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Listen to Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars on Rhapsody...
SIERRA LEONE'S REFUGEE ALL STARS BRING ANTI- DEBUT TO U.S. STAGES
BAND COLLABORATES WITH AEROSMITH ON DARFUR BENEFIT DISC
AWARD WINNING DOCUMENTARY SLATED FOR PBS JUNE 26
Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars |
Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars celebrate their acclaimed Anti- debut Living Like A Refugee with an extensive run of U.S. tour dates, commencing June 8 and 9 with performances at Wyoming's Jackson Hole Film Festival. The first in a number of festival appearances and headline dates planned this summer, SLRAS will canvas North America until September 8.
The aforementioned film festival dates celebrate the group's appearance in the widely- heralded, award-winning documentary film Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars. Tracing the troupe's incredible three year journey, from its formation in a Guinean refugee camp – after fleeing their native Sierra Leone in West Africa during that country's brutal ten year civil war – to recording in a proper studio, the Zach Niles/Banker White film will begin screening nationwide on PBS' Independent Documentary Film Series, POV, June 26. Netflix distribution of the critically praised film will follow in early August.
In related news, SLRAS will also appear alongside R.E.M., U2, Green Day and others on the upcoming double-disc benefit compilation of John Lennon songs. Collaborating with Aerosmith on "Give Peace A Chance," Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur releases June 12.
Diverse in age and character, from Reuben M. Koroma, the sage, 42-year old songwriter and guiding light of the group, to Black Nature, an orphaned teenage rapper, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars have a common bond in the loss and displacement caused by their homeland's civil war, and a shared belief in the transformative power of music. "As harrowing as these personal tales may be, the music buoying them is uplifting," wrote New York Times critic Stephen Holden. "The cliché bears repeating: music heals and creates community."
After leaping onto the world stage in 2006, SLRAS played high profile festivals including Bonnaroo, Montreal Jazz Fest and New York's Summerstage, as well as Fuji Rock in Japan. Completing two tours of North America and another through Europe, the band also found time to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show last December 8, where they performed the title track from Living Like a Refugee.
Their music was featured in the film Blood Diamond featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, and Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars have appeared onstage with friends Joe Perry and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, which spawned the "Give Peace A Chance" collaboration. And 2007 has already seen the band perform at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and wrap up a successful tour of Australia.
Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars tour dates available HERE.
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