RONA NISHLIU Contact Vare vare (live) - Album: Me Motive Nat (to be released) T. +377 44 234 941 Rona Nishliu is one of the most famous singers in Kosovo Her next album ' Me Motive [email protected] Nat' ,with Rona Nishliu Quartet (to be released) will present re-arranged traditional songs from all regions inhabited by Albanian speaking people in the Balkans and www.youtube.com/channel/UC Mediterranean, dating back from the late 14th century. The album will fuse free jazz, QtdBTHx63Yuoys0T6SYTcg trip hop and soul with Albanian motifs. With the addition of drums and double bass over the first half of 2015, the project matured into an ethno-jazz quartet Musicians: Rona Nishliu (vocal), Edon Ramadani (piano), Kiril Tufekcievski (double bass), Nesim Maxhuni (drums) AGRON PENI & LATINO BAND Contact Mirage (Agron Peni) - Album: Mirage T.+38649253914 As a guitar virtuoso who is, Agron is able to mix classic and flamenco with a stunning [email protected] technique and quality. Several years ago he created his group, Latino Band, fusing https://www.facebook.com/not traditional Balkan music with Latin music and Flamenco. His last album 'Mirage” was es/publimáster/agron-peni- released last July 2015 by Publimaster records. MIRAGE is the album on which solo/383693988493306 guitarist Agron Peni with his group Latino Band masterfully blends flamenco with Latin and Balkan music, getting a unique ethnic style. Musicians: Astrit Stafai (oud), Ertan Ilyaz (djembe), Enver Muhamedi (contrabass), Xhemil Gjini (percussions), Agron Peni (guitar) OFFCHESTRA Contact Bajram (Sezgin Curi/ Offchestra) Sezgin Curi Offchestra is a musical line-up from Prishtina/Kosovo, established in 2011 by Sezgin Curi T: +377 (0) 44153756 / and Ilir Livoreka. The band offers a unique style which is defined as a synthesis of +386 (0) 49 515053 traditional Albanian and World Music (Ska, Reggae, Latin, Jazz, Dub,etc). Main [email protected] characteristic of the orchestra is the strong Balkan rhythm backed on Albanian melodies http://www.offchestra.com and enriched with jazz harmonies which results in a unique sound. Musicians: Sezgin Curi (vocal / bass), Ilir Livoreka (trombone), Faruk Banjska (guitar), Dukagjin Muhaxheri (alt and tenor sax), Igor Ivanov (clarinet), Granit Paçarada (drums), Erol `Charlie` Daka (percussions), Ardit Pira (trumpet), Fatjon Miftaraj (keyboards) FLAKA GORANCI Contact O zambak, zambaku i bardhë (Arr. K. Gashi for Voice & Chamber Ensemble) Trad- Gjakova/ Kosovo Album : Albanian Flowers (Gramola 99066) [email protected] T: +43 (0) 6604404640 Born in Kosovo, Flaka worked under distinguished conductors including Nicolaus (Austria) Harnoncourt, Manfred Mayrhofer, Vittorio Parisi, Ze'ev Dorman, Yishai Steckler, ... In +386 (0) 49707389 May 2015 her last CD Project 'Albanian Flowers' with the ensemble “Dielli” was (Kosovo) finalized in Vienna with the “Gramola” Company (www.gramola.at). This project is www.flakagoranci.com composed of 11 Albanian folk songs from Kosovo, south, north and central Albania, arranged in classical - modern harmony style, but without losing the original vocal lines and the music itself. Musicians: Mennan Bërveniku (Piano) Adela Frasineanu (violin), Edison Pashko (cello), Kushtrim Gashi (arrangements) ASTRIT STAFAI Contact Baresha (Trad/ arrang. Astrit Stafai and Etno Classic) T. + 377(0)44298005 Born in Prishtina, Stafai started to play 'Ciftelija' , an albanian traditional instrument, when [email protected] he was 5 years old. Astrit Stafai is an experimental musician, guitarist, and a virtuoso https://www.youtube.com/wat multi instrumentalist (oud). Some of his projects are: Acoustic Trio, No name electro duo, ch?v=sH2h4XxaFEc Trio Etno Flamengo, etc. He participated in several Festivals such as Krushevo http://www.lyrics.al/astrit- Internacional music Festival (Macedonia), Fête de la musique (France-Kosovo). stafai/biografia Musicians : Astrit Stafai (oud), Artan Rexhepi (keyboards), Adorel Haxhiaj (violocelo), Artemida Qarri (piano), Xhengiz Begolli (tarabuka, percussions), Shaqir Hoti (albanian flute), Festim Fanaj (violin), Besim Gashi (drums) DREN ABAZI & ZIG ZAG ORCHESTRA Contact Jorgjica (Trad/ Dren Abazi) - Album: Afterparty Dren Abazi Zig Zag Orchestra performs an unique music characterized by catchy Balkans rhythms, T: +377 (0) 44 257506 energetic character found in rock music, beautiful melodies selected from the rich [email protected] Albanian ethno music pool, also enriched with elements of Klezmer. Recently the group https://www.facebook.com/ZigZ performed in two jazz festivals in Paris," Jazz on Sienne" and " Sunset" Festival, as well as agOrchestra/ in June, at " Fête de la Musique" concert, in Republique concert in Paris. https://www.youtube.com/watc Musicians: Dren Abazi (vocals, guitars), Luan Osmani (bass), Rinor Ukimeri (accordion, h?v=OhqjXAfk_8Y mandoline), Bekim Rexhepaj (clarinet), Arian Randobrava (alt saxophone), Arian Brendi (tenor saxophone), Lando Kryeziu (trumpet), Edita Berisha (trombone), Besmir Behluli (french horn), Drita Dida (violin), Vedat Hasani (snare, percussion and drums.) GIPSY GROOVE Contact Balkan Mania (Bajram Kafu Kinolli/Faruk Banjska) - Album: Balkan Mania 2014 Worldwide Booking & Gipsy Groove, formed in 2010, plays authentic Balkan Romani music, injected with other Management musical influences like jazz, reggae, funk, ska, drum and bass, etc. The band members are Ballkan World Music from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and they bring this cultural diversity as well as their Management commitment to human rights and peace into their performances. The band is also example [email protected] on how people from different backgrounds, coming from different communities can work +39 393 1703042 and create together. Two albums: Gipsy Groove (2013) BalkanMania (2014) [email protected] Musicians: Bajram Kafu Kinolli (vocal), Enver Muhamedi (El. bass & double bass), Ivan www.gipsygroovemusic.com Ivanov (saxophone), Mirsad Dalipi (drums), Faruk Banjska (guitar), Igor Ivanov (clarinet). RINOR UKIMERI feat. JEHONA LUMI Contact Baresha – unplugged (Trad – Album to be released) [email protected] Rinor is a multi-instrumentalist, playing with several instruments: piano, guitar, bass T. +377 44 660 968 guitar, drums accordion, mandolin, qifteli (albanian traditional instrument), buzuki, oud, saz (bagllama) ,flute etc. He is member of "Zig Zag Orchestra" on accordion and member of the progressive rock band "The Pulse" on solo guitar. He was awarded with PULSE (FIRST PRIZEI N THE"ROCK LIVE 2009) and Best Guitar Player 'ROCKLIVE 2009'. Musicians: Jehona Lumi (vocal, violin), Rinor Ukimeri (acoustic guitar) SINAN KAJTAZI & FRIENDS Contact Qanë lulja për lulen T. + 377 44 689 897 First dancer at the National Ballet of Kosovo, Sinan Kajtazi, born in Mitrovica, is also an [email protected] accomplished musician, playing clarinet, saxophone and other instruments. With his second https://www.facebook.com/ album 'Përtej, released in 2014 with the support of Culture for All, Sinan explores the pages/Sinan- common music heritage of the Balkans through a contemporary creative approach based as Kajtazi/264749443658855 much on jazz as on traditional and ethno airs re-interpreted with contemporary orchestration. http://www.tunecore.com/music Musicians: Faton Kajtazi (piano, keyboards), Nesim Maxhuni (tupana, percussions), Enver /sinankajtazi Muhamedi (bass guitar), Adorel Haxhiaj (violin), Onur Ugurbas (oud), Sinan Kajtazi (clarinet). ALBAN NIMANI Contact Adresa (Alban Nimani) Booking Alban is a multi-media artist. He combines design, music, dance and light sculptures to [email protected] create a multi-sensory space and experience. Prior to this, Alban had been part of Asgjë T: +38649209769 Sikur Dielli (Nothing Like the Sun), a well-known Kosovan alternative rock band. www.albannimani.com Despite these musical leanings, Alban comes from a very traditional visual arts background; so young Alban grew up surrounded by art. In addition to being an artist, Alban is a teacher, and this is perhaps one of the most significant roles he can play in Kosovo these days. If contemporary art and new media are to grow, then the country needs new, young and innovative lecturers who can inspire their students with new ideas. Alban Nimani is just that person. (source: Performing The East). He is also the Director of the Contemporary Art Gallery of Tulla - Culture Center in Tirana. BLERTA KOSOVA Contact Çeli sytë - Album (ZHABA – k'neta) [email protected] Blerta is one of the young singers in the alternative electro rock scene in Kosovo, from T. + 386 (0) 49 694493 Mitrovica. She has 3 albums solo: Triangle (2012), Stratosferë (2013), Nocturnal (2015). blertakosova.kazeo.com/ She participates also in the group ZHABA, band from Kosovo formed in 2014. They play https://www.youtube.com/watc alternative/post-rock with a dose of psychedelic/jazzy/electronic sounds. h?v=1a6NB8Mi1UE Musicians : Lum Tashi (guitar, drums, bass guitar), Drin Tashi (drums, guitar, keyboards), https://soundcloud.com/zhaba- Blerta Kosova (vocals, keyboards), Arianit Thaçi (bass guitar). band DEA XHEMALI Contact Harrimi Dhemb (Ilir Tolaj) T. +386 (0) 49 404240 Born in Prishtina. Dea finished the music high school "Prenk Jakova" in her hometown. [email protected] She won several first prices in national and international competitions such as: "Ars Kosova" in Prishtina, "Microfono Doro" in Modena and "Male Skale" in Budva. Currently she is a member of Kosovo Philharmonic Choir.