Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars to Play Skirball Cultural Center, 8/8
By: Tyler Peterson Jul. 19, 2013
On Thursday, August 8, 2013 at 8:00 p.m., Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars bring their uplifting live show to the Skirball Cultural Center as part of this year's Sunset Concerts.
From humble beginnings in West African refugee camps, the band has gone on to perform their danceable fusion of vintage reggae, Congolese soukous, American soul, funky African grooves, and deep tribal chants on some of the world's most prestigious stages. PopMatters described their most recent album, Radio Salone, as "irresistible and infectious."
Currently in the midst of a North American tour in support of Radio Salone, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars are also in the process of recording songs for their next album, set for release in 2014. They will be joined in the studio by Chris Velan, the singer-songwriter and producer who worked on the band's first album, and Lestyn Polson, who has worked with artists such as David Gray, Patti Smith, and David Bowie. The forthcoming album will see the band heading in a more acoustic direction, with songs that bring them back to the days when they were distracting themselves from their woes by playing music around the campfire in the refugee camps.
The Skirball's Sunset Concerts series presents free community concerts featuring an eclectic mix of traditions and styles from the Americas to North India (by way of Israel) to West Africa. The 2013 season continues with Mamak Khadem and Ensemble (August 15), a world-premiere collaboration between Maria Muldaur and The Campbell Brothers (August 22), and Dendê and Band (August 29).
For each concert, the expansive courtyard is transformed into a vibrant, festive performance space. Concertgoers arrive early to dine under the stars, visit the museum galleries, and explore the Skirball's stunning architecture and hillside setting. As the bands take the stage, music fans of all ages sing along, dance in the aisles, and gather at the foot of the stage to celebrate with the performers.
Also, for this concert only, KCRW's Tom Schnabel will spin records in the courtyard, prior to the band's performance, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
In 1997, Reuben Koroma and his wife fled the war in Sierra Leone and found themselves in a refugee camp near the border. They joined up with guitarist Francis John Langba (aka Franco), bassist Idrissa Bangura (aka Mallam), and other musicians in the camp to entertain their fellow refugees. A Canadian relief agency donated two beat-up electric guitars, a single microphone, and a meager sound system, and Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars were born.
The band's debut album, Living Like a Refugee, was followed by a succession of U.S. tours, including New York's Central Park SummerStage, Japan's Fuji Rock Festival, the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, and a slot opening for Aerosmith. Their second album, Rise & Shine, produced by Los Lobos' Steve Berlin, brought more critical accolades and was awarded 2010 Album of the Year on the prestigious World Music Charts Europe. The band followed up this success with a third studio album, Radio Salone, produced by renowned reggae, soul, and Afrobeat artist Victor Axelrod, aka Ticklah.
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