Toshi Reagon + Sharde Thomas and the Rising Star Drum and Fife Band! June 1, 2008

TOSHI REAGON is an artist who credits her musical chops to her parents activist and musician roles in the Civil Rights movement. While defying categorization, Reagon's musical style has clear roots in the American south and Delta Blues traditions. Her music is powerfully soulful and clearly rooted in folk, gospel and the blues. The energy of Reagon's live shows - with her band, BIGLovely is infectious, and has captured the interest of musicians from Lenny Kravitz to Elvis Costello to Ani DiFranco. Reagon has followed in her mother's footsteps (internationally revered founder of Sweet Honey In the Rock, Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon) as a woman who uses her artistry to raise political consciousness as well as to blend diverse American musical forms into a distinct contemporary genre all her own. Her music is a tribute to the brilliance of previous generations of musicians and her talent, creativity and originality demonstrate the expansive and dynamic ways that Reagon is moving history forward.

OTHA TURNER's legacy lives on! Considered the godfather of hill country blues, Turner was the first to bring fife and drum music - which evolved when Civil War marching band music coincided with the syncopated rhythms of West Africa - to listeners outside of Mississippi. Otha Turner played this music for over 60 years. After his death in 2003, Turner's granddaughter, fourteen year-old Sharde Thomas became the appointed heir and leader of her grandfather's group - THE RISING STAR FIFE AND DRUM BAND. Like her grandfather, SHARDE sings with surprising bravado. Incanting hymnals and blues enumerations, she crowns the march with her grandfather's fife -- a crudely fashioned cane flute which marks the air with high, bright melodies. In this rare performance at the Masonic Temple in Ft. Greene, the now 18 year-old Sharde makes her first New York City appearance since the passing of her grandfather.

Tickets - $20 - available at masonicboom.com

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