What a year we had! 2024 was chock-full of memories from visits with artists in 6 different countries and more than 15 states. As we wind down 2024, we want to share a few of those memories with you…
Gettin’ Swanky in the Rain!
CCV produced the first-ever U.S. tour of a traditional music group from the Cayman Islands, the Swanky Kitchen Band. The final show on the tour was set for GlobalFest at Lincoln Center and it seemed like half of the population of the Cayman Islands flew in for the gig! Lightening and torrential rain made for a never ending series of delays. FINALLY, the sky opened up for small window, which allowed Swanky Kitchen Band to rock New York City before the fest was shut down completely. It was pure (not peyah peyah) Cayman magic.
Sacred Songs in Richmond
A highlight of the 2024 Richmond Folk Festival was the Sacred Sounds workshop on the CCV stage. Featuring Cora Harvey Armstrong and her family, The Legendary Ingramettes, Tony and Heather Mabe of the Junior Sisk Band, and Gina Sobel and Susan Gaeta of Minnush, it was a magnificent coming together of different styles of sacred music. “That’s what’s beautiful about music and culture is that we can share with one another and it helps us to understand each other better and make this a more empathetic world, a more peaceful world,” said CCV executive director Jon Lohman from the stage. “And if we can sing together we can live together, right?”
Meat-Coma in Islamabad
CCV’s Associate Director Josh Kohn was in Pakistan earlier this year, to produce a World Culture in Context video with Pashtun rubab-rockers Khumariyaan. Pakistan is one of the most hospitable places in the world, and the boys in Khumariyaan made Josh feel right at home. One night the band and their friends butchered and prepared a whole lamb in a traditional fashion, seasoned with just salt and slow BBQ’d. It was incredible and heady and Josh is still feeling full these many months later.
Jamming under the Baltimore sunshine at the Baltimore Old Time Music Fest!
CCV helped produce the 5th annual Baltimore Old Time Music Fest and facilitated its move to its new home at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. The fest swelled to more than 1,500 attendees from over 26 states! It was great music and great fun but the real pleasure perhaps was seeing the informal jam sessions spring up around Baltimore’s Inner Harbor with musicians young and old enjoying Charm City at its most charming.
