Since the era of slavery there has been a direct connection between West Africa and Brazil: without Africa, Brazilian music and culture would be inconceivable. Black Brazilian Gilberto Gil is the best ambassador of this «Tropicalismo», which combines the best of African and European music with international pop. Blind singing duo Amadou & Mariam from Mali do the same with traditional West African sounds, taking their songs from Africa to the rest of the world. Gilberto Gil and Amadou & Mariam sharing the same stage promise a veritable feast of world music – African, Brazilian and universal!

Beat Blaser

Brazil and Peru left their impression on the opening evening of the festival edition 2002. Gilberto Gil is unquestioningly among the first guard of Brazilian stars. Whether in Montreux or New York, this full blooded musician is a much desired guest. For decades he left his imprint on the popular music of Brazil. With his album «Kaya N’Gan Daya» he stepped onto new paths in 2002 – and pushed the father of reggae, Bob Marley, into the centre of his work. «Gilberto Gil sings Bob Marley» was his slogan.

With Susana Baca we had the «Voice of Afro-Peru» as our guest. The representative of a new generation of women singers mines deeply in the past of her music’s tradition and brings to light gleaming melodies as well as thrilling rhythms. Tenderness, melancholy and poetry entered our house on this opening night.

Lukas Müller