Full GrassRoots Live! Lineup Announced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Full GrassRoots Live! Lineup Announced

Live music performances for the sixth annual festival to take place in Coral Gables, Miami Beach, Midtown, Virginia Key and Wynwood

Virginia Key Beach, FL – January 18, 2017 – The open format for the 2017 edition of the Virginia Key Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance promises to spread the event’s vibe throughout Miami. Not only will there music at the festival’s Key Biscayne home, but this year, mainland satellite happenings in Coral Gables, Wynwood and Midtown, and North Beach will literally bring the music to the people. Live performances are scheduled to begin Wednesday, February 22 and will run through the grand festival-closing performance on Sunday, February 26. Camping will be available the 21st through the 27th at the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park.

Long an organization that supports and encourages sustainable mass-transit commuting, all events are either within in walking distance of each other, or accessible by public transportation (buses, Metrorail, and Metromover), Freebee (Wynwood’s free electric runabout car system), or Uber.

Scheduled to play this year are:

Locos Por Juana
Donna the Buffalo
Uma Galera
Big Mean Sound Machine
FABI
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad
Elastic Bond
Telekinetic Walrus
Tamboka
JUke
Bill Kelly
Afrobeta
Nag Champyons
Nativos Jammin Orchestra
The Blind Spots
Electric Piquete
Edan Archer
Krekel and Whoa
Jeb & Tara
Jesus Hidalgo 

Official host venues are:

The Wynwood Yard, 56 NW 29th St, Miami, FL 33127
Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, 4020 Virginia Beach Dr, Miami, FL 33149  
Concrete Beach Brewery, (325 NW 24th St, Miami, FL 33127
Garden Food and Bar, 168 NW 26th Street, Miami, FL 33127
Lagniappe House, 3425 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137
North Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33141
University of Miami Patio, Donna E. Shalala Student Center, 1330 Miller Dr, Miami, FL 33146

The full schedule detailing which artists will play at what venue and at what time will be posted soon at http://virginiakeygrassroots.com/music/performer-lineup.

“Miami and GrassRoots have come to a wonderful meeting point about being human, respectful to all people, artistic, creative and is such a welcome respite from the turmoil that is the general feeling I get in most of the country now,” said festival coordinator Jordan Puryear. “If you have not seen the evolution of the Wynwood Arts District you will be very pleasantly surprised by the warm and cozy outdoor venues where people bring their kids and enjoy the wonderful breezes of Miami.”

The festival-closer on Sunday, February 26 at Historic Virginia Key Beach Park will feature live performances by Donna the Buffalo, Elastic Bond, Big Mean Sound Machine, FABI and more. Concrete Beach Brewery will host a special pop-up bar, and there will be a selection of food trucks present to go along with lots of beachside outdoor fun.

GrassRoots Live! will also offer a full schedule of movement, meditation and healing workshops and events to throughout the week of camping and fun. Puryear will offering Tensegrity practice each day for those who would like to explore the ancient movement art of the pre-Colombian Central American people who built the great Chichen Itza pyramid in Mexico.

Tickets to all events an on-site camping are now available online at: http://bit.ly/VKGR2017.  For more information, please visit http://virginiakeygrassroots.com or call 305.767.4460.

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ABOUT GRASSROOTS

The original Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance began in 1990 as a benefit concert to support a local AIDS organization in Ithaca, NY.  Encouraged by the success of that night, a decision was made to create an annual festival dedicated to raising money for the fight against AIDS, while supporting arts and education.

With the help of countless volunteers, the Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival has become an internationally-recognized event with a focus on traditional and contemporary roots music and dance from all over the world.  For four days every July, the festival hosts more than 60 performing groups on four stages at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds in Central New York near the university town of Ithaca.

Twelve years later, the Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance was launched on a 75-acre farm in rural North Carolina near the triangle cities of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. Twice a year, in April and October, thousands of people attend the event to revel in great music, sweat it out on the dance floor, celebrate the arts, and build community.

The site has since become the Shakori Hills Community Arts Center, a non-profit organization created to strengthen the community through music, arts and education.

The festival winters at the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, just off the coast of Miami, FL. This year’s edition is the sixth incarnation of the Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance, featuring local and national acts.

For more information, visit GrassRootsFest.org  or call 607.387.5098.

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

Fred Wesley Headlines “A Mid-Winter’s Funk Fantasy”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

James Brown Band Alum Fred Wesley Headlines “A Mid-Winter’s Funk Fantasy” February 4

Funk forefather to appear with his band The New JBs, plus Roosevelt Collier, DJ Le Spam and kids from the Guitars Over Guns Organization

Miami Beach, FL – January 10, 2017 – When the legendary James Brown issued his famous early 70s edict to “Make It Funky”, trombonist Fred Wesley answered the call. As the leader and musical director for Brown’s renowned backing band The JBs, Wesley is largely responsible for the arrangements heard on some of the Godfather of Soul’s biggest hits. Wesley and his band The New JBs will headline “A Mid-Winter’s Funk Fantasy” on Saturday, February 4, 2017 at the North Beach Bandshell (7275 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33141).

Hosting the show is Miami-based non-profit organization Community Arts & Culture, which fosters an appreciation and understanding of a vast assortment of arts and cultures through workshops, lectures and artistic performances in local communities. Founder and Executive Director Jose Elias offers: “I’m truly excited to offer this funk-tastic lineup that not only includes one of the genre’s godfathers, but also features locals Roosevelt Collier, DJ Le Spam, as well as Guitars Over Guns, who do great work with at-risk youth here and in Chicago.”

The event is part of the ongoing A Day at the Beach Concert Series, which just celebrated its fifth anniversary last fall. Tickets are $30 and available online through http://bit.ly/DATB2017MWFF; doors open at 5 p.m. and the show is all-ages.

An active recording and performing artist in his 70s, the Columbus, GA-native Wesley also served as arranger for another standout funk act, P-Funk. He led the Horny Horns and also collaborated on solo projects by fellow JBs alums Maceo Parker and Pee Wee Ellis. Fred has also recorded and performed with Count Basie, as well as on solo outings by George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, and countless other names. This will be The New JBs’ first-ever performance in Miami.

Collier is also known as “The Dr.” because of his mastery of the pedal steel guitar. Brought up in the “sacred steel” tradition of the House of God Church, Roosevelt built his reputation alongside his uncles and cousins in The Lee Boys, known for their spirited, soul-shaking live shows. He’s notably performed alongside artists such as the Allman Brothers, Los Lobos and the Del McCoury Band. A favorite on the jam band scene, Collier will be backed by the Phunk Phactory on February 4th.

Andrew Yeomanson AKA DJ Le Spam is an award-winning musician, producer, and funk selector. When not recording local acts, he works to preserve and restore classic R&B and funk at his home studio City of Progress. Yeomanson also leads the premier Miami Latin funk band the Spam Allstars, who recently released a highly-anticipated collection of songs called Trans-Oceanic. He will be spinning records from his collection of rare 45s in between the live acts.

Guitars Over Guns Organization (or GOGO) is the brainchild Dr. Chad Bernstein. Founded in 2008, the volunteer project has offered music and mentoring at seven schools in Miami and Chicago. They work collaboratively with schools and communities to deliver high-impact, arts-based mentoring programs to empower at-risk youth. The GOGO kids ensemble will be performing live, marking the first time many of them will be showcasing their skills in a professional setting.

For more information, please visit www.communityartsandculture.org or call 800.838.3006.

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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 produces the Afro Roots World Music Festival, one of the longest-running events of its kind, as well as co-produces the Roots in the Schools program, which brings music to Miami-area at-risk children.

For more information, visit www.communityartsandculture.org.

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

Music Lessons at Ray’s Guitars N Gear

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New Year’s Resolution: Music Lessons at Ray’s Guitars N Gear

First lesson is free with the purchase of four at the Miami Springs instrument sale, repair and consignment shop

Miami Springs, FL – January 4, 2017 – Looking for an enriching New Year’s resolution?Ray’s Guitars N Gear offers vocal and instrumental lessons for those eager to learn. For a limited time, the first lesson is free when you purchase four. The store’s talented team of teachers offers instruction on guitar, bass, piano, violin, drums and vocals.  Lessons are available Monday through Friday between the hours of noon and 7 p.m. and Saturdays, 1 to 5 p.m. For more information and to schedule your lesson, call305.526.1990 or email raysguitars305@gmail.com.

“Learning an instrument isn’t like losing a few pounds, or getting a new job – it can provide a lifetime of fulfillment,” says owner Ray Anton. “We’re proud to offer something that will last more than just a few weeks.” Anton is himself a semi-professional musician, so he intuitively knows how to cater to clientele, and is always friendly and helpful. He carries himself with a wonderful sense of humor. The store’s official mascot is Stevie, a Chihuahua mix who faithfully watches over the comings and goings from one of the venue’s comfy couches.

The store is located at 3964 Curtiss Parkway in Miami Springs, is easily accessible from the Palmetto Expressway’s 36th Street exit, and conveniently nearby to both Doral and Hialeah. In addition to lessons, Ray’s Guitars N Gear offers competitive pricing on new and used guitars and basses, amplifiers, accessories, books and more, as well as expert level repair services (from simple set ups and string changes, to complete re-frets, pick up swaps and bridge resets), and consignment.  There’s also rehearsal space available for rent.

Ray’s is also famous for weekly acoustic night jams done after-hours in-store. From 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays, all ages and skill levels are welcome for a jam to songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s, in addition to current hits.

For more information, please visit www.RaysGuitarsNGear.com.

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ABOUT RAY’S GUITAR N GEAR

Ray’s Guitars N Gear is a mom-and-pop guitar retail shop that offers music lessons, instrument sales and repairs. Visit our pro shop located at 3964 Curtiss Parkway, Miami Springs, FL 33166, to buy, sell, and repair your instruments. Along with sales and service, we provide drum, guitar, violin, piano and vocal lessons. We also have a fully-equipped rehearsal space available for rent.

With more than 20 years of experience, we provide friendly, personalized, one-on-one service. We offer competitive pricing, and we are right there with the big box stores. To meet the needs of our diverse community, we offer bilingual English/Spanish service.

Join us every Wednesday night from 7 to 9 p.m., as we offer an acoustic night for all skill levels, where we play music from the 60s, 70s and 80s, as well as some more current hits heard on the radio.

For more information, visit www.RaysGuitarsNGear.com or call 305.526.1990.

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

Electric Piquete to Play the Gay 8 Festival

MEDIA ALERT

Electric Piquete to Play the Gay 8 Festival in Little Havana January 15

Miami, FL – January 5, 2017 – The award-winning Electric Piquete deftly fuse rock, jazz, funk, Afro-Caribbean, progressive and R&B influences with incendiary results. They have asked to join a line up of the top live entertainment acts in Miami for the 2nd annual Gay 8 Festival in Little Havana Sunday, January 15, 2017, between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m.

The two-time Miami New Times “Best Latin Band”  are slated to play the main stage to be located on Calle Ocho and S.W. 17th Avenue at 3 p.m. that day. Also performing: Lucy Grau, Son Lokos, Locos Por Juana and the Spam Allstars. The event is free and open to the public, welcoming all, and will also feature free LGBT film screenings at the Tower Theater, as well as walking tours throughout the day. Many local restaurants will be selling food from booths at the festival.

In 2016, Electric Piquete issued their Singles Collection digitally and on CD, and released a video for a new single “Cut Me Loose”. In addition, they played the main stage at the Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance in North Carolina and made their debut on the West Coast of Florida at the Dunedin Brewery.

Electric Piquete features co-founder Ed Rosado on drums / vocals, co-founder Michael Mut on bass / vocals, Chris Correoso (guitar), Raymond Ayala on congas / cajon / vocals, Charles “Chip” Gardner on keyboards and Robert Smiley (tenor sax). For more information, please visit www.ElectricPiquete.com.

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

GrassRoots Live! Coming February 21

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tickets for GrassRoots Live! Now Available Online

Donna the Buffalo, Locos Por Juana, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, The Blind Spots, FABI, Big Mean Sound Machine, Electric Piquete announced as headliners

Virginia Key Beach, FL – January 4, 2017 – The sixth installment of the Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance is being billed this year as GrassRoots Live! and is scheduled to take place February 21-28, 2017. The event will not only take place on its traditional Key Biscayne home, but will also feature mainland satellite happenings in Wynwood and Midtown, and on North Beach. Grassroots festival mainstays Donna the Buffalo, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, The Blind Spots, and Big Mean Sound Machine join Miami’s Locos Por Juana, FABI and Electric Piquete as early headliners announced; more acts are soon to be revealed.

So far, there are official events planned for The Wynwood Yard (56 NW 29th St, Miami, FL 33127), Concrete Beach Social Hall (325 NW 24th St, Miami, FL 33127), Lagniappe House (3425 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137), and the North Beach Bandshell (7275 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33141). The full schedule will be released shortly, but tickets to all events and on-site camping are now available online at: http://bit.ly/VKGR2017.

“We’re proud and excited to be back for a 6th year,” says festival organizer and spokesperson Selena Hodom. “I’m looking forward to producing yet another successful winter event and continuing the GrassRoots tradition here in South Florida.”

The organization is looking to get back on track after underwhelming ticket sales for the recent Shakori Hills festival, which was interrupted for a day by a Hurricane Matthews strike on North Carolina in early October or 2016. In spite of the weather, the festival highlighted scores of bands, including a contingent from Miami that included Elastic Bond, Electric Piquete and Cortadito.

The Virginia Key / Greater Miami edition will once again showcase non-profit political, social and environmental activist organizations, and feature on-site camping on Virginia Key, wellness workshops, yoga, and beach activities.

For more information, please visit http://virginiakeygrassroots.com or call 305.767.4460.

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ABOUT GRASSROOTS

The original Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance began in 1990 as a benefit concert to support a local AIDS organization in Ithaca, NY.  Encouraged by the success of that night, a decision was made to create an annual festival dedicated to raising money for the fight against AIDS, while supporting arts and education.

With the help of countless volunteers, the Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival has become an internationally-recognized event with a focus on traditional and contemporary roots music and dance from all over the world.  For four days every July, the festival hosts more than 60 performing groups on four stages at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds in Central New York near the university town of Ithaca.

Twelve years later, the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance was launched on a 75-acre farm in rural North Carolina near the triangle cities of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. Twice a year, in April and October, thousands of people attend the event to revel in great music, sweat it out on the dance floor, celebrate the arts, and build community.

The site has since become the Shakori Hills Community Arts Center, a non-profit organization created to strengthen the community through music, arts and education.

The festival winters at the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, just off the coast of Miami, FL. This year’s edition is the sixth incarnation of the Virginia Key Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance, featuring local and national acts.

For more information, visit GrassrootsFest.org  or call 607.387.5098.

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

Erislandy Lara Returns to Hialeah Park January 13

Hialeah Park Hosts Erislandy Lara vs. Yuri Foreman WBA Super Welterweight Title Fight January 13

Super-Welterweight World Champion Set to Defend WBA Title on Friday, January 13, 2017

Hialeah, FL – December 13, 2016 – Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara drew a huge crowd to Hialeah Park when he defeated Jan Zaveck at the iconic South Florida venue in November of 2015.

The Cuban-born world champion figures to be a big box office attraction once again when he defends his World Boxing Association Super-Welterweight title at Hialeah Park against Yuri “The Rabbi” Foreman on Friday January 13, 2017.

Lara (23-2-2, 13 KOs) has logged only one fight since that initial Hialeah Park appearance, defeating Vanes Martirosyan by unanimous decision in Las Vegas on May 21, 2016. The victory was his fourth consecutive win since a controversial split-decision loss to Saul Alvarez in July of 2014.

Foreman (34-2-0, 10 KOs) has fought sparingly over the last five years, but has won six straight bouts since absorbing his second defeat in March of 2011. The Brooklyn-based native of Belarus reached his highest pinnacle when he defeated Daniel Santos in 2009 to win the WBA Super-Welterweight crown.

A victory by Lara over Foreman could set the stage for a Super-Welterweight title unification bout later in 2017 against World Boxing Council champion Jermell Charlo.

Tickets for the event at the Hialeah Park Amphitheatre, including an action-packed undercard, are on sale online at TicketForce and at the Hialeah Park Casino cage.

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ABOUT HIALEAH PARK

Hialeah Park began making history in 1922 as the Miami Kennel Club, the first pari-mutuel greyhound track in America founded by Missouri cattleman James Bright and aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss. In early 1925, the newly-renamed Hialeah Park opened for thoroughbred racing with a one-mile dirt track, clubhouse, an administration building and 21 stables.

Today Hialeah Park is home to a state-of-the-art casino, which began operations in August of 2013 by featuring 800 Las Vegas-style slot machines, electronic roulette and blackjack, as well as South Florida’s most popular poker room, several restaurants and cocktail lounges, and seasonal quarter horse racing. Champions Simulcast Center and Sports Bar is open year-round, bringing bettors gaming action from around the U.S.

Newly redesigned event space is available for weddings, quinces, and special events, and the park’s vast outdoor space is available for rental as well. An official corporate partner of the University of Miami, Hialeah Park holds the distinction of being an Audubon Bird Sanctuary and being listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

With entrances at 100 East 32nd Street and 2200 East 4th Avenue, Hialeah Park is easily accessible from all major Miami highways. The landmark venue is conveniently located just minutes by car from Miami International Airport, South Beach, Downtown Miami, Coral Gables, and Doral.

For more information, please visit www.HialeahPark.com or call 305.885.8000.

MEDIA CONTACT                            
Michael Mut                               Frank Fiore
Mut Communications                   Hialeah Park / VP of Entertainment & Marketing                                                   786.426.2277                                            305.885.8000
info@mutcomm.com               ffiore@hialeahpark.com

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New Years Eve at Guanabanas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Guanabanas Rings in 2017 with Live Music by Moska Project  and The Ellemeno Beat

Reggae / ska and Latin reggae rock usher in the New Year at the Jupiter venue known for both styles

Jupiter, FL – December 8, 2016 – One of North Palm Beach County’s busiest and most well-known live music locales and eateries is hosting a New Year’s Eve bash featuring two of the area’s premiere groups. Guanabanas Island Restaurant & Bar is presenting Moska Project and The Ellemeno Beat on Saturday, December 31st, beginning at 9 p.m. There is no cover charge to attend; 21 and over are welcome.

Guanabanas features live music several times a week, for happy hour and during the evening. Their monthly Noche Latina, now in its second year, features some of the finest local, regional and international Latin music groups. The venue also hosts occasional charitable events with a musical tie-in called “Giveback Thursdays”, which has raised tens of thousands of dollars for area non-profit organizations and families in need.

“It’s only fitting to end the year and begin a new one with a lineup that best represents what we are all about as a live music venue,” says Talent Buyer Matt Cahur. “Moska Project are regulars here at Guanabanas, and their infectious and danceable progressive Latin rock sound is perfect for this occasion. The Ellemeno Beat will drench fans with their island-flavored surf rock energy. They are another mainstay here and fans always enjoy their surf party vibe.”

Moska Project’s style is a blend of Latin rock and reggae enhanced by guitar and saxophone jams. Moska’s organic sound and melodic tunes make them a favorite for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. They list Gipsy Kings, Cultura Profetica, G. Love, Ben Harper, Bob Marley, Cake, Coldplay, and The Doors among their influences. They issued a fourth release album in 2016, appropriately titled Cuatro, their first as a sextet.

The Ellameno Beat has spent the better part of this year playing shows throughout the eastern part of the U.S. Notably, the opened for reggae legends Steel Pulse at the Orlando House of Blues last month. The surf-crazed six-piece band, which song titles such as “6 Foot”, “ Pu in Sai” and “Too Deep”, released the five-song EP Party Wave in 2015.

Guanabanas is located at 960 North Highway A1A Jupiter, FL 33477. For more information, please visit www.Guanabanas.com or call 561.747.8878.

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ABOUT GUANABANAS

Guanabanas is an open air restaurant and bar with woven tiki huts and banyan trees towering overhead and hand-chiseled coquina stone pathways underfoot. The team maintains a laid-back, island atmosphere where everyone is welcome. The award-winning menu features a fusion of Mexican, fresh Florida seafood and traditional fare; a breakfast menu is available Saturdays and Sundays. Guanabanas offers a custom catering menu and signature cocktails. Executive Chef Vinny Trupia oversees the culinary operations there.

The establishment hosts recurring “Give Back Thursdays” to help the needs of the local community organizations, partnering with willing companies to help drive donations and  money where needed, as well as giving away stage space to allow charities to showcase their cause. Past beneficiaries include the Surfrider Foundation, Pink Purses, Martin Memorial Hospital, Haiti Relief Effort, Freedom Flight for WWII Vets by the Martin County Firefighters,Jupiter High Surf Team, Friends of Jupiter Beach, Vita Nova House, Furry Friends, and many others.

For more information, visit www.Guanabanas.com or call 561.747.8513.

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

 

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Mouse King Returns to Mandelstam Theater

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mouse King Returns to Mandelstam Theater for a Fourth Consecutive Holiday Season Run December 9 – 11

Critically-acclaimed children’s musical presents a new take on The Nutcracker

South Miami, FL – November 16, 2016 – Mouse King time is here again. For the fourth year in a row, the family-friendly holiday favorite written by Sesame Street veteran Noel MacNeal and award-winning composer Jim Camachoreturns to The Mandelstam Theater (8530 SW 57th Ave, South Miami, FL 33143), Friday, December 9 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, December 10, and Sunday, December 11, at 3 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at MouseKingTickets.com.

“I’m extremely excited about the talent and enthusiasm levels in this year’s cast, and am eager to share our new holiday tradition with everyone,” says Camacho. “We have some opening night entertainment which will make it extra special.” Mouse King debuted in 2013 and has enjoyed three consecutive years of sell-out performances. The children’s musical revisits the story of The Nutcracker, but instead from the perspective of the mice.

Music from the show will be available for purchase on CD at the theater, and the original cast recording is now available as a digital download at www.MouseKingMusic.com. Camacho has also had a hand in penning the book, lyrics and music for several other musicals, including Fools’ Paradise, The Cavie Islanders and the Troll, Who Put The Trick In Trick Or Treat: Tales Of Amazing Tricksters, The Guru of Gir, Digging for Bones, and more. He’s also known as an adult alternative singer-songwriter, and as co-founder, bassist and front man of the renowned Florida-based band The Goods.

In 2016, Camacho released four singles and videos: “Make It to the Morning Light”, “Ugly / Messenger”, a split single collaboration Rob Elba (The Holy Terrors, Shark Valley Sisters), “Big Little World” and “How Do You Like Me Now”; the latter two from his reissue Everywhere – Deluxe Edition. Jim is currently putting the finishing touches on a new album for release in 2017, his first full-length since the critically-lauded Beachfront Defeat.

Mouse King has delighted audiences and media alike, and been featured in several area publications, on television and radio. A special rate is available for groups of 10 or more. The official 2016 promo video can be viewed here.

For more information visit, www.JimCamacho.com or call Brown Paper Tickets direct at 800.838.3006.

ABOUT JIM CAMACHO

Miami native Jim Camacho’s solo career has seen him release five albums, including Stalker Songs, which earned a Gold Remi award in the Music Video category at the 40th Annual WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival for the song titled “Houdini.” His material garnered “Best Acoustic Performer” (2005) and “Best Album” (2009 for Beachfront Defeat) honors from the Miami New Times.

The Broward Palm Beach New Times called Everywhere one of the top albums of 2013. He’s toured with John Legend and Linda Perhacs. In 2015, Jim released two singles: “Ophelia” in February and “Please Come Home” in July; he’s working on a new full-length album, which will be released in 2017.

Camacho is prolific at writing musicals and scoring children’s theater productions. His initial foray into the realm began with Fools’ Paradise, which was directed and choreographed by the acclaimed Jonathan Cerullo. The show ran as a full production in Miami and played to sold out workshops in New York. Next, he co-wrote and scored Guru, which premiered in  Miami, scored Mickey Herman Saves the $#&@ World, which premiered at the Adrienne Arsht Center, wrote the book and music for The Cavie Islanders and the Troll and The Guru of Gir, among others.

He has collaborated with Sesame Street and Disney veteran Noel MacNeal on Who Put the Trick in Trick or Treat: Tales of Amazing Tricksters, Beasts of the Magical World, and The Carnival of Extraordinary Animals – all of which enjoyed runs during the “Boo at the Zoo” at the Bronx Zoo 2012-2014. In 2015, Camacho premiered Digging for Bones, a musical about a group of time-travelling paleontologists and a friendly T-Rex dinosaur skeleton, and enjoyed a third successful run of a collaboration with MacNeal, Mouse King, which has become a new South Florida holiday tradition, enjoying multiple sell out performances. In 2016, Jim premiered the Princess of Vannehooda.

Camacho co-founded and led the standout group The Goods, which was active during the 1990s, worked with legendary producer Tom Dowd, won the prestigious “Album of the Year” Florida Jammy award, and reached #1 on the Billboard Florida Radio & Record charts with their single “I’m Not Average”. Their high-energy live show, outstanding musicianship and relentless touring led them to sign their second recording contract, this time with Polygram Records, and be featured in a VH1 documentary. The Goods shared the stage with Pearl Jam, The Smithereens, Cracker and Matthew Sweet, among others.

For more information, visit www.JimCamacho.com, like the Jim Camacho Music page on Facebook, and follow him on Twitter and Instagram  @JimCamacho.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Mut Communications
Michael Mut
786.426.2277
info@mutcomm.com

Nag Champayons Drop “Brazilian LSD” December 2

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nag Champayons Celebrate New Single / Debut Video “Brazilian LSD” at Wynwood Yard December 2

Little Haiti’s Afrogalactic / tropidelic outfit issue new psychedelic garage funk single, equally spaced out video

Miami, FL – November 17, 2016 – With each successive release, the Nag Champayons have raised the Miami musical bar in terms of creativity, messaging and collaborative efforts. On December 2, 2016 the group will once again blow away convention with a heady and infectious new single, and visually stunning video called “Brazilian LSD”. They will celebrate the release with a screening and performance at Wynwood Yard (56 NW 29th St, Miami, FL 33127) during an Art Basel weekend event beginning at 10 p.m. The show is open to all ages, and there is no cover to attend.

The new number describes a flight of fancy triggered by a certain South American psychoactive substance. “Just try and relax,” the seductress Yopo Ono says (played by local photographer Alissa Christine, who also shot stills of the band for the video). From there, the song goes from a percussive Marakatu intro, to the band chanting “no falo português pero muito obrigado”, yielding to the driving, mid-tempo groove that forms the bulk of the song.

“This is a hook I’ve had in my head for some time, one that would occasionally pop up during band improv jams,” says co-founder and bassist Edwin Cardona. “Recently, I’ve heard lots of talk and seen ads about people going to South America for an ayahuasca retreat, and how it’s supposedly better than psychotherapy. In a way, this inspired the concept of the band getting lured into the jungle, and then being psychically transported to another plane of existence by the female shaman, who is played by Yuly Pavon.”

Where the band’s 2015 Rising Sounds of a Sinking City, eight-movement, 21-minute theme was dark, serious, and ominous, this new song is funky, danceable, and playful. It is a sonic and visual, if not tongue-in-cheek, representation of the shamanism that originates and is still present in the Amazon basin.

The track was recorded at City of Progress Studio by Andrew YeomansonAKA DJ Le Spam, who also mixed it, along with the group. Mastering credit goes to Cacolici. Produced by the band, “Brazilian LSD” features Cardona, co-founder Ryan Cacolici (keyboards / mouth harp), Jose Elias on guitar, Ephniko on vocals, drummer / percussionist Kenneth Metzker,percussionist Nery Arrevalo, and vocalist Komakozie.

“This song almost happened backwards – it was there as a jam, but when we played the full arrangement live at the Okeechobee Fest in early spring,  the video concept really came together,” says Cacolici. “Once the vision occurred that night, where the jaguar chases a naked Ed through the jungle, that’s when the lyrics and video concept came together. It’s really the first time we did something with a focused intention.” Although the keyboardist and visual artist has been involved in editing and production before, this is the first time he’s actually produced one all the way through.

The video was shot and edited at 7th Circuit Studio by J Dude, and also features a cameo appearance by 7th Circuit founder Ray Orraca, who plays the part of a shaman. The Dude also contributed to the post-production effects. Cacolici, who art directed the video, continues: “We’ve been focused on the video for the last couple of months, and it was great to incorporate the Moksha Family Arts Collective, which has always been our home turf. We had the Okeechobee experience because of Ray and the 7th Circuit stage, so it was cool to shoot the green screen there and bring him into it.”

The video will be issued on the band’s YouTube Channel – be sure to subscribe to receive an alert when the video is pushed live. The single will be released on CD Baby, iTunes, and Spotify, which will all be accessible through the band’s website December 2nd.

For more details, visit www.NagChampayons.com or call 786.280.0727.

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ABOUT THE NAG CHAMPAYONS

It’s Frank Zappa and Serge Gainsbourg wrestling Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra. It’s Sonic Youth’s plane crashing into Fela Kuti’s boat in the Everglades on the hottest day of summer. “Afro-Floyd,” said one listener. The group began in the early 2000s as an improvisational collective whose name came out of the burning of Nag Champa incense during early jams.

They currently feature Ryan Cacolici on keyboards, Edwin Cardona (bass), Jose Elias on guitar, Kenneth Metzker, Nestor Prieto, and Nery Arrevalo (percussion), and Ephinko and and Michael “Komikaze” Rodney on vocals.

The Nags won the Broward Palm Beach New Times‘ award for “Best Band Name” in 2004. Drawing from African, Caribbean, hip-hop, rock and jazz influences, they have consistently amazed crowds with their diversity, quickly rising to the top of Miami’s music and art scene. The group enjoyed a years-long monthly residence at the Hollywood, FL Mystic Kava Bar, calling it “Psychedelic Jazz Practice.”

On the heels of their lauded single “James Brown’s A$$,” the band was invited by the Brooklyn Academy of Music to perform as part of two of their premiere productions, the Si Cuba Festival and the Dance Africa Festival. As part of the Moksha Family Visionary artist collective, the Nags have had the honor to collaborate on stage with notable live painters Alex Grey, Mark Henson and Alex Sastoque.

The Nag Champayons continue to challenge convention; first with their 2012 self-titled EP featuring the acclaimed single “183rd St. Flea Market,” which includes contributions from long-time Nag collaborators El Chino Dread Lion (Yerba Buena) and Itagui from Locos Por Juana, then with their brilliant 2015 concept album Rising Sounds of a Sinking City, and now with their heady and infectious new single and video, “Brazilian LSD”.

For more, visit www.NagChampayons.com or call 786.280.0727.

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

Venus Rising Releases Debut CD, Celebrates 11/19 at R.E.D. Stripe Café and Lounge

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Women’s drum and dance ensemble records and issues nine traditional African and Caribbean tracks, launches crowdfunding campaign

 

Hollywood, FL – October 25, 2016 – Venus Rising: Women’s Drum & Dance Ensemble has been dazzling South Florida audiences with captivating rhythms and hypnotizing dance routines for more than a decade now.  For the first time, they have recorded a set of their drum and vocal tracks and have now released them on CD and digitally as a collection called Rhythm Blessings. A party is scheduled for Saturday, November 19, 2016, from 6 – 9 p.m. at the R.E.D. Stripe Café & Lounge (2001 Harrison St, Hollywood, FL 33020) to celebrate the occasion. There will be no cover to attend and all ages are welcome.

 

“We are truly excited about sharing this collection of rhythms with everyone,” says troupe founder and leader Zeva Soroker. “I’m humbled and grateful for the opportunity to have created this along with my ‘Venus Sistars’ and look forward to this very momentous occasion.” Soroker played a variety of traditional and African drums on the recording, including the djembe, a West African goblet-shaped, roped-tuned, skin-covered drum she favors in a live setting.

 

They have also launched a crowdfunding campaign on INDIEGOGO to help offset production costs and are looking for support from family, friends and fans. Some of the unique returns for donating to the campaign include limited edition t-shirts, water bottles, private drum and dance lessons, troupe performances and more. The initiative runs through December 24, 2016 – more information is available here: https://igg.me/at/VRRBCD/14840990.

 

The track listing is as follows:

 

  1. Yanvalou – Haitian Voudoun Rhythm
  2. Fanga – Liberian Welcome Rhythm
  3. Gamamala – Ewe Polyrhythmic Bell Ensemble
  4. Menjani – Female Rites of Passage Rhythm from West Africa
  5. By the Rivers – Jamaican Niyabinghi Rhythm
  6. Afoshe – Afro-Brazilian Candomble Rhythm
  7. Kassagbe – Harvest Rhythm from West Africa
  8. Kpanlogo – Ga Social Dance Rhythm
  9. Kuku – West African Celebration Rhythm

 

Select members of the ensemble participated in the recording. They are Sheila Alexander (juns, shakere, agogo bells, vocals), Inez Barlatier (juns, shakere, agogo bells, vocals, lead vocals, congas), Michnique Barlatier (agogo bells, vocals), Corina Fitch (agogo bells, vocals, congas ), Grecia Garrett (juns, agogo bells, vocals), Maria Llorca (juns, agogo bells, vocals), Penny Pitterson (funde, vocals), Tricia Thompson (juns, agogo bells, vocals), Soroker (djembe, juns, agogo bells, vocals, repeater, congas), and Latoya Weste (juns, vocals).

 

The recording was engineered and mixed by Ferny Coipel at the Shack North Recording & Rehearsal Studios, and mastered by Zach Ziskin. The collection was produced by Soroker, with executive production credit going to Michael Mut.

 

The troupe will perform live drum and dance numbers at the party, and a full cash bar and Caribbean menu will be available. Most importantly, the new CD will be available for purchase at $10. Space is limited at the venue; learn more about the event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/159189121208406.

 

For more information, visit www.VenusRising.net.

 

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ABOUT VENUS RISING

Venus Rising: Women’s Drum and Dance Ensemble is a multi-ethnic performance troupe dedicated to creating works that uplift and inspire. Venus Rising strives to empower individuals to break barriers by celebrating diversity through rhythm and movement.  Fiery rhythms and hypnotizing dance choreographies create rhythmic entertainment for the soul.

Founded in 2003, Venus Rising has been performing throughout South Florida at festivals, corporate and private events, galas, conferences and more since inception. Performance highlights include the American Airlines Arena, the Perez Art Museum Miami, Bayfront Park, Vizcaya and the University of Miami. They have received extensive media coverage, including an appearance on Telemundo’s national morning show Levantate.

For more information, visit www.VenusRising.net.

 

MEDIA CONTACT

Michael Mut

Mut Communications

786.426.2277

info@mutcomm.com