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Wednesday, July 12, 2017

BLUE CURTAIN ANNOUNCES TWO EVENINGS OF FREE CONCERTS AT PRINCETON'S PETTORANELLO GARDENS

Mystic Bowie, Sasha Masakowski and The Sidewalk Strutters 
WHEN: July 15, 7pm
WHERE:
Pettoranello Gardens Amphitheater in Community Park North, Route 206 and Mountain Avenue, Princeton
ADMISSION: free

Betsayda Machado and Parranda El Clavo, Sammy Figueroa and his Latin Jazz Explosion 
WHEN: July 22, 7pm
WHERE:
Pettoranello Gardens Amphitheater in Community Park North, Route 206 and Mountain Avenue, Princeton
ADMISSION: free

Blue Curtain, in co-operation with the Princeton Recreation Department, presents two evenings of free concerts that will present musical traditions from around the globe.

Mystic Bowie -057Kicking off the 2017 concert series will be Mystic Bowie (left), the legendary Jamaican front-man of the TomTom Club; and the New Orleans sounds of Sasha Masakowski and The Sidewalk Strutters.

Since the 80’s, Mystic Bowie keeps the art of music-making fresh and exciting, spreading his positive vibe and high-energy shows all across the globe. From humble beginnings in St. Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica, Mystic has released five studio albums: “Funky Reggae,” “Rebirth,” “Nevah Kiss and Tell,” “Sweet Jamaica” and “Money Tree, The Best of Mystic Bowie Vol.1” Beginning in 1992, he was lead vocalist for the TomTom Club, the spin off band from the Talking Heads, for nearly two decades.

sasha masakowski_2012promo_12_webSasha Masakowski (right) was born into a family of musicians in New Orleans and has been a leading voice on the city's music scene since 2009, when she was awarded “Best Emerging Artist” by the Big Easy Association. An exciting vocalist whose repertoire spans from the early 1920s to present day, Sasha leads three bands of her own, including the traditional New Orleans jazz and R&B band, Sidewalk Strutters. Vanity Fair recently listed Masakowski as one of their top jazz musicians in the world, and DownBeat named her among the most innovative musicians coming out of New Orleans to date. She has performed five consecutive years at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and has toured across the U.S., Asia, Europe and Central America.

The music continues with a concert featuring Venezuelan music icon Betsayda Machado and her group La Parranda El Clavo; and Sammy Figueroa and his double-Grammy nominated band, the Latin Jazz Explosion. 

Betsayda Machado 003In what promises to be a stunning performance, powerhouse Afro-Venezuelan vocalist Betsayda Machado (left) presents a high-energy, salsa dancing concert with her percussion and vocal ensemble La Parranda El Clavo. The music's raw percussive nature is reminiscent of other African-rooted music – from countries like Columbia, Cuba and Brazil – but was born of its own unique history and culture. This year marks the first U.S. tour for the entire troupe. Their long-delayed stateside debut was unanimously heralded: NPR called it “one of the most joyful shows in years,” while The New York Times noted, “This was the kind of group that world music fans have always been thrilled to discover: vital, accomplished, local, unplugged, deeply rooted.”

Sammy FigueroaMulti-Grammy nominee and legendary percussionist Sammy Figueroa (right) is considered to be the premier percussionist in today's Latin jazz. He has recorded and toured with Miles Davis, the Brecker Brothers, Sonny Rollins, Michel Camilo, Chaka Khan, David Bowie and Mariah Carey. Sammy Figueroa was born in the Bronx and raised in Puerto Rico, the son of romantic singer Charlie Figueroa. After many years as New York's number one percussionist, in 2001 Sammy relocated to South Florida. It was there that Sammy discovered a rich treasure trove of amazing Latin jazz virtuosos from Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia and Argentina, and was inspired to find his voice as a solo artist. Putting a band together with the best players in town Sammy Figueroa and His Latin Jazz Explosion debuted at the Hollywood Jazz Festival and since then he has never looked back.

Don't miss these two weekends of diverse—and incredible music—from around the world!

For more information, info@bluecurtain.org.