26th Afrikafestival Hertme 2014 - 05-06.07.14
The Afrika Festival will be held for the 26th time this summer in the beautiful open air theatre in Hertme. The festival identifies itself by it’s relaxed atmosphere, the quality of the music and the exotic market.
From 13:00 on Saturday 5th of July right through to 01:00 on Sunday 6th of July, there will be six groups playing! Three will be performing in the Netherlands for the first time and one of the groups will even be playing in Europe for the first time– a European debut!
We will start with Aziz Sahmaoui & University of Gnawa from Morocco. This group is often used to close the show at festivals, but in Hertme they will be the opening act! The Gnawa trance of Aziz will evolve into the heady trance of the BKO Quintet from Mali in which the hunters-ngoni from the Wassoulou area and the griot ngoni meet.
Singer Nancy Vieira from Cape Verde with her swinging ballads provides a haven of rest in the afternoon. What The Ghana Bigshots will be bringing to the festival, almost no one knows! They are one of the most promising new live bands in Ghana. This is their European debut – an exclusive for Hertme. Do not miss the chance to see this new exciting band performing for the first time outside Africa!
As night begins to fall, it will be time for Black Bazar. This group brings a mix of rumba and soukous from Congo. Next on stage will be Debademba from Burkina Faso/Mali. Both groups delivering us with an explosive dance party on this summer night.
Sunday 6th of July is the day of the big names.
At 12:00 midday, we start with the magic and virtuoso guitar playing of Teta from Madagascar. Mamar Kassey are an old acquaintance of Hertme having played there in 2008. Since then, they have become one of the top African bands.
The excellent Ethiopian Circus Debre Berhan will amaze you while Fendika provides explosive music and 'shoulder-dance'.
The biggest highlight of the 26th Africa Festival will be the historic reunion of Les Ambassadeurs. One of the members of this legendary group is Salif Keita. Together with his colleagues from the 1970's, he will play the finest Malian music from that period.
Habib Koité hardly needs any further introduction. He closes the festival with his new band. It will also be the presentation of his new CD Soô.
