BAM R&B Festival at MetroTech, downtown Brooklyn's exhilarating summer tradition, returns from June 6 to August 15 with 10 afternoons of R&B, funk, rock, blues, jazz, and a marching band. Celebrating its 25th year, BAM's longest-running music series champions the adventurous voices of R&B, from music legends to bold new voices in Brooklyn and across the globe. The free concert series is not only a hub for creative performances but a celebration of the impact of rhythm and blues on contemporary culture.
This year's lineup features music legends Nona Hendryx and Vernon Reid in a special performance together, jazz/funk fusionists Ghost-Note, jazz/soul legend Roy Ayers, the Brooklyn progressive-R&B quintet Phony Ppl and indie soul singer Conya Doss, R&B crooner Rahsaan Patterson, eclectic blues from Fantastic Negrito, the high-octane marching band Brooklyn United Drumline Band, New Orleans brass band-meets-Mardi Gras Indian outfit Cha Wa, blues and folk goddess Ruthie Foster, R&B multi-instrumentalist Van Hunt, and the eclectic Philly collective &More.
BAM R&B Festival Producer Danny Kapilian said, "We are thrilled to celebrate 25 years of bringing the community together for free live music in the downtown Brooklyn area. Over the years BAM R&B Festival has presented many groundbreaking artists who have helped shape the musical landscape. And this year is no different. Everyone is welcome to enjoy the incredible mix of great artists that span the breadth of R&B music-funk, rock, disco, doo-wop, reggae, New Orleans style, gospel, folk, blues, jazz, new fusions, spacy funk and blues, and soul ballads. This festival is a reminder of what is truly great about Brooklyn-the opportunity to come together on a beautiful summer afternoon and experience totally free world-class concerts and performances from a wide array of incredible artists and be able to share the sense of community that goes along with that."
The free lunchtime performances will be held Thursdays at noon at MetroTech Commons, located at the corner of Flatbush and Myrtle Avenues. For more information, call BAM Ticket Services at 718.636.4100 or visit BAM.org
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