BANDS, TEACHERS & DJ'S 2026
SATURDAY BLUES BAND

BROTHER YUSEF
Brother Yusef is pure blues energy — raw, soulful, and impossible to ignore. With his signature Fattback Blues, he fuses Delta roots with Louisiana rhythm and the urban edge of funk and rock. One man who sounds like a full band: every note burns, every song celebrates the spirit of the blues.
FRIDAY FUSION BAND

STÉPHANE AHMED a.k.a. MONSIEUR SAX (Fusion)
Stéphane AHMED, aka Monsieur SAX, is a French multi-instrumentalist blending saxophone improvisation with electronic beats. At Cocoa 2025, his live DJ set ‘Mix & Sax’ will feature trip hop, electronic music, and inventive saxophone melodies.
TEACHER OPEN CLASS - BODY PERCUSSION

IVAN BOUCHAIN
Iván Bouchain is a tap and lindy hop dancer, teacher, and showman from Barcelona. Known for his infectious energy, humor, and musicality, he brings rhythm to life through movement and improvisation.
At Cocoa Blues & Fusion Exchange, Iván will guide a Body Percussion Open Class —a joyful and inclusive session where participants will explore how rhythm lives within the body, connecting movement, sound, and emotion in a playful and engaging way.
SUNDAY BLUES BAND

MARIA CARBONELL BLUES MOOD
Maria Carbonell Blues Mood, recently awarded “Best Emerging Blues Band in Spain” last November in Barcelona and finalists of the Volottea Blues Challenge 2025 held within the Bilbao Blues Festival, is one of the most representative and promising bands in today’s Blues and R’n’B scene.
SUNDAY BLUES & FUSION BAND

DANDREA
DanDann, a Jamaican-American artist, & Andrea Liarco, a professionally trained Italian multi-instrumentalist, form an international duo blending soulful vocals, guitar, and multi-instrumental virtuosity into unique arrangements.
In just three years, they have performed at over 30 international Jazz and Blues festivals, including closing the 2023 Good Time Blues Festival after Tony Coleman, the longtime drummer for B.B. King.
TEACHER SOLO BLUES & BODY MOVEMENT

ALINA SOKULSKA
alina sokulska, Kyiv-born and Barcelona-based, is a choreographer and dance artist whose work bridges social and contemporary dance. At Cocoa Blues Exchange, she invites participants to explore blues through a contemporary lens — connecting body, rhythm, and story in motion.
FRIDAY'S BLUES BAND

SIRJO COCCHI & BALTA BORDOY THE BLUES WAY
A journey through the tradition of 1960s Electric Blues and the golden era of Rhythm & Blues, The Blues Way is a project by SirJo Cocchi and Balta Bordoy. The dynamic voice and piano style of SirJo, combined with Balta’s raw and authentic guitar sound, ignite enthusiastic responses both in duo and full-band performances.
SATURDAY BLUES BAND

ALBERTO BURGUEZ & THE FLYING ROOTS
Rooted in the spirit of New Orleans, Alberto Burguez & The Flying Roots blend blues, R&B and groove into a vibrant, characterful live sound. Their music, grounded in Afro-American traditions, stands out for its lively rhythm and unmistakable energy.
TEACHER OPEN CLASS - AFROFUSION - OULOUY

OULOUY
Oulouy is a dance artist, choreographer, and cultural curator from Côte d’Ivoire and France, based in Barcelona. Through movement, his work explores who we are, where we come from, and where we are going.
At Cocoa Blues & Fusion Exchange, Oulouy will offer an Afro Fusion open class focused on footwork variations from different contemporary African urban styles.














