Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival loves to push boundaries and encourage artists to do the same. That's what Global Strings was created for, a project in which two artists from different geographical and musical backgrounds embark on a one-time collaboration. The Algerian Kader Tarhanine and Henhouse Prowlers from the US are partnering up for a one-time collaboration especially for Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival. As an initiative of the festival the two acts will create an exclusive crossover in which African desert blues and Tuareg rock will merge with American bluegrass. 

When an American band releases an album titled 'Live From Kyrgyzstan', one thing is sure: this is one groundbreaking band. The foursome is mounting the stage some 200 times a year and has already toured more than 25 different countries. Yes, including Kyrgyzstan. The group's need to go off the beaten path is also reflected musically. The Henhouse Prowlers are known for their exceptional traditional bluegrass, in which they incorporate musical aspects from the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. They ooze class, quality, resourcefulness and virtuosity. The perfect company for a crossover with Kader Tarhanine, a young Algerian musician who represents a new sound in the Sahara. If you have some idea about desert blues and Tuareg rock, you are already familiar with acts like Tinariwen, Bombino, Tamikrest and Mdou Moctar. Kader Tarhanine easily qualifies as a member of this list, and knows how to stand out within it. Born in Niger to Malian and Algerian parents, he grew up in Tamanrasset in southern Algeria. It was there that he became inspired by the rich musical culture of the Sahel, the area south of the Sahara. His music combines traditional North African rhythms with Western rock music. His distinctive and mind-bogglingly virtuoso guitar playing provides emotional vocal lines with poetic Sahelian and Arabic lyrics.

The members of Henhouse Prowlers and Kader Tarhanine will not meet until Rotterdam, so we will be in suspense as to what the result will be. But that it will be something special, there’s no doubt about that.

Both acts will play a regular set as well, you can read more about it on the separate pages of Kader Tarhanine and Henhouse Prowlers.