[FA Worldmusic] 3rd Annual Afrofunk Music Festival

[Sila]

The Afrofunk Music Festival Raises Funds and Awareness for Kids in Darfur,
SudanSan Francisco (California), USA - Returning for a third year after two
consecutive sold-out concerts, The Afrofunk Music Festival--An Afrobeat
music extravaganza Benefiting Save the Children Emergency relief
Fund--announces ths year's line-up. The Afrofunk Festival centers on a
series of money-raising concerts in the month of July, across four cities;
San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara and Santa Monica.

 "*The crisis in Darfur is heartbreaking to watch and I feel it's our
responsibility as a global community to take action and not stand by and
watch it at a distance via TV*," said Sila Mutungi, the festival organizer
and producer. "*The Afrofunk Festival gives us an extraordinary opportunity
to raise awareness and save lives. More than 400,000 are dead so far, and
more than 2.5 million Sudanese have been displaced by the Arab Janjaweed
militia in what the United Nations has called "the world's greatest
humanitarian crisis." There are no big name artist on the festival bill,"
says Sila. "Just local independent artist with big hearts and a mission: to
bring a little sunshine into the lives of kids in Darfur, Sudan through
music*."

This year's Afrofunk Festival features artists representing a wide diversity
of cultures, and traditions: Anyone drawn to gritty, hard-hitting, Fela Kuti
and James Brown funk will want to hear Sila and the Afrofunk
Experience<http://afrofunk.net>.
Other party-goers will find themselves dancing to the Nigerian Juju music,
and Afrobeat rhythms of Baba Ken and Afro-groove
Connexion<http://afrofunk.org>. Aziz
Faye Nguewel And Drummers of
Senegal<http://www.danceartsacademy.com/ethnic/west-african.html>will
bring house down with their pulsating African master drumming. Fela
Kuti fanatics should not miss the dance infused jams of Afrobeat
Down<http://afrobeatdown.com>,
Dj Jeremiah and the Afrobeat Nation <http://maishaproductions.com>, Dj
Emmanuel Nado & Dj Nnamdi. (Artist descriptions below.)

 The site, http://afrofunk.org, also includes a short documentary film
directed by Peter Jordan of LocalFilms called "Darfur Rising." The film is
about children fleeing the genocide in Darfur and their descriptions of the
atrocities they witnessed in their homeland. Safe now, in a refugee camp in
Sudan, the children learn English in a temporary school, which they hope
will bring them peace. On the Afrofunk.org <http://afrofunk.org> website,
people can contribute directly to the Sudanese relief efforts of Save the
Children Fund.

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FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

 SATURDAY, JULY 14TH, 9PM
 Moe's Alley, 1535 Commercial Way,
 Santa Cruz, CA 95065. http://moesalley.com
 Tickets: $10Adv/15Door. Available by calling (831) 479-1854.
 Who: Sila and the Afrofunk Experience, DJ Jeremiah and the Afrobeat Nation

 THURSDAY, JULY 19TH, 9PM:
 SOHO, 11026 Wilshire Blvd Santa Monica, CA 90401
 Tickets: $10. Available at http://sohosb.com
 Who: Sila and the Afrofunk Experience, DJ Jeremiah and the Afrobeat Nation

 SATURDAY, JULY 21st, 9PM
 Temple Bar, 1026 Wilshire
 Blvd Santa Monica, CA 90401
 Tickets: $10ADV/$12DOOR. Available at http://templebarlive.com.
 Who: Sila and the Afrofunk Experience (headlines), Aziz Faye Nguewel and
Drumers of Senegal, DJ Nnambi

 FRIDAY, JULY 28th & SATRUDAY, JULY 29th, 9PM
 The independent
 628 Divisadero Street, San Franciscoo, CA 94117.
http://theindependentsf.com
 Tickets: $17GEN/$45VIP. Available at tickweb.com.
 Who: Sila and the Afrofunk Experience (Headlines both nights),
Baba Ken and Afro-groove Connexion (opens 7/28),
Afrobeat Down (opens 7/29),
DJ Jeremiah and the Afrobeat Nation (opens 7/29)