SEUN KUTI AND EGYPT 80 MAKE THEIR SAN FRANCISCO DEBUT WITH SILA AND THE AFROFUNK EXPERIENCE IN SIGMUND STERN GROVE

SAN FRANCISCO, May 21, 2008 — Stern Grove Festival is thrilled to welcome Nigeria’s prince of Afrobeat, Seun Kuti and Egypt 80, in their San Francisco debut on Sunday June 22, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. Local club favorite Sila and the Afrofunk Experience open the show. With Egypt 80’s blazing horns, unstoppable rhythms, hypnotic dances, and marathon performances, this show promises to be unforgettable. The second of 10 summer concerts during the Festival’s 71st Season, this admission-free performance will take place in Sigmund Stern Grove located at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard in San Francisco.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Seun Kuti and Egypt 80

The heir to his father’s musical legacy, Seun Kuti is carving out a niche for himself while staying true to the sound forged by one of Africa’s most legendary ensembles, Egypt 80. Born in 1982, Seun is the youngest son of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Nigeria’s most beloved musical artist from the 1970’s through 1980’s. Seun began performing with his father’s band, Egypt 80, at age nine. When Fela died in 1997, Seun, just fifteen, followed in his father’s footsteps as the band’s lead vocalist and saxophonist, working alongside longtime bandleader Baba Ani. Seun also pursued his musical education beyond the stage, graduating from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in 2004. Egypt 80’s signature sound is a blend of funk and jazz with an African sensibility, combining horns, keyboards, percussion, guitars, and vocals in an overpowering, high-energy exchange between musicians and dancers. Most of the band members, including Seun’s mother, who still sings backup, performed with Fela. The band tours regularly throughout Europe and Africa. The group’s self-titled album—the first recorded by Seun Kuti and Egypt 80—was released in April. The concert at Stern Grove Festival will be the group’s San Francisco debut.

Sila and the Afrofunk Experience

Sila and the Afrofunk Experience ignite dance floors around the Bay Area with their exhilarating Afrofunk sound. A native of Kenya, bandleader and vocalist Sila is backed by Mike Pitre on trumpet, Andre Webb on trombone, David Boyce on saxophone, bassist Wendell Rand, Bennie Murray on drums, guitarists Ken House and David James, djembe player Karamba, and talking drum player Samba Guisse. With lyrics in both English and Swahili, the band’s sound is a funky fusion of African rhythm, American funk, soukous, Afrobeat, and reggae, influenced by artists like James Brown, Prince, Otis Redding, and Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti.

Stern Grove Festival’s 71st Season is made possible with support from Season Sponsor Parkmerced. Additional support provided by Grants for the Arts/San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund, National Endowment for the Arts, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and media sponsor KPIX - CBS 5, KBCW - The CW 44 Cable 12, SFStation.com, and SF Weekly. Radio sponsor is KPFA.

ABOUT STERN GROVE FESTIVAL

Stern Grove Festival’s 71st Season of 10 admission-free concerts runs every Sunday at 2:00 p.m. from June 15 through August 17, 2008 at Sigmund Stern Grove in San Francisco. Stern Grove Festival also provides outreach programs at each concert this season and on some weekdays at Stern Grove.

Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis and the concert meadow may be closed when capacity is reached. There is no public parking at Stern Grove and Festival patrons are encouraged to use public transportation to Stern Grove. MUNI metro lines K and M and MUNI bus lines 23 and 28 provide service to Stern Grove. Free shuttle service from the entrance at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard into the Grove is provided to seniors and disabled patrons.

PHOTO EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE: Photos are available to the media. Please call Monica Ware at (415) 252-6253 or send an e-mail to mware@sterngrove.org.