News Release

Home , Andres Levin, Army Arrangement, Keziah Jones, Stuart Matthewman

Brooklyn Peter Jay Sharp Building CommunicationsDepartment Academy 30 Lafayette Avenue Sandy Sawotka of Brooklyn NY 11217-1486 Fatima Kafele Music Telephone: 718.636 .4129 Lucy Walters Fax: 718 .857 .2021 Tamara McCaw Christina Norris [email protected]

News Release BAM presents Red Hot+ RIOT LIVE! The Music and Spirit of F ela Kuti featuring an all-star line-up including Amadou & Mariam, Cheikh Lo, dead prez, Keziah Jones, Les Nubians, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Yerba Buena-Dec 1 & Dec 2

Additional events include screenings of the documentary Fela! Fresh from Africa and performances in BAMcafe

BAM 2006 Next Wave Festival is sponsored by Altria Group, Inc.

Red Hot+ RIOT LIVE! Music director Andres Levin Video design by Jan Hartley Visual curator Trevor Schoonmaker Lighting design by Roma Flowers Produced by Yale Evelev & Paul Heck

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette A venue) Dec 1 (World AIDS Day) & Dec2 at 7:30pm Tickets: $25, 40, 55, 65

Felal Fresh from Africa Dec 1 at 4:30, 6:50, 9: 15pm BAM Rose Cinemas (30 Lafayette A venue) Tickets: $10 per screening

,·.t\ Brooklyn, NY/October 9, 2006---As part of the 2006 Next Wave Festival, BAM presents Red

'. Hot + RIOT LIVE! The Music and Spirit of Fe/a Kuti, a two-night, all-star tribute celebrating the music of the late Afrobeat king, Nigerian musician Fela Kuti. The concerts, opening on World l AIDS Day (Dec 1), will replicate the critically acclaimed CD Red Hot+ RIOT, which was released in 2002 to support the AIDS awareness efforts of The Red Hot Organization.

BAM2006 NextWave Festival more. .. OCT 3-DEC 16 Sponsored by Altria Group, Inc. Red Hot+ RIOT Live! 2

Red Hot + RIOT LIVE! The Music and Spirit of Fela Kuti will take place in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette Ave .) on Dec 1 & Dec 2 at 7:30pm . Tickets priced at $25, 40, 55, and 65, may be purchasedby callingBAM Ticket Services at 718.636.4100or by visitingwww .BAM.org.

Under the musical direction of Andres Levin , Pela ' s music will be reinterpreted by internationally renowned musicians Amadon & Mariam , Cheikh Lo, dead prez , Keziah Jones , Les Nubians , Meshell Ndegeocello , and Yerba Buena . Supporting musicians include Stuart Matthewman (of Sade), John Medeski backing Yerba Buena , and others to be announced. A portion of proceeds from the concerts at BAM will benefit African Services Committee, a community-based organization dedicated to impro ving the health and self-sufficiency of New · York City 's African and Caribbean immigrant communities through the provision of lilV / AIDS care and support services.

About Fela Anikulapo Kuti

Fela Kuti was born on October 15, 1938 in Abeokuta, Nigeria . His mother was a feminist active in the anti colonial movement and his father was the first president of the Nigerian Union of Teachers. In 1958, he was sent to London by his parents who agreed to support him while he studied to become a doctor . However , within weeks of his arrival he enrolled at Trinity College of Music , where he studied piano and created the group Koola Lobitos. By 1961, he was a regular fixture on the London club scene, calling the music he played Afrobeat , a fusion of James Brown-style funk and West African rhythms. His outspoken lyrics often addressed Nigerian politics and the colonial mentality he found prevalent in Africa. He was arrested more than 200 times , in the process becoming a living symbol of the right of African people to be free of foreign influences and local corruption. A prolific musician , Kuti recorded more than 40 albums including Shakara , Zombie , Coffin for Head of State, and Army Arrangement with his band Afrika 70 (renamed Egypt 80 in 1979). He died of complications due to AIDS on August 2, 1997 .

About the artists

West African husband and wife duo Amadou & Mariam have moved beyond the categorization of world music artists and have emerged as genuine pop stars. To date , the CD Dimanche a Bamako (2005) has sold over 500,000 copies worldwide. In the beginning of their musical careers the two traveled from Mali to Cote d'Iv oire , where they recorded a series of cassette-only releases for the Nigerian producer Aliyu Maikano Adamu . These early releases, which have recently been re-mastered and re-released, helped make the duo a household name in West Africa and ultimately caught the ear of French producers. After relocating to Paris , Amadon & Mariam released Sou Ni Tile (1999) , Tje Ni Mousso (2000) , and Wati (2003). Their trademark style is a blend of soulful and bluesy Malian sounds tweaked with hints of French folk, Cuban son, reggae , and hip-hop.

Chiekh Lowas born in 1955 to Senegalese parents in the small town of Bobo Dioulasso in Burkina Faso . From an early age Chiekh Lo was interested only in music , running away from school to teach himself drums and guitar on borrowed instruments. Chiekh 's first offering was the cassette Doxandeme (Immigrants) in 1990; his second release , Ne La Thiass (1997), was released internationally on World Circuit Records. He then released Bamabay Gueej (2000), and most recently Lamp Fall (2006), a deeply spiritual CD incorporating Brazilian rhythms, Senagalese grooves, and a sense of warmth and fun that is distinctly Cheikh Lo.

In the tradition of Public Enemy, KRS-One , and X-Clan , dead prez represents the culturally aware rap artist , speaking out against racism and social injustice. First introduced on Loud Records '97 mixed tape , "Food, Clothes and Shelter" duo M-1 and stic.man have since released Let's Get Free (2000)-which features the critically acclaimed single "Hip-Hop"-Turn off the Radio: The Mixtape Vol. (2002) , Turn off the Radio: The Mixtape Vol. 2: Get Free or Die Trying (2003), and Revolutionary but Gangsta (2004). dead prez was most recently featured in the film Dave Chappelle's Block Party.

more. .. Red Hot + RIOT Live! 3 Nigerian singer/guitarist Keziah Jones describes his musical style as "blufunk:" which is a fusion between raw blues elements and hard, edgy funk. The son of a Y oruban chief and a successful industrialist, Keziah spent the majority of his younger years in the city of Lagos, followed by schooling in London. Going against his father's wishes and family tradition he began to teach himself how to play and write songs. Famous for his live shows and his guitar playing, Jones gained a following in the clubs and cafes in London's Covent Garden and Portobello Road districts, rising to fame with his debut album Blufunk Is A Fact (1992). His subsequent albums include African Space Craft (1995), Liquid Sunshine (1999), and Black Orpheus (2003).

Hailing from Cameroon and Bordeaux, France, Les Nubians call their music "Afropean." The duo blends American soul, African rhythms, and a European smoothness to present thoroughly modem music that has its own imprint. The music of the two sisters (Helene and Celia Faussart) has been likened to the funk of Erykah Badu and the rhymes of MC Solaar. They burst onto the scene in 1999 with their debut album Princesses Nubiennes and the international hit single "Makeda," and have since released One Step Forward (2003) and Chapter One-Nubian Voyager (2005).

Born in Germany and raised in Washington, DC, singer, songwriter, and bass player Meshell Ndegeocello (her surname is Swahili for "free as a bird") blurs musical genres with her sophisticated mix of sweet, raucous, and deeply personal rock, jazz, funk, and soul. Her first album, Plantation Lullabies, debuted in 1994 to critical acclaim and earned her three Grammy Award nominations. With Plantation Lullabies and her subsequent release Peace Beyond Passion (1996), Ndegeocello presented brutally honest and piercing lyrics concerning race, religion, and sexuality, prompting the Los Angeles Times to note, "she aspires to embrace the essence of what it's like to live as a target, to be forced to battle for self-respect and individuality." Her latest CD is Dance of the Infidel (2005). This genre-defying artist cites musicians such as Joan Armatrading, Richie Havens, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, and Prince as influences.

The brainchild of acclaimed producer Andres Levin, New York's Latin-funk collective Yerba Buena came together as an outgrowth of Levin's extensive discography, including work as principal producer of Red Hot+ Riot. The group's super-infectious live-band party feel totally changed everyone's idea of new Latin groove with a mind-bendingly original, Afro-Cuban/Afrobeat/hip-hop attack. The collective's CD includes its Grammy-nominated debut album Planet Alien (2003), and the critically acclaimed Island Life (2005). Core band members include Andres Levin (guitar, electronics), CuCu Diamantes (vocals), Xiomara Laugart (vocals), Pedro Martinez (percussion, vocals), El Chino (vocals), Terreon Gully (drums), and Skoots Warner (drums).

About the film

Friday, Dec 1 at 4:30, 6:50, 9:15pm Fela! Fresh from Africa Nigeria/USA (2006), 90min Fela! Fresh from Africa guides viewers through Fela Kuti's triumphant return to New York City in 1986 following his release from prison in Nigeria. Returning to New York after 17 years, Fela prepares to participate in Amnesty Intemational's concert of hope and an anti-apartheid rally. The documentary includes interviews with Pela, footage of his homecoming to New York, and concert footage from Giant stadium.

General admission tickets to BAM Rose Cinemas are $10. Tickets are $7 for students 25 and under (with valid I.D. Monday-Thursday, except holidays), seniors, children under twelve, and BAM Cinema Club members. Tickets are available at the BAM Rose Cinemas box office, by phone at 718.777.FILM (order by "name of movie" option), or online at www.BAM.org.

About Red Hot+ RIOT! at BAMcafe Live

The spirit of Red Hot+ RIOT LIVE! will extend to BAMcafe Live including Wunmi (Nov. 28), Emperor Adichie (Nov. 29), Akoya Afrobeat (Nov. 30), and DJ Acidophilus (Dec. 2). For more information and updates, call 718.636.4139 or visit www.BAM.org.

more ... Red Hot + RIOT Live! 4

About The Red Hot Organization

Over the past fifteen years,The Red Hot Organizationhas producedfourteen groundbreaking albums and related television specials incorporating the elements of leading musicians , performers, producers, filmmakers, and visual artists to raise funds and awareness for HIV/AIDS. To date, Red Hot projects have raised over 7 million dollars towards AIDS awareness and relief around the world.

Red HOT + RIOT is a tribute to the great songs of Nigerian icon Fela Kuti. The album features Fela' s son, Femi Kuti, and his original drummer Tony Allen, along with a cross-section of the most creative musicians in the world. It was ranked #2 Pop Album of 2002 by The New York Times . Proceeds from the album continue to fund underserved AIDS awareness and prevention organizations in Sub-Saharan African nations through The Red Hot Community Grants program.

About African Services Committee

African Services Committee is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and self-sufficiency of the African community in New York City. Founded in 1981 by Ethiopian refugees, today it is a multi-service agency assisting immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers from across the African Diaspora. African Services provides health, housing, legal and social services to over 10,000 newcomers each year with a focus on HIV/ AIDS. It has taken this work to the frontlines of the global epidemic operating HIV testing and care clinics in Ethiopia. African Services is committed to challenging stigma and discrimination at all levels and supporting individuals, families and communities most impacted by AIDS. Combined with life-saving treatment, this care and support has transformed thousands of lives. ·

About the Next Wave Festival

BAM's Next Wave Festival, which enters its 24th season in 2006, has permanently changed the landscape of the performing arts through breakout performances, landmark productions, risky experiments, and once-in-a-lifetime moments. The Festival originated as a fall series entitled "The Next Wave/New Masters." In November 1981, Philip Glass' new opera, Satyagraha, was presented as one of four productions under the Next Wave moniker. A slightly more ambitious series followed in 1982, including a two-evening performance work-United States: Pans 1-N-by Laurie Anderson.

From the seeds of these two rich years grew an idea for something bolder and riskier. The Next Wave Festival , dedicated to exciting new works and cross-disciplinary collaborations by promising young artists, was launched in October 1983. Pieces that previously had been presented in downtown lofts and small "black box" theaters were staged in the exquisite 2,100-seat BAM Opera House (recently renamed the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House), a renovated 1,000-seat playhouse (the Helen Carey Playhouse, now home to BAM Rose Cinemas), and a flexible 300-seat performance venue (the Lepercq Space) . In 1987, BAM opened another mainstage-the 874- seat Majestic Theater- since renamed the Harvey Theater in honor of Harvey Lichtenstein ( who stepped down in 1999 after a 32-year tenure as president and executive producer). Lichtenstein was succeeded by Karen Brooks Hopkins as president and Joseph V. Melillo as executive producer. The Next Wave Festival is curated by Joseph V. Melillo.

For press information contact Fatima Kafele at 718.636.4129 x4 or fk:[email protected].

more. .. Red Hot+ RIOT Live! 5

Credits

BAM 2006 Next Wave Festival is sponsored by Altria Group, Inc. Programming in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House is supported and endowed by The Howard Gilman Foundation

Special thanks to the Howard Gilman Foundation for its support for Red Hot+ RIOT LIVE!

Music programming at BAM is made possible by a generous grant from The New York State Music Fund, established by the New York State Attorney General at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors .

Additional support for Red Hot + RIOT UVE! is provided by Gap Product Red. IN:NYC Card from American Express is proud to sponsor BAMfans. Like BAMfans, IN:NYC Cardmembers enjoy unique benefits and special access to BAM events. To find out more, go to www.americanexpress.com/nycbam.

BAMcafe Live is sponsored by Con Edison with additional support from Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation . The BAMcafe piano is provided by Deutsche Bank .

Leadership support for BAMcinematek is provided by The Joseph S. and Diane H. Steinberg Charitable Trust and Jim & Mary Ottaway. HIP & Freelancers Union are major sponsors for BAMcinematek.

BAM thanks its many donors and sponsors, including: New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; The New York City Council; Brooklyn Delegation of the New York City Council; Brooklyn Delegation of the U.S. House of Representatives; Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz; New York State Council on the Arts; National Endowment for the Arts ; New York State Assembly Brooklyn Delegation; The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation; Estate of Richard B. Fisher ; New York State Music Fund; The Starr Foundation ; JPMorgan Chase; Carnegie Corporation of New York; The Ford Foundation; The Shubert Foundation, Inc .; Time Warner Inc.; The Kovner Foundation; The Florence Gould Foundation ; The Howard Gilman Foundation; The SHS Foundation; Skirball Foundation; and The Isak and Rose Weinman Foundation, Inc . New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge is the official hotel for the Next Wave Festival . Yamaha is the official piano for BAM . RIGA is the sponsor for BAM.org.

General Information

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, BAM Rose Cinemas, BAMcafe, and Shakespeare & Co. BAMshop are located in the Peter Jay Sharp building at 30 Lafayette Avenue (between St Felix Street and Ashland Place) in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. BAM Harvey Theater is located two blocks from the main building at 651 Fulton Street (between Ashland and Rockwell Places). BAM Rose Cinemas is Brooklyn's only movie house dedicated to first-run independent and foreign film and repertory programming. BAMcafe, operated by Great Performances, is open for dining 5pm until curtain prior to Howard Gilman Opera House Monday-Saturday evening performances; and two hours prior to weekend matinee and Sunday evening Howard Gilman Opera House performances. BAMcafe also features an eclectic mix of spoken word and live music for BAMcafe Live nights on Friday and Saturday with a special BAMcafe Live! menu available starting at 8:30pm . A $26 three-course dinner at BAMcafe is available Fri-Sat for BAM Rose Cinemas ticket holders (day of screening only).

Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5, Q, B to Atlantic Avenue; D, M, N, R to Pacific Street; G to Fulton Street; C to Lafayette Avenue Train: Long Island Railroad to Flatbush A venue Bus: B25, B26, B41, B45, B52, B63, B67 all stop within three blocks of BAM Car: Commercial parking lots are located adjacent to BAM

For ticket and BAMbus information, call BAM Ticket Services at 718.636.4100, or visit www.BAM.org

### Brooklyn Peter Jay Sharp Building CommunicationsDepartment Academy 30 Lafayette Avenue Sandy Sawotka of Brooklyn NY 11217-1486 Fatima Kafele Music Telephone: 718.636.4129 Lucy Walters Fax: 718.857 .2021 Tamara McCaw Christina Norris press@ bam.org

News Release BAM presents Red Hot+ RIOT LIVE! The Music and Spirit of F ela Kuti featuring an all-star line-up including Amadon & Mariam, Cheikh Lo, dead prez, Keziah Jones, Les Nubians, Meshell N degeocello, and Y erba Buena-Dec 1 & Dec 2

Additional events include screenings of the documentary Fe/a! Fresh from Africa and performances in BAMcafe

BAM 2006 Next Wave Festival is sponsored by Altria Group, Inc.

Red Hot+ RIOT LIVE! Music director Andres Levin Video design by Jan Hartley Visual curator Trevor Schoonmaker Lighting design by Roma Flowers Produced by Yale Evelev & Paul Heck

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette A venue) Dec 1 (World AIDS Day) & Dec 2 at 7:30pm Tickets: $25, 40, 55, 65

F elal Fresh from Africa Dec 1 at 4:30, 6:50, 9: 15pm BAM Rose Cinemas (30 Lafayette Avenue) Tickets: $10 per screening

Brooklyn, NY /October 9, 2006-As part of the 2006 Next Wave Festival, BAM presents Red Hot+ RIOT LIVE! The Music and Spirit of Fela Kuti, a two-night, all-star tribute celebrating the music of the late Afrobeat king, Nigerian musician Fela Kuti. The concerts , opening on World AIDS Day (Dec 1), will replicate the critically acclaimed CD Red Hot + RIOT, which was released in 2002 to support the AIDS awareness efforts of The Red Hot Organization .

BAM2006 Next Wave Festival more ... OCT 3-DEC 16 Sponsoredby Altria Group,Inc . Red Hot+ RIOT Live! 2

Red Hot+ RIOT LIVE! The Music and Spirit of Fe/a Kuti will talce place in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette Ave .) on Dec 1 & Dec 2 at 7:30pm . Tickets priced at $25, 40, 55, and 65, may be purchasedby callingBAM Ticket Services at 718.636.4100 or by visitingwww.BAM.org .

Under the musical direction of Andres Levin, Fela ' s music will be reinterpreted by internationally renowned musicians Amadou & Mariam , Cheikh Lo, dead prez , Keziah Jones , Les Nubians, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Yerba Buena. Supporting musicians include Stuart Matthewman (of Sade), John Medeski backing Yerba Buena , and others to be announced. A portion of proceeds from the concert s at BAM will benefit African Services Committee, a community-based organization dedicated to improving the health and self-sufficiency of New York City's African and Caribbean immigrant communities through the provision of HIV/ AIDS care and support services.

About Pela Anikulapo Kuti

Fela Kuti was born on October 15, 1938 in Abeokuta , Nigeria. His mother was a feminist active in the anti colonial movement and his father was the first president of the Nigerian Union of Teachers. In 1958, he was sent to London by his parents who agreed to support him while he studied to become a doctor. However , within weeks of his arrival he enrolled at Trinity College of Music , where he studied piano and created the group Koo la Lobitos. By 1961, he was a regular fixture on the London club scene, calling the music he played Afrobeat , a fusion of James Brown-style funk and West African rhythms. His outspoken lyrics often addressed Nigerian politics and the colonial mentality he found prevalent in Africa. He was arrested more than 200 times, in the process becoming a living symbol of the right of African people to be free of foreign influences and local corruption. A prolific musician , Kuti recorded more than 40 albums including Shakara, Zombie , Coffin for Head of State , and Army Arrangement with his band Afrika 70 (renamed Egypt 80 in 1979). He died of complications due to AIDS on August 2, 1997.

About the artists

West African husband and wife duo Amadon & Mariam have moved beyond the categorization of world music artists and have emerged as genuine pop stars. To date, the CD Dimanche aBamako (2005) has sold over 500,000 copies worldwide . In the beginning of their musical careers the two traveled from Mali to Cote d'Ivoire , where they recorded a series of cassette-only releases for the Nigerian producer Aliyu Maikano Adamu. These early releases, which have recently been re-mastered and re-released , helped make the duo a household name in West Africa and ultimately caught the ear of French producers . After relocating to Paris , Amadou & Mariam released Sou Ni Tile (1999), Tje Ni Mousso (2000), and Wati (2003). Their trademark style is a blend of soulful and bluesy Malian sounds tweaked with hints of French folk , Cuban son, reggae, and hip-hop.

Chiekh Lowas born in 1955 to Senegalese parents in the small town of Bobo Dioulasso in Burkina Faso . From an early age Chiekh Lo was interested only in music, running away from school to teach himself drums and guitar on borrowed instruments. Chiekh's first offering was the cassette Doxandeme (Immigrants) in 1990; his second release, Ne La Thiass (1997), was released internationally on World Circuit Records . He then released Bamabay Gueej (2000) , and most recently Lamp Fall (2006), a deeply spiritual CD incorporating Brazilian rhythms, Senagalese grooves, and a sense of warmth and fun that is distinctly Cheikh Lo.

In the tradition of Public Enemy, KRS-One , and X-Clan , dead prez represents the culturally aware rap artist , speaking out against racism and social injustice. First introduced on Loud Records ' 97 mixed tape, "Food, Clothes and Shelter" duo M-1 and stic.man have since released Let 's Get Free (2000)-which features the critically acclaimed single "Hip-Hop"-Turn off the Radio: The Mix.tape Vol. (2002), Turn off the Radio : The Mixtape Vol. 2: Get Free or Die Trying (2003), and Revolutionary but Gangsta (2004). dead prez was most recently featured in the film Dave Chappelle 's Block Party .

more. .. Red Hot+ RIOT Live! 3 Nigerian singer/guitarist Keziah Jones describes his musical style as "blufunk" which is a fusion between raw blues elements and hard, edgy funk. The son of a Y oruban chief and a successful industrialist, Keziah spent the majority of his younger years in the city of Lagos, followed by schooling in London. Going against his father's wishes and family tradition he began to teach himself how to play and write songs. Famous for his live shows and his guitar playing, Jones gained a following in the clubs and cafes in London's Covent Garden and Portobello Road districts, rising to fame with his debut album Blufunk Is A Fact (1992) . His subsequent albums include African Space Craft (1995), Liquid Sunshine (1999), and Black Orpheus (2003).

Born in Germany and raised in Washington, DC, singer, songwriter, and bass player Meshell Ndegeocello (her surname is Swahili for "free as a bird") blurs musical genres with her sophisticated mix of sweet, raucous, and deeply personal rock, jazz, funk, and soul. Her first album, Plantation Lullabies, debuted in 1994 to critical acclaim and earned her three Grammy Award nominations. With Plantation Lullabies and her subsequent release Peace Beyond Passion (1996), Ndegeocello presented brutally honest and piercing lyrics concerning race, religion , and sexuality, prompting the Los Angeles Times to note, "she aspires to embrace the essence of what it's like to live as a target, to be forced to battle for self-respect and individuality." Her latest CD is Dance of the Infidel (2005). This genre-defying artist cites musicians such as Joan Armatrading, Richie Havens, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, and Prince as influences. ·

The brainchild of acclaimed producer Andres Levin, New York's Latin-funk collective Yerba Buena came together as an outgrowth of Levin's extensive discography, including work as principal producer of Red Hot+ Riot. The group's super-infectious live-band party feel totally changed everyone's idea of new Latin groove with a mind-bendingly original, Afro-Cuban/Afrobeat/hip-hop attack. The collective ' s CD includes its Grammy-nominated debut album Planet Alien (2003), and the critically acclaimed Island Life (2005). Core band members include Andres Levin (guitar, electronics), CuCu Diamantes (vocals), Xiomara Laugart (vocals), Pedro Martinez (percussion, vocals), El Chino (vocals), Terreon Gully (drums), and Skoots Warner (drums).

About the film

Friday, Dec 1 at 4:30, 6:50, 9:15pm Fela! Fresh from Africa Nigeria/USA (2006), 90min Fela! Fresh from Africa guides viewers through Pela Kuti's triumphant return to New York City in 1986 following his release from prison in Nigeria. Returning to New York after 17 years, Pela prepares to participate in Amnesty lntemational's concert of hope and an anti-apartheid rally. The documentary includes interviews with Pela, footage of his homecoming to New York, and concert footage from Giant stadium.

About Red Hot+ RIOT! at BAMcafe Live

more .. . Red Hot + RIOT Live! 4

About The Red Hot Organization

Over the past fifteen years,The Red Hot Organizationhas producedfourteen groundbreaking albums and related television specials incorporating the elements of leading musicians , performers , producers, filmmakers , and visual artists to raise funds and awareness for HIV/AIDS. To date, Red Hot projects have raised over 7 million dollars towards AIDS awareness and relief around the world.

Red HOT+ RIOT is a tribute to the great songs of Nigerian icon Fela Kuti. The album features Fela's son, Femi Kuti, and his original drummer Tony Allen, along with a cross-section of the most creative musicians in the world. It was ranked #2 Pop Album of 2002 by The New York Times. Proceeds from the album continue to fund underserved AIDS awareness and prevention organizations in Sub-Saharan African nations through The Red Hot Community Grants program.

About African Services Committee

About the Next Wave Festival

BAM's Next Wave Festival, which enters its 24th season in 2006, has permanently changed the landscape of the performing arts through breakout performances, landmark productions, risky experiments, and once-in-a-lifetime moments . The Festival originated as a fall series entitled ''The Next Wave/New Masters." In November 1981, Philip Glass' new opera, Satyagraha, was presented as one of four productions under the Next Wave moniker. A slightly more ambitious series followed in 1982, including a two-evening performance work-United States: Parts I-IV-by Laurie Anderson.

From the seeds of these two rich years grew an idea for something bolder and riskier. The Next Wave Festival, dedicated to exciting new works and cross-disciplinary collaborations by promising young artists, was launched in October 1983. Pieces that previously had been presented in downtown lofts and small "black box" theaters were staged in the exquisite 2,100-seat BAM Opera House (recently renamed the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House), a renovated 1,000-seat playhouse (the Helen Carey Playhouse, now home to BAM Rose Cinemas), and a flexible 300-seat performance venue (the Lepercq Space). In 1987, BAM opened another mainstage-the 874- seat Majestic Theater- since renamed the Harvey Theater in honor of Harvey Lichtenstein (who stepped down in 1999 after a 32-year tenure as president and executive producer). Lichtenstein was succeeded by Karen Brooks Hopkins as president and Joseph V. Melillo as executive producer. The Next Wave Festival is curated by Joseph V. Melillo.

For press information contact Fatima Kafele at 718.636.4129 x4 or [email protected].

more ... Red Hot + RIOT Live! 5

BAM 2006 Next Wave Festival is sponsored by Altria Group , Inc. Programming in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House is supported and endowed by The Howard Gilman Foundation

Special thanks to the Howard Gilman Foundation for its support for Red Hot + RIOT UVE!

Music programming at BAM is made possible by a generous grant from The New York State Music Fund , established by the New York State Attorney General at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors .

Additional support for Red Hot + RIOT UVE! is provided by Gap Product Red. IN :NYC Card from American Express is proud to sponsor BAMfans . Like BAMfans, IN :NYC Cardmembers enjoy unique benefits and special access to BAM events. To find out more, go to www .americanexpress.com/nycbam .

Leadership support for BAMcinematek is provided by The Joseph S. and Diane H. Steinberg Charitable Trust and Jim & Mary Ottaway . HIP & Freelancers Union are major sponsors for BAMcinematek.

BAM thanks its many donors and sponsors, including: New York City Department of Cultural Affairs ; The New York City Council; Brooklyn Delegation of the New York City Council; Brooklyn Delegation of the U.S . House of Representatives; Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz; New York State Council on the Arts ; National Endowment for the Arts ; New York State Assembly Brooklyn Delegation; The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation; Estate of Richard B. Fisher; New York State Music Fund ; The Starr Foundation; JPMorgan Chase; Carnegie Corporation of New York ; The Ford Foundation ; The Shubert Foundation , Inc.; Time Warner Inc. ; The Kovner Foundation ; The Florence Gould Foundation ; The Howard Gilman Foundation; The SHS Foundation ; Skirball Foundation ; and The Isak and Rose Weinman Foundation , Inc. New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge is the official hotel for the Next Wave Festival. Yamaha is the official piano for BAM. RIGA is the sponsor for BAM.org.

General Information

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House , BAM Rose Cinemas , BAMcafe , and Shakespeare & Co. BAMshop are located in the Peter Jay Sharp building at 30 Lafayette Avenue (between St Felix Street and Ashland Place) in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. BAM Harvey Theater is located two blocks from the main building at 651 Fulton Street (between Ashland and Rockwell Places). BAM Rose Cinemas is Brooklyn 's only movie house dedicated to first-run independent and foreign film and repertory programming . BAMcafe , operated by Great Performances , is open for dining 5pm until curtain prior to Howard Gilman Opera House Monday-Saturday evening performances ; and two hours prior to weekend matinee and Sunday evening Howard Gilman Opera House performances. BAMcafe also features an eclectic mix of spoken word and live music for BAMcafe Live nights on Friday and Saturday with a special BAMcafe Live! menu available starting at 8:30pm. A $26 three-course dinner at BAMcafe 'is available Fri-Sat for BAM Rose Cinemas ticket holders (day of screening only ).

Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5, Q, B to Atlantic Avenue; D, M, N, R to Pacific Street; G to Fulton Street; C to Lafayette A venue Train : Long Island Railroad to Flatbush A venue Bus: B25, B26 , B41 , B45 , B52, B63, B67 all stop within three blocks of BAM Car : Commercial parking lots are located adjacent to BAM

For ticket and BAMbus information, call BAM Ticket Services at 718.636.4100, or visit www.BAM.org

### & AFRICANSERVICES \J, COMMIT TH

FOR IMMEDIATE USE Thursday, 30 November 2006

Contact: Catharine Bufalino (212) 222-3882; [email protected]

AFRICAN SERVICES COMMITTEE AND BAM JOIN HANDS FOR WORLD AIDS DAY TRIBUTE CONCERT

Red Hot + RIOT LIVE! Dec 1 & 2 Celebrates the Music of Fela Kuti, Benefits African Services' Work in HIV/ AIDS in NYC and Ethiopia

New Yor!y 30 November 2006 - In the twenty-fifth year of the AIDS epidemic, African Services Committee, a New York City non-profit providing HIV/AIDS services, is collaborating with BAM, one of the country's oldest performing arts institutions, for a benefit concert expected to be New York City's largest World AIDS Day event.

The all-star tribute taking place at BAM (30 Lafayatte Avenue in Brooklyn) on December 1 and 2 celebrates the music of Fela Kuti, the celebrated Nigerian artist and activist whose life was cut short by AIDS. The musical line-up includes Tony Allen, Amadou & Mariam, Andres Levin, Cheikh L6, dead prez, Keziah Jones, Les Nubians, Stuart Matthewman, John Medeski, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Yerba Buena. Tickets are $25, 40, 55, 65 and can be purchased via www.BAM.org or 718.636.4100.

A portion of the proceeds benefits African Services' HIV/ AIDS testing, care and support programs in New York City and Ethiopia.

"Unique partnerships like this are a critical part of the response to AIDS," said Kim Nichols, Co-Executive Director of African Services. "And BAM has shown great leadership in bringing New Yorkers together on World AIDS Day to focus on what we can do-as individuals, artists, activists, and communities-to end AIDS."

Despite renewed interest in AIDS and Africa, the funding to adequately fight the epidemic falls dramatically short of the need. "While the political commitment to end AIDS has flagged, the burden has fallen disproportionately on the poor and vulnerable, in New York City and around the world," Nichols added. "Partnerships like this demonstrate how communities are rising to the challenge of providing HIV prevention and care and keeping the promise to stop AIDS."

New evidence released this week by UNAIDS and civil society leaders shows the epidemic is worsening while the momentum for global AIDS treatment scale up has stalled over the last year. "With 4.3 million new infections last year, we are moving ever further away from the target of achieving universal access by 2010," Nichols added.

About African Services Committee African Services Committee is a 25-year-old non-profit organization in New York City dedicated to improving the health and self-sufficiency of the African community. Founded in 1981 by Ethiopian refugees, today it assists over 10,000 immigrants from across the African Diaspora each year and is a leader in HIV prevention, care and support for immigrant communities. African Services also works on the frontlines of the global AIDS epidemic operat ing four HIV testing and care clinics in Ethiopia. www.africanservices.org ### & AFRICANSERVICES .,., COMMITTEE Organizational Profile

African Services Committee is a community -based organization dedicated to improving the health and self-sufficiency of New York City's African and Caribbean immigrant communities. Established in 1981 by an Ethiopian refugee, African Services has grown into a multi-service agency providing health, housing, legal, and social services to 10,000 newcomers in New York City each year. Our programs address the needs of recent immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers affected by war, poverty and global health inequalities. The people we serve come from all regions of Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean, they live in the highest -poverty neighborhoods of New York City, and face enormous barriers to health care. Many are in need of HIV/ AIDS services due to the scale of the global epidemic. They may be at high risk for HIV infection, HIV-positive and unaware of their status, or living with AIDS and not accessing treatment. Providing access to care for this underserved and hard-to reach population is central to our mission. African Services uses a peer-to-peer model for community -based health care that has been effective throughout Africa. With a staff of 35, representing more than a dozen countries and speaking over 20 languages, African Services provides linguistically and culturally appropriate outreach and services for newcomers . Our community health workers conduct street-level HIV prevention outreach and education in all five boroughs and provide medical interpretation and patient advocacy for immigrants in hospitals throughout the city. Through an extensive network of health and social service providers, immigrants are in turn referred to African Services for counseling, nutritional support, ESLclasses, employment referrals and immigration assistance in a familiar and supportive environment. For people living with HIV, we facilitate access to medical care and provide case management, risk reduction counseling, legal advocacy, housing placement, and a range of supportive services, including self-sufficiency workshops and a weekly multilingual support group. From the ground up, African Services has conceived, developed, implemented, and evaluated a full continuum of HIV, TB and STD programs to meet the needs of immigrant communities. Tying community-based access to health care and self-sufficiency services to HIV/ AIDS awareness is a method African Services has proven to be highly effective. Successful access to prevention, care and treatment is sustained by building self-sufficiency for immigrant families: improving English skills, employment prospects and adjusting immigration status. African Services has found innovative ways to overcome the barriers of HIV stigma and _., support individuals, families and commun ities most impacted by the global AIDS epidemic. African Services has taken its HIV/ AIDS experience to the frontlines of the global epidemic and operates four HIV testing and care clinics in Ethiopia. With a small local staff, including people living with HIV, African Services has provided free HIV testing to more than 40,000 people and distributed 550,000 condoms. We are currently providing CD4 testing and are developing our capacity for implementing ARV treatment in order broaden AIDS care in community-based settings in Ethiopia. African Services combines direct service with advocacy on issues of immigration policy, health rights and global AIDS treatment access. African Services currently serves on Mayor Bloomberg's New York City Commissionon HIV and the Steering Committee of the AIDSDrug Assistance Program of the New York State Department of Health , and previously served as the North American NGO delegate on the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board and on the CommunitiesDelegation to the Board of the Global Fundto FightAIDS, TB, and Malaria. African Services has earned the support and cooperation of numerous allies- grassroots to global-and is considered a model for community -based HV prevention and care services by UNAIDS and the WHO.

Program Focus & Target Population

• Direct health and self-sufficiency services for 10,000 recent African and Caribbean immigrants , refugees and asylees in the metropolitan New York City area. • HIV prevention, care and support for vulnerable groups. • Advocacy for fair immigration policy , global health rights and global AIDS treatment access . • Training and technical assistance for NGOs and health departments in the U.S.and Africa.

Board, Staff & Volunteers

• Asfaha Hadera (Founder) and Kim Nichols, Co -Executive Directors • 10 Board members, including African immigrants and people living with HIV/ AIDS • 35 staff from 12 countries speaking 20 languages including: French, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Wolof, Bambara, Amharic and other African languages • 6 volunteers and interns from local universities

Funding Sources

African Services is funded through government , foundation and private support including:

• Ryan White Title I • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, HRSA • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development , HOPWA • NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene • NYS Dept. of Health, AIDS Institute • American Jewish World Service • Broadway CARES/Equity Fights AIDS • Until There's A Cure Foundation • New York Mercantile Exchange Foundation • First Data Western Union Foundation • United Way of New York City • GMHC AIDS Walk • Henry Van Ameringen [individual) Locations

• 429 West 127th Street, between Morningside & Amsterdam Avenues, Harlem , Upper Manhattan • Offices in Mekelle, Tigray and Addis Ababa , Ethiopia

Contact Ca tharine Bufalino, Communications Director: (212) 222-3882; [email protected] • AFRICAN SERVICES V,1 COMMITTEE Fact Sheet: World AIDS Day 2006

From the Kaiser Famil y Foundation HIV/AIDS Policy Fact Sheet , November 2006 For additional information, contact: Kim Nichols, Co-Executive Director, African Services {212) 222-3882

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the AIDS epidemic. The CDC first identified AIDS on June 5, 1981, marking the official beginning of what has become the most destructive epidemic in history.9

HIV/ AIDS has already claimed more than 25 million lives worldwide. 2 There are an estimated 39 .5 million people currently living with HIV/ AIDS worldwide , 2.6 million more than in 2004 and twice the number in 1995. 4 The number of people living w ith HIV/ AIDS has increased in every region .1

During 2006, an estimated 4.3 million people became newly infected with HIV, including 530,000 children. 1.3 2.9 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses in 2006, and death s have been rising.1

Worldwide, most people living with HIV are unaware they are infected .4

Sub-Saharan African has been hardest hit and is home to almost two -thirds (62.5%) of people living w ith HIV/ AIDS, or 24.7 million people , but only about 11% of the world 's population. 1.5

Around the wor ld , the face of AIDS is increas ingly female . In sub-Saharan Africa , women represent more than half (59%) of all adults living with HIV/AIDS.1 Among young people in sub-Saharan Africa, on average, three young women are infected for every young man .4

In 2005, there were an estimated 15.2 million AIDS orphans (children who had lost one or both parents to the epidemic) , most of whom ( 12 million) lived in sub-Saharan Africa. 4

The Caribbean has also been especially hard hit, with an adu lt HIV prevalence rate (1.2%) second only to sub-Saharan Africa. 1

UNAIDS estima tes that spending on HIV/ AIDS rose from US$300 million in 1996 to $8.3 billion in 2005, and is projected to reach $8.9 billion in 2006 and $10 billion in 2007, but the need is much higher. For 2006, UNAIDS estimates that $15 billion will be needed to effectively respond to the HIV/ AIDS epidemic in low - and middle-income countries, rising to $22 billion by 2008.7.4

It is estimated that prevention programs reach fewer than one in five of those who need them and that only 24% of people with HIV/ AIDS in need of antiretroviral therapy in low and middle -income countries have such access .7,8 Sources l UNAIDS, 2006 AIDS Epidemic Update , December 2006 2 Kaiser Family Foundation , HIV/AIDS Policy Fact Sheet , November 2006 3 UNAIDS, Core Slides: AIDS Epidemic Update, December 2006 4 UNAIDS,2006 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic , May 2006. 5 Population Reference Bureau , 2006 World Population Data Sheet , 2006 6 See, UNAIDS, Understanding the Latest Estimates of the 2006 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic , Q & A, December 2006 7 UNAIDS, Global Facts and Figures, Fact Sheet , December 2006 8 WHO, Progress in Scaling Up Acce ss to HIV Treatment in Low and Middle-Income Countries , June 2006 , Fact Sheet , 2006 9 Kaiser Family Foundation , AIDS Timeline Fela Kuti

b. Fela Anikulapo Kuti, 15 October 1938, Abeokuta, Nigeria, d. 2 19 April 2006 August 1997, Nigeria. Kuti was a primary influence behind the tl,ccessibilit'i.JlfilQ Text only invention and development of Afro-Beat, the west African fusion BBC Homepage of agit-prop lyrics and dance rhythms which has been a major med ium of social protest for the urban poor since the late 60s. Mus ic Kuti was born to middle-class parents and enjoyed a relatively News privi leged childhood and adolescence before breaking with family Reviews wishes and becoming a bandleader and political catalyst. In Listen .1958, ne was sent to London, England by his parents, who had Gigs/Concerts agreed to sup,port him there while he studied to become a TV/Radio doctor. Within weeks of arriving, however, he had enrolled at Artist Profiles Trinity College of Music, where he spent the next four years Features studying piano, composition and theory and leading his higr.i'life In Your Area meets-jazz group Koola Lobitos. By 1961, the band was a : · regular fixture on London's growing R&B club scene, drawing substantial audiences to influential clubs like the Marquee and Bird land. In 1962, Kuti left Trinity and moved back to Nigeria, basing himself in Lagos, where he became a trainee radio producer with Nigerian Broadcasting. His after-hours activities with a re-formed Koola Lobitos interfered with his work, however, and he was fired after a few months.

From this point on, he devoted himself entirely to a career as a bandleader. By 1968, Kuti was calling the music Koola Lobitos played Afro-Beat - as a retort to the slavish relationship most other local bandleaders had with black American music. His ambition to reverse the one-way t ide of musical influence led him to take Koola Lobitos to the USA in 1969, where the group struggled to survive playing small clubs on the west coast. Although financially unsuccessful, the visit did much to awaken Kuti 's political sensibilities, and he forged important friendships with radical black activists such as Angela Davis, Stokeley Carmichael and the Last Poets. Bac k in Nigeria, Kuti changed the name of Koala Lobitos to Afrika 70, and in 1971 enjoyed a big local hit with "Jeun Ko'ku" ' (Yoruba for "e at and die"). He also founded the Shrine Club in Lagos, which was to become the focus for his music and political activity. By 1972, Kuti had become one of the biggest stars in west Africa; because he sang in "broken English" rather than one of the tribal languages, his lyrics were understandable in all Anglophone countries. He also rejected the traditional African bandleader stance of promoting local polit icians and their polic ies, choosing instead to articu late the anger and aspi ratio ns of the urban poor.

In the process he became a figurehead and hero for street people throughout Niger ia, Ghana and neighbouring countries. A typical early swipe at the ruling elite was contained in the 1973 album Gentleman, in which Kuti lampooned the blac k middle-class fetish for wearing western clothing in a tropical cl imate: "him put him socks him put him shoes , him put him pan t s him put him singlet, him put him trouser him put him shir t, him put him tie him put him coat, him come cover all with him hat; him be gentleman ; him go sweat all over , him go faint right down, him go smell like shit". Not surprisingly, the Nigerian establ ishment did not enjoy hearing songs like these - nor did t hey approve of Kuti's high-pro file propaganda on behalf of igbo (N igerian mar ij uana ). The drug squad attempted to clamp down on him on several occasions, all of them unsuccessful, but these attempts provided plenty of subs ta nce for a string of hilarious album releases. -Enraged, the army was sent to arrest him at his home, Alagbon Close, in late 1974. The house was practically razed to the ground, and Kuti delighted his fans by telling the tale in gory detail on the album Alagbon Close, questioning the right of uniformed public servants to go around breaking heads and property at will.

The attack only confirmed Kuti's political aspirations and also cemented his total embrace of African mores and customs. In 1975, he changed his middle name from Ransome (which he regarded as a slave name) to Anikulapo. His full name, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, now meant "He Who Emanates Greatness (Fela), Having Control Over Death (Anikulapo), Death Cannot Be Caused By Human Entity (Kuti)". Kuti needed all this ceremonial power on 18 February 1977, when the army mounted a second all-out attack on his new home, a walled compound of houses called Kalakuta Republic. Some 1,000 soldiers cordoned off the area, set fire to the premises and viciously attacked the occupants - Kuti suffered a fractured skull, arm and leg, while his 82-year-old mother was thrown out of a first-floor window, narrowly escaping death. The army then prevented the fire brigade reaching the compound, and for good measure beat up and arrested anyone they identified as a journalist among the onlookers. Although Kuti won the war of words which followed, he sensibly decided to leave Nigeria for a while, and in October 1977 went into voluntary exile in Ghana. Unfortunately, his Accra recordings (such as Zombie, a virulent satire on the military mentality), did not endear him to the Ghanaian authorities either, and in 1978 he was deported back to Lagos.

On arrival, to mark the anniversary of the previous year's pillage df Kalakuta and to reaffirm his embrace of African culture, he married 27 women simultaneously in a traditional ceremony (he divorced them all in 1986, stating "no man has the right to own a woman's vagina"). Kuti did not drop his revolutionary profile in subsequent years. With albums such as Coffin For Head Of State, International Thief Thief, VIP Vagabonds In Power and Authority Stealing (all attacking government corruption and abuse of human rights), he continued to keep himself and his band (renamed Egypt 80 in 1979) at the forefront of west African roots culture, while also acquiring a substantial international profile. In 1984, Kuti was jailed in Nigeria on what were widely regarded as trumped-up currency smuggling charges. During his 27-month incarceration, leading New York funk producer Bill Laswell was brought in to complete the production of the outstanding Army Arrangement album. On release from prison in 1987, Kuti issued the Wally Badarou produced Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense - a rich, dense, at times almost orchestral work which showed him recharged, rather than weakened, by his latest persecution. In 1996, Kuti was arrested, and later released for an alleged drugs charge.

The National Drug-Law Enforcement Agency got him to agree to some counselling for his alleged drug abuse. In 1997, he sued the Nigerian government for the previous incident. He died before this was resolved of an AIDS-related complication. His son Femi Kuti is an acclaimed performer and recording artist. DISCOGRAPHY: Fela's London Scene (HNLX 1970) *** , Live With Ginger Baker (Regal Zonophone 1972)***, Shakara (EMI 1972) ***, Gentleman (NEMI 1973) **** , He Miss Road (NEMI 1973) ***, Alagbon Close (JILP 1974 ) **** , Expensive Shit (SWS 1975)***, Open & Close (SWS 1975)****, Yellow Fever (Decca West Africa 1976)***, Zombie (CRLP 1977)** *, Kalakuta Show (CRLP 1978)** ** , Coffin For Head Of State (KALP 1979) **** , VIP Vagabonds In Power (KILP 1979)* ** , with Roy Ayers Africa, Center Of The World (Polydor 1981)***, with Lester Bowie Perambulator (UR 1983)* ** , Army Arrangement (Celluloid 1985)***, Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense (London 1987) ****, I Go Shout Plenty (Decca 1987)* *** , with Roy Ayers 2000 Blacks (Justin 1988)** *, Beasts Of No Nation (JD EUR 1988)** -*, Us (Stern 's 1992)***, Underground System (Stern's 1993)* **, The '69 Los Angeles Sessions (Stern's 1993)***, with various artists Red Hot + Riot: The Music And Spirit Of Fela Kuti (MCA 2002)* *. COMPILATIONS: Volumes 1 & 2 ( EMI 1977) ***, The Best Of Fela Kuti (MCA 1999)****, The Underground Sp iritua l Game (Wrasse 2004)**.

VIDEOGRAPHY: Teacher Don 't Teach Me Nonsense (London 1984), Fela Live ( London 1984). BIBLIOGRAPHY: Fela: The Life And Times Of An African Musical Icon, Michael E. Veal. Afrobeat!: Fela And The Imagined Continent, Sola Olorunyomi. Arrest The Music!: Fela And His Rebel Art And Politics, Tejumola Olaniyan.