Global Groove is a powerful musical event that celebrates Afro-diasporic and Latin cultural art forms in the Pioneer Valley and beyond through music, dance, song and spirit. It will feature Global-Funk-Fusion luminaries TapRoots, along with local legends ReBelle and Bomba de Aqui to engage and awaken the community in an outpouring of cultural expression. The powerful musical and cultural presentations will be stylistically varied, but united by a love of rhythm and spirit, as well as phenomenal musicianship and a message of unity and common roots. This event will be a celebration of the cultural vitality of Afro-diasporic and Latin arts, music, spirit and culture in the community, and bring together people from the community to celebrate together and explore our shared humanity and cultural forms. Global Groove is presented in partnership with the Northampton Arts Council.
TapRoots is bringing people of all walks of life and social backgrounds to join together and celebrate our shared humanity through rhythm, song and dance, and are at the forefront of the World Music revival in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts and beyond. Born out of the desire to explore and blend a variety of interlocking musical influences, TapRoots is Deep Tracks with Deep Roots for the Body, Mind and Soul! Charting new musical territory with their unique and complex mix of funk, soul, salsa, afrobeat, reggae, afrocuban jazz, rock, samba and folkloric rhythms, TapRoots travels beyond the borders of traditional popular music, bringing the listener on a journey filled with catchy hooks, pulsing rhythms, and intricate musical motifs, synthesized into a powerful, deeply rooted, listening experience. Blazing horn lines, danceable grooves, thought provoking lyrics and a tangible sense of the spirit are braided together into a powerful unified statement of joy, community, social change and spirit!
ReBelle is a formidable band conceived in love, rebellion and the evocative musical talents of Manou Africa and Kalpana Devi. Kalpana and Manou’s powerful voices chant meditations on liberation while instrumentals propel roots, reggae soul. Singing in 5 distinct languages, Wolof, English, Creole, French and Hebrew, their original music infuses a mystical mix of commanding African rhythms while their dynamic stage presence is internationally acclaimed.
Bomba de AquÍ is a dance and music company that performs and teaches Afro-Puerto Rican traditions throughout western Massachusetts and the central Connecticut area. They educate the community about the history of Afro-Puerto Rican music, foster understanding of the richness of Puerto Rican arts, and encourage active participation in that heritage. Bomba de Aquí is directed by Brendalíz Cepeda, the granddaughter of the famous bomba performer Rafael Cepeda, and learned the art and its history in her family, first appearing on stage at the age of 5. Bomba de Aquí’s musical director Saul Peñalosa is a well-known master percussionist.
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