Live music in February

A man of few words, but all the more prolific musically: Cass McCombs has been releasing albums regularly for over 20 years, delighting the music world. Unpretentious yet highly polished masterpieces of songwriting, sometimes with a laid-back slacker vibe, sometimes deeply melancholic. McCombs knows his craft and is therefore one of the very greatest of his generation.

16 Feb.| Salzhaus, Winterthur

Playful, whimsical tracks accompanied by a voice that gently and sensitively invites you to join in, to be part of the moment, and to open up. What might sound disjointed comes together in Alabaster DePlume’s music. The saxophonist and spoken-word artist intertwines his two talents, resulting in calm, driving jazz with a healthy dose of unpredictability.

19 Feb.| Moods, Zurich

Madlib, Mary J. Blige, Pharrell Williams: the list of superstars Talib Kweli has collaborated with is a long one. Foremost among them, however, is Mos Def, with whom Kweli has been working on projects since his student days. This includes their hip-hop duo Black Star, whose 1998 debut marked Talib Kweli’s first major breakthrough. Firmly rooted in conscious rap, outspoken and a storyteller in the best sense of the word. A true hip-hop artist, in short.

20 Feb | Salzhaus, Winterthur

Another real gem, this all-star band from Zurich. Multi-instrumentalists Vojko Huter, Paul Amereller, Tapiwa Svosve and Xaver Rüegg oscillate somewhere between pop, psychedelic and jazz, and get just about everything right: Always surprising, always fresh.

22 Feb | Helsinki, Zurich