Our fatal attraction to the stars of the British independent scene shows no signs of abating. After collaborating with Alice Russell in the Quantic Soul Orchestra and some of her solo projects, Will Holland (codename: Quantic), producer and musician, once again teams up with the first lady of British soul to produce sun-drenched sounds that flit from the Chicago blues of the 60s to the warm soul sounds of the 70s, finally coming to rest in stunning, heartstopping Latin swing. Totally retro, but as refreshing and inspirational as the colours of Colombia. Viva Quantic!

CD Quantic and Alice Russell with the Combo Barbaro - Look Around The Corner (Tru Thoughts, 2011)

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If one contemporary group has achieved complete sonic grace, then that group is Madredeus. They're back this spring, celebrating 25 years with reworkings of their classics and the angelic voice of new singer Beatriz Nunes. Founder and band-leader Pedro Magalhăes seems to have found new creative inspiration from her presence, sending his songs, which remain as sophisticated, melancholic, dreamlike and nostalgic as ever, into immortality. They contain all that is unattainable to us. The concert promises the very best from their long career. Madredeus 25 vs. Druga Godba 28? Not bad, and not by chance either. Essential listening.

An accordion heard under the ice of a Finnish lake, among farm machinery in the English countryside, in the wrestling ring, and on stage with the Kronos Quartet – these are just some of the things you'll encounter in this wonderful documentary on the life and work of Kimmo Pohjonen, one of the most unique musical figures of the 21st century. Director Kimmo Koskela has managed to capture, in 90 minutes, all the talent, strength of will, dedication and unconventionality of a man who dares to confront the uniformity of the music industry.

Soundbreaker took the Award for Creativity at the prestigious International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) in Montreal in 2011.

Welcome to the latest dance sensation from Africa. Following the congotronics route, these self-proclaimed hotheads from Bongo (the nickname for the Tanzanian capital, Dar Es Salaam) have been ripping up stages across Europe with their inspirationally groovy mchiruku music. Old dance forms such as the chakacha are reborn on the streets, accompanied by battery-driven Casio keyboards. With their sharp-tongued MC, traditional and improvised percussion and fantastic dancing, they grab hold of you like voodoo and send you into a trance. DJs might wilt, but Jagwa Music keep on going, full tilt.

It’s 2007 and Watina by Andy Palacio, ambassador of the Garifuna people of Central America, is on the turntable. First stop on the European tour: Ljubljana. Aurelio is at home, without a visa, but the tour goes ahead nevertheless, and is full of smiles and happiness every step of the way. Fast forward to 2012, and the memories of Andy’s tragically early death are all the stronger, and the expectation surrounding the return of some of the team, under a new leader, that much more eager. Aurelio’s talent has won over legends such as Peter Gabriel and Youssou N’Dour, and his new album, Laru Beya, is getting brilliant reviews. And the concert? What awaits us is a Latino-African party with bags of style – that much is clear.

Album: Aurelio – Laru Beya (Real World, 2011)

Photo: Katarina Juvančič

That Irena Tomažin’s Crying Games should be runner-up in Radio Študent’s list of best Slovenian albums of 2011 might have come as a surprise to many, but not to those in the know. What did it was the ease of experimentation and the use of a somewhat different language of musical creativity – one which places intimate vocal gymnastics alongside an array of cassette players and dictaphones. The album has passed through a number of live variants, and Tomažin, winner of a ‘Golden Bird’ award in 2006, has, after numerous performances and collaborations (Lydia Lunch, Bast), become one of the most exciting artists at work in Slovenia today. ‘iT’ never leaves the listener unmoved, and we expect the same at this year’s Druga Godba.

Album: iT – Crying Games (Zavod Atol, 2011)

These two wonderful musicians draw deep from the traditions of the East and bring them to life in the spirit of our times. Oğur invented the fretless guitar in the 1970s, which allowed him to play the more complex untempered Turkish scales (makam). Türkan is one of the world’s most celebrated players of the small Turkish violin, the kemenche. He has played on numerous albums by Kudsi Erguner and worked with many jazz masters, including Renaud Garcia-Fons and Bojan Z. He appeared with the former at Druga Godba 09, and this year we can expect a surprise appearance from Bojan Z. Oğur and Türkan are clearly playing Turkish music, but with brilliant individuality and a stirring unity of purpose.

After collaborating with Merima Ključo, this star of Sevdalinka has found a new contemporary spirit. The French-based pianist Bojan Z returns artistically to his former homeland with an anthology of traditional songs from Bosnia, Serbia, Macedonia and Kosovo. The sparkling interpretations move between joy and sadness, with both emotions liable to elicit a tear or two. The quartet conjure up a first-rate ethno-jazz atmosphere, whose crowning glory, its amulet, is Amira’s voice, which keeps us safe until the music is inside of us.

In 2007 Yoon-jeong Heo, one of South Korea’s leading musical figures and a brilliant exponent of her chosen instrument, brought together a group of players of traditional Korean music with the aim of opening up a dialogue between local styles and music from other parts of the world. She quickly found support on the New York scene from luminaries such as Ned Rothenberg, Erik Friedlander and Satoshi Takeishi. Under the Tori Project name, the expanded ensemble has performed in the US and Europe, thrilling audiences with a style of music they have never heard before. Blending commitment to great playing, songs of Korean origin and sparkling improvisation, this is old and new music from far, far away. Prepare yourself for a one-off experience.

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The event is free of charge. 

Africa and the African diaspora have given the world an abundance of thrilling music and musical styles – indeed, one could say that the 20th century was the century of African music. But has Africa, and its music, become a neglected continent? Precisely what status does the music of Africa and the African diaspora have in Slovenia today?

There is no charge for attendance at the round table.

Music will be our creative guide, leading us through play to the world of the senses, where we will explore the imaginative possibilities of the languages of visual art and music. We will make use of a variety of art materials and techniques (painting, drawing, collage) and play with sound through song and pictures. 

The workshop is aimed at children over four years of age. Younger children are welcome, of course, but must be accompanied by an adult.

There is no attendance fee.