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SOJA

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Mention folk music to the average listener and the list of usual suspects come to mind: Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Woodie Guthrie, etc. Talk to SOJA lead singer/guitarist Jacob Hemphill, however, and you’ll walk away with a different perspective. "To me, Rage Against The Machine, Wu -Tang Clan, Sade, Johnny Cash, Bob Marley – they’re all folk artists," he says. "There’s no difference between Raekwon saying, 'I grew up on the crime side, the New York Times side, where staying alive was no jive,’ to Bob Marley saying, 'Cold ground was my bed last night and rock was my pillow, too,’ to Johnny Cash saying, 'I know I had it coming, I know I can’t be free, but those people keep on moving (around) and that’s what tortures me.’ Folk is all about storytelling and passing on a legacy. It’s timeless, it’s limitless and it crosses all boundaries. That’s what this band is striving for. It’s a tall order," he laughs, "but we’re making our way."

Rootz Underground

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Rootz Underground represents Jamaica’s most recent contribution to the International Reggae & World Music scene. While undeniably rooted in reggae the six-member outfit uses their collective passion to create a sound that pushes boundaries and defies being boxed into a single genre. Electric yet organic, gritty and soulful; the band manages to harness the essence that the reggae aficionado was captivated by in the 1970’s while connecting the youth to the pure messages of Rastafari with explosive live performances that are a positive and emotional musical journey.

Zedicus

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Zakki Jawad, a.k.a. ZEDICUS, is an Ethiopian born musician based in the Washington DC area, and has been performing in world music and reggae circles for over 18 years. Currently a member of seminal Ethio-fusion group, ADMAS, this is his first solo release. Zakki has spent a good deal of his life living in different countries around the world (in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and North America), experiences resulting in the broad range of styles and influences evident on this album.

Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk

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Formed in 2003, Dumpstaphunk was initially assembled by keyboardist Ivan Neville on a whim, to perform a solo slot at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Ivan tastefully selected the unique double-bass attack of both Nick Daniels and Tony Hall on bass, enlisted his own bloodlines for the scorching guitar rhythms of cousin, Ian Neville, and most recently, added the newest member to the group, heavy-hitting female protégé Nikki Glaspie on drums, replacing original powerhouse Raymond Weber. The project has since grown from a chance side-project into what is now widely considered to be one of New Orleans' most prestigious modern funk ensembles. An offspring with a direct lineage to their fathers in The Meters and The Neville Brothers, Dumpstaphunk is a recipe for creating a new standard for an entire genre.

Old Man Brown

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Old Man Brown is based in the Baltimore area, playing original Rock, Blues, Soul and Funk that honors earlier traditions with respectful arrangements and the highest standards of musicianship. OMB's repertoire includes an enticing collection of original songs written by keyboardist and singer Adam Scott-Wakefield and his late brother, drummer John Scott-Wakefield.

SOJA

official band site »

NEW ALBUM bundles from $7.99! Look for details in your confirmation email!

Mention folk music to the average listener and the list of usual suspects come to mind: Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Woodie Guthrie, etc. Talk to SOJA lead singer/guitarist Jacob Hemphill, however, and you’ll walk away with a different perspective. "To me, Rage Against The Machine, Wu -Tang Clan, Sade, Johnny Cash, Bob Marley – they’re all folk artists," he says. "There’s no difference between Raekwon saying, 'I grew up on the crime side, the New York Times side, where staying alive was no jive,’ to Bob Marley saying, 'Cold ground was my bed last night and rock was my pillow, too,’ to Johnny Cash saying, 'I know I had it coming, I know I can’t be free, but those people keep on moving (around) and that’s what tortures me.’ Folk is all about storytelling and passing on a legacy. It’s timeless, it’s limitless and it crosses all boundaries. That’s what this band is striving for. It’s a tall order," he laughs, "but we’re making our way."

DJ ?uestlove

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Special DJ Set by The Roots' ?uestlove

Anders Osborne

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“I’m in the promised land,” says proud American immigrant and Grammy-winning singer/songwriter/guitarist Anders Osborne. The longtime New Orleans resident is among the most original and visionary musicians performing today. In a city overflowing with stellar artists, bands and performers, Osborne is one of the Big Easy’s favorite musical heroes. His Alligator Records debut, AMERICAN PATCHWORK, is a moving collection of soul-baring rock, blues and ballads. Many of the songs on AMERICAN PATCHWORK deal with healing and redemption, spirituality and acceptance. It is about rebuilding what has been destroyed, not only a ravaged city, but also a hollow man. Paste Magazine says, “Osborne has an impossibly great, soulful voice and the songs to match.” Living Blues adds, “Osborne is a songwriter of enormous depth and an incredibly passionate musician.”

Old Man Brown

official band site »

Old Man Brown is based in the Baltimore area, playing original Rock, Blues, Soul and Funk that honors earlier traditions with respectful arrangements and the highest standards of musicianship. OMB's repertoire includes an enticing collection of original songs written by keyboardist and singer Adam Scott-Wakefield and his late brother, drummer John Scott-Wakefield.

Billy Martin & WIl Blades Duo

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Medeski Martin & Wood’s beat scientist Billy Martin was on the look out for new collaborations when he encountered Bay Area Hammond B3 wizard Wil Blades. They first played together in January 2011 at San Francisco’s groove emporium, The Boom Boom Room. They followed that auspicious bandstand introduction with an even more promising meeting at JazzFest in New Orleans, which led to a series of duo gigs culminating in a Berkeley recording session last December that would ultimately become their debut album Shimmy. The recording captures their electrifying chemistry and go-for-broke aesthetic. Earthy and exploratory, steeped in funk, but open to a myriad of rhythmic currents, the duo is still very much a work in progress.

Yonder Mountain String Band

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Yonder Mountain String Band has always played music by its own set of rules. Bending bluegrass, rock and countless other influences that the band cites, Yonder has pioneered a sound of their own. With their traditional lineup of instruments, the band may look like a traditional bluegrass band at first glance but they’ve created their own music that transcends any genre. Dave Johnston points out “What could be more pure than making your own music.” Yonder’s sound cannot be classified purely as “bluegrass” or “string music” but rather it’s an original sound created from “looking at music from [their] own experiences and doing the best job possible.” The band continues to play by their own rules on their new record The Show.

Orgone

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Pronounced with a long second “O,” the Los Angeles band Orgone is dedicated to heavy, raw, adrenaline-fueled funk and sweat-dripping soul. With a core rhythm section of close friends and self-taught musicians steeped in local DJ culture, Orgone has spent the last decade expanding their roster and evolving a sound rooted in old school respect but pulsing with the force of the new millennium. Orgone has become a staple on the festival circuit while gaining a reputation among fellow artists as one of the baddest go-to backing bands on the planet. Always evolving musically and cosmically, Orgone continues to connect with kindred musical spirits throughout the universe with relentless touring and the upcoming release of their fifth full-length album.

DJ Bohfunk

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Baltimore based DJ Bohfunk brings a unique and funky ALL VINYL mix to each show. His musical direction and style focus directly on Funk and Soul from the early 1970s to present. His talent and taste for funky dancefloor cuts have developed into a contagious ass shakin' and foot stompin' party at each showing around the Baltimore and DC area over the past two years.