Hyphen Dash ft. Diana Sidibé

In a basement in Kramatorsk, close to the front line, the Ukrainian quartet Hyphen Dash recorded the album Basement 626. Between the bombings, the band used this risky project to raise money for the army, as described by the American magazine Rolling Stone. It was one of three albums the group released in 2025. For this concert, Hyphen Dash is joined by Amsterdam-based Afro-Ukrainian saxophonist Diana Sidibé.

The music of Hyphen Dash draws on a striking mix of role models: Christian Scott, Todd Rundgren, The Mars Volta and Robert Glasper. Their debut album LATE and a live EP recorded at the National Art Museum of Ukraine were followed by singles with Ukrainian and international artists. The band has played sold-out shows in Kyiv, appeared at festivals such as Eurosonic Noorderslag, XJAZZ!, SHARPE, Reeperbahn and Les Trans Musicales, and was named Artist of the Year at the Jägermeister Music Awards in 2026.

The concert is part of the European tour of Hyphen Dash as winners of the Grand Prix of the Ukrainian Jazz Prize 2025. This first national jazz award in Ukraine was established by the Ukrainian Institute and the Europe Jazz Network (EJN) to bring Ukrainian jazz musicians to international attention. The tour takes in European venues and professional platforms around the European Jazz Conference in Cologne, where the group also performs in the showcase programme. The aim is to raise the profile of the contemporary Ukrainian jazz scene and spark new collaborations across Europe. The initiative is organised in cooperation with EJN members and supported by EJN and the Ukrainian Institute.