* NVOZ – Colombia
NVOZ is an extraordinary five member a cappella group from Bogotá that performs many different styles of traditional Colombian music, including cumbia, vallenato, bullerengue and pasillos. In performance, the musicians turn their voices into unique harmonic, melodic and percussive instruments, giving audiences the illusion that a live band is accompanying the vocal ensemble.

* Sexteto Tabalá de Palenque – Colombia
From the coastal town of Palenque de San Basilio (70 km from Cartagena), Sexteto Tabala combines strong Spanish influences with classic African undertones to create a truly intoxicating blended genre of its own.

* Systema Solar – Colombia
Inspired by Colombia‘s picotero (mobile DJ culture), Systema Solar is a funky seven-person music machine uniting Afro-Colombian roots with rap, scratching with Afro-Latin percussion, and unstoppable dance grooves with a live video mix.

* Mezcla – Cuba
Mezcla has been at the centre of the Cuban music scene for the past twenty-five years, performing at Havana's premier jazz club, La Zorra y el Cuervo, and the Havana Jazz Festival (Jazz Plaza). A multigenerational ensemble, Mezcla brings together several distinguished ‗old lions‘ with some of today‘s best young jazz players. In 1993, Carlos Santana called Mezcla “the cleanest, freshest water I have ever tasted”.

* Sierra Maestra – Cuba
Stars of the Cuban music since the late 1970s, Sierra Maestra remains true to the classic old-style son line-up of the 1920s & ‘30s (tres, guitar, trumpet, bongo, güiro and vocals) while renewing its treasured repertoire for today‘s generations.

* Tram des Balkans – France
Polyphonic madness from five hyper-dynamic singer-musicians who meet at the musical crossroads of the cabarets of Prague, the Irish trad scene and the taverns of East Germany, where you'll find remnants of the Jewish diaspora, 21st century Western atheists, Bulgarian Romanies and their North African neighbours.

* Ti Coca & Wanga Neges – Haiti
Haiti‘s David Mettelus (a.k.a Ti-Coca) and his band Wanga-Nègès have been playing their acoustic twoubadou (troubadour) music since 1976, drawing on a basic arrangement of see-sawing double bass, slithering accordion, plunky banjo, percussion, and call-and-response vocals in styles that range from folklore to pop. The boyish 59-year old has a raspy, lived-in voice and can morph from crooner to gruff, alcohol-crazed contredanse 'caller' or various hooting, screeching jungle denizens as he shares his frequently mischievous and ribald tales.

* Makadem – Kenya
His videoclip, ―Obama Be Thy Name,‖ has gone around the world. On CNN, BBC and Al-Jazeera, Makadem (a.k.a.―The Ohangla Man‖) has become spokesman for a contemporary Africa committed to freedom. A charismatic artist without hang-ups, he specializes in Benga, arguably the most distinctive sound to have come out of his country‘s 70 years of creating urban music. His songs speak of the fluid nature of modern African culture and demonstrate the fusion that is at the heart of contemporary African identity. It‘s up-tempo music, full of tradition and storytelling.

* Van Merwijks Music Machine w/ Manou Gallo – The Netherlands
Ace bass player/singer/guitarist/percussionist and songwriter Manou Gallo from the Ivory Coast joins master drummer Lucas van Merwijk from The Netherlands for the current incarnation of the latter‘s acclaimed Music Machine. Expect an explosive combination of highlife, groove funk, jazz, and a strong dose of Latin, too.

* Saskia Laroo Band – The Netherlands
Dubbed ―Lady Miles of Europe", Dutch trumpeter Saskia Laroo and her band dare to take uncontrived romps into "nu-jazz" or "swingin' body-music"- a vivacious blend of hip-hop, jazz, salsa, funk reggae, and other contemporary global styles.

* Mamaku Project – New Zealand
Based on Auckland's rugged West Coast in the gorgeous but storm-swept Karekare, the Mamaku Project (led by French-Kiwi co-founders Tui Mamaki on vocals and Monsieur Escargot on bass/keys/guitar/production) weaves smooth jazz with a French lilt, Pacifica dub and scents of the Middle East into a fresh and colourful style.

* Moana & the Tribe – New Zealand
The undisputed queen of contemporary Maori music, Moana Maniapoto fuses taonga puoro, haka, and chants with soul, reggae and classical influences to produce her own blend of traditional and contemporary styles without compromising either. Her current band, Moana & the Tribe, was formed in 2002, quickly cementing a reputation as one of the most successful indigenous groups to emerge from Aotearoa (New Zealand).

* Etran Finatawa – Niger
Etran Finatawa‘s hypnotic musical groove evokes the breathless heat and shimmering horizon of the Sahara. Laid back guitars, driving rhythms and compelling voices invite audiences to accompany this dynamic super band of Wodaabe and Touareg nomads on their evolving journey.

* Novalima – Peru
Novalima creates a sultry fusion of generations-old Afro-Peruvian traditions and more techno-savvy sounds, one that coolly touches base with salsa, son, hip-hop, dub, Afrobeat and electronica while bridging Peru's entrenched racial divides.

* Plena Libre – Puerto Rico
The 13-member Plena Libre's unique interpretation of their beloved native Afro-Puerto Rican song form/rhythm, plena is fused with salsa, jazz and other Afro-Caribbean genres to produce a joyous, percussion-driven, and vocally rich mixture.

* The Dizu Plaatjies Ibuyambo Ensemble – South Africa
The leader and founder of the group Amampondo (a fixture at Sunfests of the 1990s), Dizu Plaatjies now heads the Ibuyambo Ensemble, which performs music from sub-Saharan Africa on various hand made instruments, including Dizu‘s trademark marimbas. ―Great melodies, good arrangements, haunting voice, a deep knowledge of his regional musical history and a willingness to incorporate pan-African musical influences‖ make Dizu a standout musician, notes Sunfest MC Philly Markowitz.

* Chicha Libre – USA
Chicha Libre plays a delicious mixture of Latin rhythms, surf music and psychedelic pop inspired by Peruvian music from Lima and the Amazon. The Brooklyn-based band mixes up covers of forgotten Chicha classics with French-tinged originals, re-interpretation of 70‘s pop classics, as well as cumbia versions of pieces by Satie and Wagner.

* Hypnotic Brass Band – USA
Hypnotic Brass Band is a one-of-a-kind brass band originally from the south side of Chicago. Self described as ―Musical medicine...as in we play our music from our soul directly to the soul of everyone with their ears reaching,‖ this ‗in-your-street‘ phenomenon specializes in highly composed instrumental hip-hop: accomplished, energetic songs designed for dancing. Eight of the nine members are blood brothers - the sons of legendary Sun Ra Arkestra trumpeter Phil Cohran, who have been performing together since they were toddlers.

* Red Baraat – USA
Led by the omnivorous drummer Sunny Jain, Red Baraat is an infectious Brooklyn, New York-based band that deftly blends North Indian bhangra rhythms, rowdy brass-band energy and konokol singing to create an explosive sound that's "fun as hell" (Chicago Reader). Their unique ―Dhol n‘ Brass Bhangra Funk‖ is grounded by heavy-duty sousaphone basslines, abundant percussion, and potent free improvising from trombone, saxophones, trumpet and bass trumpet.

* Rupa & the April Fishes – USA
With their enchanting mix of chic French nouvelle vague, rousing Latin alternative grooves, energetic Gypsy swing, and dreamy Indian ragas, this trend-setting band from San Franciso is spearheading a multicultural movement intent on redefining the sound of contemporary music.

* Laila Biali (contemporary jazz)
After touring with the likes of Paula Cole, Suzanne Vega and Sting, this JUNO-nominated Canadian jazz singer, pianist, composer & arranger continues to draw on a wide palette of influences to create a brilliant, genre-crossing sound. Biali is receiving plaudits not only for her well-chosen covers of Feist, Sarah McLachlan, Joni Mitchell, Ron Sexsmith and Leonard Cohen, but for the way she makes their songs her own. A jazz sensibility, classicist technique and pop groove all add up to a singular musical vision, and a talent headed for the top.

* Roberto Lopez Project (Nu Afro-Latin big band)
Colombian multi-instrumentalist Roberto López fronts a Montreal-based polycultural orchestra that has assembled an arsenal of rhythms and sonic colors to create a fantastic audio world. His ‗Nu Afro-Latin sound‘ is a rich Afro-Colombian and Afro-Cuban cocktail laced with urban hip-hop, boogaloo, jazz and electronica.

* Jayme Stone (roots/jazz banjo)
Juno-winning Stone - the Yo-Yo Ma of the banjo - celebrates his new album ―Room of Wonders,‖ an inquiring, sublime work inspired by folk dances the world over. ―Imagine a more chilled out Bela Fleck & the Americana side of Bill Frisell and you‘re on track.‖ (Frets Magazine).

* Pacifika (global pop/Latin groove)
Founded by Peruvian-born singer Silvana Kane, and anchored by guitarist Adam Popowitz and bassist Toby Peter, Pacifika creates multilingual global pop music of the highest order, marrying languid Latin rhythms to a deep dance groove and, on its latest release, Supermagique, offering high-gloss sheen with some surprisingly sharp edges. The Vancouver-based trio‘s name, like its music, evokes sandy beaches, golden sunsets and endless summers.

* Red Chamber Ensemble (Chinese/stringband)
Led by premier zheng zither player and ethnomusicologist Mei Han, Red Chamber is a powerful Chinese plucked-string ensemble performing everything from rare ancient Chinese works to contemporary compositions and string-band music from around the world, be it Balkan, bluegrass, Gypsy Jazz or more.

* Delhi 2 Dublin (Bhangra-Celtic-Dub fusion)
Dubbed ―the United Nations of rock ‗n‘ roll‖, this popular Vancouver-based band returns to TD Sunfest with its energetic mash-up of Bhangra, Celtic, Dub, Reggae and Electronica with global rhythms and club beats. They describe their brand new CD, Planet Electric, ―as the buzz of the world that they are plugging into some large socket to electrify the people, to charge up their energy”.

* De Temps Antan (Traditional folk/Québécois)
A super-group of Québécois folk musicians (distinguished alumni of La Bottine Souriante), whose explosive sound is anchored by the ―tac-tic-a tac‖ of les pieds (a form of seated clogging found only in French Canada), the blazing fiddle of André Brunet, the brash accordion playing of Pierre-Luc Dupuis and the pristine voice and exquisite guitar accompaniment of Éric Beaudry.

* Christine Tassan & Les Imposteures (Gypsy jazz/French standards)
Christine Tassan emigrated from her native Europe to Montreal in 1994, bringing her love of the great French standards (Brel, Piaf, etc.) and jazz manouche. She eventually teamed up with traditional and classical violinist extraordinare Martine Gaumond, jazz guitarist Lise-Anne Ross and bassist Blanche Baillargeon. Christine Tassan & Les Imposteurs arrange and play gypsy jazz classics in their own unique way, but they also have a beautiful repertoire of French vocal standards that they perform marvellously, often in four-part harmony. Their stage act is full of spirit, humour and camaraderie.

* Christine Jensen Jazz Ensemble (contemporary jazz)
"Christine Jensen is making the most beautiful and substantial music in the large jazz ensemble genre," wrote Alain Brunet of La Presse. As leader of an 18-piece jazz orchestra, she contributes compositions and arrangements that recall the charts of great arrangers like Gil Evans, Bob Brookmeyer and Maria Schneider. She understands and exploits the full vocabulary of the jazz orchestra, creating a palette of ethereal hues and ecstatic flourishes. Christine is also well known as a superb saxophonist, who often collaborates with her sister, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen.

* Kellylee Evans (soul-jazz)
A brilliant, powerful singer with a commanding presence, Kellylee Evans received a string of accolades for her first two albums, ―Fight or Flight‖ and ―The Good Girl,‖ which seamlessly fused jazz and her own unique style of ―soul pop‖. ―Nina,‖ her 2011 JUNO-winning release, is a beautiful tribute to one of jazz‘s greatest vocalists and pianists (Nina Simone). With a soulful voice that also compares to that of Erykah Badu or Jill Scott, Kellylee Evans is taking Canadian urban jazz to thrilling new places.

* Minor Empire (Turkish/electronica)
Led by guitarist/composer Ozan Boz and featuring some of the most innovative and sought after musicians in Canadian world music and jazz scenes, Minor Empire explores the ancient music traditions of Anatolia (Turkey) utilizing modern soundscapes of psychedelic rock, electronica and jazz. CBC Toronto‘s Errol Nazareth raved: ―I love how their sound blurs the lines between electronic and traditional Turkish music. I like how textured and trippy it is, and I especially like the guitars on [their] album - ominous and psychedelic‖.

* Kytami (acoustic/alternative/fusion)
Call her a cross between a firefly and a whirling dervish! Although violin sensation Kytami (LeBlanc) recently departed ways with Delhi 2 Dublin, she continues to rock the dance floor as part of a duo with turntablist/producer DJ The Phonograff. You can also find Kytami fiddling her heart out with Blackie and The Triumphs, a band she spearheads with husband Jason LeBlanc.

* CaneFire (Trinidadian calypso/Caribbean)
A high-energy Caribbean musical experience that combines Trinidadian calypso with various Latin rhythms, jazz beats and blues tunes to create a unique and exciting sound best described as ―controlled chaos‖. At the heart of the sextet‘s music is the unconventional use of the Trinidadian percussion instrument, the steelpan.

* Five Alarm Funk (Afrofunk)
This 12-piece rhythm machine from Vancouver – a perennial Sunfest audience favourite! - delivers a delirium-inducing show that brims with original funk and Afrobeat grooves. Searing guitar riffs and horn-driven instrumental jams soar above a four-man percussion maelstrom. Think Fela Kuti meets James Brown, plus a dash of Kool and the Gang and a lot of youthful energy!

* Wesli (Haitian roots/reggae/Afrobeat)
In 2009, Radio-Canada crowned Wesley Louissaint (a.k.a. Wesli) "Montreal's revelation". This award-winning world music artist – originally from Port-au-Prince Haiti – is an incredibly talented singer, guitar player, percussionist, producer and arranger. His winning mix of reggae, afro-beat and roots music brings forth a clear message of truth, peace and justice.

* Lehera with Sarah (Indian classical music/world fusion)
With roots in North & South Indian classical music as well as Western musical forms, Lehera offers a genre-tripping vibe that is both energetic and contemplative. Vocals in English and Classical Indian styles intertwine with Hindustani slide guitar, violin, bamboo flutes and vocal harmonics, all driven by exciting Ghatam (Clay pot drum), Konnakol (Carnatic drum language) and world percussion peppered with funky and bluesy guitaring. Originally from Switzerland from now based in Ireland, Sarah Buechi is a highly skilled vocalist who has demonstrated versatility and openness in her approach to singing while making her mark on the European jazz scene.

* Lazo (Dominican/reggae)
He‘s baaack! Affectionately embraced year after year as the festival crowd favorite, Lazo (a.k.a. ―Mr. Sunfest‖) exudes a ‗feel good‘ vibe through his unique combination of roots reggae riddims, conscious lyrics and an uncanny ability to connect with audiences.