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Portfest World Music & Jazz Festival

For Immediate Release
July 22, 2005
Portfest World Music & Jazz Festival Comes to Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, Port of Oakland
(Free music concert and festival with arts and crafts)
Who: Hosted by Port of Oakland and East Bay Regional Park District
What: Portfest World Music & Jazz Festival – featuring Hugh Masekela, Kenny Garrett Quartet, Dave Ellis Quintet, MoÂ’Rockin Project, Oaktown Jazz Workshops Band
Where: Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, Oakland – Located at the end of 7th Street in the Port of Oakland (2777 Middle Harbor Road – see directions at end of release)
When: Saturday, July 30, 2005; 11:00AM – 7:00pm
Hotline: (510) 627-1111
Website: www.portofoaklandpublicartprogram.com
Oakland, Calif (July 21, 2005) – The Port Of Oakland and the East Bay Regional Park District are hosting the first annual free Portfest World Music & Jazz Festival, Saturday, July 30 from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. The festival will be held at beautiful Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, located near the end of 7th Street, in Oakland at the Port. This free outdoor music festival will feature South African jazz legend Hugh Masekela, the dynamic jazz of alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett and his quartet, local saxophone titan Dave Ellis and his Quartet, the Mo’Rockin Project that merges traditional Moroccan melodies with jazz, and youth from the Oaktown Jazz Workshop.
The festival is organized by Khalil Shaheed who leads the Oaktown Jazz Workshop and co-leads the Mo’Rockin Project, “As Artistic Director of the World Music & Jazz Festival, I am honored to be working closely with both the Port of Oakland and the East Bay Regional Park District. The goal of this collaboration is to develop and grow the festival into a world-class event that will draw people to Oakland from around the globe.” Shaheed added, “Since we are a port city, it only makes sense that we present music from around the world just as we do business with people from around the world; and what could be more international than World Music and Jazz?!”
The Festival will also feature a “World Food Court,” local clothing and crafts vendors, interactive and informative exhibits from the Port of Oakland and East Bay Regional Park District and a family-friendly emphasis with games and activities for kids.

Hugh Masekela
One of the greatest musicians to come from South Africa, flugelhornist/composer Hugh Masekela is a giant of modern music. A major voice in the struggle for freedom in South Africa, Masekela has carried on the great African musical traditions with his own brand of Afro-Soul-Jazz. His music mixes African roots music and traditional South African mbaqanga styles.
Kenny Garrett Quartet
Multi-Grammy nominee alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett has a truly unique style with a sound full of lyrical eloquence that possesses an unmistakable and powerful tone. He’s been a sideman for legends like Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, Sting and Peter Gabriel, emerging in the mid-’80s as one of the jazz world’s most exciting and eclectic artists. Garrett is the most consistently scintillating and inspiring alto/soprano saxophone forces in jazz. This music is roll-up-your-sleeves, in-your-face, hard-bop blowing at its best.
Dave Ellis Quartet
Saxophonist, composer and educator Dave Ellis is a true star in jazz. After the Berkeley High Jazz Ensemble, where his musical contemporaries included Joshua Redman, Benny Green, Peter Apfelbaum, and Craig Handy, Ellis earned a degree at the Berkeley College of Music. He was a founding member of the Charlie Hunter Trio and in 1996 began a four-year stint with Bob Weir’s Ratdog. Ellis worked with Weir in the Other Ones on their first tour in 1998. In between, Dave recorded two albums as a leader for the Bay Area label Monarch, Raven (1996) and In the Long Run (1998). Ellis blows with a robust tenacity, romances with smooth lyricism, slams into funky grooves and swings with the gusto of the jazz masters. While his invigorating music is steeped in the jazz tradition, Ellis is also well-versed in a variety of music styles including funk, rock, R&B and soul.
The Mo’Rockin’ Project
The Mo’ Rockin’ Project is a group of world class musicians in the process of merging traditional Moroccan melodies with a jazz quintet. Co-Leaders Khalil Shaheed and Yassir Chadly have been writing together for over a year and are currently working on the Mo’Rockin’ Project’s first CD. Yassir has an affinity for Jazz and has played and recorded with jazz artists Pharoah Sanders, Omar Sosa, and Steve Coleman. He is a virtuoso on both the Oud and Gembre. Khalil Shaheed, Trumpet & Flugelhorn, has played with Woody Shaw, Billy Higgins, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Miles, and Ed Kelly to name a few. Most recently Khalil has lead the great funk/dance/R&B and jazz group The Big Belly Blues Band. Mo’Rockin’ Project is a very organic band that is supported by some of the Bay areas best musicians; Ron Belcher-Bass, Glen Pearson-Piano, Deszon Claiborne-Drums, Richard Howell-Saxophone and Percussion, and Bushaibe-vocals and Dembek. This music gives you options – there is plenty for great dancing or just listening.
Oaktown Jazz Workshops
Oaktown Jazz Workshops Band will help open the festival. The band is comprised of young musicians ranging in age from 12 to 18. This talented group swings extremely hard and plays with a maturity not usually found in musicians so young. Oaktown Jazz Workshops has taught young musicians for the last 11 years in Oakland. The current band has some dedicated young musicians (14 years old) like Kaz George-alto sax, Barron Arnold-trombone, and Danny Perry-alto.
Driving directions to Middle Harbor Shoreline Park
From San Francisco: 80 East (San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge) to 880 South toward Alameda/Airport/San Jose. Exit first Exit onto West Grand Ave/Maritime St. exit. Continue straight, and then turn right onto Maritime Street. At BART tracks turn right onto 7th Street. Continue straight on 7th Street toward the bay. Watch for event parking signs as you approach the park.
From the East Bay: 24 West to 980 West, toward Oakland. Exit at 11th/12th St. off-ramp onto Brush Street. Continue straight, and turn right (northwest) at 7th Street. Continue straight on 7th Street, past Maritime Street toward the bay. Watch for event parking signs as you approach the park.
From the South Bay: 880 North toward Oakland. Take the 7th St. exit toward West Grand Ave. Turn left onto 7th St. Follow 7th St., heading west, past Maritime St. Continue straight on 7th Street toward the bay. Watch for event parking signs as you approach the park.
From the North Bay: 80 West to 880 South toward Alameda. Take the first exit for Alameda. At end of ramp go straight. Turn left on 7th street. Continue straight on 7th Street past the underpass and Maritime Street. Continue on 7th Street toward the bay. Watch for event parking signs as you approach the park.
LIMITED PARKING AVAILABLE – We encourage PUBLIC TRANSIT OR RIDING A BICYCLE.
Media Contacts:
Marshall Lamm
Director of Publicity & Marketing
marshall@yoshis.com
Tel (510) 238-1350
Yoshi’s at Jack London Square
510 Embarcadero West
Oakland, CA 94607
Yoshi’s Hot Line (510) 238-9200
http://www.yoshis.com

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 24th, 2005 at 11:12 pm. It is filed under Music News/Info. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.