Afrobeat Tribute To Michael Jackson

Calling all P.Y.T.s!

Photo by Kenneth Aaron

Put on your dancing shoes for an Afrobeat concert inspired by Michael Jackson’s music. Innovative Portland-based composer Ben Darwish will lead a ten-piece band interpret Jackson’s songs using Afrobeat techniques popularized by Fela Kuti. Featuring members of COMMOTION, with Tahirah Memory and Gretchen Mitchell on vocals, master African drummer Neindow Mashud, who frequently performs with Obo Addy, and DJ Dundiggy. Don’t stop till you get enough!

Featuring:

Gretchen Mitchell, vocals
Tahirah Memory, vocals
Brooks Barnett, trumpet
Tim Willcox, sax
Mary Sue Tobin, bari sax
Cameron Morgan, guitar
Ben Darwish, keys
Sam Howard, bass
Neindow Mashud, percussion
Ji Tanzer, drums

Press Quotes:

“It was, after all a mere piece of technically prodigious musical whimsy: dance meeting dance on the floor.”
-Willamette Week

“The groove was only about 20 seconds old when the first hardy soul took to the dance floor Monday night at The Works. And as he waved his arms to encourage the rest of the seated crowd, it was as if the principal had just granted the student body permission to let loose. The open area in front of the stage in this old high school auditorium filled suddenly, and stayed that way through the 90-minute-long Afrobeat tribute to Michael Jackson that closed the Labor Day weekend on a celebratory note for the ongoing Time-Based Art Festival.”
-The Oregonian

“Darwish’s ensemble was pretty amazing with a bold horn section and spot on rhythm. Darwish, for his part, directed them well, jumping around the stage and coaxing them on. His arrangements were fantastic and it was cool to hear Jackson’s work pulled, stretched, and wrapped around afrobeat rythyms. For instance, phrases from “Smooth Criminal” would be repeated by the horn section while the syncopated beat pumped away, or Darwish would slowly sing the lyrics of Billy Jean in deep Fela Kuti baritone while the fantastic back-up singers responded in classic afrobeat style. It worked both as a live mash-up, and the collaboration you never knew you always wanted to hear.”
-Portland Mercury

WATCH THE PROMO VIDEO

PLEASE FILL OUT THE CONTACT FORM FOR BOOKING INFO

CHECK OUT THE AFROBEAT TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL JACKSON [EPK]

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Ben Darwish Group

Photo by Tasha Miller

The Ben Darwish Group consists of Tim Willcox on sax, Bill Athens on bass, Randy Rollofson on drums, and Ben Darwish on piano and vocals.  Melody and groove is the nucleus of this band and they expand on these core elements using concept and improvisation.  Although they’re widely considered as “jazz”, their music is very accessible; appealing to a wide range of listeners.

As individual musicians, members of the Ben Darwish Group have received many awards and honors including: several Downbeat awards, Presidential Scholar in the Arts, The Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Workshop, and The Stan Getz/ Cliffford Brown Fellowship.  Darwish was nominated for  “Album of the Year” at the 2010 Portland Music Awards, and most recently, won the 2010 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award.  The Ben Darwish Group has performed at premier jazz clubs in the Northwest and plan to release an EP in Summer of 2010.  

The Ben Darwish Group was recently invited to audition at Jazz At Lincoln Center for the Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad program.  Although they weren’t chosen as finalists, Darwish used this experience to develop an educational presentation on the history of Jazz which he will be presenting in several schools in the Portland area.

Here’s a live review of the Ben Darwish Group at Jimmy Maks:

“As the songs went on, you noticed a few things. The first was that Ben is extremely talented, and technically seems to lack for nothing. This quickly revealed itself once the numbers started getting a bit hotter and Ben started to take solos. Departing from the comping that allows room for other musicians to move, Ben’s hand flew over that grand piano in a way that would have made Art Tatum proud. The notes were on, he wasn’t greedy with his time, and the compositions showed a lot of skill. The second thing you noticed was that he wasn’t the only flare in the gun. Tim Willcox could play a mean sax, Randy Rollofson effortlessly dipped in and out of splashy and powerfully syncopated stick hits and Athens… knew how to add key flourishes from any point of his instrument. The team was there…”

-Colin McLaughlin/ Melophobe.com

Ben Darwish Trio

The Ben Darwish Trio has performed extensively since 2005 and released “Industrial Hero” in December of 2006, an album of mostly original material. The Trio also covers a couple of rock and pop tunes on the album. Here’s what Cadence Magazine had to say about these tunes:
“The Beatles’ “Hey Bulldog” sounds like a treatment Ramsey Lewis might try, pulling the shape and tempo of the song around but always keeping the melody recognizable. As for Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful”, doggone if it doesn’t live up to its title.”

Aside from regularly performing in such venues as Jimmy Maks in Portland (rated by Downbeat Magazine as one of the top 100 places to hear jazz), music from “Industrial Hero” is heard on radio stations across the country, a Voleurz extreme sports movie, and was even included on ESC Records tribute to The Beatles, entitled “Step Inside Love”. On this 2007 release, the Trio’s version of “Hey Bulldog” is alongside recordings by such luminaries as Brad Mehldau, David Sanborn, Joel Frahm, Bob Sheppard, and countless others. The current Trio, featuring Eric Gruber on bass and Jason Palmer on drums, will be featured in the 2008 Portland Jazz Festival at Hotel Deluxe. Check the calendar for more upcoming dates.

Listen to some tracks from our two albums or visit the individuals albums page for more info, tracks and links for purchasing an album of your choice.

Ode to Consumerism (2009) &
Industrial Hero (2006)

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COMMOTION

Portland’s Commotion has kept heads turning and asses shaking since it’s 2007 formation. How do they turn heads? With impressive improvisation and live sound experimentation! And asses shaking? With deep, driving, danceable, organic grooves that draw inspiration from music throughout the globe!

The group features some of Portland’s most progressive and versatile musicians- Ben Darwish-keys, Chris Mosley-guitars, Sam Howard-bass, Russ Kleiner-drums, and a rotating cast of killing horn players and percussionists. Members of Commotion also perform with artists such as Ohmega Watts, Curtis Salgado, Blue Cranes, Echo Helstrom, and March Fourth Marching Band to name a few.

Things are heating up for Commotion, and clubs have caught the fever. Recently, top Portland and Eugene clubs have counted on the group to start the party and keep it strong! Commotion has appeared at the Goodfoot Lounge, Holocene, Jimmy Mak’s, Jo Fed’s, Luckey’s, and even at the Crystal Ballroom for Obama’s historic inauguration!  The group released their first full length album in August to a packed room at Someday Lounge.

Most recently, they were featured at PICA’s Time-Based Art Festival presenting an Afrobeat Tribute To Michael Jackson.  Keep an eye out for COMMOTION show dates because live is where they thrive!

“…they know how to have a good time live and want to help you do the same. Do yourself a favor and let them entertain you!” -Eugene Weekly

Listen to some tracks from our album or visit the albums page for more info, tracks and links for purchasing.

COMMOTION (2009)

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