DCASE Announces 20th ANNUAL WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL CHICAGO SCHEDULE Preview – MUSICIANS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE SEPTEMBER 7-23

Presented in collaboration with Indian Classical Music Society of Chicago and People of Rhythm, the concert features a variety of musical groups and artists including: Anindo Chatterjee, Anubrata Chatterjee, Sara Ranganathan, Anandi Bhattacharya with Debashish Bhattacharya and Subhasis Bhattacharya, Debashish Bhattacharya with Swapan Chaudhuri and many more.

A special celebration for of the El Grito will take place in Millennium Park on Saturday, September 15 beginning at 3 p.m. Commemorating Mexico’s Independence Day, the concert presents four bands, all from Mexico. Headliner Mariachi Herencia de México is a Latin GRAMMY^®-nominated ensemble of students from Chicago. Bringing a contemporary spin to traditional music, Chéjere combines “mexican son” with the rhythms and sounds of music genres from around the world. Performances also include Latin rock and singer-songwriter Ceci Bastida and Mexican-Canadian, musician and singer Quique Escamilla who won the Juno Award for World Music Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2015 with his first full-length and self-produced album, 500 Years of Night.

On Sunday, September 16 in commemoration of the International Peace Day, the Global Peace Picnic at the Humboldt Park Boathouse (from 2 to 6 p.m. is planned by DCASE as a day of family-friendly activities and performances by the miramba- group Rio Mira founded by artists from Ecuador and Colombia; GRAMMY^®-nominated Innov Gnawa performing Morocco’s traditional Gnawa music; and Combo Chimbita, a group of first-generation New York musicians performing music based on their Colombian heritage.

The festival finale on Sunday, September 23 is being called World Music Festival meets the World Dumpling Fest at Navy Pier wil l include performances by a number of international bands starting at 1 until 7:30 p.m. Band Highlights include Jupiter and Okwess led by Jupiter Bokondji, playing the Congolese rhythms, funk and rock referred to as “Bofenia Rock” with lyrics promoting positive social messages; Delgres from Guadeloupe, combining their native Caribbean rhythms with the delta blues for a deep roots sound of their own; and the Zhou Family Band from China, playing traditional wind and percussion music. The World Dumpling Festival at Polk Bros Park will feature dumplings of the world from 10 neighborhood ethnic restaurants, cultural artists and family activities. This event is free to the public 

DCASE spokesperson says, “In line with the City of Chicago’s One Chicago campaign, the World Music Festival reaffirms that Chicago welcomes everyone. The One Chicago campaign is the visual representation of the City’s value promise that everyone is welcome here no matter their race, religion, color or background. Through its imagery and personal stories, the campaign aims to take the negative rhetoric out of the current immigration story and remind Chicagoans that the immigrant story is everyone’s story.  And it reinforces that Chicago has been and will continue to be a city that embraces diversity - no matter the political climate.

Visit the World Music Festival website for a complete schedule.  Highlights below. 

Presented in collaboration with Indian Classical Music Society of Chicago and People of Rhythm, the concert features a variety of musical groups and artists including: Anindo Chatterjee, Anubrata Chatterjee, Sara Ranganathan, Anandi Bhattacharya with Debashish Bhattacharya and Subhasis Bhattacharya, Debashish Bhattacharya with Swapan Chaudhuri and many more.

A special celebration for of the El Grito will take place in Millennium Park on Saturday, September 15 beginning at 3 p.m. Commemorating Mexico’s Independence Day, the concert presents four bands, all from Mexico. Headliner Mariachi Herencia de México is a Latin GRAMMY^®-nominated ensemble of students from Chicago. Bringing a contemporary spin to traditional music, Chéjere combines “mexican son” with the rhythms and sounds of music genres from around the world. Performances also include Latin rock and singer-songwriter Ceci Bastida and Mexican-Canadian, musician and singer Quique Escamilla who won the Juno Award for World Music Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2015 with his first full-length and self-produced album, 500 Years of Night.

On Sunday, September 16 in commemoration of the International Peace Day, the Global Peace Picnic at the Humboldt Park Boathouse (from 2 to 6 p.m. is planned by DCASE as a day of family-friendly activities and performances by the miramba- group Rio Mira founded by artists from Ecuador and Colombia; GRAMMY^®-nominated Innov Gnawa performing Morocco’s traditional Gnawa music; and Combo Chimbita, a group of first-generation New York musicians performing music based on their Colombian heritage.

The festival finale on Sunday, September 23 is being called World Music Festival meets the World Dumpling Fest at Navy Pier wil l include performances by a number of international bands starting at 1 until 7:30 p.m. Band Highlights include Jupiter and Okwess led by Jupiter Bokondji, playing the Congolese rhythms, funk and rock referred to as “Bofenia Rock” with lyrics promoting positive social messages; Delgres from Guadeloupe, combining their native Caribbean rhythms with the delta blues for a deep roots sound of their own; and the Zhou Family Band from China, playing traditional wind and percussion music. The World Dumpling Festival at Polk Bros Park will feature dumplings of the world from 10 neighborhood ethnic restaurants, cultural artists and family activities. This event is free to the public 

DCASE spokesperson says, “In line with the City of Chicago’s One Chicago campaign, the World Music Festival reaffirms that Chicago welcomes everyone. The One Chicago campaign is the visual representation of the City’s value promise that everyone is welcome here no matter their race, religion, color or background. Through its imagery and personal stories, the campaign aims to take the negative rhetoric out of the current immigration story and remind Chicagoans that the immigrant story is everyone’s story.  And it reinforces that Chicago has been and will continue to be a city that embraces diversity - no matter the political climate.

Visit the World Music Festival website for a complete schedule.  Highlights below.