “Kool” Bell Bass George Brown Keys Shawn McQuiller Lead Vocals Curtis Williams Keys Amir Bayyan Guitar Lavell Evans Vocals Michael Ray Trumpet Jermaine Bryson Trombone Walter Anderson Vocals Single Tim Horton Drums Shelley Paul Sax

Dabu Fantastic

First names / Names: Instruments: Dabu Bucher Vocals, Keys, Guitar DJ Arts Vocals, Elec Sam Senn Guitar, Vocals Gianluca Giger Bass, Vocals Yves Zogg Keys, Vocals Simon Britschgi Drums

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HEAR THE WORLD Gilberto Gil CH-Exclusive

GILBERTO GIL / AMADOU & MARIAM

Tuesday, 7 November 2017, 8 pm, Event Hall of the Basel Fair

Brazil boasts the best entertainment music in the world: the rich rhythms of Africa blend with sophisticated European harmonies, and in recent decades scintillating rock grooves have lent additional international character to Musica Popular Brasileira (MPB). One of the original proponents of this music, which is simultane- ously both light-as-air and down-to-earth, is Gilberto Gil. Fifty years ago Gil added a rock element to the then-fashionable bossa nova. The resultant genre, «Tropicalismo», also proved to be political dynamite in Brazil, and Gil was forced to flee into exile to escape the military dictatorship. He returned many years ago to Salvador de Bahia in the north of the country, Brazil's most African city, where he grew up. And alongside pursuing his musical career, he went into politics: initially in his home town, and subsequently as Brazil’s Minister of Culture, in which position he tried to be what he already was as a musician: an ambassador for his country's rich musical and cultural tradition. Gilberto Gil brings to Basel the «Cortejo Afro», a samba school which has outgrown the carnival and unleashes its unbridled temperament on stage, as well as the orchestra of the Nova Opera de Lisboa and four classical soloists.

What Gilberto Gil is for Brazil – i.e. its best ambassador – Amadou & Mariam are not only for their home country of Mali but also for the continent of Africa. The blind singing duo has added elements from pop, funk and reggae to the traditional music of West Africa, and turned a musical spotlight on the Maghreb and India. In the process they have created a veritable world of music which is universally understood. Because Amadou & Mariam sing not only in their traditional national language but also in French, they give their fellow countryment a global voice and promote an awareness of Africa’s problems.

There has been a close connection between West Africa and Brazil ever since the times of slavery, and black Brazilian Gilberto Gil and the duo Amadou & Mariam from Mali make this connection palpable and audible on stage at the BALOISE SESSION, with a festival of world music that will get even Europeans on their feet!

Beat Blaser

 Ticket prices: CHF 100/80/ 60  www.gilbertogil.com.br  www.amadou-mariam.com

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LINE-UP

Gilberto Gil

First names / Names: Instruments: Gilberto Gil Vocals Aldo Brizzi Musical Director Maria Das Gracas del Almeida Singer Domingos Elias Clarinet Alin Pereira Percussion Eden Paulo Moreira Percussion Carlos Eduardo Dos Santos Vocals Joselito Santos Vocals Ualeson Da Silva Percussion Andre Vitor Paranhos Percussion Juliana Sousa Vocals ElianeAndressa Dos Santos Percussion Queise Caroline Da Silva Percussion Waleska Leao Percussion Tiago Afonso Canto Flute 1 Dina Hernandez Flute 2 Claudio Alexandre Da Silva Trumpet 1 Daniel Jose Bento Frazao Clarinet David Paulo Ferreira Dos Santos Trumpet 2 Jose Carlos Filipe Vale De Gato Trombone Ruben Manuel Esteves Valerio Tuba Joao Manuel De Castro Violin De Sousa Bernardo Pedro Marques Piano Andre Filipe Double Bass Brito Da Silva Magno Jose Electric Bass

Amadou & Mariam

First names / Names: Instruments: Amadou Bagayoko Guitar, Vocal Mariam Doumbia Vocal Yvo Abadi Drum Yao Dembele Bass Charles Frederik Avot Keys Joel Hierrezuelo Percussion Aminata Doumbia Choriste

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MANN SINGT DEUTSCH

TIM BENDZKO / MAX GIESINGER

Thursday, 9 November 2017, 8 pm, Event Hall of the Basel Fair

«Nur noch kurz die Welt retten». Virtually no other German-language song de- scribes so effectively and seamlessly the life-work conflict of the stressed-out man- ager as Tim Bendzko's hit. Not only the lyrics, but also the moody manner in which the Berlin singer-songwriter sings the lines in his striking yet soft voice, reflect the new sensitivity that is popularising German pop music: The everyday heroes of the songs are vulnerable and admit it. Yet they do their best to survive. This is a feeling that lots of people can identify with nowadays, which is why Bendzko's song topped the charts.

The same goes for the songs of Max Giesinger, who also dominated radio station playlists with his touching song about a woman escaping the drudgery of her daily life by dancing into a world of dreams. This is the second single from Giesinger’s current second album «Der Junge, der rennt», which also features the superhit «80 Millionen».

Tim Bendzko and Max Giesinger come from very different backgrounds: Bendzko, the sports high-school graduate and hobby footballer who studied theology and non-Christian religions before his musical talent was discovered at a talent contest in his home town of Mannheim. And Giesinger, who starting playing in bands in his early youth, travelled the world as a busker after graduating from high school, up- loaded cover versions on YouTube and then came fourth in the first series of the German TV talent show «The Voice of Germany».

Yet they are a perfect match on stage. Bendzko performs in a special context: At the BALOISE SESSION he continues his series of concerts entitled «Mein Wohn- zimmer ist dein Wohnzimmer» («My living room is your living room»), which have already proved so successful this year in Germany. The concept: Concerts per- formed in a small, intimate setting – a tradition the BALOISE SESSION has followed for years.

There is no doubt that Max Giesinger also fits perfectly in this framework as do the many fans of soulful German songs and their high-calibre interpreters.

Zeno van Essel

 Ticket prices: CHF 100 / 80 / 60  www.timbendzko.de  www.maxgiesinger.de

Session Basel AG 21 October 2017 25 BALOISE SESSION 2017 21 October - 09 November 2017 ______

LINE-UP

Tim Bendzko

First names / Names: Instruments: Tim Bendzko Vocals Fabian Sennholz Keys Stephan Pfaff Bass Sönke Rust Guitar Peter Wanitschek Drums

Max Giesinger

First names / Names: Instruments: Max Giesinger Vocals Steffen Graef Guitar Paul Sieferle Bass Klaus Sahm Keys Lars Brand Drums

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