Afro Roots Fest to Highlight Multicultural Rhythms in Key West April 27-28

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Eclectic, traveling music festival celebrates its 25th year with performances by the Nag Champayons + Tomas Diaz and Cortadito

Key West, FL – April 3, 2023 – Audiences can enjoy multicultural musical events in Key West Thursday and Friday, April 27-28, during the annual Afro Roots Fest.

The cultural kaleidoscope is to begin Thursday with two performances by Tomas Diaz and the Nag Champayons at the Green Parrot Bar (601 Whitehead St.).

A Latin Grammy Award nominee, Diaz has appeared with artists ranging from Celia Cruz to Bruce Springsteen. He and the Nag Champayons, known for their “Afrogalactic Tropidelic” sound, join forces to present an unforgettable musical experience.

Shows are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. at the landmark bar. There is no cover charge and everyone age 21 and over is welcome.

The Studios of Key West (533 Eaton St.) is the setting for a Friday night concert by Cortadito, a Cuban folk and country band known for its mastery of the Afro-Cuban musical form known as Son. Cortadito’s traditional stylings have evoked comparisons to Cuba’s iconic Buena Vista Social Club.

The 8 p.m. show is to take place in the Helmerich Theater. Tickets are $50 per person ($40 for Studios of Key West members) and can be purchased at bit.ly/ARFKW2023.  

The Key West events highlight the 25th season of the Afro Roots World Music Festival, an exploration of cultural experiences through performances, programs and outreach at locations around Florida.

The festival is staged by Community Arts and Culture. Now in its 20th year, the nonprofit organization is dedicated to increasing understanding through the cultivation, preservation and presentation of diverse cultural music and arts offerings.

Festival information: AfroRootsFest.com.

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ABOUT COMMUNITY ARTS & CULTURE

Incorporated in September 2002, Community Arts and Culture, Inc. is a Miami-based nonprofit organization that fosters an appreciation and understanding of a vast assortment of arts and cultures through workshops, lectures, and artistic performances in local communities for individuals of all ages and social backgrounds. The organization is celebrating 20 years of serving the community in 2022. Their signature event, Afro Roots Fest, is embarking on its 25th season of programming.

For more information, please visit CACMiami.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Mut Communications
Michael Mut
786.426.2277
info@mutcomm.com

Afro Roots Fest to Stage Multicultural Musical Events in Key West and Islamorada

Festival travels to Key West April 28-30 and Islamorada May 28 and 29, features several acts over several days at each stop

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FLORIDA KEYS, April 3, 2022 — Audiences can celebrate world music in the Florida Keys during the annual Afro Roots Fest, whose 2022 season includes multiartist showcases in Key West and Islamorada.

The award-winning festival is to take center stage in Key West Thursday through Saturday, April 28-30, and over Memorial Day weekend in Islamorada, with shows scheduled Saturday and Sunday, May 28-29. 

Key West fans can gather at 9 p.m. Thursday, April 28, at the Green Parrot Bar, 601 Whitehead St., for an unforgettable evening of music by Cortadito, renowned for performing Cuban standards from the early 20th century. The band will be joined onstage by Latin Grammy Award nominee Tomás Diaz, who has performed with musicians ranging from Celia Cruz to Bruce Springsteen. There is no cover charge.

The following two evenings showcase the Everglades Songbook Suite starring Jose Elias playing selections from his compositions and soundscapes that commemorate the otherworldly beauty of South Florida’s Everglades National Park. The Everglades Songbook Suite blends acoustic stylings and natural sounds recorded in the park to create an immersive experience that celebrates its unique ecosystem, flora and fauna.

Both performances begin at 8 p.m. at The Studios of Key West, 533 Eaton St. Friday’s show is set for the facility’s Helmerich Theater, while Saturday’s is to be an open-air experience at the rooftop Hugh’s View. Tickets are available online at bit.ly/ARFKW2022.

“I’m looking forward to sharing the Everglades Songbook Suite with our audiences in Key West for the first time,” said Elias, the Afro Roots Fest founder as well as a featured musician. “As a resident of the Upper Keys, it’s gratifying to see how the festival has evolved over the course of the last four years and how festival patrons continue to embrace it.”

The Memorial Day weekend concerts in Islamorada are to take place at the Florida Keys Brewing Co., 81611 Old Highway. Attendees can expect a tasty blend of craft beer and melodic offerings from some of Florida’s top world-music talents.

Saturday evening’s show, beginning at 6 p.m. at the popular brewery, is to spotlight the Caribbean-influenced world beat mastery of Johnny Dread, paired with the Latin-infused rhythms of Javier García.

Sunday’s musical schedule begins at 4 p.m. Audiences can sway to the sounds of the nine-piece Latin funk band Suenalo, a critically acclaimed South Florida favorite, and the funky New Orleans style of the Bad Apples Brass Band.

Both shows are to take place in the beer garden and admission is free.

Afro Roots Fest is staged by Community Arts and Culture, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing understanding through the cultivation, preservation and presentation of cultural music and arts programs and experiences.

Festival information: AfroRootsFest.com.

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MEDIA CONTACT
Mut Communications
Michael Mut
786.426.2277
info@mutcomm.com

Afro Roots Fest Ventures to Key West April 21 – 23

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Award-winning world music concert series returns to Monroe County for a three night run at the Green Parrot featuring Cuban folk, funk and world grooves

Key West, FL, April 6, 2021 — Some come for Fantasy Fest and the legendary Duval Street party scene, some for the Ernest Hemingway House and six-toed cats. Others still for the Truman Little White House or the Custom House Museum of History. On April 21 through 23, 2021, many will flock to Green Parrot Bar (601 Whitehead St, Key West, FL 33040) for the world music, as Afro Roots Fest returns to the Conch Republic for the third time during the award-winning event’s 23rd overall season.

“We are excited to get back down to Key West to share a slice of Miami’s thriving global music scene,” says festival founder and musical curator Jose Elias, who also serves as the executive director for the presenting non-profit organization Community Arts and Culture (CAC). “It’s always a great time at the Green Parrot and we appreciate not only their support, but the generous and vital assistance given to us by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council in making this event possible.” Elias is also the co-founder and tres player in the Cuban folk group Cortadito, one of the festival’s featured performers.

Here is the complete Key West schedule / lineup:

Cortadito with special guest Tomas Diaz (April 21)

Guerra Grooves (April 22)

FABI World Music with special guest ITAWE (April 23)

There are two performances each day, one at 5:30 p.m. and one at 9 p.m. 21 and over welcome, all shows are free. 

Elias founded Cortadito alongside Julio Cesar Rodriguez Delet in November of 2011 and the band became an instant success. The duo soon recorded and released their debut CD titled Abriendo Caminos in 2012, then subsequently expanded their roster by adding several notable musicians. They quickly became regional and national festival favorites. In 2018, the band released an EP titled Canciones de Julio, and were named “Best Latin Act” by the Miami New Times in 2019. Get more details at CortaditoSon.com. Tomás Diaz is a solo artist and lead vocalist / percussionist for The Spam Allstars. 

Worlds of influences are brought to life by Guerra Grooves, and they are propelled by a love for the urban rhythms of Cuba, Jamaica, New Orleans funk and Miami soul. Signature arrangements, mash-ups and high-energy performances inspire audiences to move and sing the songs they love, making bassist Ariel DLP and vocalist Nikki Guerra and her cajon a much sought-after musical force. Learn more at guerragrooves.com.

Singer / songwriter and multi-instrumentalist FABI is an international touring artist based in Miami. His music carries a wide blend of world rhythms, along with a powerful and original sound. Itawe Correa is the charismatic lead vocalist for Locos Por Juana, a GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY nominated bilingual band. He is recognized for his high energy live performances and unique fusion of reggae, funk, cumbia, salsa, and rock.  

For more information, visit www.GreenParrot.com or call 305-294-6133. Check www.AfroRootsFest.com for updates and additional festival stops; more information about CAC is available at www.CommunityArtsandCulture.org.

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ABOUT COMMUNITY ARTS & CULTURE

Incorporated in September 2002, Community Arts and Culture, Inc. (CAC) is a Miami-based non-profit organization that fosters an appreciation and understanding of a vast assortment of arts and cultures through workshops, lectures and artistic performances in local communities for individuals of all ages and social backgrounds.

CAC has a track record of community collaborations which have earned the support of many other organizations and sponsors, such as the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Guanabanas Island Restaurant & Bar, the Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs, the City of Miami Beach, the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, the Moksha Arts Collective, Miami-Dade College, the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, and the Rhythm Foundation. These harmonious relations help CAC fulfill their co-presenting mission to the community.

In 2018, Executive and Artistic Director Jose Elias was recognized by the Knight Foundation as a Knights Art Champion, which allowed him to donate $10,000 to CAC for the production of the 2019 season of events. In 2019, Afro Roots Fest was named “Best Music Festival” by the Miami New Times in weekly’s “Best of Miami” edition. Organizers produced a “Virtual Fest” successfully live streamed from the North Beach Bandshell for the first time ever in September of 2020.

An all-new membership program launched in March of 2021, just in time for the latest season of events, the 23rd overall.

For more information, please visit CommunityArtsandCulture.org. 

MEDIA CONTACT
Mut Communications
Michael Mut
786.426.2277
info@mutcomm.com

Afro Roots Fest Shifts to Key West, Celebrates Cuba April 18 – 20

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Community Arts and Culture presents a series of events designed to highlight Cuba’s contribution to world music at The Green Parrot and The Studios of Key West, featuring The Spam Allstars, Cortadito, and Electric Piquete 

Key West, FL – March 20, 2019 – As it did for the first time last year, the Afro Roots Fest concert series will head down U.S. 1 for a stop at Mile Marker 0 April 18 through 20, 2019. Afro Roots Key West will serve as a celebration of Cuba’s importance not only to the world of music, but to the Conch Key’s prominent role in the history of Cuba, featuring a music documentary, live music, even cigar-rolling.

The festivities will open Thursday the 18th with Miami Latin-funk band Electric Piquete’s debut at The Green Parrot (601 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040) at 9 p.m. On Friday, April 19, a screening of the documentary Eliades Ochoa: from Cuba to the World at The Studios of Key West (533 Eaton Street, Key West, FL 33040) will take place beginning at 6 p.m. Finally, Cuban folk act Cortadito celebrates Cuba with a performance also at TSKW on Saturday, 8 p.m., and then the Spam Allstars perform at the official closing party at the Green Parrot beginning at 10 p.m.      

“Key West is inextricably woven into the fabric of Cuban colonial history, similar to how African influences are embedded in Cuban music,” says Jose Elias, festival founder and executive director of Community Arts and Culture (CAC). “We look forward to celebrating these historical and musical parallels at some of the island’s premiere spots in The Studios of Key West and the Green Parrot.” Elias is Cortadito’s co-founder and tres player, and also performs with the Spam Allstars.

Electric Piquete is best known for its fiery originals and inventive interpretations of Latin and jazz standards. A powerfully-tight drums / bass / guitar / keys / congas rhythm section sets the groove for a fiery horn section, taking listeners on an Afro-Caribbean journey of sound. Named “Best Latin Band” by the Miami New Times in 2009 and 2015, the band is a veritable melting pot of influences that range from rock to jazz and spiced with everything in between: funk, fusion, old-school salsa, progressive and R&B. They will be joined by special guest Tomas Diaz on vocals and percussion. Show is free and open to 21 and over. Learn more at www.ElectricPiquete.com.  

Directed by CynthiaBiestek and RubenGomez, the 2018 musical documentary Eliades Ochoa: from Cuba to the World follows the path of a poor country musician from Eastern Cuba who rises to the challenge of spreading his beloved traditional music to the whole world, along the way finding success as a member of the legendary Cuban group the Buena Vista Social Club. $10 tickets to the screening at The Studios of Key West are available online here, followed by a Q&A with Biestek and a reception.

Cortadito specializes in performing Cuban music from the early 20th century, transporting listeners to a time when Trio Matamoros and Ignacio Piniero ruled the Cuban music world.  The band, who recently released a new EP of music called Canciones de Julio, faithfully performs standards in the traditional stylings called Son Montuno, Guaracha, Bolero, Nengon, and Bolero Son. In 2018, Cortadito served as the backing band for the Buena Vista Social Club legend Ochoa himself. Learn more at www.CortaditoSon.com. Get tickets to their event, which also includes a complimentary traditional Cuban rum drink called a mojito, plus cigar-rollers here: bit.ly/ARKW19.  

The Spam Allstars are not only one of Miami’s most popular, well-known, and longest-running and accomplished bands, but they have been nominated for a Latin Grammy and toured nationally. Part Afro-Cuban, part hip-hop, part funk, part electronica, they were founded by musician, producer, and musicologist Andrew Yeomanson, AKA DJ Le Spam. The group’s latest release is their sixth full-length called Trans-Oceanic (2016). Learn more at www.SpamAllstars.com; 21 and over welcome to their show at Green Parrot.

The events are being made possible with the support of the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, the Ambrosia Key West, The Studios of Key West, and The Green Parrot.

High resolution images and videos are available. For more information, please visit www.AfroRootsFest.com or call 305.296.0458.

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ABOUT COMMUNITY ARTS & CULTURE

Incorporated in September 2002, Community Arts and Culture, Inc. (CAC) is a Miami-based non-profit organization that fosters an appreciation and understanding of a vast assortment of arts and cultures through workshops, lectures and artistic performances in local communities for individuals of all ages and social backgrounds.

In addition to the joint venture with the Little Haiti Community Center called Let the Children Have Music, and the ongoing World Music Tuesdays series at the Wynwood Yard, CAC co-produces the Roots in the Schools program, which brings music to Miami-area schools.
For more information, please visit www.communityartsandculture.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Mut Communications
Michael Mut
786.426.2277
info@mutcomm.com

Afro Roots Key West May 17-19

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Afro Roots Fest Moves to Key West for 20thAnniversary Celebration May 17-19

The Studios of Key West and The Green Parrot host multi-day celebration featuring live music, lectures and workshops

Key West, FL – May 4, 2018 – After an extremely successful and well-received Monroe County debut April 28 at the Morada Way Arts & Cultural District, the Afro Roots World Music Festival continues down U.S. 1 for a stop in Key West May 17 through 19, 2018. Haiti’s Papaloko and Loray Mistik and Senegal’s Morikeba Kouyate will perform at The Studios of Key West (533 Eaton St, Key West, FL 33040) on Saturday, May 19, 2018, beginning at 8 p.m.  Tickets are available here: http://bit.ly/2n1G4PC. The concert will be preceded by a free, family-friendly lecture and workshop to be delivered by Papaloko and Kouyate, also at The Studios of Key West, on Friday, May 18

Born Jude Thegenus in Port Au Prince, Papaloko is also a visual artist, and a voice for social justice and Haitian activism. His paintings are a product falling into a deep meditative state, and then allowing himself to be possessed by a spirit whose purpose is to paint strokes of life onto canvas. He at one point studied to become a Roman Catholic priest, but his artistic journey led him to music with at first the Rara band Koleksyon Kazak, and then with the vodou pop band Loray Mistik. In 1999, Papaloko founded the Jakmel Art Gallery, Cultural Center and Caribbean Backyard, a center for cultural diversity, awareness, positivity and creation in Miami.

Kouyate is a native of Senegal and an Afro Roots Fest veteran, having performed several times, most recently in Miami Beach on April 7. He is a trained Griot, meaning he maintains a tradition of West African oral history through song. His instrument of choice is the Kora, a hand-made 20-string, harp-like work of art which sounds otherworldly, and which he wields powerfully in his melodic storytelling. Click https://youtu.be/n0O4eqU-wcA to see him in action at the festival’s 16th edition.

In addition to the concert and the workshop / lecture, Miami Cuban Tomas Diaz will perform at The Green Parrot (601 Whitehead St, Key West, FL 33040) during a free 21 and over kickoff event Thursday, May 17. Born in Matanzas, Cuba, Diaz is best known as a member of the Spam Allstars who is now a solo artist. He spent his teenage years captivated by the sounds of rock and roll, dreaming of a life in the United States where he would be able to express himself freely through music. He has collaborated with world-class musicians including, Bruce Springsteen, Celia Cruz, Clarence Clemmons, Phish, Snoop Dogg, Chayanne, and Ricky Martin. His latest single is called “Esta en Ti”, which he will likely perform for music fans at The Green Parrot.

“Afro Roots Fest and Monroe County seem to be a great fit,” says Jose Elias, founder and executive director of Community Arts and Culture (CAC). “We appreciate all the love and support given to our event in Islamorada, and look forward to offering the same sort of musical and cultural exchange and experience to our friends in the Conch Republic.” Elias performed with his Cuban Son Montuno outfit Cortadito and Tropidelic / Afrogalactic funk band the Nag Champayons in Islamorada.

This 20th iteration of the festival, which is curated and by the non-profit organization CAC, features more than 50 international and local acts from all over the world, and is being held at  venues from Jupiter to Key West. Next up is the conclusion of Afro Roots Fest in Key Largo at the Murray Nelson Centeron June 2 featuring Sanba Zao, Toto Omana, Los Herederos and the 305 Street Band.

Made possible with the support of the Monroe County Tourism Development Council, the Ambrosia Key West, The Studios of Key West, and The Green Parrot. For all the latest, please visit www.AfroRootsFest.com or call 305.296.0458.
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ABOUT COMMUNITY ARTS & CULTURE

Incorporated in September 2002, Community Arts and Culture, Inc. (CAC) is a Miami-based non-profit organization that fosters an appreciation and understanding of a vast assortment of arts and cultures through workshops, lectures and artistic performances in local communities for individuals of all ages and social backgrounds.

CAC also produced the A Day at the Beach Concert Series, which enjoyed a five- year run, in addition to co-producing the Roots in the Schools program, which brings music to Miami-area schools.

For more information, please visit www.communityartsandculture.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Mut Communications
Michael Mut
786.426.2277
info@mutcomm.com