FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Free workshops and live music performances to be held at the Koubeck Center, Doral Yard, and Oak Grove Park during the touring festival’s 25th anniversary
Miami, FL – April 4, 2023 – One of South Florida’s longest-running music festivals will host three Miami-based events during one week’s time. This year’s edition of Afro Roots Fest is the 25th overall, and the nomadic event series plans a workshop at the Koubek Center in Little Havana on Sunday, April 16, 2 p.m., live music at the Doral Yard Thursday, April 20 at 7 p.m., and live music plus a DJ at Oak Grove Park on Saturday, April 22, beginning at 3 p.m. All events are free and open to the public of all ages, with and RSVP being required for the Koubek and Oak Grove events due to space limitations.
“These three events get to the heart of our mission, which is to offer the community a wide diversity of programming,” says Afro Roots Fest founder and Cortadito vocalist, tres player, and bandleader Jose Elias. “I’m proud to offer it in partnership with the wonderful Miami-Dade County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces, Miami Dade College, and Miami Light Project.” Elias is also the executive director of the Miami nonprofit Community Arts and Culture (CAC), the organization behind Afro Roots Fest.
First up is the Inheritants Project: Afro Roots 2023 workshops and jam session taking place at 2705 SW 3rd Street, Miami, FL 33135 on Sunday, April 16, at 2 p.m., and presented by Community Arts and Culture and the Koubek Center. Launched in 2012, the Inheritants Project is the youth component of CAC, and is an Afro-Indigenous music and dance youth program.
Planned activities include a sekere-making class led by Eddie Osborne from Pan-African Arts, a ukelele class by Ameyal, the Afro-Mexican ensemble, a break dance class with Luis “Junior” Vitale, and a jam session with teaching artists including Lazaro “Tato” Alfonso, rumbero, and one of the founders of the Cuban fusion legends Irakere. Since space is limited, RSVPs are required. RSVPs required online to bit.ly/ARFIP2023.
Next, join Cortadito and Friends for an unforgettable evening of music on the Backyard Stage at the Doral Yard (8455 Northwest 53rd Street, Doral, FL 33178) on Thursday, April 20 beginning at 7 p.m. This one night only show will feature a variety of guest artists, and an expanded conjunto version of the band with an added horn section and percussionist. Since their origin ten years ago, Cortadito have become torchbearers of a pop culture phenomenon that is two centuries strong.
A traditional folk and acoustic band that focuses on performing one of the earliest styles of Cuban country music known as Son (pronounced sOwn), their sound can best be described as reminiscent of the famed Buena Vista Social Club.
Finally, master drummer and Haitian roots music legend Sanba Zao will perform at the Father Gerard Jean-Juste Community Center in Oak Grove Park (690 NE 159th St, Miami, FL 33162), along with the Senegalese Griot and Kora master Morikeba Kouyate beginning at 3 p.m. DJ Kumi will be on hand to spin records before and in between acts. Space is limited to the first 100 attendees who RSVP online at bit.ly/ARFNM2023.
Originating in 1999 at the now defunct Tobacco Road bar in Miami, Afro Roots Fest has been named one of the “10 Best Music Festivals in Miami” by the Miami New Times and crowned the “Best Music Festival” in the 2019 “Best of Miami” issue. Past performers include Amadou & Mariam, Sun Ra Arkestra, Alsarah, Fatoumata Diawara, Fulu Miziki, Salif Keita, Vieux Farka Toure, Toubab Krewe, and Roberto Torres, among many others. Since 2018, the festival has become a nomadic affair that now includes separate events in markets such as Gainesville, North Miami, Doral, Hollywood, Islamorada, and Key West.
More information about the festival is available at 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.
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