Every Summer, since 1995, London, Ontario’s SunFest Festival has brought the best the world has to offer in music, food and art. This year is no different, with over 30 artists representing dozens of countries and musical styles playing the festival. Running from July 5th to the 8th, London’s SunFest is a sure bet for all music lovers.

Here’s a quick peek at some of this year’s ‘can’t-be-missed’ shows:

La Chiva Gantiva

We’ve written before about La Chiva Gantiva. We actually got the chance to catch them performing at El Mercado Cultural del Caribe, in Cartagena, Colombia and believe me when I say they are HEAVY. Made up of Colombian ex-pat’s living in Beligum, La Chiva Gantiva are going to be the band to watch in 2012. Their debut release ‘Pelao’ came out on Crammed Records in Belgium and has production work from the OG of Colombian Electronic music, Richard Blair (Sidestepper).

Locos Por Juana

We heard about this Miami based AFro-Colombian hybrid band many years ago and have been super fans ever since. They’ve been nominated twice at the Latin Grammy Awards and have been steadily rocking the US with their jam band approach to Afro-Colombian rhythms (like porro, champeta and mapale) mixed with a little bit of reggae and funk!

Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto

It’s no lie that we are already super fans of these legendary musicians. They represent two generations and over 70 years of musical traditions. Their 2007 release ‘Una Fuego de Sangre Pura’ got them a nomination at the Latin Grammy Awards in 2007 and they continue to influence and inspire generations of Colombian artists and musicians all over the world.

Joaquin Diaz

Dominican-born accordion master Joaquin Diaz started playing his diatonic accordion when he was only 9 years old. His rapid-fire accordion playing and soulful Caribbean vocals took him from the streets of Santo Domingo to the Presidential palace and now to Montreal, where he resides. Representing the heartfelt, classical side of Dominican bachata and merengue, Joaquin Diaz will not disappoint!

Alpha Yaya Diallo

From Latin America we go to Africa, Guinea in this case, the homeland of guitarist/singer Alpha Yaya Diallo. Part of the first wave of ‘world music’ in the 1980s, he was discovered by Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records. His mostly nomadic childhood feeds his ability to adapt, adopt and immerse himself in many different cultures and languages. Diallo now calls Canada home and has released 5 critically acclaimed albums, has won several awards including a Juno Award and is a leading voice in Canada’s ‘world music’ scene.

Soul Jazz Orchestra

Ottawa’s Soul Jazz Orchestra have been steadily bringing the funk to audiences across North America since 2002. Their 2006 debut ‘Freedom No Go Die’ on Toronto label Do Right! was a big hit and made them plenty of fans, including the BBC’s Giles Peterson. Their mix of Afrobeat, Funk and Salsa is a living tribute to such masters as Fela Kuti and the Fania All Stars, but they’ve got their own sound and their own twist on the classics.

For the full 2012 TD SunFest lineup, check out —-> http://www.sunfest.on.ca/

- See more at: http://www.dosmundosradio.com/vida/td-sunfest-preview/#sthash.HJZuW1cI.dpuf