The 14th Annual Berkeley World Music Festival is Friday to Sunday, June 9-11, 2017 in various locations citywide. La Peña Cultural Center opens the festival Friday, June 9 at 8pm with a FREE Kick Off Party!
The Kick Off party at La Peña features the cross-cultural exchange between Spain, Peru and Cuba, with an all-star cast of percussionists and musicologists:
Afro-Peruvian master percussionist Peta Robles leads multi-textured drumming of the Cajon. Accompanied by Afro-Peruvian music & dance educator Gabriela Shiroma.
Percussionists John Santos and Hector Lugo, along with special guests will give context to African-diaspora expressions in Cuba through congas, bongos and other percussive instruments.
La Mandanga (video below) headlines with passionate Spanish Rumba – dance music that fuses the elements of Afro-Peruvian Cajon and Afro-Cuban rhythms with flamenco music. The genre originated in the 19th century in Andalusia, southern Spain, where Cuban music first reached Spain through traveling Flamenco musicians. It was not until the 1970s that the great flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia incorporated the Afro-Peruvian cajon into Flamenco music – and it is now an integral part of both Flamenco and Rumba Flamenca (Spanish Rumba). Don’t miss this awesome Kick Off Party June 9 at 8pm! This event is FREE! Donations of any size are encouraged to help support La Peña and the Berkeley World Music Festival!
Don’t miss Berkeley World Music Festival’s two full days of world-class entertainment June 10 & 11!
The festival’s headlining concert is Saturday, June 10 noon to 6pm in Downtown Berkeley’s Civic Center Park – FREE!
There is also a FREE concert Sunday, June 11 at People’s Park 1pm-6pm, as well as music in Telegraph Ave. venues noon to 9pm.
For more information on the live music schedules visit: berkeleyworldmusicfestival.org Follow the festival on Facebook!
Vendor Spots Available for $50 for Saturday and Sunday, email: bworldmusic@comcast.net