Community Arts and Culture Curates Three Miami Beach OnStage! Concerts in August and September

Spam Allstars, Cortadito, Johnny Dread, Bad Apples Brass Band, Grupo Barrio Abajo and DJs Ephniko and Kumi are scheduled to perform free, all-ages concerts in three different locations on Miami Beach

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Miami, FL – August 11, 2022 – Community Arts & Culture (CAC) in partnership with the City of Miami Beach present a series of Miami Beach OnStage! performances at three different locations on three different dates. The Miami music and arts nonprofit will team up with the City of Miami Beach’s largest free outdoor performing and visual arts program to produce shows on August 19 in Lummus Park, August 26 in Collins Park Plaza and September 9 at the Normandy Fountain. All of the free concerts run from 6 to 8 p.m. and are open to both adults and children.

“We’re excited and proud to once again be collaborating with the City of Miami Beach to put on another run of Miami Beach OnStage! shows,” says CAC Founder and Executive Director Jose Elias. “The caliber of artists we will be presenting just keeps on getting better, and we appreciate the opportunity to line them up for music lovers on the beach and from beyond.” Elias plays tres (Cuban string instrument) and guitar with the Spam Allstars and Cortadito.

The following is the performance and location schedule:

  • August 19: Spam Allstars and DJ Kumi — Lummus Park (1130 Ocean Drive)
  • August 26: Cortadito and the Bad Apples Brass Band — Collins Park (2100 Collins Ave)
  • September 9: Johnny Dread, Grupo Barrio Abajo and DJ Ephniko — Normandy Fountain (7802 Rue Vendome)

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 sixth and most recent full-length album is called Trans-Oceanic. Learn more at SpamAllstars.com.

Named after a favorite caffeinated pick-me-up and voted “Best Latin Act 2019” by Miami New Times, Cortadito plays a mesh of son montuno, guaracha, boleros, nengon and bolero son that will transport listeners to the time when Trio Matamoros and Ignacio Piñeiro ruled the Cuban music world. This dynamic, Miami-based ensemble has been joined on stage by world-renowned flutist Nestor Torres, opened for legendary Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés, and toured with Eliades Ochoa of the Buena Vista Social Club. This show will be part of the group’s 10-year anniversary celebration. CortaditoSon.com

Born Juan Carlos Guardiola in Philadelphia, Johnny Dread spent his youth on the basketball courts of Miami and received a basketball scholarship to Florida International University (FIU). Shortly after he experienced a “majestic” transition from star athlete to professional musician. He’s since enjoyed a decadeslong run as a successful reggae music singer/songwriter, touring the world and sharing the stage with Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Israel Vibration, Alpha Blondie, Third World, The Wailers, Steel Pulse, The Marleys and others. JohnnyDread.com

The Bad Apples Brass Band is a fun and funky New Orleans group based in South Florida. Opening and jamming with bands, including Rebirth Brass Band, Bonerama, Papa Grows Funk, Glen David Andrews Band, Jon Cleary, Bad Apples Brass Band has brought the Crescent City sound to the area fusing an infectious street beat with the funkiest jazz and the heaviest sounds. Learn more at badapplesbrassband.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 30 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.

In addition to DJing, Ephniko is also an MC who fronts the six-man audio/visual collective Nag Champayons and leads the Patacon Conspiracy, which fuses hip-hop and raw lyricism with Pan-African and Latin American rhythms to create a worldbeat sound. Nicaraguan born DJ Kumi is an in-demand selector, WDNA Radio host and one half of the duo behind Brainville, a journey into the history of jazz, a so-called Utopic City where Sun Ra is the mayor and Charles Mingus is the chief of police.

Special thanks to the City of Miami Beach for the event support. For more information, visit CommunityArtsandCulture.org and mbartsandculture.org/onstage.

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ABOUT COMMUNITY ARTS & CULTURE

Incorporated in September 2002, Community Arts and Culture, Inc. (CAC) 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. The signature event, Afro Roots Fest, is embarking on its 25th season of programming.

For more information, please visit CommunityArtsandCulture.org.

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

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

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Festival information: AfroRootsFest.com.

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

Community Arts and Culture Celebrates Give Miami Day at Oasis Wynwood November 18, 5 p.m.

 Afro-Cuban funk band PALO! to perform during fundraiser for Miami-based non-profit on Miami’s largest online giving day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Miami, FL – November 8, 2021 – The Miami Foundation’s annual online giving extravaganza Give Miami Day, now in its 10th year, is the area’s biggest online fundraising day. Last year, more than 850 non-profit organizations benefited from $18.2 million dollars in donations. To celebrate this day of giving , Community Arts and Culture (CAC) will be hosting a concert event Oasis (2323 NE 23rd St, Miami, FL 33137) on Thursday, November 18, 2021, beginning at 5 p.m., with Grammy & Latin Grammy Nominees PALO! In addition to Give Miami Day, Oasis will be donating 20% of all beverage sales during the event. 

“We’re looking forward to celebrating another successful Give Miami Day with our friends in PALO! and invite everyone to come drink and dance with us,” says CAC’s Founder and Executive Director Jose Elias. The free performance is open to all ages, and donors can scan a special QR code to donate to CAC while at the event. 

Incorporated in September 2002, Community Arts and Culture 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. They produce a number of cultural and musical events, including the award-winning Afro Roots Fest, which is now entering its 24th season. For more information, please visit GiveMiamiDay.org/CAC.

Founded in 2003 by keyboardist and vocalist Roitstein, PALO! started as an improvised musical experiment combining Cuban music with Latin jazz and funk beats. After years of successfully producing artists such as Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Ricardo Montaner, Cheo Feliciano, Oscar d’ Leon and Willy Chirino, Roitstein now drives a wildly successful Miami-based group that is featured act in clubs and live music venues, festivals, corporate events, and private events throughout the world.

Oasis Wynwood features an outdoor food and beverage experience, offering a diverse blend of dining options, each operating from a colorful, outfitted shipping container. Oasis’s food concepts – Alidoro, Buya Dumplings + Buns, CHIKIN, Mr. Mandolin, Prince Street Pizza, and Los Buenos – showcase both well-known local chef talents as well as New York City favorites. The focal point of the spacious outdoor setting is the “Tower Bar”, constructed from stacked shipping containers and adorned with a colorful mural by renowned Spanish artist Antonyo Marest. There is also the Huacachina, an indoor lounge nestled in the back of the property. 

Established in 1967, The Miami Foundation is the foundation for people who are passionate about Miami. They are focused on building a stronger Miami forever. Over the last 50 years they have invested more than $400 million into the community, and housed more than $350 million in assets focused on strengthening Greater Miami. The Miami Foundation hosts one of the nation’s biggest 24-hour annual giving events, Give Miami Day, an online campaign where all locals are philanthropists. 

For more information, please visit CommunityArtsandCulture.org. 

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

Community Arts and Culture to Present Dia de los Muertos Celebrations in Doral and Islamorada with Ameyal

Miami-based non-profit and Mexican cultural organization host events at Doral Yard October 31 and the Florida Keys Brewing Company on November 2

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Miami, FL – October 5, 2021 – Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a traditional Meso-American celebration of ancestors that precedes Halloween on October 31 and All Saints’ Day on November 1, and coincides with the Roman Catholic All Souls’ Day on November 2. Because Mexican-Americans encompass the largest Hispanic group in the U.S., and since going mainstream with the Disney Coco smash film in 2017, the holiday has become even more commonplace as a way to honor the departed. It’s a day of remembrance, prayer, love, and celebration. 

Community Arts and Culture has been partnering with the Ameyal Mexican Cultural Group for some time now, and in 2021, the two organizations will once again team up to bring Day of the Dead celebrations to the new Backyard area in The Doral Yard (8455 NW 53rd St Suite 106, Doral, FL 33166) on Sunday, October 31, and the Florida Keys Brewing Company (FKBC), which is located at 81611 Old Hwy, Islamorada, FL 33036, on Tuesday, November 2. 

Both events will feature live traditional Mexican folk music, a procession, airbrush face painting, and a calavera (sugar skull) station, and are free and open to the public beginning at 5 p.m. 

“We’re extremely excited to once again count on the wonderful cultural ambassadors from Ameyal to bring this beautiful celebration to our supporters,” says event coordinator Renee Chavez. “Our organization prides itself on bringing musical and artistic events to underserved communities, and we are happy to branch out into the Doral and Islamorada communities with something like this for the first time. Our sincere thanks to the Doral Yard and the FKBC for their support.” Chavez spearheads the Inheritants, the group responsible for organizing these events. 

The Doral Yard is a community gathering space designed to foster local entrepreneurship and culture, created by the Yard Hospitality and Place Projects teams. Expanding on The Wynwood Yard concept, the venue brings culinary delights, live entertainment, and round-the-clock events to Downtown Doral. A 20,000-square-foot space is divided into two indoor / outdoor zones: The Hub and The Backyard, which includes a full liquor bar, a grassy turf area for gathering and dancing, and a stage; the outdoor space is fully covered. Visit DoralYard.com for more details. 

FKBC is the gateway to the Morada Way Arts District in Islamorada and was founded with the hopes of bringing great beer to the island chain and beyond. All of their island-themed beers are brewed with top-quality ingredients to make the best beer possible. The tasting room faces the Old Highway, but there is a private residence for rent on the second level, and an expansive beer garden out back complete with an outdoor stage. Learn more at FloridaKeysBrewingCo.com. 

Ameyal is dedicated to fomenting and spreading popular Mexican culture by focusing on sharing the richness of its cultural heritage through four pillars: pre-Hispanic dance, traditional music, folkloric ballet, and cultural dissemination. Their intention is to create a welcoming epicenter that supports all stakeholders in the community during the cultivation of Mexican artistic expression. To learn more about them, navigate to Ameyal.org. 

The Inheritants Project is an ongoing Miami-based program established in 2012 that incorporates students and their mentors, and children and their parents, performing together on a professional platform. Inheritants cultivate the art of oral tradition, and is a commitment to preserve and honor true authentic cultural engagement at a community level through cultural education, land awareness and stewardship, and art experience. 

For more information, please visit CommunityArtsandCulture.org. 

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

For more information, please visit CommunityArtsandCulture.org.

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

EVENT LINKS:

Facebook event – Doral

Facebook event – Islamorada

Sugar skull fundraising ticket – Doral

Sugar skull fundraising ticket – Islamorada

Jose Elias’ Everglades Songbook Suite to Premiere on Crowdcast for Make Music Miami Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Community Arts & Culture and Live Arts Miami to facilitate HD webcast on June 21, 2021, 7:30 p.m. ET

Miami, FL – June 9, 2021 – Grammy-nominated musician and composer Jose Elias, co-founder and tres player for Cuban folk band Cortadito, and long-time guitarist of the Spam Allstars and the Nag Champayons, is also a 2016 Artist in Residence in Everglades (AIRIE) fellow. The creative and artistic fruit of his time in the River of Grass is called the Everglades Songbook Suite (ESS), and an audio / visual production of the project will be webcast for free during Make Music Miami Day – June 21, 2021 – beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET. The free screening will originate from www.crowdcast.io.

“This video presentation focuses on the spirit of collaboration,” says Elias. “I invited fellow musicians to join me at the park to perform songs that resonate with the true essence of what the Everglades represents. Thanks to Live Arts Miami and AIRIE we were able to complete the first multimedia phase of the project. It’s only fitting that we chose World Music Day June 21st to present this film, which was brilliant captured by Randy Valdez and Guillermo Rodriguez.”

The ESS is a collection of compositions and soundscapes that celebrates the sights and sounds of the Florida Everglades by juxtaposing a stunning variety of acoustic instruments with field recordings. They were captured by the artist while in residency at Everglades National Park.  A magical and unique portal into our native habitat, the piece focuses on our connection to nature, the flora and fauna of our increasingly threatened, precious ecosystems, and explores the concept of interspecies communication through music and sound art. 

An illuminating project from one of the leading Miami-based voices in contemporary music. ESS is and immersive audiovisual celebration that captures the sights and sounds of this one-of-a-kind jewel in North America, and the world.

ABOUT JOSE ELIAS AND COMMUNITY ARTS & CULTURE
A professional musician for more than 30 years, Elias earned his Grammy nomination with 2005’s Masters of Cuban Son which he performed on as part of Conjunto Progreso. He is also the executive and artistic director for the non-profit organization Community Arts & Culture, which just completed a 23rd season of curating the award-winning and multi-county Afro Roots Fest. He also heads and produces artists for the label Afro Roots Recordings. Learn more at JoseEliasMusic.com.

ABOUT LIVE ARTS MIAMI

Live Arts Miami is one of the city’s oldest and boldest performing arts series: an action-driven, people-centered platform for powerful performances, impactful community programs, and learning experiences that spark dialogue, raise awareness around pressing issues, and open minds and hearts in all who take part. For more information, please visit liveartsmiami.org and follow @liveartsmiami on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates.

Those interested in catch the webcast are encouraged to register on the Crowdcast site by clicking bit.ly/ESSMDC. For more information, visit liveartsmiami.org.

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

Community Arts and Culture Launches Membership Program

Initial level offers free merch and tax credit, future levels to offer more

Miami, FL — March 23, 2021 — Miami-based non-profit Community Arts and Culture (CAC) has long been a champion of the arts in South Florida. From hosting the award-winning Afro Roots Fest for more than two decades, to bringing Roots in (to) theSchools, and curating the Day at the Beach concert series, CAC has fed the public’s appetite for African culture and expression since its inception. Now, supporters have an opportunity to “Join the CAC Tribe” and unlock special membership privileges.   

“Our multicultural programming is usually made possible by the generous support from municipal organizations like the Miami-Dade County’s Department of Cultural Affairs, the Miami Beach Cultural Arts Council, and the Monroe County Tourist Development Council,” says Executive and Artistic Director Jose Elias. “Now we are offering individuals the opportunity to make a tax-deductible donation that will not only help fund our events, but will grant them some exciting membership benefits.”

For starters, any “Give 33 to Join CAC” action earns the donor a tax-credit and the choice between a limited-edition Afro Roots t-shirt or tubular buff, which both sell for $19.99. One can also become a member by texting JoinCAC to 44321. Founding members levels will have exclusive access to additional benefits in the works, once conditions allow.    

“Our world music fans are the inspiration and essentially the co-creators of our events. Their continued contributions and support allows us to bring exceptional world music to South Florida, and we look forward to making these rewards available to them,” says Elias. “We are honored to welcome them to the CAC Tribe.” 

This year’s series of events kicks off with a Road to Afro Roots concert in Jupiter at Guanabanas Island Restaurant & Bar on April 17, 2021 with an afternoon of live music featuring Cortadito, Venezonix, and FABI World Music. Tour tops will also include Key West April 21-23, Miami Beach on May 1, Miami May 2, Doral on May 15, and Islamorada on Memorial Day Weekend.   

For more information about the organization, visit CommunityArtsandCulture.org. Those interested in membership can click here or text JoinCAC to 44321.

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ABOUT COMMUNITY ARTS & CULTURE

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

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

In 2018, Executive and Artistic Director Jose Elias was recognized by the Knight Foundation as a Knights Art Champion, which allowed him to donate $10,000 to CAC for the production of the 2019 season of events. In 2019, Afro Roots Fest was named “Best Music Festival” by the Miami New Times in weekly’s “Best of Miami” edition. Organizers produced a “Virtual Fest” successfully live streamed from the North Beach Bandshell for the first time ever in September of 2020. An all-new membership program launched in March of 2021, just in time for the latest season of events, the 23rd overall.

For more information, please visit CommunityArtsandCulture.org.

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

Afro Roots Fest 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. 

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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.

For more information, please visit www.CommunityArtsandCulture.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. 

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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, 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 

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 Miami Beach ft. Fatoumata Diawara and Noura Mint Seymali April 6 at North Beach Bandshell

MEDIA ALERT

Miami Beach, FL – March 13, 2019 – Next month’s Afro Roots Fest concert on Miami Beach will celebrate the feminine spirit of world music with a double bill of African chanteuses and a team of local dancers. Mauritanian Griot Noura Mint Seymali and Malian singer / guitarist FatoumataDiawara will perform at the North Beach Bandshell (7275 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33141) on April 6, 2019, as will the African Watoto Dance Theatre. This is the first official concert of the Afro Roots Fest’s 21st season; doors open at 6:30 p.m. Pre-sale tickets are now available for $28 online through bit.ly/ARFMB19, and will be $35 at the door; all ages are welcome.  

This event is being co-presented with MDC Live Arts and the Rhythm Foundation, and is made possible with the support of Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Department of Cultural Affairs, the Doris Duke Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the City of Miami Beach Cultural Arts Council.

WHO: Fatoumata Diawara and Noura Mint Seymali

WHAT: Afro Roots Fest Miami Beach

WHEN: Saturday, April 6, 2019, 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: North Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33141

TICKETS: $28 online now; $35 at the door

Full press release available here; high resolution images and videos are available. For more information, please  visit www.CommunityArtsandCulture.org or call 305.672.5202.

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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