CULTURAL TUNES

Afro Roots Fest Concludes 25th Season In Islamorada

One of South Florida’s longest-running music festivals — Afro Roots Fest — will wrap its 25th anniversary season with a weekend of free concerts in Islamorada at the Florida Keys Brewing Company.

The weekend kicks off on Friday, May 19 at 6 p.m. in the beer garden with a performance by Electric Kif, and continues with Cortadito and Miamibloco on Saturday, May 20 at 6 p.m. Finally, the Nag Champayons and special guest Johnny Dread, plus Grupo Barrio Abajo, close things out on Sunday, May 21, at 2 p.m. All performances are free and open to the public of all ages.

“We couldn’t think of a better way or place to end the season than with this amazingly diverse presentation of cultures at one of the finest breweries in all of Florida,” said Jose Elias, Afro Roots Fest founder and Nag Champayons guitarist and bandleader. “I’m proud to continue to fulfill the mission of our nonprofit to bring African-influenced culture to underserved locations and invite everyone to come enjoy a full weekend’s worth of incredibly talented musical presentations.”

Elias is also the executive director of the Miami nonprofit Community Arts and Culture (CAC), the organization behind Afro Roots Fest, as well as the bandleader and tres player in Cortadito.

Electric Kif is a Miami-based power quartet that explores the boundaries between rock, jazz fusion and electronic drum and bass. Made up of bassist Rodrigo Zambrano, keyboardist Jason Matthews, drummer Armando Lopez and guitarist Eric Escanes, the band has garnered attention for their eclectic take on groove and their own brand of “post-nuclear music.” Their most recent album Dreamlike is Electric Kif’s fourth full-length LP and features international heavy hitters Aaron Parks and Chris Bullock of Snarky Puppy.

Since its origin 10 years ago,

Cortadito has become a torchbearer of a pop culture phenomenon that is two centuries strong. A traditional folk and acoustic band that focuses on performing one of the earliest styles of Cuban country music known as Son (pronounced sOwn), their sound can best be described as reminiscent of the famed Buena Vista Social Club. This ensemble led by Elias, co-founder and guitarist, and Julio Cesar Rodriguez Delet, vocalist, leads audiences through the “Guajiro Triangle,” an audio experience spanning the three cities of Miami, Havana and Santiago. Co-led by Brian Potts and suOm Francis, Miamibloco is a Samba percussion community nonprofit that turns Afro-Brazilian music and rhythms into the cultural glue that binds Miami’s unique diverse communities together. The group hosts the seasonal Saideira Social at the Miami Beach Bandshell, where the Miamibloco performance group Bateria Saideira collaborates on stage with high caliber local, Brazilian and international musicians including Samir Langus, Munir Hossn, Gilmar Gomes, Musiana, Magela Herrera, Oigo and Mauricio Baia.

The Nag Champayons are Frank Zappa and Serge Gainsbourg wrestling Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra. The group began in the early 2000s as an improvisational collective whose name came from the burning of Nag Champa incense during early jams. The group is currently in the studio recording the follow up to the 2015 release Rising Sounds of a Sinking City and 2016 single “Brazilian LSD.”