Welcome to the website of Baobab Music! Based in the Netherlands, we’re dedicated to promoting global music, supporting international artists, and curating unique events across the country.
Baobab Music
About Us
Since 2013, Baobab Music has been organizing global music events across the Netherlands, with a mission to shake up standard nightlife. We support both local and international artists, helping them find gigs while curating events. Besides this we are hosting a monthly 8hrs show at Open Source Radio in our hometown Nijmegen.
100+
Events organised
We’ve organized over 100 events, bringing global music to audiences across Europe.
250+
Artist Supported
Helping international and local artists secure gigs and expand their reach.
Festivals
Hosting and curating
We’ve hosted and curated stages at festivals, with 10+ years global musical experiences.
Online Radio
From 2021 to 2025 we’ve curated a monthly 8hr show at Open Source Radio in Nijmegen, showcasing global sounds and talks.
El Mágico Baobab & El gordito Baobab:
Bringing Colombian Picó Sound system to Europe
In 2022, we brought the second-ever picó sound system from Colombia to Europe, El Mágico Baobab. Picós are massive, hand-built sound systems that bring the vibrant, tropical rhythms of Caribbean coastal cities of Colombia to life and are unique to this region. Our collaboration with renowned Colombian artist William Gutiérrez Peñaloza (Barranquilla) gives El Mágico Baobab its unique, fluorescent hand-painted design. Experience a rich mix of Latin and African music, powered by this Dutch/Colombian sound system. ¡Aqui suenaaaaaa!
In 2025, we are building a new picó sound system named ‘El Gordito baobab’. Compact yet more powerful, this creation is set to hit the stages in 2026. Currently under development, the project continues our collaboration with maestro William Gutiérrez Peñaloza from Barranquilla, Colombia. Follow our journey and see the progress unfold on Instagram!
While the picó culture is not ours, we recognize its profound impact and significance. We strive to approach it with respect, mindful of its history and the people it represents. We like to connect with local Colombian organisations and are always open for a dialogue!
Picoteros y picoteras
Introducing the Picoteros y picoteras—our international team of DJs who bring the picó sound system to life. Spinning everything from the tropical meridian, sets can include cumbia, vallenato, merenque, salsa, champeta, highlife, afrobeat and rumba. We are not shy either for some reggaeton or amapiano. Together, we create an unforgettable atmosphere, embodying the spirit and power of El Mágico Baobab. Get ready to meet the crew and let’s make the magic happen!
Mango (NL)
Vinyl
Info:
Maron Dekkers (Mango) is the founder of Baobab Music, established in 2013, and the initiator behind El Mágico Baobab. With experience performing at big festivals as a dj, supported loads of international acts, organised many events, and helped musicians with gigs around The Netherlands he has a rich resume in global music. His travels through Latin America have deeply influenced his musical journey, serving as a foundation for his passion for tropical sounds and cultural exploration.
DJ Ananas (NL)
Vinyl/digital
Info:
Jochem de Wit (DJ Ananas) is the technical mastermind behind El Mágico Baobab. With a background in product design and a passion for sound and parties, he’s spent the last decade refining his craft. His dedication to both the technical and creative sides of music makes him a vital part of the team.
Calamidades lola (COL)
Vinyl
Info:
Marilyn (Calamidades Lola) is a record hunter, DJ/selector, and radio host born and raised in Barranquilla, a city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia with a powerful culture of celebration, where music is a sure path to joy and liberation. She grew up surrounded by massive and colorful picó sound systems that made the whole barrio vibrate with African, Caribbean rhythms and beyond. She is resident at Refuge Worldwide, hosting a radio show called ‘Ama de Caza’, where she shares her most recent finds on wax and invites DJs, musicians and researchers of African diaspora sounds.
Calamidades Lola currently lives in Berlin, and much of the sound that sheshares, whether on the dance floor, listening sessions, or on radio shows, is influenced by her musical roots and her migratory experience.
El Javier_B (VE)
Vinyl/live
Info:
Javier Bohorquez (El Javier_B) After years of experimenting with his band Lola’s Dice, along with a passion for vinyl, he embarked on an extensive journey to explore rhythms and sounds from around the globe. Hailing from Maracaibo, Venezuela, his spirit is deeply connected to the vibrant tropical beats of the Caribbean and the enchanting sounds of Africa. El Javier_B is a creative force, dedicated to crafting eclectic mixes that ignite energy and groove on the dance floor.
Lady Avocado (COL)
Vinyl
Info:
Andrea Juzga (Lady Avocado), is a Colombian artist from Barranquilla, draws inspiration from the caribbean soundsystem culture “picós” of her hometown. Dancelover and vinyl record collector made her sets a burst of flavor. Her sound ranges from intense Caribbean and Afro-Colombian music like zouk, champeta, and latin, to percussive and hypnotic african styles such as soukous, highlife, and benga. She began her musical journey in France before settling in Barcelona, where she has performed at festivals across the Iberian Peninsula such as Rototom sunshplash, Vida Festival, Pirineos Sur, International Dub Gathering, Esperanzah, Formentera Jazz Festival, Say it Loud, and Monumental Club
Ramos (CR/UK)
Vinyl
Info:
Nicholas Hawkins Ramos (Ramos) an dj deeply inspired by his Latin American roots in Costa Rica and the electronic influences he discovered in the UK, has been curating his collection and refining his sound from an early age. A longtime family member of Baobab, Ramos is celebrated for his sunny sets that always bring a ray of positivity to the dance floor.
Sanne Margarita (NL)
Vinyl
Info:
Sanne vd Flier (Sanne Margarita) is a vinyl selectress from Amsterdam who takes you on a musical journey across Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Bringing the rhythm and soul of each region to life.
Her deep love for Afro-Latin music, shaped by extensive travels through Latin America, strongly influences her sound. From the Pacific coast to the Caribbean shores, immerse yourself in a rich variety of tropical rhythms.
Bãs Laitir (NL)
Vinyl/digital
Info:
Bas Leferink (Bãs Laitir) means business when it comes to salsa, soukous, cumbia, vallenato, montunos, zouk, gouyad, kwaito, and everything in between. He travels to Latin America and Africa several times a month, taking deep dives into stacks upon stacks of records and bringing back suitcases full of music. With one of the most versatile Latin/Caribbean music collections in the country, his fusing of sounds will always be able to surprise you.
Bookings and Info
Get in touch with us! Whether you have questions, want to collaborate, or need more information about our events and projects. We’re ready to talk and here to bring the music and energy of Baobab to more places—let’s connect!
General Info:
Maron Dekkers
Nijmegen (NL)
maron@baobabmusic.nl
Agency:
agency@baobabmusic.nl
Agency
Proudly representing the following artists within the European territory:
Tribu Baharú (Colombia)
Afro-champeta
Available July/August 2026
Tribu Baharú is a Colombian Afro-champeta music collective inspired by Caribbean Picó culture. They blend live music with vibrant street dance energy and have received international recognition, including awards and honors from WOMEX and Colombian institutions. Their music aims to create a joyful connection with audiences through dance. In 2025, they expanded their global presence with tours in Australia and Southeast Asia, continuing to innovate champeta music by merging retro aesthetics with the spirit of the Caribbean diaspora in Bogotá.
Lukrø (Peru/Spain)
Global sounds through an electronic lens
Available throughout all of 2026
Lukr0 is a Peruvian producer and DJ based in Barcelona, as well as the co-founder and director of the Matracanet label (est. 2013). His sound is characterized by a hybrid, multi-genre fusion that blends Latin rhythms with raw club energy, reimagining global sounds through an electronic lens.
His music has been released on labels such as Le Ciel Records (FR), RAWA Club (ES), Hawaii Bonsai (CH), Hypersonics (MX), Caballito Netlabel (ES), and Wile Out (AU), among others. Lukrø’s work has also been featured on international radio platforms including NTS, Dublab, and Rinse France, and has received media support from outlets such as Remezcla, Noisey, Couvre x Chefs, and Sounds and Colours, among others.
Label
As a label we’ve released the following music on vinyl:
DJ Rata Piano (Colombia)
El Rey de los Guarapos
2025 – in collaboration with Palenque Records (col)
Rafael Pertuz, a.k.a. DJ Rata Piano, is Barranquilla’s very own superstar in the underground Champeta scene. Renowned for his work with numerous picó sound systems, Rafael has made a mark by remixing Champeta and African music. DJ Rata Piano is particularly famous for his live sets featuring the Casio SK-5 piano sampler, one of the most beloved samplers in the picó sound system culture of Colombia.
By remixing these tracks and adding high-speed live piano jams, a new sub-genre was born, “Guarapo”.
With this release, we present two tracks from “The King of Guarapo”. These tracks became classics during the lively verbena parties on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. They offer a new and unique dimension of Afro-urban rhythms, unveiling the beautiful world of Champeta and its picó sound systems. ¡Aqui suenaaaaaa!i
DANDANA
Free The System
2020 – Released on Rebel Up Records (be)
DANDANA is a musical collective with musicians from the Netherlands, Senegal and The Gambia with members Bas Ackermann, Ebou Gaye Mada, Filly Dioma, Jackson Loman, Joop de Graaf and Modou Joof. Their sound pays tribute to traditional West African rhythm and grooves, and the love for ambient and synthesizers.
