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| BandShell, Miami Beach |
Where Jazz and World Music Become One, GroundUp Style.
By Eva Silot Bravo, PhD. (All Rights Reserved)
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| GroundUp Festival Logo |
The 2nd edition of GroundUp Music Festival took place at the North Beach Bandshell in Miami Beach, February 9-11, 2018. The festival was founded last year by the brilliant and talented Michael League, director of multi Grammy-winning band Snarky Puppy and the GroundUp music label. The three-day event took place each day within the Bandshell and surrounding oceanfront park from noon until 11pm – concerts alternating between two stages, as well as intimate artist-led workshops. After-concert jam sessions went late in the night at a nearby hotel.
Throughout the festival League played with numerous bands, mingling and integrating smoothly with any type of format and music performed by his invitees. After more than a decade of work including the days with Snarky Puppy at the University of Northern Texas, GroundUp feels like a vision come true for League. He has been touring all over the world and collaborating non-stop with some of the best young and established musicians from all artistic genres. At a time of critical shifting in the music industry, League is breaking ground on his own terms with an underground approach and a little help from some friends. He has put together an independent music label and this annual world-class music reunion in Miami, a city not usually part of jazz fest circuits. Addressing the audience, League repeatedly expressed his joy to hold this festival as a celebration and opportunity to collaborate and celebrate with friends whose music he truly enjoys.
One of the festival’s highlights was Snarky Puppy’s daily performance to a packed, enthusiastic and educated crowd of music fans. You could easily feel a great vibe of collaboration among all musicians involved. Jazz was an important musical language at GroundUp fest. It was also the perfect excuse to promote a space for exchange and encounter among musicians and music lovers. In only two years, GroundUp fest has become an inspiring cultural enterprise that only seems to get better.
The festival’s mind-blowing lineup created many memorable moments including a concert by Weedie Braimah and the Hands of Time. Weedie is a Ghanian-born, St. Louis- raised, world-class percussionist, who showcased an insane talent as a performer and bandleader. The music ensemble utilized handmade African instruments including Djembe drums, balafon, shekere and kora. The band unveiled a real passion, soul and musicianship in their electric fusion of jazz and funk with West African music. MonoNeon, Prince’s last bass player, added a colorful intervention to Weedie’s band.
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| Weedie Braimah and the Hands of Time |
After that, I thought it was going to be difficult to experience anything better. But my predictions were overruled. Most of the festival’s music acts were noteworthy, to the point of being difficult to choose a favorite.
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| Roosevelt Collier |
Roosevelt Collier offered another unforgettable experience. He put together an extremely powerful jazz/hip-hop/gospel/groovy music band. Closing your eyes during his band’s performance felt like being inside an African-American evangelist church in Harlem, Little Haiti, Miami, or elsewhere USA listening to the most exquisite gospel music crafted with a fulfilling organ sound. After a bridge, the music suddenly transported the audience to another mood. Collier’s band flawless and funky performance was matched by his soulful sound and great skills on a wood lap steel guitar, Nashville style. Roosevelt Collier gave an uplifting concert that could take the audience to unimaginable places.
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Banda Magda workshop
Magda Giannikou’s appearances at the beach workshop and on stage were memorable. Born in Greece, she leads Magda Banda, a New York based multicultural band that engages with an array of genres from jazz, Greek folk, South-American music to French chanson. She is also a multi talented musician, band conductor, composer and multilingual singer that speaks indistinctly in Greek, French, English and Spanish. For the workshop Magda was joined by a drum circle at the beach. In this interactive workshop the audience was divided into several groups. Madga acted as a conductor, providing different vocal lines to each group’s leader. The organized improvisation turned into a nice vocal adventure, creating another moment of connection and joy. Later that night, she played at the Bandshell stage, joined by other Snarky Puppy musicians as well as Emily Estefan on vocals, and legendary singer, guitar and tres guitar player Eliades Ochoa of Buena Vista Social Club fame. |
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| Paris Monster |
The Paris Monster concert was electrifying. Josh Dion, lead singer of this two-man band, sings like a rock star, jamming on keyboards with his right hand and the drums with his left hand and leg. You could say he is a percussionist for his incredible sense of rhythm and the beat driven feeling of his music, but that’s an understatement. Paris Monster’s music is an unexpected fusion of rock, pop, garage, and funk-infused with intriguing electronic and synthesizer effects. An attractive light show and fog enhanced Paris Monster’s concert.
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| Harold Lopez-Nussa Trio |
Equally mesmerizing were the performances of recognized jazz musicians, like saxophonist Joshua Redmand, pianist Robert Glasper, percussionist Jojo Mayer, guitarist and artist at large Lionel Loueke, banjo master Bela Fleck, the Wood Brothers, and bassist Victor Wooten. The performance of C4 was a nice surprise. A virtuoso ensemble of cuatro guitars and electric bass brought out a Venezuelan folk flavor. West African rhythms and instruments were another important reference for some of the festival acts. Harold Lopez Nussa Trio was another delight. With a international career as a pianist and jazz musician, Harold has contributed an open-minded, renewed fusion between Cuban music and jazz taking place for the last 20 years on and off the island.
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| Becca Stevens |
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| Emily Estefan |
The female lineup was robust and captivating, including artists like Concha Buika, Becca Stevens, Alina Ergibayan, Sirintip, Emily Estefan and Banda Magda, among others. Listening to Emily playing live was a lot of fun. She moves with ease between different music styles and displays great confidence on stage. Emily is a Berklee College of Music alum and a multitalented player of cymbals, drums, electric guitar, piano, and a serious singer. Moreover, her music is personal, unpretentious and solid, supported by a kickass band with Caribbean, American, Latin and Latin-American music backgrounds. Emily Estefan’s concert was testament to the richness and versatility of Miami’s alternative urban music scene.
The festival workshop series was a plus. The audience and participants witnessed over- the-top master classes and music demonstrations. They were held by world-class music stars from the festival, like Victor Wooten, Michael League, Jojo Mayer, Béla Fleck, Lionel Loueke, the Wood Brothers, Joshua Redman and Robert Glasper. Intimate workshops at the beach were led by Weedie Braihma, Banda Magda, Becca Stevens, and Alan Hampton.
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| Bela Fleck and Lionel Loueke |
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| with Josh Dion (Paris Monster) and Michael League (Snarky Puppy) |
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| with master bassplayer Victor Wooten |
Legendary Banjo player Béla Fleck and African born- and currently Herbie Hancock’s guitarist- Lionel Loueke started their workshop improvising, and the conversation went from there. It was the first time they played together. On the surface it looks like they don’t have much in common, but that was not the case. The dialogue between the banjo, the electric guitar and their respective musical universes produced delightful rhythms, sounds, and conversations with the attentive crowd. Singer-songwriter Becca Stevens and bassist Alan Hampton created an intimate setting at the beach with the audience. They sang covers and songs accompanied by some little folk guitars. Between songs they held casual Q and A with the audience and shared anecdotes in an inviting and casual atmosphere.
The festival’s production delivered efficiently and with great organization different details including the schedule, merchandise, lounge areas and food options. The set up offered many enticing options to relax on-site throughout the day. Perfect Miami Beach weather, enhanced by a breeze coming the sea, clear skies and sunshine made the festival experience a dream come true for attendees, many of whom were visiting from across the US and beyond.
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| The audience is listening to a workshop |
Casual conversations emerged in different instances. I spoke with a local family of two middle-school kids with their parents. They heard about the festival last year, after listening to a Magda Banda album. They fell in love with it, became Snarky Puppy fans, and decided to attend the fest. A Canadian couple and a guy from North Carolina told me they were greatly surprised about the positive environment created by the GroundUp experience as something they want to continue to explore in the future. Others expressed their preferences for the fest to keep as is, mainly in terms of size. Few times I remember feeling so great to be part of an audience like this one.
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| GroundUp Music Festival poster |
The GroundUp Music Festival is definitely breaking ground for the alternative music scene. The festival celebrates music beyond boundaries, and it’s a great addition to Miami’s cultural and entertainment options. GroundUp is an excellent occasion to experience great live music by the sea, and to gain appreciation for musicianship.
By Eva Silot B., PhD. (All Rights Reserved)
