August 17, 2009
A mixture of musical talent is sure to keep the beat at the 31st annual Arts Festival Oklahoma (AFO) Sept. 5-7 on the campus of Oklahoma City Community College.
During the three-day festival, audiences can take in the talent of AFO’s feature performers, Mezclave, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Horseshoe Road, The OKC Philharmonic and Mike Black and the Stingrays. Evening and afternoon performances begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and 3:30 on Monday. Additional talented performers will provide entertainment from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday.
Mezclave – Sat. Sept. 5, 6 p.m.
Enjoy the Latin jazz and salsa sounds of Mezclave, Sat., Sept. 5 beginning at 6 p.m. The ensemble is a collaboration of Hispanic and American culture and art forms, mixing together many different flavors. The music represents the melting pot of American society and reflects the influence of South American and North American musical concepts. Mezclave performances give off an exciting energy that transmits directly to the audience.
The group consists of acoustic/electric bass, auxiliary percussion, congas, drums, piano, guitar, trumpet, saxophone and vocals.
Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey – Sat., Sept. 5, 7:30 p.m.
Also set to perform Sat. evening, the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey band (JFJO) will take to the stage at 7:30 p.m. JFJO has entertained audiences for 15 years, and with each performance the group sets out to capture a unique jazz sound with the piano, drums, guitar, lap steel and an upright bass. The band has released over 15 records and has frequented the International Music Festival circuit, performing across the globe from Sweden to Berlin and Brazil to Finland. Since 1994, JFJO has become one of the foremost contemporary jazz groups in the world.
Sept. will also mark the release of the EP One Day in Brooklyn on JFJO’s new label, Kinnara Records. The first release will feature the latest quartet line, and finds the band creating what may be an entirely new sub-genre: Red Dirt Jazz. On the record, the band taps into their Oklahoma birthright, drawing on "The Tulsa Sound" of hometown heroes like JJ Cale, Leon Russell and Bob Wills.
Horseshoe Road – Sun., Sept. 6, 6 p.m.
Taking the stage Sun., Sept. 6 at 6 p.m., Horseshoe Road features Kyle Dillingham, on fiddle and vocals, while Brad Benge plays guitar and also adds vocals. Horseshoe Road performs a unique fusion of eclectic musical styles expressed in an acoustic setting. While Dillingham knows the likes of the Grand Ole Opry stage in Nashville, Tennessee, Benge has performed with artists including Vince Gill, Amy Grant and Toby Keith.
The OKC Philharmonic – Sun., Sept. 6, 8 p.m.
The OKC Philharmonic, founded in 1988, has celebrated over 20 years of beautiful music in Oklahoma City. Performing classics, orchestra pops and family concerts, the group also engages in a variety of community activities, not to mention this year’s AFO at OCCC.
Festival goers can enjoy the talent behind the instruments Sun., Sept. 6 at 8 p.m. followed by a grand fireworks display.
Mike Black and the Stingrays – Mon., Sept. 7, 3:30 p.m.
Featuring classic rock and maybe even a visit from Elvis, Mike Black and the Stringrays are set to entertain AFO guests on Mon., Sept. 7 at 3:30 p.m.
From Chubby Checker to Conway Twitty, Jimmy Buffet to The Beatles and many, many more, guests to AFO 2009 can expect to hear “The Twist”, “Only Make Believe”, “Margritaville”, “I Saw Her Standing There” and many more classic rock hits.
A true celebration of performing, visual and culinary arts, AFO promises over 100 visual artists, non-stop entertainment, a wide variety of food booths, and a children’s tent with hands-on arts and crafts.
AFO was launched in 1978 by the South Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, the Central Art Association, Women of the South, and Oklahoma City Community College.
Festival hours are Sat., Sept. 5 and Sun., Sept. 6, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Mon., Sept. 7, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Parking on festival grounds is $3 per vehicle. Oklahoma City Community College is located at 7777 S. May Ave.
For more information, call 405-682-7576 or visit the Arts Festival Oklahoma web site at www.occc.edu/afo.
For comments on the News Release contact:
Cordell Jordan
Media Relations Coordinator
Marketing and Public Relations