Bio: ADAAWE is comprised of seven dynamic women creating rich organic music of the voice and drum. These diverse, skilled percussionists and vocalists come from all over the world, and their music is an international fusion of African music and rhythms, R&B/pop vocals, arresting Gospel vocal harmonies, and funky original creations.
Instrumentation: Drum set, conga drums, djun-djun drums, djembe drums, cajon drums, shekeres, bells and 5 vocals - lead and background.
Bio: The award-winning ensemble, AlmaNova, is an innovative flute and guitar duo presenting an eclectic program of chamber music that includes traditional classical repertoire, Latin-inspired works, and their own original compositions featuring Balkan world music.
Instrumentation: Flute, Guitar, Percussion, Bass
Number of Musicians: 2-4 Additional Equipment Available: Indoor P.A. system
Bio: Aloe Blacc performs original songs that evoke soul music of the 60s and 70s fused with a hip hop sensibility. His band is made up of versatile music lovers with a repertoire of various styles including jazz, rock, Latin, Brazilian, R&B, soul reggae and hip hop.
Bio: Along for the Ride is a group of musicians from Latin America and the United States that fuses jazz, bossa nova, samba, and other Latin genres. The band’s arrangements of standards and original compositions mirror this fusion, enriched by the beats, harmonies, and sensual cadences of the American jazz and the Brazilian samba. Its past festival performances include the Hollywood Forever Cemetery’s Day of the Dead Celebration, the Seabird Jazz Lounge, and the BB King’s club. The band also fosters the “Sin Mura-Jazz” dinner and concert summer events in the city of Long Beach. Along for the Ride recently released its album “Cromático” and is currently working on a second CD.
Instrumentation: Drums, Bass, Percussion, Piano, Acoustic and Electric Guitar, Saxophone/Flute/Piccolo, (2) Lead Vocals
Bio: Dafni’s music is an eclectic mix of Americana, country, and jazz with a hint of 1940s flair. Pasadena Weekly music critic Bliss noted that her “snappy syncopation and instrumentation owe obvious debts to Billie Holiday and Madeleine Peyroux, [harking] back to bygone eras with her dreamy soprano and sweetly romantic songs.”
Instrumentation: Lead Vocals, (2) Guitars, Drums, Upright Bass
Number of Musicians: 1-4 Additional Equipment Available: P.A. system
Bio: Ampersand is an acoustic duo playing a style of music they describe as ‘City Folk’ which blends pop, folk, and classic jazz melodies to craft a cheerful sound. Their original songs merge classic melodic styles with modern sensibilities to showcase Rachel Garcia’s expressive vocals and Thu Tran’s crisp acoustic arrangements.
Instrumentation: Vocals, Guitar/Banjo/Ukulele/Harmonica, Various Wind, Various Percussion
Bio: This trio’s repetoire spans over 100 years of music and incorporates Brazilian, Latin, Jazz, Cuban, African, French and American influences. They perform both standard and original songs in traditional styles such as choro and flamenco with a contemporary, unique sound.
Instrumentation: Percussion, Bass, Guitar
Number of Musicians: 3 - 5 Additional Equipment Available: P.A. System
Bio: The music of the Arohi Ensemble is indebted to the deep classical and folk traditions of India, the Middle East, Macedonia, Spain and Brazil. Playing creative world music through original compositions and improvisations, Arohi combines these diverse rhythms, moods and melodies in the spirit and freedom of American jazz. Members of Arohi play traditional and contemporary innovative instruments designed to stretch the boundaries of new world music. Arohi means "ascending melodic movement."
Instrumentation: Sitar, fretted and unfretted guitar, requinto, flutes and world winds, cello, tabla, ghatum, drums and sometimes Indian violin.
Number of musicians: 3-6 Additional Equipment Available: P.A. system
Bio: Arpa y Aulos mixes a repertoire that goes from Renaissance to pieces written by U.S. and Latin American composers especially for them. The group specializes in concert-lectures in both English and Spanish and has given numerous concerts for the Latino community in Los Angeles.
Bio: Aztec Stories incorporates musical performance with spoken word and interactive audience participation to share the culture of ancient Mexico and the indigenous world of the Mexika (meh-shee-ka)/Aztecs. The stories, ballads, and narratives presented in this program are all true and based on documented accounts. Many handmade reproductions of indigenous instruments are used and shared throughout the presentation.
Instrumentation: Tlapitzalli (flutes), huilacapitztli (ocarinas), chichtli (whistles), ayacachtli (shakers and rattles), tzcahauztli (rasps), bubalak (Mayan gourd water drums), gourd trumpet, ayayotls (shakers wrapped around the ankles), atecocolli (conch shell trumpet), teponaztli (two-toned wood drum), ayotl (turtle shell drum), frog shell (produces the sound of a frog), singing stones (oldest instrument in the world), chikauaztli (rain stick), xiuhkoatl (fire stick - makes the sound of crackling fire), and guitar.
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