Franklin Stage Company to Open Performance Season With Concert Featuring Kwaku Kwaakye Obeng & Gino Sitson

For their 25th-season performance opener, the Franklin Stage Company presents a concert featuring Ghanaian master drummer Kwaku Kwaakye Obeng and Cameroonian singer Gino Sitson whose music blends jazz, gospel, blues, and traditional African polyrhythms and melodies in exciting, innovative ways. "We're beyond thrilled to be able to bring these two greats together in the Western Catskills," said Franklin Stage Company Co-Artistic Director Patricia Buckley. "The joy their music brings is a gift we think our audience will appreciate, especially after the difficulties of the past year."

Both drummer and singer are renowned music makers and pioneers in a new generation of multi-culturally influenced African musicians, integrating their own exciting mix of "in-between" living experiences (east/west, traditional/modern, 20th/21st century). The duo will be joined by Togolese multi-instrumentalist Mawuena Kodjovi. "This is a dream team for our season opener," said Co-Artistic Director Leslie Noble, "and reservations are going fast."

Obeng and Sitson have each performed internationally at a range of venues and festivals including Lincoln Center Out Of Doors, Newport Jazz Festival, Village Vanguard, the Jazz Gallery, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The International Festival of Arts and Ideas, the World Festival of Black Arts and Culture (Dakar, Senegal), the African Heritage Festival (Bahia-Salvador, Brazil), and the St. Lucia Jazz Festival. They have shared the stage and collaborated with such luminaries as Max Roach, Bobby McFerrin, Roy Hargrove, Ed Blackwell, Randy Weston, Jay Hoggard, Anthony Braxton, Ron Carter, David Gilmore, Manu Dibango, Babatunde Olatunji, Youssou NDour, Papa Wemba, Wally Badarou and Haruko Nara, among others.

Showtimes for Kwaku Kwaakye Obeng and Gino Sitson are Friday, July 9th and Saturday July 10th at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, July 11th at 5:00 pm. The concert will be performed outdoors on the lawn at Chapel Hall, 25 Institute Street in Franklin, NY. Admission is free-suggested donation is $20 per person. For reservations, visit www.franklinstagecompany.org or call 607-829-3700. Programming at the Franklin Stage Company is made possible by the New York State Council and the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.