Ben Bekele

“The life of every musician is a string of adventures and anecdotes,” Hubert Zemler, the drummer, composer, producer, and indefatigable improviser once quipped in an interview. A story shared by his father after a trip to Ethiopia made such an impression on Zemler that it ended up inspiring a track titled “The Life and Death of Ben Bekele” (featured on the U Know Me Records compilation Portrety) and, later, this band. What is Ben Bekele? “It’s a combination of reminiscences and fantasies from the mid 1980s,” its founder explains. This is Zemler’s second successful attempt at teleporting audiences to faraway places. The tracks on the debut LP Zawsze coś, recorded with Igor Wiśniewski and Kamil Piotrowicz, decouple listeners from their daily reality, inviting them to step into a new world. Or perhaps into several at once? You’ll have to find out for yourself. All you need is a ticket to the OFF Festival.