Swiss/ Ethiopian band, Trio Kazanchis has been invited to perform at Sauti za Busara Festivalin Tanzania  this February. The invitation coincides with the  band’s 10-year existence, and with the launch of their third release “Sheger”. The band will also tour East Africa, with performances in Ethiopia and Kenya.

Trio Kazanchis started, well, as a trio with initial members, Jeroen Visser (CH)on sax and organ, Mesele Asmamaw (ETH) on krar and vocals, and Fabien Duscombs (F) on drums.  Endris Hassen (ETH) on masinqo joined them in 2012,  and they changed their name to Trio Kazanchis +1 . With the addition of bass-player Christian Weber, in 2013, the name extended again, to Trio Kazanchis +2.

“The tour will give us also more profile in East-Africa, as it is our interest not to show this band (which develops their music at eye height) only in Europe, but also in Africa. Our upcoming touring in Africa will nevertheless also prepare us in in a great way for the following tour in Europe, the second launch of our release Sheger.”

ABOUT THE BAND

Jeroen Visser is a musician living in Zurich (Organ/Modular Synth/Saxes), and composer of electro-acoustic music, with a vast interest in Ethiopian
Culture. He finished his MA (with honors) in Electro-Acoustic Composition in 2017, with the subjects of spatialization and audience activation.

Mesele Asmamaw is a producer/composer/musician (krar/vx), from Addis Ababa, His latest musical activities include involvements with Mahmoud Ahmed, Mulatu Astatke, Mohammed Jimmy Mohammed trio, Quanqua, and trio Kazanchis+1.

Endris Hassen is  a musician (masinqo) from Addis Ababa and one the most in demanded session musician for recordings in Addis. Latest musical group activities include Ethiocolor, Fendika, Imperial Tiger Orchestra, Mulatu Astatke, the Nile Project, and Trio Kazanchis+1.

Christian Weber is a musician (bass), from Zürich (CH). After his discovery of the double-bass in 1990, he studied at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts Graz (93-96) at the Bruckner Conservatory Linz with Adelhard Roidinger (95-98) and with Ernst Weissensteiner, Vienna (98-00). Composing music for film & theater, sound installations, composing for Pro Helvetia 2001 and being awarded with a Werkjahr by the city of Zürich in 2003 triggered many years of playing concerts and composing in new music, as well as in improvised music.

Fabien Duscombs is a drummer from Switzerland. Fabien is an auto-didactic musician, playing on a professional level since 1992. He has been investigating different kinds of music playing jazz, rock, improvised, and electronic.