Ford Theatres Announces 2019 Season Of Music, Dance, Theatre, Film And Family Events

The Ford Theatres today announced the 2019 season of events at the John Anson Ford Theatres. The 2019 season will open on Saturday, April 27 with The Spring Quartet: Jack DeJohnette, Joe Lovano, Esperanza Spalding and Leo Genovese, who The Arts Desk described as "an expansive, freewheeling rampage, ideas flying out like sparks from a roaring fire," and will conclude on October 19 and 20 with a Día de los Muertos Concert and Community Celebration. These bookend performances are both part of the third season of the IGNITE @ the FORD! series. Tickets can be purchased at FordTheatres.org or by calling (323) 461-3673.

IGNITE @ the FORD!, a presenting series that began in 2017, will continue to broaden the scope of performances in the Ford Theatres' season by presenting artists from around the world. IGNITE @ the FORD! is curated by Ford Theatres Executive Director Olga Garay-English, an arts leader with more than 30 years in the field, and features thought-provoking nationally and internationally-known artists whose work is compelling and contemporary. Complementing the IGNITE series are events from the Ford's flagship Artists Partnership Series, in which the Ford partners with LA County-based artists and producers in a shared-risk revenue model; free Monday night JAM Sessions, the Ford's participatory arts program; and Big World Fun, a free-for-kids Saturday morning family series.

"The Ford Theatres 2019 season has something wonderful for everyone," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. "I hope you will all take the time to look closely at this year's calendar, event by event. Each and every performance is distinctive and showcases a jewel in LA's cultural scene! If you haven't been to the Ford in years, this is the season to come back, and if you're a regular, you're in for another outstanding season."

Garay-English said of this season at the Ford, "This season, voices of women from around the globe will be amplified as they express themselves through art, from an epic night of female Mariachi groups to a celebration of LA-based women choreographers, from the 35th anniversary of Urban Bush Women to an all-female kathak dance drama."

She added, "This year, we have created a new artist residency program, providing local artists the space and resources to experiment and bring new work to fruition." The 2019 Ford Theatres Artists-in-Residence program includes Micaela Taylor, a rising star in the dance world who is creating a new work called Drift that will have a pre-season performance at the Ford prior to being presented at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival this summer; visual artist Edgar Arceneaux who is using his residency to create Boney Manilli, a theatre piece loosely centered around '90s pop group Milli Vanilli; Arianne MacBean, Artistic Director of The Big Show Co., who is working with female veterans to bring forth their stories; and Versa-Style Dance Company, known for their blend of hip-hop and Afro-Latin dance styles.

The IGNITE series presents a selection of dance performances from around the world. On July 20, street dance pioneer Rennie Harris, called "the most profound choreographer of his idiom" by the New York Times, returns to the Ford with Funkedified. Dancers from Rennie Harris Puremovement, The Hood Lockers and LA's own Versa-Style Dance Company will perform to a live band playing funk favorites by James Brown, George Clinton and more. On August 30, the Ford will celebrate the 35th anniversary of Urban Bush Women with a presentation of Hair & Other Stories, a multidisciplinary experience that blends dance-theatre with conversations to explore disquieting perceptions of beauty, identity and race. One of the top names in Spanish flamenco, Olga Pericet will perform her latest work La Espina on September 21. The recipient of Spain's 2018 National Dance Prize, Pericet blends a respect for tradition with a contemporary vision. The New Yorker calls her, "a mercurial presence and a fearless experimenter."

Once again, the Ford Theatres will collaborate with several of its esteemed peers for events in the IGNITE series. On June 14, the Ford will present Last Whispers - Oratorio for Vanishing Voices in association with LACMA and the Natural History Museum. An immersive experience, Last Whispers is simultaneously a spatially-designed sound composition and film. Dedicated to the mass extinction of languages, the project was created by Lena Herzog with sound design by Mark Mangini and Marco Capalbo. And on October 11, artist Hassan Hajjaj will recreate his world-renowned My Rock Stars series live on stage for the first time in My Rock Stars Experimental - Live, presented with UCLA's Center for the Art of Performance. A photographer, designer and filmmaker, Hassan Hajjaj is one of Morocco's preeminent International Artists, sometimes called his country's answer to Andy Warhol.

In addition to The Spring Quartet (Apr 27) and Día de los Muertos Concert and Community Celebration (Oct 19 and 20), other music events in the IGNITE series include Element Band on June 23. Their large bodied vocals and contemporary sounds both preserve and refresh traditional Armenian songs. Armenia's Miqayel Voskanyan and his band will open with a set of folk and jazz-fusion combinations. On July 13, visionary vocalist and bassist Meshell Ndegeocello will perform songs from her new album, Ventriloquism which has all of the hallmarks of her work: lush and investigative, subversive and sublime. Closing out July, radio/TV host and journalist Nic Harcourt presents legendary electronic/funk/rock band Kinky (July 28), with an opening set by Mexico City-based DJ Mexican Institute of Sound.

Now in its 26th year, the Ford's Artists Partnership Series continues to bring to the stage the best and brightest Los Angeles-based performing artists. New to the series is the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, presenting Game Changers (June 27-30). Taking place over four nights, each evening will highlight a groundbreaking film or television series that made a significant impact on diversity in representation, reimagined traditional narratives, or achieved major technological advances in storytelling. Moderated discussions with original cast members and/or directors will kick off each event. On August 9, The Nonsemble will present [Up]Rising: an Afro-Future Jazz Her-Story, an evening of South African-inspired music by Siya Makuzeni and Thandi Ntuli, hosted by actor Don Cheadle with KCRW's Garth Trinidad as emcee. Brockus Project will pay tribute to the women pioneers of modern dance with Women Rising: Choreography from a Female Perspective (Aug 16), featuring such dance companies as JazzAntiqua, Heidi Duckler Dance and Rosanna Gamson/World Wide. On September 14, The Leela Dance Collective will present Son of the Wind, an all-female kathak dance drama that is a contemporary spin on India's ancient epic, the Ramayana. And, GRAMMY Award-nominated We Are KING will make their Ford debut, performing a fusion of dream-pop and R&B (Oct 12).

Returning to the Ford for the first time in 10 years is Mantra Siam, presenting Tales from Mount Sumeru: The Golden Peacock on August 24. Colibrí Entertainment will present ¡Viva La Tradición! - Viva LA Mujer, featuring some of the world's most influential female mariachi groups (Sept 7). The 4th Annual Boleros De Noche (Sept 15) will be headlined this year by Trio Los Panchos, led by Gabriel "Gaby" Vargas Aguilar, the adopted son of original member Alfredo Gil, with an opening set by Trio Ellas. Musicians at Play will present GAME THEORY: Modern Indie Game Music Live (Sept 27), shining a light on music in modern gaming with the Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Chad Seiter (Star Trek, The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses). And, Jail Guitar Doors will return for Rock Out 5! (Sept 28) with Wayne Kramer and friends performing in support of this nonprofit organization that uses music to help rehabilitate prisoners and youth offenders.

ABOUT THE FORD
At 1,200 seats, the Ford Theatres creates an intimate concert experience that is a favorite among Angelenos. Each season, the Ford hosts music, dance, theatre, film and family events reflective of the communities that comprise the region. Many Ford season events are presented in partnership with Los Angeles County-based arts organizations and producers. Unlike a traditional presenting model, these groups apply to be part of the season and, if accepted, receive significant support, while keeping the bulk of the box office revenue. Complementing this program is IGNITE @ the FORD!, a presenting series comprised of world-renowned contemporary artists. Proceeds from the IGNITE @ the FORD! series benefit the Ford Theatre Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Owned by the County of Los Angeles, the Ford is operated in partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Ford Theatre Foundation. Situated in a canyon in a 32-acre County park, the Ford Theatres has a rich history dating back to 1920.

The 2019 Season at the Ford Theatres is made possible through the support of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Additional support provided by Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, along with the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles; City National Bank; Discover Hollywood; Edison International; First 5 LA; Fusicology; Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown Charity Fund; The Garland Hotel; Heirloom LA; the Hilton Garden Inn; Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Community Foundation; The James Irvine Foundation; KCET/PBS SoCal; KCRW; LAArtsOnline.com; Metro; the Millennium Biltmore; Million Dollar Round Table; Motev; The National Endowment for the Arts; NBC Universal; The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation; Sidney Stern Memorial Trust; Univision; Whole Foods; and Yelp.com.


TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED AT FORDTHEATRES.ORG OR (323) 461-3673.

MAR 30 at 5PM (Pre-Season)
Micaela Taylor - Drift
Presented with Jacob's Pillow
Artist-in-Residence Performance

Choreographer/dancer Micaela Taylor, one of Dance Magazine's 25 to Watch for 2019, is a Ford Theatres 2019 artist-in-residence. During her residency, she will create an original dance piece, entitled Drift, with her company TL Collective that will culminate in performance on the Ford stage, and will subsequently be performed at Jacob's Pillow in Massachusetts in Summer 2019. Drift unfolds an individual's ever-changing relationship to self. In a season of singleness, when someone is otherwise alone, who else can they develop but themselves? Micaela Taylor's new work will expose her season of self-growth into an evening-length piece performed by seven dancers.

APRIL 27 at 8PM
The Spring Quartet: Jack DeJohnette, Joe Lovano, Esperanza Spalding and Leo Genovese
IGNITE @ the FORD!

NEA Master, GRAMMY Award-winner, drummer and composer Jack DeJohnette knows the multifaceted worlds of jazz and jazz-rock as thoroughly as anyone alive. Hailed by The New York Times as "one of the greatest musicians in jazz history," GRAMMY Award-winning saxophone giant Joe Lovano has distinguished himself as a prescient and path-finding force in the arena of creative music. Esperanza Spalding has always resolutely, intuitively and deftly expanded upon both her art and herself as a world-renowned genre-bending composer, bassist and vocalist. Argentinian pianist Leonardo Genovese has established a solid reputation as an instrumentalist and composer who is not afraid to explore the lesser known corners of the musical landscape.

JUNE 14 at 8PM
Last Whispers - Oratorio for Vanishing Voices
presented in association with LACMA and the Natural History Museum
IGNITE @ the FORD!

An immersive experience, Last Whispers - Oratorio for Vanishing Voices, Collapsing Universes & a Falling Tree is simultaneously a spatially-designed sound composition and film. Dedicated to the mass extinction of languages, the project was created by Lena Herzog and features sound design by award-winning sound designers Mark Mangini and Marco Capalbo. At an unprecedented speed, faster than the extinction of some species, our linguistic diversity-the very means by which we know ourselves-is eroding. Today, a majority of the world's population speaks only 30 of the 7,000 languages remaining on earth. It is estimated that at least half of the currently spoken languages will have died by the end of this century. In fact, a language dies every two weeks. By definition, this loss occurs in silence, since silence is the very form of this extinction. Last Whispers is an invocation of that which has gone extinct and an incantation of those that are endangered.

Presented in surround sound under the stars, a chorus of spoken and sung extinct and endangered languages, punctuated by sounds of forest, wind and translated gravitational waves registered by LIGO, will envelope the audience, while black and white video and photography poetically link image and sound. All languages featured in this immersive oratorio are endangered or extinct. Prior to the oratorio, the Natural History Museum will present a conversation about languages and native voices featuring a panel of experts, to be announced. Co-presented by UNESCO Atlas of World Languages in Danger.

JUNE 15 at 8PM
TAIKOPROJECT presents Rhythmic Relations 2019

TAIKOPROJECT's annual taiko concert Rhythmic Relations returns to the Ford as 50 taiko drummers of all ages perform on drums of all different sizes. The evening will include a mix of classic and contemporary taiko songs blended musically with koto (Japanese harp), vocals, marimba, shinobue (bamboo flute), and dynamic choreography and dance. Joining TAIKOPROJECT in performance are Bombu Taiko and youth performing group Kitsune Taiko.

JUNE 23 at 7:30PM
Element Band with Miqayel Voskanyan
IGNITE @ the FORD!

Element Band's distinctive arrangements both preserve and refresh traditional Armenian songs by infusing each song with large-bodied vocals and contemporary sounds. The band's original compositions resonate, bringing the old world to life through a modern lens. Armenian folk musician Miqayel Voskanyan and his band will open the evening with what Miqayel calls their "mostly folk with jazz-fusion combinations." Pairing the tar, an ancient Armenian instrument, with instruments such as the saxophone, drums, and keyboard, their musical style incorporates jazz, Armenian folk, rock, and funk, making them a staple on the jazz festival circuit.

JUNE 27-30 at 8PM
SAG AFTRA Foundation presents Game Changers

In celebration of the power of film and television to broaden cultural understanding and influence the human experience, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation presents Game Changers. Taking place over four nights, each event will highlight a groundbreaking film or television series that made a significant impact on diversity in representation, reimagined traditional narratives, or achieved major technological advances in storytelling. Moderated discussions with original cast members and/or directors will kick off each event. Don't miss this rare opportunity to view groundbreaking hits from a new perspective or discover an iconic movie for the first time.

"The movies are like a machine that generates empathy. It lets you understand a little bit more about different hopes, aspirations, dreams and fears. It helps us to identify with the people who are sharing this journey with us." - Roger Ebert

JULY 6 at 8:30PM
Magia del Sureste by Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company

Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet returns to the Ford stage with a magical evening that will highlight the mystery and enchantment representative of the Mexican Southwest. Mayan-inspired modern dance pieces will recount the legend of the destruction of the Mayan empire's central cities, Uxmal, Chichen, Itza and Mayapan. Experience dances from Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Tabasco, presented in a mosaic of movement, color, and sound that represent the pride and diversity of indigenous traditions in the Southeast.

JULY 13 at 8PM
Meshell Ndegeocello
IGNITE @ the FORD!

Visionary vocalist and bassist Meshell Ndegeocello will perform songs from her new album Ventriloquism, as well as a selection of her favorites. Musically, Ventriloquism has the hallmarks of all of Ndegeocello's work, lush and investigative, subversive and sublime. As always, she pays tribute to her diverse influences and in these cover songs, we hear them layered over one another. The reimagining deconstructs and comments on the narrow expectation of sound and structure for black artists and black music, while offering a musical refuge during these uncertain times.

JULY 20 at 8PM
Rennie Harris Funkedified
IGNITE @ the FORD!

Pushing the boundaries of street dance vocabulary, Funkedified challenges stereotypes and invites the audience to view hip-hop through a new lens. This multimedia work celebrates the funk music and street dance of the 1970s and is set against the landscape of a video montage of African American communities of that era. Inspired by the political turmoil and atmosphere of Rennie Harris' childhood, Rennie Harris Funkedified will be performed by dancers from Rennie Harris Puremovement; The Hood Lockers, one of the most seminal locking groups since Don Campbell and The Campbell Lock Dancers; and dancers from LA's own Versa-Style Dance Company. A live funk band will pay homage to the music of such funk legends such as James Brown, George Clinton and Roger Troutman, to name a few.

JULY 24-27 at 8:30PM
Outfest Under the Stars

Outfest Los Angeles is back with four new films for their annual Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival. Film titles won't be available until the first week of June, but Outfest programmers always save the festival's most fun and outrageous films for the Ford.

JULY 28 at 8PM
Nic Harcourt Presents Kinky
with special guest M.I.S.
IGNITE @ the FORD!

Radio/TV host and journalist Nic Harcourt has curated an evening of Mexican electronica, starring the legendary electronic/funk/rock band Kinky, performing music off of their latest album, Nada Vale Más Que Tú. The album, their first new material since 2012, marks a return "to the electronic roots that has characterized the group and solidified them as one of the most important bands in Latin America," says Billboard Magazine. Mexico City-based DJ Mexican Institute of Sound will open with a set of vintage Mexican pop and dance records from the '20s through the '60s mixed with modern loops and beats.

JULY 30, AUG 27 & SEPT 24 at 8:30PM
Hollywood Shorts
presented with HBO
IGNITE @ the FORD!

Hollywood Shorts is a monthly screening program that celebrates award-winning short films and animation, shining a light on exciting emerging voices. Hollywood Shorts returns to the Ford for three outdoor summer screenings on The Zev as part of their 20th season in Los Angeles. Attendees can grab free popcorn or something heartier at the Ford Terrace Café before kicking back to enjoy an evening of the best short films under the Hollywood stars. Stay after the screenings for a brief Q&A with the filmmakers. Films to be announced.

AUG 8 at 8PM
Edgar Arceneaux - Boney Manilli
Artist-in-Residence Work-in-Progress Showing

Boney Manilli is a hallucinatory mash-up that takes the shape of a church revival, discotheque, burial ceremony and a puppet show loosely centered around '90s pop group Milli Vanilli. Los Angeles-based artist Edgar Arceneaux invites the audience on a journey from the tombs of pop infamy to the redemption of an infamous lip-syncer, exploring the consequences of entertainment and how it animates our contemporary political moment. In this world of unexpected connections and conflicts, we traverse 83 years of history and fantasy, encountering a German record producer with a desire to be born in a black body, silver-voiced singers, a dancer from Aruba, and a life-sized marionette swinging across time and space by the force of the maniacal Russian monk Rasputin. Developed in residency at the Ford Theatres, this fantastical retelling of Milli Vanilli's legacy reevaluates them as martyrs, exposing the pop music industry's mechanized abuse and disposal of black bodies.

AUG 11 at 8PM
The Nonsemble presents [Up]Rising: an Afro-Future Jazz Her-Story

The Nonsemble presents [Up]Rising: An Afro-Future Her-Story, an evening of post-modern South African music hosted by Don Cheadle with emcee Garth Trinidad of KCRW. Siya Makuzeni will perform with her trans-Atlantic jazz sextet (and a few very special surprise guests) interspersed with the signature post-punk and blacktronica sounds of her alter-ego "Ippyfuze," all of which is informed by her South African heritage. Joining Makuzeni for this celebration of South Africa's National Women's Day will be singer-songwriter Thandi Ntuli with her soulful voice and jazz piano. Other performers slated to perform include LA-based KATALYST [The Collective] and new-soul / jazz / hip-hop artist Georgia Anne Muldrow.

AUG 16 at 8:30PM
Brockus Project presents
Women Rising: Choreography from the Female Perspective

In celebration of the 99th anniversary of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote, Brockus Project will present Women Rising: Choreography from the Female Perspective. The evening will pay tribute to women pioneers of modern dance as well as celebrating women choreographers working in Los Angeles today who continue to innovate. Ten groups will perform, including JazzAntiqua, LA Contemporary Dance Company, Blue13, Heidi Duckler Dance, Luminario Ballet, Rosanna Gamson/World Wide and more.

AUG 24 at 8PM
Mantra Siam presents Tales from Mount Sumeru: The Golden Peacock

Nearly 10 years after their first performance at the Ford, Mantra Siam will return with Tales from Mount Sumeru: The Golden Peacock. Dancers from Thailand and Los Angeles will reenact the tale of the reincarnation of Buddha as The Golden Peacock who protects and introduces true happiness to the creatures of the holy and mysterious Himapan Forest. Featuring a fusion of ballet, modern dance and jazz with traditional Thai classical movement, the evening is directed by Zarot Wayuchot and produced by Chotiros Viboonlarp, founders of Mantra Siam Performing Art.

AUGUST 30 at 8PM
Urban Bush Women: Hair & Other Stories
IGNITE @ the FORD!

"...the Urban Bush Women are committed, triple-threat performers who dance, sing, and act with a sometimes searing sense of truthfulness." -The New York Times

Choreographed by Urban Bush Women Associate Artistic Directors Chanon Judson and Samantha Speis, in collaboration with the company, Hair & Other Stories is a multidisciplinary experience that blends dance-theatre with conversations that challenge existing American values and celebrate our choices around "who we be" and how we do." Crafted from personal narratives, the piece explores disquieting perceptions of beauty, identity and race, and what constitutes the freedom to rise beyond our ordinary selves in extraordinary times. Featuring new music compositions by The Illustrious Blacks (Manchildblack and Monstah Black) with stage direction by Raelle Myrick-Hodges.

For 35 years, choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar's company Urban Bush Women has given expression to the vitality and boldness of African American women. The company's bold and boundary-pushing storytelling weaves contemporary dance, music, and text with the history, culture, and spiritual traditions of African Americans and the African diaspora.

SEPT 7 at 8PM
Colibrí Entertainment presents ¡Viva La Tradición! Viva LA Mujer

Some of Southern California's most iconic female mariachi groups will unite for an epic event in celebration of major anniversary milestones. Colibrí Entertainment presents ¡Viva La Tradición! - Viva LA Mujer, a night of performances by America's First All Female Mariachi, Mariachi Reyna de Los Ángeles (celebrating 25 years) and Ford favorite Las Colibrí (celebrating 10 years), with special guests. San Fernando Valley-based Ballet Folklorico Ollín will accompany the evening with their vibrant dances and colorful costumes.

SEPT 14 at 8PM
The Leela Dance Collective presents Son of the Wind

Son of the Wind is a kathak dance drama that follows the trials and adventures of Hanuman as he helps rescue the princess Sita from the clutches of Ravan, King of Lanka. Under the artistic direction of Seibi Lee, Rachna Nivas and Rina Mehta, this all-female production brings a contemporary spin to India's ancient epic, the Ramayana.

SEPT 15 at 7PM
4th Annual Boleros De Noche

Headlining this celebration of bolero music from Latin America is an incarnation of Trio Los Panchos, led by Gabriel "Gaby" Vargas Aguilar, the adopted son of original member Alfredo Gil. Playing the requinto guitar (like his father), Gaby keeps the classic repertoire alive of these bolero music pioneers - all the way from their beginnings in 1944 New York City. The GRAMMY-nominated all-female Trio Ellas will kick off this magical summer evening filled with nostalgia and love. Presented by Ánimo Production.


SEPT 21 at 8PM
Olga Pericet Company - La Espina
The Thorn that Dreamed of Being a Flower or the Flower that Dreamed of Being a Dancer
IGNITE @ the FORD!

"Olga Pericet in a powerhouse performance..." - The New York Times

Versatile artist and magnetic dancer Olga Pericet is one of the top names in Spanish flamenco. As an award-winning dancer (National Dance Prize 2018, Spain), Pericet's polished technique and serene but serious presence captivates the audience from the very first moment she appears on the stage. Her work blends a respect for tradition with a contemporary vision. For La Espina, Pericet embarks on a personal journey through dance, creating a world in which feminine and masculine, humor and drama appear in equal parts, and where the dark discovers the light.

SEPT 27 at 8:30PM
GAME THEORY: Modern Indie Game Music Live

Available on every modern gaming platform (and many older ones!), indie games are truly the future of gaming. GAME THEORY will highlight the incredible music of today's blockbuster games. Six video game composers take center stage for an evening of music from their most popular independent titles, as well as world premieres of all-new original compositions. The world-class musicians of the Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra will be joined by some of the industry's most popular artists, bands, vocalists, instrumentalists and YouTube personalities. Conducted by composer and arranger Chad Seiter (Star Trek, ReCore, LEGO Jurassic World, Pokemon: Symphonic Evolutions and The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses), GAME THEORY will be an exciting night of large-scale symphonic music, carefully combined with modern electronics, hip-hop and rock. Presented by Musicians at Play Foundation.

SEPT 28 at 8PM
Jail Guitar Doors presents Rock Out 5!

Former MC5 guitarist and Jail Guitar Doors USA co-founder Wayne Kramer will once again take the stage in support of this nonprofit organization that uses music to help rehabilitate prisoners and youth offenders. This year's concert will include friends from Wayne's 50-year career who will drop in for a night of rock 'n' roll magic. All-star lineup to be announced.

OCT 11 at 8PM
Hassan Hajjaj: My Rock Stars Experimental - Live
presented with UCLA's Center for the Art of Performance
IGNITE @ the FORD!

This live performance installation by Hassan Hajjaj of My Rock Stars Experimental includes six performances by a diverse array of international musicians. Styled by the artist, Hassan's chosen "Rock Stars" will perform his projected installation of the famous My Rocks Stars series live on stage for the first time, in front of a backdrop of textiles that recreates the unique framing of his portraits. Hassan continues his style of personally selected traditional fabrics, as well as clothes and shoes he designs himself, that are handmade by Moroccan artisans or sourced in local markets. The musicians bridge the culture gap between now and then, us and them, reflecting a fusion of Moroccan craftsmanship and contemporary performance. My Rock Stars Experimental - Live includes performances by Afrikan Boy, a grime MC based in London and originally from Nigeria; contemporary African acoustic jazz-folk-soul singer-songwriter Bumi, whose sound is inspired by her multicultural heritage; artists, musicians, and sisters Abimaro & Lakwena; Simo Lagnawi The Gnawa Berber (Riverboat), a Moroccan Berber now settled in the UK who is steeped in the Gnawa trance music of north Africa; Marques Toliver, a songwriter, producer, violinist, and vocalist from Daytona Beach, Florida; and a jazz singer for the hip-hop generation, New York City-based vocalist José James.

A photographer, designer and filmmaker, Hassan Hajjaj is one of Morocco's preeminent International Artists, sometimes called his native country's answer to Andy Warhol. Entirely self-taught and influenced by a mix of London's hip-hop and reggae scenes and his North African heritage, Hajjaj has a diverse practice that includes portraiture, installation, performance, fashion and furniture design. He is best known for his photography, a medium he turned to in the late 1980s and in which he draws influence from Pop Art, fashion photography and the studio work of Malick Sidibe. His recent work centers on "rock stars," capturing a range of international musicians and performers in exquisitely composed, radically ornate portraits (and in a film that debuted at LACMA in 2013).

OCT 12 at 8PM
Mixed Feelings: We Are KING

GRAMMY Award-nominated We Are KING will make their Ford debut, performing a fusion of dream-pop and R&B. We Are KING gained commercial acclaim in 2016 with their debut album "We Are KING." Their success attracted the attention and mentorship from Prince, along with the admiration of Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu and more. In addition to being nominated for a GRAMMY, these extraordinary women charted #1 on Billboard's Heatseekers Chart and made it to the Top 10 on the Billboard Independent and R&B Album Charts. LA natives Mixed Feelings are an independent concert, festival and special event production company that focuses on highlighting artists from marginalized communities.

OCT 19 & 20 at 8PM
Día de los Muertos Concert and Community Celebration
IGNITE @ the FORD!

The Ford Theatres is pleased to present a Día de los Muertos Concert and Community Celebration. This two-day extravaganza invites Angelenos to join together to celebrate death as a natural phase in life's continuum and to honor the traditions of Mexican and native Mesoamerican cultures. Each day will have two components: free activities for the whole family that include face painting, live music, and food from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm all over the Ford's entryway gardens and plaza spaces. Following the free daytime celebrations will be ticketed evening concerts in the Ford's outdoor amphitheatre. While the headlining star is yet to be announced, this very special artist will be joined on stage by Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company, one of LA's premier folklorico dance companies.