Migration Music Festival moves again

SambaSunda (Indonesia)

A 14-piece gamelan ensemble that takes its influences and instruments from across Indonesia and Asia. The group incorporates instruments such as the suling, a bamboo flute, kendang, or type of drum and a variety of other things not recently heard in Taiwan. They mix kebyar, kromong, jaipong and other musical styles of Bali with Latin samba to produce a sunda, or easy and relaxed, sound. Think of the ethereal, woodwind-dominated music that plays in boutiques selling NT$500 soap -- that' s SambaSunda.

The group was founded by Ismet Ruchimat, who excelled at an early age on the kendang, but is comfortable playing most any instrument found on the Indonesian archipelago. He formed the group wanting to create Indonesia's quintessential gamelan and has, by many accounts, done just that. At its largest, SambaSunda has had 19 members and included a number of vocalists. They're sure to fill the amphitheater at Da'an Forest Park with one of the fuller sounds on offer at this year's Migration Music Festival.

David Chen and the Muddy Basin Ramblers (Taiwan/UK/US)

Chillicothe, Ohio native David Chen came to Taiwan six years ago with a healthy hankering to front his own band. He and the Muddy Basin Ramblers have played a mix of country, blues, jug-band music and early swing jazz for over a year.

Accompanying Chen's guitar picking are Ramblers Conor Prunte from Harrow, England and Will Thelin from Omaha, Nebraska who both play the harp ? harmonica, that is. Thelin also plays the kazoo and tap dances. California native Tim Hogan keeps the beat. All three of the Ramblers have been quite settled in Taipei for several years.

Kimbo and friends (Taiwan)

Known as much for his work as an activist for Aboriginal rights as for his music, Kimbo Hu (胡德夫) will take to the stage of this year's Migration Music Festival with his voice and unique brand of guitar playing. Writing and playing songs since the 1970s, many credit Kimbo with bringing Taiwan's folk music scene into a new era in the 1980s, modernizing Aboriginal music and creating a sound that would find an audience in the mainstream of music listeners.

CrazyJazz and the Hip-Hak Band (Taiwan)

The Crazyjazz and the Hip-Hak Band proudly hail from Taiwan's Hakka community and have worked to create a funky sound for traditional Hakka songs. Their efforts paid off last year when the group took top accolades in two categories at the Golden Melody Awards.

A-hsi (劉劭希), David Jr., Maggie, Wade (謝宇威) and the Charming Guy make up this eclectic band of vocalists, musicians, DJs and club owners bent on modernizing the music of their Hakka culture.