Artists In Action – The Convergence

Orion Freeman

jay@livingmandala.com — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 18:46:39 +0000

Orion Freeman is a singing, songwriting, guitar-playing seeker from the woods just beyond the mortar and bricks of Philadelphia. His souled-out, sometimes reggae-infused, flamenco-tinged, bluesy folk-rock aspires to move: your shoes; your heart; the cobwebs, so as to allow your soul to shine. Hovering somewhere within the chasm between the worldly and the divine, his music is an intimate glimpse into the spiraling states of freedom and folly, playfulness and prayer. In April of 2017 Orion released Morning Son, his second full length record, and will be spending the rest of the year touring throughout the US, with Thomas Seyoum providing harmonic support.

“This second record of mine comes at a time of massive change in my world, and in the world around me. It represents a stripping down, a simplification, a return to the places i’m from and the emotions i’ve lived with. My first record was a tour-de-force, all-in attempt at encapsulating my entire existence up until that point- twenty seven musicians, strings and horns, over an hour of musical journeying, through the void and back. With Morning Son it felt super important for me to at least temporarily scale back, down to the base ingredients of voice and guitar, harmony, with sounds of everyday life peppered in, and just a select few other instruments to add to the overall texture and feel. It feels to me more like a single chapter this time around, as opposed to an entire book.

It began as simply an extended letter of gratitude and acknowledgment to the small child within my own self, who still felt like something was missing or had been left unsaid. I had no initial intentions of even having it professionally mixed. But what it became over the course of the recording sessions was something else entirely- a spotlight on certain emotions that in our culture don’t often see the light of day; and in turn, an offering to those who may have (or still) feel the same way…”

www.orionfreeman.com
www.facebook.com/orionfreeman
www.youtube.com/orionfreeman
instagram: @orionfreeman

2017 Convergence Performance: Thurs, Oct 5th | 10:30 – 11:30 PM | Main Stage

Los Nadies

jay@livingmandala.com — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 18:32:41 +0000

Los Nadies have created one of the freshest sounds to come out of the Bay Area’s Latin music scene in a long time. Filling a vacuum in Northern California that their southern counterparts Ozomatli deliver so well in L.A., Los Nadies bring a keen mix of politics, poetry, street party and musicianship every time they step on to a stage. Their unique blend of rock, nueva trova, South American folklore and Afro-Latin rhythms follows and expands on the tradition of celebration and protest put forth by musicians like Silvio Rodríguez, Manu Chao, and Santana.

Front man Juán Cuba’s vocals, along with José Vergelín’s drums, and Francisco Ferrer’s lead guitar, serve as the anchor for the band, having played together for over a decade in Bay Area Latin rock bands like Zudaka and Santero. Multitalented percussionist Garsha Shavankhani brings an array of Afro-Peruvian, Afro-Cuban and Flamenco experience into the band’s cache of rhythmic arsenal. Along with Cuba, guitarist Mateo Nube composes the band’s lyrics and shares in vocal duties. Bassist Marco Bianchi is the newest addition to the Los nadies family.

Los nadies take their name from a poem/essay by Uruguayan historian Eduardo Galeano decrying the invisibility cast upon the millions of dispossessed people around the world.

www.losnadies.com

2017 Convergence Performance: Friday, Oct 6th | 11:00 pm – 12:00 AM | Main Stage

2017 Convergence Panel: Artists in Action

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Jada Imani

Austin — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 05:12:24 +0000

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A soul living a human experience. Getting lifted off the new wave of frequencies. Life’s gifts are endless, constantly evolving. Activist, dancer, poet, MCee, love warrior, soula indigo. Member of Tatu Vision: Jada Imani and Maleik Dion, a brother/sister team, are young artists and visionaries, who host and perform at community empowerment events every month.

2016 Convergence Panel: Artists In Action

2016 Convergence Performance: Tatu Vision

Saturday, September 17th | 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM/ 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM | Main Stage

Jasmine Fuego

Lindsey Morriss — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 20:53:16 +0000

Jasmine Fuego is a Bay Area based performance artist and social permaculture community organizer. In 2014, Fuego co-founded the Permaculture Action Tour with musician, The Polish Ambassador, which catalyzed hands-on, earth based projects and “action days” for thousands of people in 44 cities from San Francisco to New York City. Jasmine focuses on arts and entertainment as a vehicle for social and environmental justice. She is currently working with Pandora Thomas and many others to build the Black Permaculture Network which promotes cross-cultural dialogue and education around permaculture design within diverse communities.

2017 Convergence Performance: Saturday, Oct 7th | 9:30 – 10:30 PM | Main Stage

2017 Convergence Panel: Artists in Action

2016 Convergence Panel: Artists in Action

2016 Convergence Performance: Saturday, September 17th | 9:30 – 10:00 PM | Main Stage

2015 Convergence Workshop: Social Permaculture & Community Organizing

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