TD Sunfest Announces Lineup

Canada's Largest International Music Festival Celebrates Electronica in 2011

by Tom Pryor

Canada's premier international music festival, TD Sunfest, recently announced its 2011 lineup. In the 16th annual edition of the festival. 30+ acts from 13 different countries will descend on London, Ontario's Victoria Park for four days of multicultural musical mayhem from July 7th through 10th. And did we mention that the admission was free?This year's TD Sunfest adds a new twist to the usual lineup of international and Canadian roots and jazz artists with "Suntronica 11", a program that focuses on international electronica music - including some of our favorites, like Colombia's Systema Solar, Brooklyn's Chica Libre (we're not sure how they qualify as electronica, but we won't argue), and Vancouver's crowd-pleasing Delhi2Dublin.

Of course, the traditional jazz and roots music that attracted 200,000 concertgoers last year (in a city with a population of just over 350,000!) will also be in abundance. Some of this year's highlights include New Zealand's Moana & the Tribe, Nigerien guitar rockers Etran Finatawa, Haiti's Ti Coca & Wanga Neges, and Chicago's funktastic Hypnotic Brass Ensemble.

For more information on TD Sunfest, consult the official festival website.

TD Sunfest 2011 Lineup:

International Headliners

NVOZ (Colombia)
* Systema Solar (Columbia)
* Sexteto Tabala (Colombia)
* Mezcla (Cuba)
* Sierra Maestra (Cuba)
* Tram des Balkans (France)
* Ti Coca & Wanga Neges (Haiti)
* Makadem (Kenya)
* Saskia Laroo Band (The Netherlands)
* Van Merwijks Music Machine w/ Manou Gallo (The Netherlands)
* Mamaku Project (New Zealand)
* Moana & the Tribe (New Zealand)
* Etran Finatawa (Niger)
* Novalima (Peru)
* Plena Libre (Puerto Rico)
* Dizu Plaatjies Iluyambo Ensemble (South Africa)
* Hypnotic Brass Band (USA)
* Chicha Libre (USA)
* Red Baraat (USA)
* Rupa & the April Fishes (USA)

Featured Canadian Artists

* Laila Biali (contemporary jazz)
* Roberto Lopez Project (Nu Afro-Latin big band)
* Jayme Stone (roots/jazz banjo)
* Pacifika (global pop/Latin groove)
* Red Chamber Ensemble (Chinese/string band)
* Delhi 2 Dublin (Bhangra-Celtic-Dub fusion)
* De Temps Antan (traditional folk/Québécois)
* Christine Tassan et les Imposteures (Gypsy jazz/French standards)
* Christine Jensen Jazz Ensemble (contemporary jazz)
* Kellylee Evans (soul-jazz)
* Minor Empire (Turkish/electronica)
* Kytami (acoustic/alternative/fusion)
* CaneFire (Trinidadian calypso/Caribbean)
* Five Alarm Funk (Afrofunk)
* Wesli (Haitian roots/reggae/Afrobeat)
* Lehera w/Sarah (Indian classical music/world fusion)
* Lazo (Dominican/reggae)

SUNTRONICA '11: "A Showcase of Electronic Music & Dance"

* Systema Solar (Colombia)
* Saskia Laroo Band (The Netherlands)
* Mamaku Project (New Zealand)
* Novalima (Peru)
* Chicha Libre (USA)
* Delhi 2 Dublin (Canada)
* Kytami (Canada)
* Roberto Lopez Project (Canada)
* Minor Empire (Canada)
* Pacifika (Canada)