The 2012 Festival kicks off in grand style! Join members of the African American Dance Ensemble in an Opening Ceremony and Call to Elders, led by Dr. Chuck Davis. We will embrace our past and celebrate our future, honoring the unique cultural traditions that have crossed the Atlantic and become part of the African American legacy.

"In the village, we humble ourselves as we dance and sing for the elders' approval which is never readily given. Our knees touch our shoulders as we jump, spin and create new moves from ancient sources trapped in the belly of the drum emitting rhythm after rhythm. And we dance. What I learn I return to the States and share." – Chuck Davis

www.africanamericandanceensemble.org

Diali Cissokho & Kairaba! is composed of Senegalese griot musician Diali Keba Cissokho, with North Carolinians John Westmoreland, Jonathan Henderson, Austin McCall and Will Ridenour. The band formed after Diali moved to North Carolina and began to look for musicians who shared his love and passion for creating music based on Manding tradition, flavored with local and personal styles. The outcome of this collaboration is an infectious sound reminiscent of West African dance bands full of unison melody, adventurous improvisation, fiery solos and polyrhythmic frameworks. With lyrics in Manding, Wolof, and English, Kairaba! illuminates its listeners with stories of ancient and modern West Africa and how they relate to today’s universal experiences and emotions felt by everyone, regardless of origin.

www.kairabamusic.com

Best known for their sizzling live performances, the fo/mo/deep groove is rooted in the experimental school of the 70s…a time when jazz, soul and funk were one and the same. Seeking to defy the ordinary, this diverse collective of seasoned pros keeps things stirred up with unpredictable energy that moves. The music harkens back to the days when super groups hypnotized the world with bass driven ensembles and a full-bodied sound that reigned supreme. fo/mo/deep plays music like it’s meant to be…hot, incalculable and emotionally satisfying and fun for all ages.

www.fomodeep.com

Born and bred in the great state of North Carolina, Calvin Richardson has certainly made a name for himself having received an ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Award in 2010 and two Grammy nominations for his album, Facts Of Life.

“I didn’t give myself the name or title ‘The Soul Prince’,” Calvin notes, “but that I am. I don’t actually know where it started but some things just happen and it’s a title not easy to live up to. I exist wherever there’s Soul music i.e. R & B, blues, gospel and southern Soul. I earned the title and I’m not giving it up. I think soul music has taken its place and probably will never be the front runner as far as the industry is concerned but it’s alive and well. As long as I’m around it won’t break down. I see myself as the keeper of Soul music so I live a very soul-filled life!”

www.iamcalvinrichardson.com

Featuring dance party hits, romantic ballads, and more, ConFunkShun is undoubtedly among the heroes of funk! Beginning in California and making their big break in Memphis in the mid 70s, ConFunkShun has been bringing fun and energetic funk music to the stage for a long time.

Con Funk Shun is a star-quality attraction delivering a superb, high-energy show with electrifying choreography, glistening six-part vocal harmonies, and a dash of humor. They are, unquestionably, among the heroes of Funk with romantic ballads and dance-party hits galore. Memorable melodies, inventive horn arrangements and clav-guitar woven grooves, make the group absolutely essential to the evolution of funk. They charted four consecutive Gold's and one Platinum album. Their 20 hit singles included 8 Top Ten R&B Hits and one #1 R&B smash between '77-'86.With finesse and consistency they legitimized what came following them: high-profile, commercial explosions featuring their hits in countless rap/hip-hop samples, exposed them to a new generation, now in their thirties.

www.confunkshunusa.com

The Mount Moriah Church Choir, under the direction of Marshall Troublefield, provides inspirational music to begin the day.

www.mountmoriahcooljc.org

Leviticus is an inspirational rap group comprised of 4 individuals. They make, produce and sell all of their own music. Leviticus has performed all around North Carolina and recently returned from NYC performing at a sold out Apollo Theater.

facebook.com/levitymusic

Johnny White & The Elite Band features two powerful lead vocalists, Johnny White and Shirl, and three soulful female backup singers whose harmonies combine the smoothness of Luther Vandross with the soulfulness of Aretha Franklin. The band is also known for performing high-energy choreography that provokes enthusiastic response from any audience. Johnny White & The Elite Band is one of the best dance show bands in the business today.

www.johnnywhite.org

That the Toronto-born, Ottawa-based JUNO Award winner can dazzle you in so many ways speaks to the considerable depth of her multifaceted talents. Specializing in – though not limited to – jazz, an idiom that prides itself on personal interpretation, improvisation and fine degrees of nuance – Kellylee Evans is gifted with what Jazztimes calls “a ‘stunning’ crystalline voice” both powerful and emotive, a quality that is magnified and multiplied exponentially when you see and hear the magic of her performance. The creator of three unforgettable and critically acclaimed albums -- 2007’s fight or flight?; 2010’s The Good Girl and Nina, recently awarded Canada’s highest honour – a JUNO Award, the nation’s equivalent to the Grammy – for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year.

www.kellyleeevans.com

In April 2011, the Stooges Brass Band were awarded the title of "Best Contemporary Brass Band" at the Big Easy Music Awards. The momentum continued in 2012, touring clubs throughout the country and appearing at famed festivals such at Bonnaroo, South by Southwest, headlining the Utah Arts Festival, Discover Jazz Festival, American Folk Festival, High Sierra Music Festival, Great American Brass Band Festival, and more.

www.stoogesmusicgroup.com

Fun, Interactive and Educational!
2013 Activities TBA. Check back soon.