Cymin Samawatie: vocals; Benedikt Jahnel: piano; Ralf Schwarz: double-bass; Ketan Bhatti: drums, percussion

ECM debut for a young band already making waves internationally. Cyminology proposes a unique intercultural chamber jazz, by turns poetic, sensual, melancholic, dynamic and pulsating. Based in Berlin the band features a singer of Iranian descent, an Indian drummer, a French-born pianist and a German bassist. Leader Cymin Samawatie is not only a charismatic frontwoman but also the author of most of the band’s material. She writes texts in Farsi (Persian) and sets them to her own music, often developed through improvising. As well as her own lyrics, Cymin also sings classic Sufi texts from Rumi and Hafez, masters of Persian poetry, and 20th verse of Iranian proto-feminist Farough Farrokhzãd.

Viktoria Tolstoy – vocals, Jacob Karlzon – piano & keyboards , Johan Granström – bass & Fender fretless bass, Rasmus Kihlberg – drums & percussion, Joakim Milder – tenor & soprano sax, Nils Landgren – trombone & vocals, Lelo Nika – accordion

Sinikka Langeland: vocal, kantele, Arve Henriksen: trumpet, Trygve Seim: sax, Anders Jormin: bass, Markku Ounaskari: drums

Norma Winstone: vocal, Glauco Venier: piano, Klaus Gesing: bass clarinet, soprano sax

Susanne Abbuehl: vocal, Wolfert Brederode: piano, Christof May: clarinet, basklarinet, Lucas Niggli: drums, percussion, Michel Portal: clarinet