globalFEST's first North American tour brings live world music to Nazareth College Arts Center on February 28

ROCHESTER, NY (01/28/2016)(readMedia)-- Nazareth College Arts Center is pleased to present globalFEST on the Road: Creole Carnival on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at 7 p.m. in the Callahan Theater. The wildly popular global music showcase launches its first North American tour with the reigning queen of Haitian songs Emeline Michel; Rio's innovative samba masters Casuarina; and Jamaica's one-stringed guitar virtuoso Brushy One-String.

Ticket holders may also attend a pre-performance lecture at 6 p.m. in the Peace Theater (room A14), located in the lower level of the Arts Center.

Visit http://artscenter.naz.edu/newsroom/media-resources for photos. Select artists are available for advance phone interviews.

ABOUT globalFEST

"Over the last decade, globalFEST has presented 21st century world music as an accelerating fusion, a recombinant free-for-all of local traditions meeting ideas and technologies from afar" -The New York Times

One of the most dynamic events in North America, globalFEST started as an annual global music showcase in New York City to spotlight artists who represent diverse international styles, bring down boundaries between countries, and create cultural opportunities for collaboration.

More than 120 emerging and established artists have performed at globalFEST; and the event has since grown to include stages at SXSW and Bonnaroo, and recently launched its first North American tour - Creole Carnival - featuring the reigning queen of Haitian songs Emeline Michel, Rio's innovative samba masters Casuarina, and Jamaica's one-stringed guitar virtuoso Brushy One-String. Honoring the roots of African music crossed with sounds from the Americas, the tour revolves around Carnival - the globally celebrated, pre-Lent festival that is everyone's favorite excuse for a party. From Brazil - the superpower of celebration - to Haiti and Jamaica, each country has its own rich traditions for music, dancing, costumes, and cutting loose.

While touring 35 cities globalFEST On the Road's trio of international artists will explore and expand notions of Carnival, without losing sight of where magic and religious fervor intersect with a no-holds-barred soiree.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

The reigning queen of Haitian song, EMELINE MICHEL combines traditional Haitian rhythms and acoustic jazz with social, political, and inspirational messages in spirited songs that capture reverence and gratitude for each moment. Her warm voice, captivating live performances, and moving compositions have made her one of the leading ladies of a unique wave of Haitian musicians who emerged in the 1980s and emphasized complex themes, conscious lyrics, and a broad palette of musical styles, including Haitian compas, twoubadou, and rara. Born in the northern city of Gonaïves, Michel first sang gospel as a young woman, before leaving home for Detroit, then France and Canada, where she mastered jazz and pop forms. As a performer, she has graced some of the most respected stages in the Caribbean, Europe, and North and South America. In English, French, and Haitian Kreyol, Michel's 10 albums have catapulted her to international acclaim. The New York Times has compared her to "an island goddess," and Haitian Times proclaims her an "all-time favorite artist." Michel now resides in New York City.

One night, rural Jamaican musician BRUSHY ONE STRING (born Andrew Chin) dreamed of the guitar under his bed, and realized that if he picked it up and dedicated himself to playing it, he'd get to see the world. The instrument in question-a battered but resonant acoustic guitar-had only one string. That didn't stop Brushy, part of a musical family with a hardscrabble past, and his dream has come true. Brushy has a seemingly innate ability to inspire even casual listeners-including the millions of people who have watched and shared his videos on YouTube (his Chicken In the Corn video has almost eight million views). The veteran musician evokes the sweetness of soul singers like Percy Sledge, Al Green, and Toots Hibbert of Toots & the Maytals, as well as the grit and wit of Delta bluesmen, all woven together with a Jamaican pulse and ingenuity that shows that the island's music is about far more than reggae. Heartfelt blues combine with dancehall-style vocals, and uplifting, catchy ballads channel a soulful intensity and profound faith.

Samba is more of a musical family than a specific genre, rich in different accents, both familiar and unfamiliar to American audiences, including the bossa nova, samba from Bahia, and the Afro-Brazilian rhythms of the Nordeste. The music of CASUARINA incorporates all of them, while flirting with pop and urban music. Born a dozen years ago in Lapa, a hip yet gritty bohemian Rio neighborhood, the five-member group is part of a samba renaissance that has spread like wildfire in recent years. In addition to their own compositions, Casuarina creates original and sophisticated arrangements of classics, often drawing on the work and spirit of chorinho and of Brazil's wildly creative, popular music-música popular brasileira. The band's vocalist, João Cavalcanti, is the son of equally innovative musician, Lenine, the winner of two Latin Grammy Awards.

TICKETS

Single tickets to globalFEST On the Road: Creole Carnival are $15-$35. Discounted, subscription series tickets to the Nazareth College Arts Center 2015-2016 Season are still available; subscribers receive a discount off single ticket prices and additional benefits when purchasing tickets to three or more different shows. For single or subscription tickets call – or visit – the Box Office: 585-389-2170 or order online: artscenter.naz.edu.

The Nazareth College Arts Center Box Office is located on campus at 4245 East Avenue, Rochester, New York, 14618. Regular box office hours are Monday-Friday, 11am-5pm and 11am until curtain time on performance days.

SPONSORS

The Arts Center is a non-profit institution. The Nazareth College Arts Center's 2015-2016 subscription series is sponsored by M&T Bank. The Arts Center wishes to thank Drs. Dawn and Jacques Lipson for their ongoing support. globalFEST On the Road: Creole Carnival is sponsored the Nazareth College Institute for Pluralism and Division of Student Development and Josephine M. Perini.

THE NAZARETH COLLEGE ARTS CENTER

Since 1967, the Nazareth College Arts Center has served as a venue and educational resource for students, educators, artists, and audiences of all ages to create, study, and experience the visual and performing arts. The Arts Center's Subscription Series and K-12 School Performance Series provide area residents of all ages with opportunities to experience world-class dance, multi-cultural entertainment, family programming, music, theatre, and special events. The Arts Center's Subscription Series complements the College's highly regarded academic programs in the visual and performing arts. The Departments of Art, Music, and Theatre and Dance present exceptional productions, recitals, and exhibitions, which are open to the public, while preparing students for successful careers in arts-related fields.

The Nazareth College Arts Center is the performance home of the Rochester City Ballet and world-renowned Garth Fagan Dance; and is home to the Bach Children's Chorus.

For more information, visit artscenter.naz.edu.

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