COOL Festival: The Cavemen + Theon Cross + Helena Casella + Jamz Supernova

COOL Festival has become a cornerstone of Het Depot’s program. What started as the COOL concert series has grown into a three-day celebration where jazz, funk and soul meet new sounds and fresh energy. From boundary-breaking live acts to late-night DJ sets: COOL keeps the groove alive.

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The Cavemen.

The Cavemen. are a duo based in Lagos, Nigeria, consisting of brothers Kingsley Chukwudi Okorie and Benjamin Chukwudi James. With their joyful highlife fusion – a lively blend of highlife, afrobeat, jazz and soul – they bring the sounds they grew up with into a new era. Their music is at once nostalgic and forward-looking: a tribute to the African roots that shaped them, and a bridge into the future.

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With award-winning albums such as "ROOTS" and "Love and Highlife" (collectively boasting over 90 million streams), and collaborations with the likes of Davido, Angélique Kidjo and Made Kuti, The Cavemen. are regarded as the modern guardians of highlife. Their mission: to keep the soul of the genre alive, and show that tradition and innovation can go hand in hand.

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Theon Cross

Theon Cross is a groundbreaking tuba player who has redefined the instrument’s role in contemporary jazz. Drawing on diasporic bass culture, he transforms the tuba into a full 21st-century sound system, from deep sub-bass to rich multiphonics. His music moves freely across styles while staying rooted in his Afro-Caribbean heritage.

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A Guildhall graduate and Tomorrow’s Warriors alumnus, Cross became a key force in the London jazz scene. He was a core member of Sons of Kemet and has collaborated with artists such as The Smile, Little Simz, Makaya McCraven and Joy Crookes. His releases include the EP "Aspirations" (2015), the albums "FYAH" (2019) and "Intra-I" (2021) and a contribution to "Blue Note Re:Imagined".

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Helena Casella

Helena Casella is a Belgian-Brazilian composer and vocalist who grew up in a deeply musical family. Her sound blends R&B, neo-soul, hip-hop, modern jazz and Brazilian rhythms, shaping these influences into personal reflections and daydreams. With a soft yet intense voice, she delivers stories that resonate emotionally and intellectually, weaving familiar grooves with elegant, unexpected turns.

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Helena favors organic, live instrumentation with minimal digital effects. “I start with piano and voice, then add instruments while imagining the live performance,” she says. Whether performing solo or with a seven-piece band, she creates an intimate, dreamlike atmosphere. 

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Her debut album "Pit of Impressions" was released in March 2025 on W.E.R.F. Records. As she told Humo: “It’s a real listening record—one that only reveals itself fully when you give it time and attention.”

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Jamz Supernova (dj)

Jamz Supernova is a storytelling force in sound: a DJ, label head, radio host and tastemaker with over a decade on air. Known for her genre-spanning selections, she brings an intimate connection to listeners through her award-winning BBC 6 Music show, where she spotlights global communities and underground scenes. 

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Beyond radio, she runs the Future Bounce label in both A&R and consulting roles, earning a DJ Mag Best of British nomination for its 5-year anniversary. As a DJ, Jamz is a fixture at festivals and clubs worldwide, delivering vibrant sets that move through broken beat, UK funky, bass, techno and more.

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She has also hosted podcast series, TV shows for BBC Three, Four and Newsbeat and major music ceremonies including the Mercury Prize. With boundless creative energy, Jamz keeps rising by staying true to herself and the community that fuels her work.

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Soulastico (dj)

Get to meet Soulastico, a young buck coming straight outta Antwerp who's extremely excited to share his love for music. He is a true soul connoiseur driven by his mission to ensure more human connection through music. Get your groove on for soulful rhtyhms combined with disco, funk, Brazilian grooves and jazzy deep house.