It was tremendous pride in being the first Asian musician to perform at Bluesfest 2004 and a deep passion for music that drove Timbre’s Chief Creative Director Danny Loong to spearhead the aural movement that is the Timbre Rock & Roots Music Festival. Kicking off last year to an amazing turnout, the festival is back again—this time featuring a truly impressive line-up. “This year’s bill is a fine balance between diversity, mainstream favorites with a couple of surprises and a rare concert here by a living legend. We don’t want to be pigeon-holed, which is one reason why the artists themselves cross over many genres,” says Timbre’s music and marketing manager Low Seow Yee. Here’s what to expect.

Stomping Ground

Kickstarting the carnival on Apr 15 will be Timbre’s resident blues band Raw Earth, led by none other than Danny Loong himself. Known for their spontaneity and old-school music style, we’re excited to see what these veterans of the local scene have in store for us as the Festival’s opening act. A little bit of Jimi Hendrix and BB King, perhaps?

You don’t need dreads to revel in the cacophonous joy of seasoned Jamaican powerhouses Toots & The Maytals and their classic tunes like “Pressure Drop” and “Funky Kingston.” Who knows, they might even rock the crowd with their awesome rendition of Radiohead’s “Let Down”.

And it really doesn’t get any bigger than the legendary Bob Dylan, whose zealous hymns of protest are certain to raise the pulse of the crowd. This might just be the biggest name we’ve ever had here (sorry, Bieber) and it’s not to be missed.

To top things off, ska and reggae-inspired Michael Franti & Spearhead will treat you to thoughtprovoking songs from their latest offering The Sound of Sunshine. Even if you’re sozzled by this point, the distinctive spit-fire raps of Senor Franti about big issues like anti-globalization, war and the green movement are sure to keep you tapping your feet.

Got Soul

The quirky and effervescent electro-pop duchess Imogen Heap is back to charm us with an outdoor performance that promises to be as intimately engaging as the indoor gig in Esplanade last year. During the second night on Apr 16, expect Heap to deliver a truly memorable set, thanks to that unique and instantly recognizable voice of hers. Read the full interview with Imogen Heap.

Then it’s time to gear up for something completely different as the New Orleans big band sound arrives via Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, led by acclaimed trumpeter Troy Andrews. Check out our interview with Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews himself.

Grammy Award winner (and probably the sexiest man in this festival) John Legend closes this year’s edition of Rock and Roots, with his heartfelt soul from his highly acclaimed discography. Expect rousing tunes from his latest album Wake Up! Check out our exclusive interview with John Legend himself.

Timbre Rock & Roots Music Festival is on Apr 15-16, 6pm at the Marina Promenade, F1 track behind the Singapore Flyer, 6338-8277. $70-200 from Sistic.