Schedule: Global Arts Live Stage
Noon – Albino Mbie
Mozambique-born Berklee grad Albino Mbie creates a unique Afropop and Moz-Jazz sound that incorporates sounds from Mozambique, the U.S., and around the world. Fueled by the resourcefulness and determination that have always characterized Mozambicans, he built his first guitar at 16 from a 5-liter can of oil, scrap wood, and strings made out of electrical cords. While studying music education and performance at Universidade Eduardo Mondlane in Mozambique, he became one of the first students to receive a full scholarship to Berklee through the African Scholars program. Today, his music combines many disparate parts into an organic whole—capturing the energies of different musical traditions to create a unified and original musical style.
1:30 p.m. – Kotoko Brass
Kotoko Brass melds the beautifully complex traditional drumming of Central Ghana, the sturdy bass and keyboards of the Caribbean, and the joyous horns of New Orleans to forge a sound the Boston Globe has described as “propulsive, infectious party music.” The band's unique, joyful, and improvisational style of West African dance music is a celebration of tradition, diversity, and unity. A celebratory and energetic synthesis of music, people, and cultures from around the world, Kotoko Brass features musicians from Ghana, Antigua, Japan, and the United States. Their compositions are influenced by and emerge from the rich culture and heritage of the Asante Kingdom of Central Ghana—brought to life by a group that spans age, ethnicity, and nationality.
3 p.m. – Veronica Robles Female Mariachi Band
Founded by award-winning singer Veronica Robles in 2018, Veronica Robles and her Female Mariachi Band is the first ever all women mariachi band in Boston and the New England region. An arts leader who raises awareness on the importance of diversity, Robles is a Mariachi singer, musician, and Latin American folkloric dancer and choreographer by trade who has become a cultural icon for Latinos in Boston. She is Co-founder and Director of the Veronica Robles Cultural Center that supports community action and economic growth in East Boston and offers Latin American arts and culture programming.
4:30 p.m. – Natu Camara
Dynamic singer/songwriter Natu Camara grew up in Guinea and led West Africa’s first all-female hip-hop sensation, The Ideal Black Girls. Now splitting her time between Guinea and Harlem, NY, she continues to release inspirational songs of hope and healing. Her effervescent sound blends Afropop and soul that draws inspiration from luminaries like Ali Farka Touré, Mory Kanté, Fela Kuti, Baaba Maal, Nina Simone, Paul Simon, and Tina Turner.
