Afro Roots World Music Festival Launches 20th Anniversary Celebration at Guanabanas

JUPITER, FL – January 12, 2018 – Fine China may be the traditional 20th anniversary swag, but this year, Community Arts and Culture will be giving fans the gift of world music in three counties. The Afro Roots World Music Festival will launch its 20th edition later this month at Guanabanas Island Restaurant & Bar (960 North Highway A1A, Jupiter, FL, 33477), featuring two days of live world music. This year’s edition of the festival will feature more than 50 international and local acts from all over the world, in venues located as far south as Key West.

Haiti’s Sanba Zao will perform Friday, January 26, beginning at 9 p.m.; Cuban folkloric masters Cortadito plays 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, January 27, with Miami’s Afrogalactic / Tropidelic funksters the Nag Champayons performing that same day at 9 p.m. All three performances are free and open to the public, with 21 and over welcome to the evening sets.

Named one of “South Florida's Ten Best Music Festivals” by the Miami New Times in August, Afro Roots will also showcase Sun Ra Arkestra and Morikeba Kouyate April 7 at the Miami Beach Bandshell (tickets: bit.ly/2BtQdOq), Papaloko at the Studios of Key West on May 19, and more to be announced.

“20 years is an incredible milestone and our intention to produce a festival that pushes the boundaries begins with a very special back-to-back production in North Palm Beach,” says Jose Elias, founder and executive director of the Miami-based non-profit Community Arts & Culture, the organization responsible for the Afro Roots Fest. “From there, Afro Roots will travel all the way to the Florida Keys throughout the course of the next six months, making stops in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties as well.”  

“We’re excited about bringing the world music experience to our music fans here in the Jupiter area,” says Guanabanas talent buyer Matt Cahur. “Given the popularity of our Noche Latina series, the past successes of Cortadito and the Nags here at Guanabanas, and the always-positive reception to our roots and reggae events, I believe Afro Roots Fest will be a smash.” Cahur also heads Roots Music, Inc., a Jupiter-based, 20-year music management, production and promotions company.

Master drummer and Haitian roots music legend Sanba Zao, born Louis Lesly Marcelin, is also a professor at L’Ecole National des Arts, Haiti’s national arts school. He has devoted his life to teaching and promoting the culture and music of Haiti, and to this end, runs an elementary school called the Bazilo Ecole Communautairei, which was one of the first to reopen after the devastating 2010 earthquake. Sanba Zao has also worked with Group Sa, Foula Jazz, and Djakata.

Cortadito’s specialty is performing traditional Cuban music from the early 20thcentury. The group transports listeners back to a time when Trio Matamoros and Ignacio Piniero ruled the Cuban music world. They faithfully perform standards in the stylings known as Son Montuno, Guaracha, Bolero, Nengon, and Bolero Son. Cortadito is occasionally is backed by a variety of guest musicians, which gives the group a sound reminiscent of the Buena Vista Social Club.

The Nag Champayons are Miami’s standard bearers in terms of psychedelic music, showcasing their unique creativity, messaging and collaborative since their inception in 2003. A heady and infectious single “Brazilian LSD”, issued in 2016, came with a visually stunning video, and 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. They continue to play local and regional music festivals, and are currently in the process of readying new music for release.

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.