:: Human Rights Art Festival ::

Silver Spring, Maryland, April 23-25, 2010

Music Festival

click here for the music festival schedule in pdf

Schedule

Friday, April 23

4 Mem Music
The men of MEM have  come to rock and roll through the back doors  of jazz, classical and electronic idioms. If it  seems like an unlikely musical intersection at  which to find a rock band, that’s because it is –  in essence, MEM is an anti-rock band. (90 minutes) (Ellsworth Plaza)

8 Ben Lear
For the past year, Ben Lear has been hard at work composing a folk-opera about a man, all that he's lost and an island of plastic in the Pacific Ocean. At the Festival, you will hear Ben play these songs in their most original and intimate forms, with just voice and guitar. (60 minutes) (Langano’s)

8 East Coast Caravan
Drawing from a myriad of influences, East Coast Caravan has a diverse sound that ranges from prog-rock to funk to jamband to blues. If you enjoy shakin’ your moneymaker to some funky grooves and getting blown away by an awesome live music experience . . . (90 minutes) (Ellsworth Plaza)

10 TNTrio
TNTrio brings a whole new sound to hip-hop. Unlike the typical rock/rap bands with distorted guitars and screaming hooks or the abundant jazz-oriented hip-hop combos of the 90's, TNTrio takes rock/jazz piano with hard-hitting drum beats to form a new hybrid that is both highly musical and highly flowable. (‘til late night) (Jackie’s)

Saturday, April 24

Noon Traditional Music and Dialogue
The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County brings Montgomery Traditions, a lively, informative, accessible and interactive program featuring traditional musical performances and dialogue with two of Montgomery County’s outstanding folk and traditional artists. Listen and learn about traditional Hindustani vocal music with Samia Mahbub Ahmad and Latin American folk music of El Salvador with Lilo Gonzalez. This is program is appropriate for families, children and teens.
(two 45-minute programs) (McGinty’s)

1 The Black Sparks
This rock and roll band of kids ages 10-12 puts on a high energy 30-minute show of their own material and is going to rock the house in support of human rights. (30 minutes) (The Photo Group)

1:30 Andalusian Dog
Andalusian Dog is a D.C. rock n' roll band whose strength is derived from its members' diversity. Harnessing different influences ranging from The Velvet Underground, The Beatles, BRMC, Kings of Leon to Johnny Cash, Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan, they have been able to craft songs that are both familiar, yet uniquely their own. (90 minutes) (Quarry House)

2 Musica Viva
“Music of Heroes." Ben Redwine, clarinet, Regino Madrid, violin, Charlie Powers, cello, and Carl Banner, piano, perform Beethoven’s “Archduke” Trio, the US premiere of Viktor Kalabis’ Suite for clarinet and piano, Viktor Ullmann’s Sonata #7 (1944), and “Dear Landlord” by Bob Dylan. (This program is supported by funding from the Montgomery County government and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, and by the Viktor Kalabis and Zuzana Ruzickova Foundation.)
(75 minutes) (Montgomery College Theater I)

2 Melonheads
This DC-area sextet specializes in “Good Time Music” with a repertoire that includes everything from dance favorites and ballads from the last four decades to the latest and coolest of the current groups. When The Melonheads are in the house, you can’t help but boogie along with them, and everyone is sure to leave with smiles on their faces.
(120 minutes) (Ellsworth Plaza)

2 Anansegromma of Ghana
This outdoor drum circle will bring audience and musicians together. Bring your own drum! After the hour-long program, citizen drummers will continue to create new rhythms and explore this ancient manner of communion and spirituality. (60 minutes + audience led after-show) (Strawberry Field)

3:30 Little Bigheart & the Wilderbeast
Little Bigheart and the Wilderbeast is all about the chaos and juxtaposition of colliding influences, covering a lot of sonic real estate.
(150 minutes) (Quarry House)

4 Maria Jose Ugalde Alcazar
Maria connects into the healing force of rhythm and melody by narrating these experiences through song. The violence and healing processes that Maria goes through are present in society on a larger scale. Everything has a rhythm, and that ever-changing creative force is part of a larger song and the eternal voice of our world. (60 minutes) (Abyssinia)

4:30 pm Roya Bahrami Quartet
"Innovative Fusion with Seductive Sounds" as dubbed by the Smithsonian Institution on the occasion of President Obama's Inauguration. The Roya Bahrami Quartet will perform original compositions of Ms. Bahrami, based on the timeless wisdom of Persian poets such as Mowlana Rumi, the 13th century Sufi poet, and the fusion of Persian modes and flamenco rhythms and harmonies. (45 minutes) (Langano’s)

4:30 Lucky Dub
Lucky Dub blends their love for Reggae with a bit of Funk, World, Ska, Rock, Alt, and Hip-Hop to create a sound to get down to. Being a D.C. based group, living at the center for social and political change in our country, Lucky Dub has also been fortunate enough to align with groups working for social/political change. (90 minutes) (Ellsworth Plaza)

6:30 Nappy Riddem
Rex Riddem is a Washington DC based DJ, producer, and percussionist known for his ability to traverse local and time through his eclectic tastes in music. He has spread his mix of classic mash-ups, ragga breaks, Latin funk, and electro to Brasil, Russia, Portugal, Hawaii, St. John, Mexico, and across the U.S. (45 minutes) (Ellsworth Plaza: Art Whino)

7 Grayson Sanders
The men of MEM have come to rock and roll through the back doors  of jazz, classical and electronic idioms. They will play an acoustic set in this venue. (60 minutes) (Langano’s)

7 Maria Jose Ugalde Alcazar
Maria connects into the healing force of rhythm and melody by narrating these experiences through song. The violence and healing processes that Maria goes through are present in society on a larger scale. Everything has a rhythm, and that ever-changing creative force is part of a larger song and the eternal voice of our world. (60 minutes) (B&O Railroad Station)

8 Ben Lear
For the past year, Ben has been hard at work composing a folk-opera about a man, all that he's lost and an island of plastic in the Pacific Ocean. At the Festival, you will hear Ben play these songs in their most original and intimate forms, with just voice and guitar. (60 minutes) (Langano’s)

9 Karla Lara
This Honduran singer/songwriter brings “Songs of the Resistance,” a powerful blend of Latin rhythms, powerful lyrics and deeply soulful singing. More than just a beautiful musician, Lara recently launched a call for Honduran artists and activists who have united to fight corruption and in defense of democracy in their country. In 2008, she was part of a group of more than 50 persons went on a hunger in front of the National Congress Building in Tegucigalpa, to protest the illegal governmental coup. (120 minutes) (Montgomery College Theater I)

9 DJ: Salsa, Bachata etc.
Come out and swing and dance to the Latin inspired rhythms of resistance and living, in the heard of the Festival area. (‘til late night) (Nicaro’s)

10 Grayson Sanders/Electronica
(‘til late-night) (Jackie’s)

Sunday, April 25

Noon Anna Soltys
Anna Soltys is a Chicago-based Folk singer with a captivating new sound. Her music explores and embodies elements of pain, strength, honesty, and sorrow. From start to finish, lyrically driven simple melodies leave you with a sense of honest sorrow. (45 minutes) (Jackie’s)

2 Tariq Ensemble
Fuses music of the Near East and the Mediterranean world with jazz. The group’s material is a mix of original compositions, folk songs, and tunes from the jazz repertoire. The musicians of Tariq Ensemble are: GRAMMY Award-winning pianist Harry Appelman; Todd Marcus, bass clarinet and clarinet and Jon Seligman, drum kit and world percussion.
(90 minutes) (Langano’s)

2 Rattlemouth
Rattlemouth is an exhilarating and movement-inspiring quartet from Richmond, Virginia. Their music is lush, intricate, exotic, and irresistibly danceable. Rattlemouth have advanced to become Richmond’s pre-eminent eclectic and world-music based ensemble. (90 minutes) (Ellsworth Plaza)

2 Maria Jose Ugalde Alcazar
Maria connects into the healing force of rhythm and melody by narrating these experiences through song. The violence and healing processes that Maria goes through are present in society on a larger scale. Everything has a rhythm, and that ever-changing creative force is part of a larger song and the eternal voice of our world. (60 minutes) (Jackie’s)

2 Ben Lear
For the past year, Ben has been hard at work composing a folk-opera about a man, all that he's lost and an island of plastic in the Pacific Ocean. At the Festival, you will hear Ben play these songs in their most intimate form, with just voice and guitar. (60 minutes) (Quarry House)

4 Club Scout
Club Scout expertly draws from the best of both power pop and indie rock, combining a strong melodic sense with an unbridled energy.
(60 minutes) (Ellsworth Plaza)

4 The Andalusians
The Andalusians craft a sound akin to the Pixies, Throwing Muses and the freewheeling alternative rock of late night MTV circa 1989. There is sharp and womanly punk fire that goes straight to the pleasure centers of the brain. (90 minutes) (Quarry House)

4:30 Rattlemouth
Rattlemouth is an exhilarating and movement-inspiring quartet from Richmond, Virginia. Their music is lush, intricate, exotic, and irresistibly danceable. Rattlemouth have advanced to become Richmond’s pre-eminent eclectic and world-music based ensemble. (90 minutes) (Langano’s)

6 Karla Lara
This Honduran singer/songwriter brings “Songs of the Resistance,” a powerful blend of Latin rhythms, powerful lyrics and deeply soulful singing. More than just a beautiful musician, Lara recently launched a call for Honduran artists and activists who have united to fight corruption and in defense of democracy in their country. In 2008, she was part of a group of more than 50 persons went on a hunger in front of the National Congress Building in Tegucigalpa, to protest the illegal governmental coup. (120 minutes) (Ellsworth Plaza)

9 DJ: Salsa, Bachata etc.
Come out and swing and dance to the Latin inspired rhythms of resistance and living, in the heard of the Festival area. (‘til late night) (Nicaro’s)

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