Talent-packed 2024 RWMF Artist Lineup!
Rogue World Music announces a talent-packed artist line up for the 9th annual Rogue World Music Festival over Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-27, with unique events in Medford, Talent, and Ashland, Oregon.
The 2024 RWMF artist line up includes rising Latinx-music star, activist, and teacher, La Doña as the headlining artist, incredible intersectional Moroccan/Andalusian/Persian group Seffarine, ground-breaking Zimbabwean musician John Mambira debuting his latest project, and the one-of-a-kind Bay-Area rock-symphonic experience - Renegade Orchestra.
Event attendees are supported and encouraged to participate, learn, and engage with festival artists in a number of ways at events. Festival guests have the opportunity to hear artists’ personal stories at the HeartBeat Stories. This year’s Percussion Workshop is focused on the incredible tradition of Gumboot Dancing, and welcomes participants of all ages and dance experience levels. In collaboration with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, festival guests can attend a deeper dive into the discussion of the historical/cultural/environmental context of the music performed by Seffarine during a Musician Talk Back on the OSF Greenshow stage. While dancing is always encouraged at the Park Performances concert series, the (NEW) Pear Blossom Park Concert brings a block-party feel to the heart of Medford, with a dynamic performance by Dirty Cello and Renegade Orchestra.
“Music, dancing, and listening to stories can generate such deep joy. The Rogue World Music Festival creates the opportunity to hear the personal stories and share in the creative offerings of remarkable artists from a wide array of backgrounds as a collective. Representation and participation matters.” - Ana Byers, Rogue World Music Executive Director.
"The [Rogue] World Music Festival is unique in southern Oregon in terms of combining multi-cultural artist performances, an exploration of cultural context of their art form/art content, shared lived experiences, and opportunities to work with local artists in the community." - Aili Schreiner, Trust Manager of the Oregon Cultural Trust
As always, this unique festival opportunity is FREE to all participants, even as it continues to grow in scope and size. The 2023 Festival drew approximately 5,000 people and this year guest numbers are anticipated to be between 7,000-8,000.
“The success of the Rogue World Music Festival revolves around the great work done by Rogue World Music connecting with communities throughout the Rogue Valley and artists around the world. Ashland Parks and Recreation’s partnership with Rogue World Music is an example of agencies with limited resources joining forces to do powerfully positive things for the entire Rogue Valley.” - Lonny Flora, APRC Recreation Manager
2024 RWMF Artists:
La Doña: California Arts Council’s California Creative Corp Fellow, New York Times Magazine’s 2020 ‘19 Songs that Matter Now,’ 2023-2024 Apprentice in Sapateado with the California Alliance for Traditional Arts, teaching artist within San Francisco and Oakland Unified School Districts ia SFJazz and Community Music center, San Francisco Chronicle's 2020 & 2023 Best Albums of the year. Rolling Stone Interview. Grammy Awards Interview. “Steeped in traditional Latin American musical idioms and contemporary Latin grooves, her music captures the pleasure and anxieties fo the Mission District, denouncing gentrification, celebrating strong women and seamlessly blending her cultural roots and innovation.” - SF Chronicle. 2024 RWMF events: Park Performances.
Seffarine: Charged with texture and color, Seffarine carries the audience on a vibrant musical journey, channeling the heart-wrenching joy of the music and dance of North Africa and southern Spain to wide acclaim.
John Mambira & the John Mambira Band: John Munyaradzi Mambira is involved in many forms of art - acting, singing, dancing, and playing music, from regions of southern Africa including Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. He is a phenomenal drummer, marimba player, and singer with a wide vocal range who has performed with his Zimbabwean-based band, Bongo Love, all over the world, as well as with local groups in Eugene, Oregon, including Ratie D, Mhondoro, and Sanibonani.
Renegade Orchestra: The beauty of a symphony, the soul of a rock band - This group throws out all the old conventions of a quiet, sleepy, stuffy show of musicians locked in straight jackets of tradition. The Renegade Orchestra embraces the virtuosic skills of top bay area musicians and turns them loose on songs orchestras have never or maybe shouldn’t do. No sleepy pop songs, no overly-lush jazz standards, but the pure unbridled fury of what an orchestra can truly do.
Dirty Cello: Dirty Cello - cello like you've never heard before! Combine the virtuosic wail of Jimi Hendrix, the soul of BB King, and the fire of Bill Monroe, and add a whole lot of cello, and you get the Dirty Cello band. Dirty Cello performs all over the world, from Iceland to Israel, from Scottish castles to underground caves presenting an energetic and wild show that's been described as, "Dirty Cello’s music is all over the map: funky, carnival, romantic, sexy, tangled, electric, fiercely rhythmic, and textured, and only occasionally classical." by Oakland Magazine.
Duniya: Duniya is an amazing new band, comprised of musicians from Mali, West Africa and California, which fuses together ancient and modern sounds and instruments. Guaranteed to move your body and soul. Lead Singer Mariam Diakate, and percussionists Moussa Camara and Seydou Dante all hail from Bamako, Mali and all have a deeply rooted mastery of traditional Malian music and dance. Greg Fletcher, formerly of Soul Union, writes and arranges the music and plays a 12 stringed harp/lute from Mali called the Kamelengoni.
Maraval Road: Led by Reed Bentley, Maraval Rd Steel Band is Southern Oregon's premiere professional steel band. Calypso, Soca, Panorama, they bring the best in authentic music from Trinidad and Tobago!
Hālau Hula Ka Pi’o O Ke Ānuenue: This hālau centers both men and women, young and old, ranging from 4 to 72 years of age with a primary focus on hula kahiko (ancient style), hula ʻauana (modern style), oli (chant), and nā mea hula (arts, crafts, implements). These traditions are shared through classes, workshops, retreats, performances, and events.
Ruth Hoffecker: Musician, founder & teacher of Ashland School for Uncovering the Voice, and student of singing traditions from around the world. Ruth welcomes singers of all experience levels to the circle, and creates a space where everyone can connect through song.
Yelena Valerievna: Musician, songwriter, teacher, storyteller, and member of local band, Malinka. Born in Latvia, Eastern Europe, Yelena brings the flavors of her homeland imbued with her own unique touch, bringing traditional and original music in many languages.
2024 Rogue World Music Festival Events (All events are FREE):
Percussion Workshop: Friday, May 24. 4 - 5:30 pm. Pear Blossom Park, Medford. Presenting the percussive practice of Gumboot Dancing - a form of body percussion and dance from South Africa, originating as a symbol of unification and resistance to oppression during Apartheid and an enduring expression of hope & solidarity. Taught by John Mambira. Free.
Pear Blossom Park Concert (NEW): Friday, May 24. 6 - 8 pm. Pear Blossom Park, Medford. A rockin'-good time on a journey through Americana, Appalachian, Bluegrass, & Rock, with hints of Zydeco, Country, & Classical music. Food trucks and beer garden on site. Bring your dancing shoes! Featuring Dirty Cello & Renegade Orchestra. Free.
SongWeaver Circle (NEW): Saturday, May 25. 2:30 - 4 pm. Talent Commons Library Park, Talent. An interactive, playful, & multigenerational community singing experience!
The HeartBeat Stories: Saturday, May 25. 5-7 pm. Talent Commons Library Park, Talent. A story-telling event, featuring stories and music of ‘home.’ Featuring stories & music by mainstage artists & community members.
Park Performances: Sunday, May 28. 12 - 6 pm. Litha Park Butler Bandshell. Fantastic performance series in beautiful Lithia Park. Featuring La Doña, The John Mambira Band, Seffarine, Duniya, Maraval Road, & Hālau Hula Ka Pi’o O ke Ānuenue. Beer garden, food trucks & free family activities!
Musician Talk Back: Monday, May 27. 11 am -12:30 pm. Oregon Shakespeare Festival Greenshow Stage. Ashland. A talk back with 2024 RWMF main stage group Seffarine about the history and contest of Persian, Moroccan, & Andalusian music.
The Rshland World Music Festival is produced by Rogue World Music (a local 501(c)(3) arts nonprofit) in collaboration with the Ashland Parks & Recreation Commission and Medford Parks & Recreation Commission. Additional collaborating entities include the Ashland Chamber of Commerce, Travel Ashland, and Travel Medford. Founded in 2016, the Rogue World Music Festival is a free public arts community event. Since 2020, it’s been a fundraiser for nonprofit programs directly serving those impacted by the 2020 Almeda Wildfire, and has raised almost $40,000 of support for recovery programs.
For ongoing updates about the RWMF line up, fundraiser progress, and all the event details of the 2024 Rogue World Music Festival, follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RogueWorldMusic/) or Instagram (instagram.com/rogueworldmusic/) or join our mailing list (www.rogueworldmusic.org/contactrwm).