REGGAE, WORLD MUSIC & EXPANDED DANCEHALL HOURS TO MENDO
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Sierra Nevada World Music Festival (SNWMF) is still going strong after sixteen years as the region's premier World and roots Reggae music festival. Held annually during the summer solstice weekend, this year's event takes place June 19-21, 2009. The festival celebrates peace and cultural diversity presenting music, foods, dance, and crafts from around the globe. Now in its fourth year at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville, California, SNWMF features two stages and a dancehall that keep the music going from midday 'til the wee hours of the morning over the course of three days. Picturesque on-site camping, kid-oriented performers and workshops, drum circles, yoga, parades, and fire dancers serve to enhance the music experience and to provide something for everyone.
Over the years, the festival has presented some of the hottest World music acts and this year is no different with the likes of Nigerian son of the late Fela, Femi Kuti, the Afropean diva Zap Mama, and also from Nigeria, the Juju superstar King Sunny Ade making a rare U.S. appearance.
Coming in from Austin, Texas is the Latin/rock group Del Castillo, and from Portland, Oregon come the Gypsy/klezmer/cabaret group Vagabond Opera. Perhaps coming the farthest for the event is Comrade Fatso, a spoken word performer from Zimbabwe who was featured recently on the Public Radio International program “The World."
The 2009 reggae presentation reads like a who's who of the world's top touring artists covering the broad spectrum of eras and styles. Michael Rose, the first to win the coveted award in this category will perform with his Jamaica-based Dubtonic Kru Band. The prolific drum and bass duo, Sly & Robbie will present their legacy of rhythm and perform with Cherine Anderson, Jamaica's dancehall-soul songstress who has been touring with Michael Franti & Spearhead recently. The high energy Anthony B, the singjay toaster will bring a modern sound to the lineup. Gregory Isaacs, known as the “Cool Ruler" sets the island pace with his wildly popular mellow crooning backed by Jamaica's top band Live Wyyaa.
Easy Star All-Stars will present songs from their latest release that takes on iconic rock and roll songs and presents them in a dubbed-out reggae style. Just out is EASY STAR ALL STAR'S LONELY HEARTS DUB BAND which takes this Beatles classic to another level and is now at the top of the Billboard reggae chart. Featured on this release along with other reggae-oriented artists are Blue King Brown who are also on the Sierra Nevada 2009 lineup. BKB hails from Australia playing horn-tinged, percussive grooves with social-issue driven lyrics they call “urban roots."
Making his debut appearance on the SNWMF stage is Tarrus Riley, who focuses on conscious reggae sung with brilliant tone. Riley will perform for many in the area for the first time singing his monster hit, “She's Royal." Etana, a powerful singer representing the wave of successful female artists coming out of Jamaica will make her first Northern California appearance after riding the top of the charts for months with her album “The Strong One."
The festival has a tradition of presenting the greatest vintage artists that Jamaican music has to offer. This year's lineup includes three different trios: The Abyssinians, whose anthem “Satta Amassagana" is the signature ode to Africa, The Itals, whose harmonies echo the soul of the 1960's, and The Heptones, whose song “Book of Rules" was part of the soundtrack to The Harder They Come, a film that introduced reggae to the international scene in the 1970's.
The SNWMF Kidz Zone features two great multi-cultural children's music artists. Asheba hails from Trinidad and presents a unique blend of reggae and calypso with an emphasis on uplifting the younger generation and getting everyone on their feet, and Lisa Monet, whose original compositions inter-weave Spanish and English and sing along elements. The Kidz Zone also features workshops, arts and crafts a parade and more.
After hours the event stages may be dark, but the dancehall comes alive with several sound systems. This year's roster features Jah Shaka from the U.K., Stone Love from Jamaica, TippaTone Hi-Fi from New York, and Jah Warrior Shelter Hi-Fi and Comanche High Power, both from the Bay Area.
The dancehall will be in full effect beginning on Friday night from 8pm-2:30am, Saturday night from 8pm-2:30am and Sunday evening from 6:00pm-9:00pm, bringing the vibrant culture of the reggae “dance" to keep the festival going into the wee hours. This year the presenters are offering an expanded early evening time period and a Sunday time slot for festival goers to jam to the reggae grooves inside one of the exhibition halls at the fairgrounds.
To purchase single, three-day tickets, camping and RV passes visit www.snwmf.com
