Afro Roots Returns to Miami Beach May 1 Featuring Roosevelt Collier and Friends, Plus More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fans welcome to a socially-distanced layout including performances by Vieux Farka Toure, Philip Montalban, Fulu Miziki, Richard Bona, Weedie Braimah and more TBA

Miami Beach, FL — March 30, 2021 — Last year, the pandemic forced Miami-based non-profit Community Arts and Culture (CAC) to scrap all scheduled Afro Roots Fest performances due to safety concerns and restrictions. It’s annual Miami Beach concert became a “Virtual Fest” that was live streamed and watched by thousands in dozens of countries world-wide. This year, the show will once again welcome fans in person, and feature a lineup of regional and international acts, and most importantly, welcome live music fans back safely. 

The concert is scheduled for Saturday, May 1, 2021, at the North Beach Bandshell (7275 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33141), beginning at 7 p.m. The master of ceremonies will once again be world music legend Georges Collinet, host of the award-winning Afropop Worldwide syndicated radio program, which is heard locally on WDNA. Tickets are available online by clicking here. 

“We are excited to get back to presenting live music to a live audience, and look forward to having Roosevelt Collier with special guests Richard Bona and Weedie Braimah, and Philip Montalbán entertain folks live, and Vieux Farka Toure and Fulu Miziki do so virtually,” says Executive and Artistic Director Jose Elias. “This event could not have been possible without the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council, the Rhythm Foundation, the Broadmore Hotel, and Afropop Worldwide.”

Soft spoken by nature, South Florida-bred Collier does his hollering on 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 performances. Seated front and center, “The Dr.” leaves an indelible mark on listeners, flooring audiences with his lightning-fast slide work on the pedal steel.

Often referred to as “The Hendrix of the Sahara”, Touré was born in Niafunké, Mali in 1981. He is the son of legendary Malian guitar player Ali Farka Touré, who died in 2006. Vieux was initially a drummer / calabash player at Mali’s Institut National des Arts, but secretly began playing guitar in 2001. As a passionate champion for the people of Mali and The Sahel, Vieux founded the charity Amahrec Sahel in 2012. Vieux is also the director of The Ali Farka Touré Foundation, an international organization dedicated to the preservation of Ali’s legacy and the cultural growth of Mali.

Afro-Latino reggae artist Montalbán is an Afro-Nicaraguan singer / songwriter who blends Mestizo, Afro-Caribbean and the indigenous cultures of Miskito, Rama, and Garifuna influences together musically. His albums range from showcasing a mix of Creole English and Spanish to his presenting specific Miskito words in song lyrics. He is an  intense, serious songwriter noted for his thoughtful songs of love, harmony, and hope that call for Africans everywhere to unite. 

Fulu Miziki is a multidisciplinary ensemble of musicians from Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) founded by Old Pisko Crane. For several years, Pisko envisioned an orchestra made from materials found in trash cans and dumps. The instruments vary constantly in search of new sounds. Fulu Miziki’s artists make their own performance costumes, masks and instruments. Their distinct sound supports a Pan-African message of artistic liberation, peace and a deep concern about the ecological situation of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the whole world. For Fulu, everything can be reclaimed and re-enchanted.

The following night, Sunday May 2, there will be a special event at Smart Bites To Go (791 NW 20th St, Miami, FL 33127) featuring live music by Xperimento and Pan Afrik, and hosted by DJ Lance-O. Also on hand will be a show called “Travels with Afropopo Worldwide and Georges Collinet“, a lively multimedia experience of video, images, music and stories from the Peabody Award-winning radio show’s field work in Zimbabwe, Congo, Egypt and Mali. 

Collinet himself will also be on hand to meet and greet fans, and discuss his 50 year’s experience as broadcast personality and film-maker, as will Afropop’s founding producers, Sean Barlow and Banning Eyre.

For more information, and the full festival lineup and schedule, visit AfroRootsFest.com. 

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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 www.CommunityArtsandCulture.org.

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

Afro Roots Fest Returns for a 23rd Edition, Announces Multi-County Event Schedule

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Award-winning world music concert series drops multiple Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach County dates in April and May 

Miami, FL – March 3, 2021 – Faced with an unprecedented situation in 2020, the Afro Roots Fest was forced to recalibrate and reinvent itself, culminating in a first-of-its-kind “Afro Roots Virtual Fest”. This year, fortune seems to favor a return to form of sorts, and the Miami-based non-profit organization behind the music, Community Arts and Culture (CAC), has now announced the lineup of events and artists for its 23rd season of events. 

“We are happy and excited to be able to get back to in-person Afro Roots events,” says festival founder and musical curator, and CAC Executive Director Jose Elias. “We look forward to continuing to share some exciting local, regional, and international world music acts, but are intent on doing it safely and according to all coronavirus safety recommendations.” Elias is also the co-founder and tres player in the Cuban folk group Cortadito and the guitarist in the Nag Champayons, two of the festival’s featured performers.

The schedule of events is as follows: 

Road to Afro Roots Jupiter
Saturday, April 17, 4 p.m.
Guanabanas Island Restaurant & Bar – 960 Hwy A1A, Jupiter, FL 33477
Acts:
Cortadito
Venezonix
FABI World Music
More info

Afro Roots Fest Key West
Wednesday, April 21 – Friday, April 23, 5:30 and 9 p.m. each day
The Green Parrot – 601 Whitehead St, Key West, FL 33040
Acts:
Cortadito with special guest Tomas Diaz (April 21)
Guerra Grooves (April 22)
FABI World Music with special guest ITAWE (April 23)
More info – Day 1
More info – Day 2
More info – Day 3

Afro Roots Fest Miami Beach
Co-presented by the Rhythm Foundation
Saturday, May 1, 7 p.m.
North Beach Bandshell – 7275 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33141
Acts:
Roosevelt Collier with special guests Richard Bona, Weedie Braimah, and more TBA
Vieux Farka Toure (virtual performance)
Philip Montalban
Fulu Miziki (virtual performance)
Tickets: bit.ly/ARFMB2021

Afro Roots Fest Miami
Sunday May 2, 6 p.m.
Smart Bites To Go – 791 NW 20 St, Miami, FL 33127
Acts:
Xperimento
PanAfrik
DJ Lance O
More info

Afro Roots Fest Doral
Saturday, May 15, 5:30 pm
Doral Yard – 8455 NW 53rd St, Doral, FL 33166
Acts:
Venezonix
Vanya Allen
DJ Le Spam
More info

Afro Roots Fest Islamorada
Saturday, May 29 and Sunday, May 30, 6 p.m. each day
Florida Keys Brewing Company – 81611 Old Hwy, Islamorada, FL 33036
Acts:
Electric Piquete and JUke (May 29)
Electric Kif and Nag Champayons (May 30)
More info – Day 1
More info – Day 2

This year’s festival is being generously underwritten by: the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs, the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council, the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, Guanabanas Island Restaurant and Bar, the Green Parrot, the Broadmore Hotel, Smart Bites to Go, Afropop Worldwide, the Florida Keys Brewing Company, Morada Way Arts & Cultural District, and Keys ICE. Sponsorship opportunities are available – interested parties can email info@CommunityArtsandCulture.org. 

Concert goers can prep for events by shopping the Afro Roots Fest online store and purchasing branded masks at www.CommunityArtsandCulture.org/store. Music from selected performers is available for downloading through the organization’s Afro Roots Recordings online music store: www.AfroRootsRecordings.com. 

Check www.AfroRootsFest.com for updates and additional events; more information is available at www.CommunityArtsandCulture.org. 

###

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.

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

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

Community Arts & Culture and the Rhythm Foundation Present Afro Roots Virtual Fest September 12

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The first-ever virtual edition of the annual world music festival features an evening of performances by Alsarah, Spam Allstars, Johnny Dread, Cortadito, Venezonix, and more

Miami Beach, FL — August 20, 2020 — The Miami New Times’ 2019 “Best Music Festival” has now gone totally virtual. After enduring several cancellations and postponements due to COVID-19, the 22nd Afro Roots Fest concert season will culminate and conclude with a multinational livestream concert featuring Sudanese chanteuse Alsarah and several of Miami’s new and legacy artists on Saturday, September 12, 2020, beginning at 8 p.m. EST. Webcast live from the  North Beach Bandshell (7275 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33141) and emceed by Afropop Worldwide‘s legendary host Georges Collinet, other acts will include Spam Allstars, Johnny Dread, Cortadito, and Venezonix. 

Alsarah is a singer, songwriter, and bandleader born in Khartoum, Sudan. She relocated to Yemen with her family, then to Brooklyn, NY, where she has lived since 2004. The East African retro-pop group Alsarah & the Nubatones were born out of many dinner conversations between Alsarah and percussionist Rami El Aasser about nubian “songs of return”, modern migration patterns, and the cultural exchanges between Sudan and Egypt. 

Local favorite musicologist and spinmaster Andrew Yeomanson AKA DJ Le Spam  founded Spam Allstars 23 years ago. The early days included hilarious spoken word records, mixed with a variety of instruments, and the lovely scent of Spam frying live on stage as a special snack to share with his non-vegan guests. More than two decades later, the band has a core group of musicians who have been performing an average of 150 shows per year, across the U.S. and with some very special trips to Europe, Canada, South America and South Africa.  

They held a weekly residency at the legendary Little Havana club called Hoy Como Ayer, where the band forged what many have called a new Miami sound. Their “electronic descarga” is a reflection of the musicians and their cultures, training, and musical influences.

Johnny Dread quite simply transcends Reggae music and travels into a unique blend of world beat rhythms. His musical influences are as diverse as his rasta / Cuban-American background. With his undeniable rebel soul, he infuses Caribbean-influenced beats, Afro-Cuban, and rock sounds into every one of his songs. This combination provides the audience with contagious rhythms and powerful, soul-wrenching melodies. 

He has taken the stage in international festivals, concerts and benefits with leading artists such as Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill and Israel Vibration, among others. A self-taught drummer, he has captivated audiences from around the world and has accumulated a loyal fan base all over the United States, Europe and South America.

Cortadito is a group that has simply revitalized Son Montuno, the late nineteenth-century country music from the mountainous regions of Eastern Cuba. Their sound can best be described as reminiscent of the Buena Vista Social Club. Jose Elias founded the group alongside Julio Cesar Rodriguez Delet in November of 2011 after a 12-year stint with Conjunto Progreso that garnered him a Grammy nomination for his participation in the album Masters of Cuban Son. The duo was an instant success and were invited to perform at the Fingerlakes Grassroots festival in Trumansberg, NY.  

They released their first CD titled Abriendo Caminos in 2012, which featured one original composition by each of the artists, including “Delicias Caribeña” (Elias) and “Te Lo Perdiste” (Rodriguez). They released Canciones de Julio in 2018 and were named “Best Latin Act” by the Miami New Times in 2019. The band occasionally backs legendary Cuban musician and Buena Vista Social Club member Eliades Ochoa.

Venezonix presents a fusion of Afro-Venezuelan rhythms with electronic music and technology led by Andres Ponce (agpa), co-founder of acclaimed Nacional recording artists ElasticBond. Their upcoming EP La Que Es features collaborations with Betsayda Machado and Parranda el Clavo, as well as a selection of genre-bending explorations mixing traditional Venezuelan instruments with futuristic beats and synthesizer textures.

The livestream will also include a Community Spotlight segment celebrating some of Miami’s cultural ambassadors. Scheduled to appear are: African instrument-maker and author Eddie Osborne (Ancestral Memories), the Circle of Brotherhood, Concerned African Women, and more to be announced. 

Collinet, a native of Cameroon in West Africa, is one of the best-known and best-loved broadcasters on the African continent. Based in the U.S. for more than 25 years, Collinet’s French and English language music programs broadcast to Africa via the Voice of America have entertained millions of devoted fans. Afropop Worldwide is a Peabody award-winning radio program and online magazine dedicated to music from Africa and the African diaspora.

Viewers will be able to tune in to the free webcast on www.AfroRootsFest.com as well as on the festival Facebook page, which is located at fb.me/AfroRootsFest. The festival is being co-presented with the Rhythm Foundation, and is made possible through the generous support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Florida Department of Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, the City of Miami Beach Cultural Arts Council, the Broadmoor Hotel, and Afropop Worldwide. 

For more information, visit CommunityArtsandCulture.org.

###

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, the non-profit organization La Fortuna, 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 the weekly’s “Best of Miami” edition. Most recently, the organization partnered with the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to present an Afro Roots Recordings Artist Showcase, as part of the Arts Across America program.

The organization is now selling Afro Roots-branded merchandise online at CommunityArtsandCulture.org/store, and soon plans to release original music through its musical imprint Afro Roots Recordings. 

For more information, please visit the brand new website at CommunityArtsandCulture.org.

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

The Road to Afro Roots Travels through South Miami February 29

MEDIA ALERT

All ages are welcome to a free evening of Puerto Rican Bomba by Zona de Bomba beginning at 9 p.m.

South Miami, FL – February 18, 2020 – At two years past two decades, Afro Roots Fest shows no signs of slowing down. Similarly, the Road to Afro Roots pre-festival series rolls on in South Miami on Leap Day. The Miami music and arts non-profit organization Community Arts and Culture (CAC) continues its 2nd decade plus of concerts on Saturday, February 29, 2020 with a free show at The Tonic (5701 Sunset Dr Suite 194, South Miami, FL 33143) beginning at 9 p.m. Afro Roots Fest, was named “Best Music Festival” in the 2019 Miami New Times “Best of Miami” edition.

Zona De Bomba sources explosive material from the Puerto Rican tradition of Bomba, which runs on the power of only two hard-hitting instruments; percussion and voice. This diverse collective that includes representation from Puerto Rico and Cuba, is led by Charley Rivas,whose goal is to transform the performance of Bomba into one that’s representative of the group’s collective musical experience.

For more details, visit the all-new AfroRootsFest.com or call 305.397.8499; more information is available at the newly redesigned CommunityArtsandCulture.org. 

###

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, the non-profit organization La Fortuna, 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. 

For more information, please visitthe brand new website at CommunityArtsandCulture.org.

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

The Road to the 22nd Annual Afro Roots Fest Begins at Guanabanas February 8

MEDIA ALERT

All ages are welcome to a free afternoon and evening of world music highlighted by performances by Zona de Bomba, Morikeba Kouyate and the Antilles Music Ensemble beginning at 4 p.m. 

Jupiter, FL – January 28, 2020 – The Miami music and arts non-profit organization Community Arts and Culture (CAC) will kick off its 22nd annual series of concerts on Saturday, February 8, 2020 with a free concert in Jupiter at Guanabanas Island Restaurant & Bar beginning at 4 p.m. Afro Roots Fest, the tri-county travelling festival named “Best Music Festival” in the 2019 Miami New Times “Best of Miami” edition, will for a third year in a row start up in Palm Beach County at the award-winning waterfront venue. 

Zona de Bomba sources explosive material from the Puerto Rican tradition of Bomba, which runs on the power of only two hard-hitting instruments; percussion and voice.This diverse collective that includes representation from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Colombia, and Venezuela is led by Charley Rivas whose goal is to transform the performance of Bomba into one that’s representative of the group’s collective musical experience.

Kouyate is a seventh-generation Jali (Griot) and has performed professionally for more than thirty years. He plays around the country as a solo artist, enticing audiences young and old with exciting music and engaging stores. He performs in his traditional Mandingo language, providing translation in English. Additionally, Morikeba can translate into French.  

Representing the days of early 20th century Caribbean dance music, and exploring both the diversity and commonality of Caribbean dance music, the Antilles Music Ensemble brings to life a score of traditional songs that have long inspired people  the world over.A creation of guitarist Jose Elias, (Spam Allstars, Nag Champayons, Cortadito), the  Antilles Music Ensemble showcases a variety of music from countries such as Martinique, Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, Trinidad, and more.

Road to Afro Roots Jupiter
Saturday, February 8, 4 p.m.
Guanabanas Island Restaurant & Bar – 960 Hwy A1A, Jupiter, FL 33477
Acts:
Antilles Music Ensemble 
Morikeba Kouyate
Zona de Bomba
www.Guanabanas.com

For more information, visit the all-new AfroRootsFest.com for updates; more information is available at the newly redesigned CommunityArtsandCulture.org. 

###

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, the non-profit organization La Fortuna, Guanabanas Island Restaurant &Bar, the FloridaDepartment of State’s Division of CulturalAffairs, the City ofMiami Beach, the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, the Moksha ArtsCollective, Miami–Dade College, the MonroeCounty Tourist Development Council, and the Rhythm Foundation. These harmoniousrelations help CAC fulfill their co-presenting mission to the community.

In 2018, Executive and Artistic Director Jose Elias was recognized by the KnightFoundation 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. 

For more information, please visitthe brand new website atCommunityArtsandCulture.org.

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

Community Arts and Culture Announces 22nd Annual Afro Roots Fest

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tri-county world music festival adds new venues and areas, runs February 8 through June 6 in Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach Counties

Miami, FL – January 21, 2020 – The Miami music and arts non-profit organization Community Arts and Culture (CAC) has now released it’s full schedule of Afro Roots Fest events. For a 22nd consecutive year, the series of concerts named “Best Music Festival” in the 2019 Miami New Times “Best of Miami” edition will begin with a free concert in Jupiter at Guanabanas Island Restaurant & Bar on February 8 and wrap in Key Largo on June 6 at the Murray Nelson Center. In between and along the way, new stops in Miami, Doral and South Miami are planned, as is a gem of a collaborative presentation with the Rhythm Foundation on Miami Beach. 

“We are very excited about our new season of performances and look forward to going back to the places where we’ve been recently, as well as forging new relationships,” says festival founder and musical curator, and CAC Executive Director Jose Elias. “We appreciate the support of new partners the Doral Yard and The Tonic Miami, as well as our continuing sponsors.” Elias is also the co-founder and tres player in the Cuban folk group Cortadito and Caribbean traditionalists the Antilles Music Ensemble, two of the festival’s featured performers.

The festival is being generously underwritten by: Guanabanas, the Miami–Dade Department of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Department of State, Florida Keys Tourist Development Council, the Green Parrot, the Ambrosia House, the City of Miami Beach, the Broadmoor Hotel, National Endowment for the Arts, Afropop Worldwide, Florida Keys Brewing Company, Morada Way Arts & Cultural District, Keys ICE, the Tank Brewing Company, and the Friends of Key Largo. Sponsorship opportunities are available – interested parties can email info@CommunityArtsandCulture.org. 

The full schedule is as follows:

Road to Afro Roots Jupiter
Saturday, February 8, 4 p.m.
Guanabanas Island Restaurant & Bar – 960 Hwy A1A, Jupiter, FL 33477
Acts:
Antilles Music Ensemble 
Morikeba Kouyate
Zona de Bomba
www.Guanabanas.com 

Road to Afro Roots South Miami
Saturday, February 29, 9 p.m.
The Tonic – 5701 Sunset Dr Suite 194, South Miami, FL 33143
Act: Zona de Bomba
www.TheTonicMiami.com

Road to Afro Roots South Miami
Saturday, April 4, 9 p.m.
The Tonic – 5701 Sunset Dr Suite 194, South Miami, FL 33143
Act: Antilles Music Ensemble 
www.TheTonicMiami.com

Afro Roots Fest Key West
Thursday, April 16, 8 p.m.
The Green Parrot –  601 Whitehead St, Key West, FL 33040
Act: Tomas Diaz and Friends
www.GreenParrot.com
Friday, April 17, 7 p.m. 
The Key West Theater – 512 Eaton St, Key West, FL 33040
Acts: 
Cortadito 
Antilles Music Ensemble
David Feder
www.TheKeyWestTheater.com

Afro Roots Fest Miami Beach
Saturday, April 25, 6 p.m.
North Beach Bandshell – 7275 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33141
Acts:
Sinkane
Alsarah and the Nubatones
DJ Le Spam VW Bus Experience 
Tickets: bit.ly/ARFMB2020
www.NorthBeachBandshell.com

Afro Roots Fest Doral
Saturday, May 9, 7 p.m.
Doral Yard – 8455 NW 53rd St, Doral, FL 33166
Acts: 
Zona de Bomba
Grupo Barrio Abajo
Venezonix
TheDoralYard.com

Afro Roots Fest Miami  – Closing Party
Sunday, May 10, 6 p.m.
Oak Garden – 791 NW 20th Street, Miami, FL 33127
Acts:
Johnny Dread
Nag Champayons
Tomas Diaz and the Sound Boutique
KulchaShok.com

Afro Roots Fest Islamorada 
Sunday, May 24, 3 p.m.
Florida Keys Brewing Company – 81611 Old Hwy, Islamorada, FL 33036
Acts: 
Electric Kif
Cultivation Reggae
JUke
The Swayzees 
www.FloridaKeysBrewingCo.com

Afro Roots Key Largo
Saturday, June 6, 3 p.m.
Murray Nelson Cultural Center – 102050 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037
Acts:
Cortadito 
Tomas Diaz and Sound Boutique
Zona de Bomba
DJ Le Spam VW Bus Experience
bit.ly/ARFKL2020

Check out the all-new AfroRootsFest.com for updates; more information is available at the newly redesigned www.CommunityArtsandCulture.org. 

###

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, the non-profit organization La Fortuna, 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 harmoniousrelations 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. 

For more information, please visitthe brand new website atwww.CommunityArtsandCulture.org.

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

The 21st Afro Roots Fest Wraps in Key Largo June 29 with a Whole New Twist

Community Arts and Culture presents a celebration of international foods, local craft beers, and a taste of Miami’s music scene at the Murray Nelson Cultural Center 

Key Largo, FL – June 11, 2019 – The 2019 Afro Roots Fest  concludes at Mile Marker 102 in Key Largo on Saturday, June 29, 2019.  For the first time ever, the beloved music festival will team up with local favorite Arthur’s Caribbean Kitchen, who will create a special menu presenting a taste of international cuisines from Africa to the Caribbean. The event will also offer craft beer tastings by South Florida standouts the The TANK Brewing Company and the Florida Keys Brewing Company, in addition to featuring live music by Elastic Bond, JUke, the Nag Champayons, plus the DJ Le Spam VW Bus Experience. The result? An evolving Afro Roots Fest offering deep satisfaction for music fans and foodies alike.

“We are  thrilled to conclude the 21st edition of the festival with the addition of a culinary twist,” says Jose Elias, festival founder and executive director of Community Arts and Culture (CAC). “The event will  celebrate the diversity of Miami’s local music scene, with something for fans of all genres, be it Latin funk, rock, blues, or psychedelia.” Elias has organized Afro Roots Fest for 21 years, the last two enjoying multi-county runs, including stops in the Florida Keys.

Also, there will be a variety of arts and craft vendors, plus a Moksha Virtual Reality Gallery curated by the Moksha Arts Collective. The festival will kick off at 3 p.m. at the Murray Nelson Cultural Center (102050 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037). All ages are welcome. Admission is free, with a $10 suggested donation. 

Free transportation to and from the event aboard the Afro Roots Jam Bus will be available from The TANK Brewing Company (5100 NW 72nd Ave, Bay A-1, Miami, FL 33166).  It will depart at 1:30 p.m. and return by 10 p.m. Seating is limited so those interested must RSVP on the festival Eventbrite page. 

Nacional Records recording artists Elastic Bond were established in Miami in 2006. Originally a loose studio collaboration between Venezuelan producer-musician Andrés Ponce and Honduran singer-songwriter Sofy Encanto, the band now fuses funk, hip-hop, soul and Latin into a sound self-described as psychedelic tropical soul written and performed in Spanish and English. Their latest release is 2017’s Honey Bun, a collaboration with Grammy-winner Adrian Quesada as co-producer. www.ElasticBond.com 
 
JUke is a four-piece, “post-blues,” hybrid with a high motor and bottomless soul. Spearheaded by frontman / harmonica player / singer Eric Garcia, the band’s content touches on non-traditional subject matter while simultaneously keeping the crowd moving with a smile on their faces. They are jam festival favorites, appearing at events such as Wanee, Hulaween, AURA, Magnolia Fest, and the Orange Blossom Jamboree. 
 
Miami’s Afro Galactic / Tropidelic funksters the Nag Champayons blend African, Caribbean and North American influences into a unique and extremely danceable sound. Their most recent release is the single and video for “Brazilian LSD”, which served as a follow up to 2015’s masterful Rising Sounds of a Sinking City, a darkly serious and ominous 21-minute environmentally-conscious theme. For more details, visit www.NagChampayons.com.
 
Andrew Yeomanson, AKA DJ Le Spam spins all manner of genres, from Miami funk to soul, salsa to world music and everything in between. He has held many high-profile DJ residencies, and spun at countless private and corporate events. Le Spam also records and produces music from his City of Progress Studio in North Miami and leads the Latin Grammy-nominated and nationally and internationally-touring band the Spam Allstars, are one of Miami’s most popular and longest-running bands.
 
The event is being made possible with the generous support of the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, and the Friends of Key Largo Cultural Center.
 
High resolution images and videos are available. For more information, please visit www.AfroRootsFest.com or call 305.853.8800.

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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 Fest Returns to Islamorada on Memorial Day Weekend

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Community Arts and Culture presents a day of live entertainment at the Morada Way Arts & Cultural District Sunday, May 26 featuring the Spam Allstars, Grupo Barrio Abajo, Morikeba Kouyate, David Feder, FABI, and Venezonix   

Islamorada, FL – May 7, 2019 – The annual Afro Roots Fest concert series returns to the Morada Way Arts & Cultural District during the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Last year, the event drew world music lovers from all over South Florida to the Florida Keys Brewing Company,and enjoyed a day-long run of live music, vendors, and musical workshops. This year, the lineup will feature another eclectic roster with some familiar faces on Sunday, May 26 at 151 Morada Way, Islamorada, FL 33036, beginning at 3 p.m. All ages welcome; $10 suggested donation. 

“We’re excited to be back in lovely Islamorada and are especially thankful to our wonderful partners and sponsors, the Florida Keys Brewing Company,” says Jose Elias, festivalfounder and executive director of Community Arts and Culture (CAC). “We look forward to honoring the ultimate sacrifices made by the members of the U.S. Armed forces with a day of incredible music in a stunningly beautiful setting.” Elias will also play the tres and guitar with the Spam Allstars.

A Latin Grammy-nominated and nationally and internationally-touring band, the Spam Allstars are one of Miami’s most popular, well-known, longest-running and accomplished bands. 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 recorded effort is called Trans-Oceanic, their sixth full-length released in 2016. Learn more at www.SpamAllstars.com.

Group Barrio Abajo seeks to raise international awareness of the folkloric musical heritage of the Caribbean Colombia by presenting styles such as cumbia, bullerengue, porro, chandé and more than thirty other unparalleled musical rhythms. Globally, their home country is known for cumbia and vallenato, but these are just two parts of their musically diverse heritage. Barrio Abajo performed during the 2018 edition of Afro Roots Fest Islamorada. Learn more about them here: www.facebook.com/GrupoBarrioAbajo.

Kouyate is a native of Senegal and an Afro Roots Fest repeat performer. He is a Kora master and a trained Griot, meaning he captivates audiences with his 20-string, harp-like instrument and maintains a tradition of West African oral history through song. His performances are like beautiful, melodic storytellings. Click https://youtu.be/n0O4eqU-wcA to see him in action at the festival’s 2014 incarnation in Little Haiti. 

Feder fuses his background of jazz and classical music with Flamenco folk stylings and a multi-cultural island vibe. His music has been featured on NPR’s All Songs Considered, World Café Live, PBS Art Loft, NPR’s Folk & Acoustic Music, among other outlets. Feder spent six weeks at the top of the Broadjam World Music Chart with his critically acclaimed album “Black Emerald” and has been featured on All My Children(ABC), Art Loft (PBS), the NBC Good Morning show, National Park Service educational videos, and Florida Everglades documentaries.

FABI is the musical project led by multi-instrumentalist Fabi Patino that blends world-beat with rootsy grooves. Venezonix is the brainchild of Elastic Bond’s co-founder and keyboardist Andres Ponce, a mix of Afro-Venezuelan rhythms with electronic sounds. AGPA DJ Selector will entertain the audience in between live sets.

The events are being made possible with the generous support of the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, Keys ICE (Islamorada Community Entertainment), the Morada Way Arts and Cultural District, and the Florida Keys Brewing Company. 

High resolution images and videos are available. For more information, please visit www.AfroRootsFest.com or call 305.916.5521.

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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 Fest Debuts in Homestead at the Historic Seminole Theatre April 27

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Award-winning Cuban artist Danay Suarez and Keys-based guitar virtuoso David Feder to perform concert in the heart of the city’s extraordinary, restored district

Homestead, FL – April 7, 2019 – An important premiere such as this calls for a remarkable venue. The Afro Roots Fest will make its debut in the City of Homestead at the historic Seminole Theatre (18 N Krome Ave, Homestead, FL 33030) on Saturday, April 27, 2019 with a special presentation of Cuban singer / songwriter Danay Suarez and Islamorada-based guitarist David Feder beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are available online at bit.ly/ARH19. The event is being produced and presented by the Miami-based musical non-profit Community Arts and Culture (CAC).  

“The musical driver of this year’s festival is the celebration of women in world music, and we would be hard-pressed to find anyone better than Danay to represent the vanguard of Afro-Cuban music today,” says Jose Elias, festivalfounder and CAC’s executive director. “We know that audiences will truly enjoy her art and connect with her music, as will they with David’s, who is an exceptional talent on guitar.”

The four-time Grammy-nominated Suarez is a thoughtful, eloquent vocalist who singularly combines soul and hip-hop with reggae and the traditional Cuban styling called son. Her latest offering Palabras Manualesfeatures contributions from Stephen Marley, Idan Raichel, Roberto Fonseca and Jason Matthews. A veteran of many major national and international music festivals, Danay won the prestigious La Gaviota de Inspiración award during the 2017 Festival Viňa in Chile.

Feder fuses his background of jazz and classical music with Flamenco folk stylings and a multi-cultural island vibe. His music has been featured on NPR’s All Songs Considered, World Café Live, PBS Art Loft, NPR’s Folk & Acoustic Music, among other outlets. Feder spent six weeks at the top of the Broadjam World Music Chart with his critically acclaimed album “Black Emerald” and has been featured on All My Children(ABC), Art Loft (PBS), the NBC Good Morning show, National Park Service educational videos, and Florida Everglades documentaries.

Now in its 21st year, the Afro Roots Fest – named one of “South Florida’s Ten Best Music Festivals” by the Miami New Times – is a travelling affair that brings music from the African diaspora and the Caribbean to the masses.

This event is being made possible with the support of Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, and Knight Foundation. For more information, call 786.650.2073 or visit www.AfroRootsFest.com.

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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 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