Kasheme Conversations

Listening Session w/ Luke Una

As a DJ, a part of the Unabombers and as promoter of the legendary Electric Chair nights, Homoelectric, Electric Elephant Festival and Homobloc, Luke Una was not only contributing massively to Manchester’s 80s and 90s club scene but still carries a deep passion to share his music in clubs around the world. He is the curator of seminal compilations such as the Electric Chair and Electric Soul series as well as his latest É Soul Cultura project and label.

This Session was recorded for "Kasheme Conversations", an interview series from, with and for music lovers. This month with Luke Una.
In our conversation, Una shares what caused his relentless pursuit of music, why he would not call himself a record collector and why he is, as he calls it, so evangelical about music.

Watch here the Conversation of Luke Una:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei18vBynCKo

Stay tuned for more!
Kasheme Conversations next month with Kahil El'Zabar

TASCAM DR-40X

Listening Session w/ Luke Una

Live Session w/ Kahil El'Zabar (solo)

The Chicago born jazz multi-instrumentalist and composer Kahil El’Zabar produces healing music for the soul. Born in 1953, the talented percussionist collaborated with musical legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Paul Simon, Pharoah Sanders, and many others. El’Zabar continues to mesmerize audiences worldwide with his meditative yet invigorating sound, aiming to promote wellness and spiritual empowerment through his music. With his main musical groups the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble and the Ritual Trio, he released more than 30 albums. 

This live solo performance was recorded back in November 23 for "Kasheme Conversations", an interview series from, with and for music lovers. Kahil shares about his latest album A Time for Healing and how he, as a young jazz musician got connected with the DJ culture back in the 80ies.
“Beneath the party is the ethos of interaction. … And the DJ is the curator of what all of those cosmologies, what all of those energies are.”

Watch here the Kasheme Conversations of Kahil El'Zabar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyZxjg4lx7g

Stay tuned for more!
Kasheme Conversations next month with Millie McKee

Live Session w/ Kahil El'Zabar (solo)

Live Session w/ Greg Foat

Playing the piano since the age of 10, Greg Foat is called one of the leading jazz pianists and composers in the UK. Inspired early on by the English pianist Gordon Beck, Foat decided to devote his life to jazz music and composed and released around 28 albums in the last 12 years evolving effortlessly from soul-jazz fusions to cinematic, haunting compositions, pastoral acid folk and electronic soundscapes. In recent years Foat has recorded for Jazzman Records, Athens Of The North and Strut and collaborated with a diverse selection of musicians, including Bob Lind, Moses Boyd, Gigi Masin, Ayo Salawu, Curtis Lundy, The Kooks and many more. 
In our conversation, Foat shares about how he got into jazz music and how records played an essential part in his development as a musician and composer.

Watch here the Kasheme Conversations of Greg Foat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_i7nAzmR3k

Stay tuned for more!
Kasheme Conversations next month with Elina Duni & Rob Luft

Live Session w/ Greg Foat

Live Session w/ Elina Duni & Rob Luft

Born in Albania’s capital Tirana, Elina Duni first set foot on a stage at the age of five, singing for the National Radio and Television. After the fall of the communist regime in Albania, she moved to Geneva, where she started her education in classical piano and went on to study on the jazz programme at the Hochschule der Künste in Bern. With her first Quartet and the following releases, she found her signature sound as a singer and songwriter, fusing jazz with Balkan folk music from her homeland.
Since meeting London guitarist Rob Luft in 2017, they express their love for jazz and various other genres by composing as well as playing stages all over Europe together. On their latest album A time to remember, Duni sings in Albanian, French and English, which reflects her rootedness in different European countries and cultures. 
In our conversation, Duni and Luft talk about how they met, their first memories of music and their hopes for the future.

Watch here the Kasheme Conversations of Elina Duni & Rob Luft: https://youtu.be/AVjjuRBG3O8

Stay tuned for more!
Kasheme Conversations next month with Donna Leake

Live Session w/ Elina Duni & Rob Luft

Listening Session w/ Matthew Halsall
Based in Manchester, Halsall is known for being one of the leading artists of today’s UK jazz scene. Starting off by playing the trumpet in his early age, he has evolved not only into an extraordinary trumpeter, but also into an outstanding producer and composer whose distinct sound draws on foundations of spiritual jazz, meditative music, sample-fuelled electronica as well as global percussive influences. After releasing nine delicately composed albums and founding his label Gondwana Records in 2008, Halsall and his band headlined London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall last year - a manifestation of a career spent transcending boundaries and always bringing a singular, and yet ever-changing, perspective.

In our conversation, Halsall shares how his musical journey began as a passionate listener, and how the first instrument he experimented with was not the trumpet.

Watch here the Kasheme Conversations of Matthew Halsall:
https://youtu.be/qW1G9A2e2t8

Stay tuned for more!
Kasheme Conversations next month with Neal Sugarman

Listening Session w/ Matthew Halsall

Listening Session w/ Bill Brewster

Bill Brewster is a celebrated DJ, music historian, and author known for his deep knowledge of dance music culture and eclectic, genre-spanning DJ sets. Co-author of the seminal book Last Night a DJ Saved My Life with Frank Broughton, Brewster has chronicled the history of DJing and club culture through his writing, including the acclaimed The Record Players. As a co-founder of DJHistory.com and curator of compilations like After Dark on Late Night Tales, he has earned a reputation as a tastemaker and archivist of rare and classic records. With decades of experience behind the decks and a passion for uncovering hidden musical gems, Brewster remains a pivotal figure in the global dance music scene.
Listen to Brewster as he shares the story of how his DJ career began at house parties in New York, reveals his personal favorite music genre, and explains why Kalabrese was the reason he came to Zurich.

Watch here the Kasheme Conversations of Bill Brewster
https://youtu.be/DKc3sidsbdg

thx to Bill:
https://soundcloud.com/billbrewster

Stay tuned for more!
Kasheme Conversations next month with LAARAJI

Listening Session w/ Bill Brewster

Live Session w/ Laraaji at Kunstraum Walcheturm
in collaboration with Noise Reduction & MushRoom

Laraaji is a New York-based musician and sonic mystic renowned for his ethereal, zither-driven ambient soundscapes. He first gained widespread recognition with his 1980 album Ambient 3: Day of Radiance, produced by Brian Eno as part of Eno’s influential Ambient series. Blending elements of Eastern mysticism, drone, and transcendental meditation, Laraaji’s improvisational style has made his music a cornerstone of the ambient and healing music community. Rooted in joy and mindfulness, his deep spiritual philosophy extends beyond music to transformative practices like laughter meditation, sound healing and yoga. With his uplifting presence, Laraaji continues to inspire and elevate listeners worldwide.
In our conversation, Laraaji explores why sound is a deeply spiritual experience and shares the story of how he discovered the zither, the instrument that would become his signature.

Watch here the Kasheme Conversations of Laraaji
https://youtu.be/1wn71dWyybE

Watch here the Live Session of Laraaji at Kunstraum Walcheturm
https://www.youtube.com/live/yjnl-aDdx2M?si=UiueUFtDaH6RQPMz

Stay tuned for more!
Kasheme Conversations next month with DJ Amir

Live Session w/ Laraaji

Listening Session w/ DJ Amir

Amir Abdullah is a highly respected American DJ, curator, music historian, sample digger, and producer. His passion for jazz catapulted him into the spotlight as one half of the iconic mixtape and DJ duo, Kon & Amir. With his own label, 180-Proof Records, founded in 2011, he further solidified his place in the music industry and continues to push the boundaries of adventurous music, uncovering forgotten artists and sounds ever since. He recently executive produced Strata Records – The Sound of Detroit, reimagined by Jazzanova, a project that highlights his expertise and dedication to preserving musical history and fostering education.
In this conversation, DJ Amir talks about his profound connection to Hip Hop and lets us in on his exciting upcoming projects and collaborations.

“My friends at the same age of 7 or 8 years old would go spend money on ice cream and candy. I would spend money and go buy records.”

Watch here the Kasheme Conversations of DJ Amir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIRppk7FG6c

Stay tuned for more!
Kasheme Conversations next month with SHUYA OKINO

Listening Session w/ DJ Amir

Listening Session w/ Shuya Okino

Shuya Okino is a globally recognized DJ, producer, and cultural icon, best known as one half of Kyoto Jazz Massive, Japan’s pioneering jazz and electronic music duo. A passionate advocate for Japanese club culture, he skillfully blends the influences of jazz and electronic music, connecting audiences around the globe and across different musical landscapes. In addition to his work with Kyoto Jazz Massive, Okino is the founder of the renowned music venue The Room in Tokyo and is also an accomplished author and music curator.
On his second visit to our Livingroom, we sat down with Shuya to talk about his experience at Kasheme and his aspiration to create soundscapes for all kinds of public spaces.

Watch here the Kasheme Conversations of Shuya Okino
https://youtu.be/fkzE_AtH4z4

Stay tuned for more!
Kasheme Conversations next month with GE-OLOGY

Listening Session w/ Shuya Okino

Kasheme is where Music and People come together. Our vision is to create a culture around conscious listening not only to music but to each other.

A space that invites us all to slow down and enjoy the moment together. Always guided by the healing power of music that connects people beyond borders and cultures.