Celebrating Food and Roots Music at Taste of Durham Festival 2009

Locos por Juana
Locos por Juana
Delicious food and excellent roots music will be showcased May 23th, 2009 at the Fifth Annual Taste of Durham Festival 2009 in North Carolina. The annual event presents and supports various art forms, featuring known and emerging musicians and artists, as well as other cultural art explorations. “Working with our grassroots budget and economic times has added more challenges but we are still committed to our focus to bring in a robust music and entertainment schedule each year,” said Kimberly Ruskan, founder of The Community Chest, Inc., the nonprofit philanthropic organization that supports community enrichments through distinctive project-based initiatives including the Taste of Durham Festival.

“Miami’s Best Latin Band” is one of the headline bands to grace the main stage at the Taste of Durham Festival. Locos Por Juana has leapt from the local to the national stage with the release of their third album La Verdad. With a multi-national lineup that creates the perfect urban-alternative musical representation of Miami as an epicenter for the cultural fusion of our hemisphere Locos Por Juana seamlessly blends elements of rock and hip-hop with a wealth of Latin American rhythms and the Caribbean groove of reggae and ska. The band was selected by iTunes as one of the 15 most important Artists to watch for 2008 – and proving that prediction true, Locos Por Juana recently garnered their first GRAMMY nomination – for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album.

The main stage will also introduce John Brown and the Groove Shop Band. Led by bassist John Brown, national recording artist and Director of the Duke University Jazz Program, this ensemble includes top musicians and its members have a passion for performance that in proven every time they play. Firmly grounded in the heart of funk and rhythm and blues, this band is a truly a powerhouse ensemble. Featuring a full horn section, full rhythm section and singers, the group’s repertoire includes the music of the 70s and 80s from groups like Earth Wind and Fire, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, KC & The Sunshine Band, The Gap Band, Rick James, Parliament/ Funkadelic and more.

Another facet to the mission of TCC is to create affordable and accessible opportunities to listen to diverse music genres from seasoned performers to performers on the rise to stardom in their own right. Elmwood Band from Nashville, Tennessee is an example of talented musicians on the rise to stardom. The Elmwood Band is a fusion of many different genres of music that come together to make their unique sound. Drummer Donnie Marple and Saxophonist Derek Haight bring their jazz and Caribbean backgrounds to mix with Rusty Kelly’s bluegrass/Dave Matthews style guitar and Nash Johnson’s funk rhythms and melodic solos. They recently opened for Dave Matthews Band.

The Performance showcase for new artists includes: Cool Blues with Cool John Ferguson, smooth R&B with Nufsed, Johnnie Foster with crossover appeal in Gospel, Soul, Pop and R&B and The TROSA Band performs 60’s and 70’s R&B, Blues and Classic Rock.

Various types of dancers will perform and demonstrate: Salsa 4u, Inis Cairde School Irish Dance, Mambo Dinamico Dance Company/Cobo Brothers, Cajan & Creole Fun, Hannan Sultan Bellydance, Flamenco Carolina, Chicago Style Stepin, and International Dance Connection/Polynesia.

Taste of Durham is "lifestyle-driven” and inspired by the diversity and international cultures in Durham, North Carolina. Beyond the music experience, the “Festivals within a Festival”, includes choice restaurant food sampling, international wine tasting pavilion, beer tasting garden, good life demonstrations, international dance demonstrations, arts and cultural activities, family fun, and a unique mix of entertainment.

Essentials:

Saturday, May 23th, 2009 11am to 7pm
Location: Outdoors at Imperial Center surrounding Winchester Place (Page Rd Exit 282 off Interstate 40)
4309 Emperor Blvd., Durham, NC 27703 Rooms: Wyndham Day Tripper Packages
General Admission: $4 advance & $6 at festival. Free Parking Free admission for children under 12 Time: 11am to 7pm
Advance tickets available at Triangle-wide Harris Teeters & Morgan Imports Coins for food and beverages sold separately.

Website: www.tasteofdurham.org

Author: World Music Central News Room

World music news from the editors at World Music Central

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