BAM announces the lineup for its highly anticipated free R&B Festival at MetroTech, Jun 6—Aug 15 BAM’s longest-running music series celebrates 25 years of exhilarating music performances, featuring music legends and bold new voices: Nona Hendryx with Vernon Reid, Ghost-Note, Roy Ayers, Phony Ppl, Conya Doss, Rahsaan Patterson, Fantastic Negrito, Brooklyn United Drumline Band, Cha Wa, Ruthie Foster, Third World, Van Hunt, and &More Brookfield Properties is the Presenting Sponsor of BAM R&B Festival at MetroTech BAM R&B Festival at MetroTech Center Thursdays, noon—2pm, Jun 6—Aug 15 FREE admission, MetroTech Commons at MetroTech Center Produced by Danny Kapilian Jun 6 Nona Hendryx with Vernon Reid Jun 13 Ghost-Note Jun 20 Roy Ayers Jun 27 Phony Ppl / Conya Doss Jul 11 Rahsaan Patterson Jul 18 Fantastic Negrito / Brooklyn United Drumline Band Jul 25 Cha Wa Aug 1 Ruthie Foster Aug 8 Third World Aug 15 Van Hunt / &More (Donn T & Chill Moody) Brooklyn, NY/May 24, 2019— BAM R&B Festival at MetroTech, downtown Brooklyn’s exhilarating summer tradition, returns from June 6 to August 15 with 10 afternoons of R&B, funk, rock, blues, jazz, and a marching band. Celebrating its 25th year, BAM’s longest- running music series champions the adventurous voices of R&B, from music legends to bold new voices in Brooklyn and across the globe. The free concert series is not only a hub for creative performances, but a celebration of the impact of rhythm and blues on contemporary culture. This year’s lineup features music legends Nona Hendryx and Vernon Reid in a special performance together, jazz/funk fusionists Ghost-Note, jazz/soul legend Roy Ayers, the Brooklyn progressive-R&B quintet Phony Ppl and indie soul singer Conya Doss, R&B crooner Rahsaan Patterson, eclectic blues from Fantastic Negrito, the high-octane marching band Brooklyn United Drumline Band, New Orleans brass band-meets-Mardi Gras Indian outfit Cha Wa, blues and folk goddess Ruthie Foster, R&B multi- instrumentalist Van Hunt, and the eclectic Philly collective &More. BAM R&B Festival Producer Danny Kapilian said, “We are thrilled to celebrate 25 years of bringing the community together for free live music in the downtown Brooklyn area. 1 Over the years BAM R&B Festival has presented many groundbreaking artists who have helped shape the musical landscape. And this year is no different. Everyone is welcome to enjoy the incredible mix of great artists that span the breadth of R&B music—funk, rock, disco, doo-wop, reggae, New Orleans style, gospel, folk, blues, jazz, new fusions, spacy funk and blues, and soul ballads. This festival is a reminder of what is truly great about Brooklyn—the opportunity to come together on a beautiful summer afternoon and experience totally free world-class concerts and performances from a wide array of incredible artists and be able to share the sense of community that goes along with that.” The free lunchtime performances will be held Thursdays at noon at MetroTech Commons, located at the corner of Flatbush and Myrtle Avenues. For more information, call BAM Ticket Services at 718.636.4100 or visit BAM.org. For press information on the MetroTech R&B Festival, please contact Cynthia Tate, [email protected] or 718.724.8022. Please see below for the full schedule and more information on the artists: Nona Hendryx with Vernon Reid and the Respect Band Jun 6, noon—2pm Grammy Award-nominated, art-and funk-rock pioneer Nona Hendryx, is a celebrated vocalist, record producer, songwriter, musician, and author. Longtime fans know Hendryx as one of the founding members of the girl group Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles. In 1970, Patti, Sarah Dash, and Nona morphed into the groundbreaking group Labelle. Tackling social issues, love, and politics, Hendryx’s legendary career spans six decades of sound and style evolution. To kick off the summer with a joyful blend of soul, rock, and funk the powerhouse singer welcomes acclaimed guitarist Vernon Reid. Rising to prominence as the lead guitarist of Living Colour and a co-founder of Black Rock Coalition, Reid's rampant eclecticism encompasses everything from hard rock and punk to funk, R&B, and avant-garde jazz. His anarchic, lightning-fast solos have become something of a hallmark as well. The Respect Band includes, Camille Grainer, Ganessa James, Etienne Stadwjck, Kiki Hawkins, Asa Arnold, and Kieth Fluit. Ghost-Note Jun 13, noon—2pm Snarky Puppy’s Grammy-winning percussion duo Robert “Sput” Searight and Nate Werth provide the vibrant beats at the center of the funk band Ghost-Note. This dynamic duo expands its rhythmical voice into percussive melodies, through innovative grooves and captivating artistry. Ghost-Note’s music takes listeners on a mind-blowing rhythmical journey, inspired by the influences of James Brown, Sly & the Family Stone, J Dilla, and the Beastie Boys, all the way to folkloric West African, Afro-Cuban, and Brazilian samba grooves. Ghost-Note is a drumming declaration and celebration of percussion in all its forms. Roy Ayers Jun 20, noon—2pm Funk icon and acclaimed vibraphonist Roy Ayers is among the best-known, most loved, and respected jazz/R&B artist. After 40 years in the music business, Ayers—known as the 2 “Godfather of Neo-soul”—continues to bridge the gap between generations of music lovers. In the 1960s he was an award-winning jazz vibraphonist, and transformed himself into a popular R&B band leader in the 1970s. Today, the dynamic music man is an iconic figure still in great demand by music industry heavyweights including Tyler, the Creator; Jaden Smith; Mary J. Blige; Erykah Badu; and A Tribe Called Quest, to name a few. Phony Ppl / Conya Doss Jun 27, noon—2pm Phony Ppl is a mix of people, time, and sound that’s been nurtured over generations in Brooklyn. Over the years, bandmates have come and gone, but now they’ve reached their final lineup with these five original members: vocalist Elbee Thrie, keyboardist Aja Grant, drummer Matt Byas, guitarist Elijah Rawk, and bassist Bari Bass. Their sound is a mix of soul, R&B, funk, hip-hop, jazz, pop, and everything between and beyond. They do their own songwriting, arrangement, mixing, and production. The Crown Heights-based band released its sophomore album, mō’zā-ik., in the fall of 2018. Performing alongside the band is the smooth soulful singer Conya Doss, whose voice reflects the sounds of the past, present, and future. Doss makes it no secret that her musical taste is a mix of genres—classical, soul, blues, and R&B. She describes her music as being “Like gumbo, it tastes better with time, the next day and the next.” Rashaan Patterson Jul 11, noon—2pm Velvety-smooth tenor Rahsaan Patterson’s musical stylings range from gospel-inspired ballads to the infectious grooves of funk. This summer marks the singer’s 35th anniversary in entertainment. The dynamic artist was only 10 years old when he landed in the national spotlight as a cast member on the Disney Channel show, Kids Incorporated, alongside cast mates Fergie and Mario Lopez. However, it is not fame that has fueled Patterson all these years, but rather an earnest desire to create music and stories about life’s ever-changing journey that capture the human spirit. It is a mission that he has fulfilled well through the narrative of his own soul-stirring compositions. Patterson’s adventurous musical palette fuses the worlds of R&B, funk, jazz, gospel, and electronica. Fantastic Negrito / Brooklyn United Drumline Band Jul 18, noon—2pm Fantastic Negrito is the story of a man who struggled to “make it,” who “got it,” who lost it all, and somehow managed to find his way back. For Fantastic Negrito, the narrative is as important as the sound—because the narrative is the sound, which features slide guitar, drums, and piano and an urgent, desperate, edgy sensibility. With back-to-back Grammys for his soul-searing blues and raw passion, this dynamic Oakland artist and his band are joined by Brooklyn’s high- octane community drumline. Brooklyn United Drumline Band is a one-of-a-kind drum and dance corps made up of Brooklyn public school students, weaving together live drumming and dancing by this group of vibrant and inspiring young people. The Brooklyn United drum line demonstrates its impressive percussion skills in combination with complex choreography. 3 Cha Wa Jul 25, noon—2pm The spirit of New Orleans comes to MetroTech with the infectious funk and elaborate costumes of this brass band that honors the legendary Mardi Gras Indians. From funk-laced beats and bass-heavy sousaphone blasts to the gritty warmth of singer J’Wan Boudreaux’s voice, Cha Wa radiates the fiery energy of the Crescent City’s street culture. Their Grammy-nominated album Spyboy is a modern mix of fiery, toe-tapping sounds and their debut, Funk ’N’ Feathers, explored contemporary riffs on the traditional music Boudreaux grew up singing alongside his grandfather, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, in the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indian tribe. Dating back to the late 1800s, the Mardi Gras Indian tradition began when African-American men first marched in Native American dress through the streets of New Orleans on Mardi Gras day. The tradition, which includes a host of songs shared among the various tribes, has been kept alive for over a century and today is as vital as ever. Mardi Gras Indians have influenced the biggest names in New Orleans music: the Meters, Dr. John, the Marsalis family, the Neville Brothers, Trombone Shorty, and others. Ruthie Foster Aug 1, noon—2pm Hailing from the tightly knit musical community of Austin, TX, three-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Ruthie Foster has found herself duetting with Bonnie Raitt, standing on stage with the Allman Brothers at New York’s Beacon Theater, and trading verses with Susan Tedeschi.