Friday, July 8, from 6 to 10 PM
The Avila Beach Golf Resort, Avila Beach, California

Airto Moreira, Ashé Ensemble, Isupo Irawo, Maestro Lazaro Galarraga, Ramon "Sandy" Perez, Kati Hernandez, Gordy Ryan, Danjuma Adama, David & Nina Isei, and the Airto Moreira Group featuring, D. Booker, Krishna Booker, Carlinhos do Pandeiro de Ouro, Leo Costa, Alberto Lopez, Rafael Tudesco

$125 per person
Advanced reservation required for the dinner

Dinner presented by Central Coast Chefs: Laurent Grangien, Bistro Laurent, Paso Robles; Rick Manson, Chef Rick's Ultimately Fine Food, Santa Maria; Ian McPhee, McPhees Grill, Templeton; Frank Ostini, Hitching Post, Buellton Fine Wines of Ancient Peaks, Center of Effort Winery & Sinor-Lavallee

$25 per person
Reservations available in advance by calling Archie McLaren at 805.544.1285 or admission available at the gate the evening of the show

Food & Beverage Vendors Present

One of the most famous and high-profile musicians in his field, Brazilian percussionist/drummer Airto Moreira helped make percussion an essential part of modern Jazz. In 1965 he met the singer Flora Purim in Rio de Janeiro. Flora moved to the USA in 1967 and Airto followed her shortly after. While in New York, Airto began playing with musicians such as Reggie Workman, JJ Johnson, Cedar Walton and bassist Walter Booker. It was through Booker that Airto began playing with the greats: Cannonball Adderley, Lee Morgan, Paul Desmond and Joe Zawinul, to name a few. Zawignul recommended Airto to Miles Davis for a recording session in 1970 for the "Bitches Brew" album. Davis then invited Airto to join his group, which included jazz icons such as: Wayne Shorter, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette, Chick Corea, and later John McLaughlin and Keith Jarrett. He remained with Miles for two years and appears on such releases as "Live/Evil," "Live at the Fillmore", "On the Corner," "The Isle of Wight," "Bitches Brew," and later releases including the "Fillmore Sessions." Following his stint with Miles Davis, Airto was invited to form the original Weather Report with Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Miroslav Vitous and Alphonse Mouzon with whom he recorded "The Weather Report." Soon after, he joined Chick Corea's original Return to Forever group with Flora Purim, Joe Farrell and Stanley Clarke and they recorded the albums, "Return to Forever" and "Light as a Feather."

The Ashé Ensemble combines rhythm, melody, and dance into performances drawing from African, Brazilian, Cuban, American Soul, and Afro Cuban Jazz. This extraordinary group of artists, musicians, and dancers delivers and awakens their audience to a spirit and vision of global unity. Featured special guests include: former members of the Babatunde Olatunji Drums of Passion Ensemble.

Pulsating, Soul-Stirring, Afro Cuban Drum and Dance Ensemble
Performing Masters from Havana, Cuba

Isupo Irawo, meaning "Everyone Star" in Yoruba, features master drummers and dancers from Havana, Cuba. This high-energy performance ensemble fully immerses the audience into a joyous celebration of Afro-Cuban music, dance, and culture. These world-renowned Cuban performers weave traditional and contemporary concepts of Afro-Cuban percussion and choreography; performing Rumba Yambú, Rumba Guaguancó, and Rumba Columbia, as well as traditional and folkloric dances of the Orisha.

He began playing pandeiro around the age of seven. He received his first big break when the director Marcel Camus tapped him for the part of Zeca in Orfeu Negro " Black Orpheus." Carlinhos is memorable in the film for his energetic dancing and pandeiro playing. The film is important in many respects but most importantly for helping to introduce the world to the sound of Bossa Nova.

The trinity of the pulsating, soul-possessing, vibrant Afro-Cuban music is born within the song, dance and drum of "El Maestro" Lázaro Galarraga. Dedicating his life to his love of Afro-Cuban music, culture and folklore has transformed him into a teacher, performing artist, actor, writer, choreographer and mentor.

A native of Havana, Cuba Maestro Galarraga was an original member of the distinguished Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba in Los Angeles. Maestro Galarraga has achieved world-wide fame with his amazing talent. He has recorded and performed with masters such as Cachao, Chucho Váldes, Paquito D'Rivera, Herbie Hancock, Al McKibbon and Placido Domingo among others. Other notable performances include the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, and a performance at The White House. His life is captured in films like actor Andy Garcia's "Cachao Documentary, Oscar Valdes," "Documental La Rumba" and the feature film "Dance With Me" starring Chayanne and Vanessa Williams.

El Maestro received his Honorary Doctorate Degrees in Music Theor, History of Art and in Cuban Folklore from the Escuela Nacional de Arte for his prophetic vision and solid influence he has given Afro-Cuban music as an artist.

The two have known each other since childhood and have an enlightened sensitivity for each other's work, making them a powerful team. D. Booker is the daughter of Brazilian Jazz legends Flora Purim and Airto Moreira. Krishna is the son of Jazz bassist Walter Booker, godson of Herbie Hancock, nephew of Wayne Shorter. This is an unprecedented gathering of the offspring of some of the greatest Jazz musicians of our time and like their elders, music is the common passion that turned these friends into a family. They perform a wide variety of styles such as Hip-Hop, Trip-Hop, Rock, Pop, Acid Jazz with Funk, R&B, Afro-Brazilian and Latin influences causing their music to take some exciting new turns. Their lyrics are clean, unusual, socially conscious, fun and inspiring. Eyedentity has toured the world with Airto Moreira and Flora Purim.

Ramon joined Grupo Afro-Cuba de Matanzas at age 17, and within a few years he earned the positions of principal drummer and soloist. He was a featured artist at the 1996 Havana Jazz Festival and performed at the 1996 Afrocubanismo Festival in Banff, Canada. Although the roots of his techniques are founded in Afro-Cuban folkloric styles, Pérez's open-minded approach has enabled him to adapt to styles ranging from Cuban popular (salsa) to fusion and avant-garde jazz.

Kati was born and raised in Cuba. Kati began her performance career in Habana, while still attending art school, sharing the stage with master Cuban jazz musicians, such as Bobby Carcases and Chucho Valdes. Ms. Hernandez is a gifted, enthusiastic and inspiring teacher and dancer, dedicated to spreading the treasures of her Afro-Cuban roots in the United States. She has performed with master percussionists, Francisco Aguabella and Lazaro Galarraga. She also performed in an extraordinary unification of Cuban music and dance in Los Angeles at the Cuban Festival, "El Padre de la Patria" with a great producer and musician, Luis Eric Gonzalez. As a performer, choreographer, and teacher Kati Hernandez is truly an illustrative vision of her heritage in an endless high-energy celebration of Cuban dance and music.

GORDY RYAN has played with Olatunji Drums of Passion, founded by the late Babatunde Olatunji, a Nigerian elder called "the world's foremost ambassador of African music," and with Gabrielle Roth for more than 25 years. He has written and recorded music for film, theatre, television and albums with artists such as David Sanborn, Carlos Santana, Mickey Hart, Airto, and Spike Lee. A founding member of the Africa Institute, he has explored the clarification of consciousness in studies with Oscar Ichazo since 1970.

DANJUMA ADAMA the founder and musical director of Danjuma & Onola, was born into a family tradition of music in the city of Lagos, Nigeria (West Africa). Danjumahas played and recorded with King Sunny Ade, Fela Kuti Anikulapo, Babatunde Olatunji, Hugh Masakela, ZuluSpear, Monomomo & Highlife Messengers. In 1983, he helped cast the band O.J. Ekemode and the Nigerian All Stars with whom he recorded and toured North America. In 1986 he co-founded two popular Bay Area Afro-Beat bands, Kotoja Ntu Shamala.

DAVID ISEI is a performing artist, musician, dancer, songwriter, poet, and educator. As a dynamic live performer and "art ambassador of Nigeria," he infuses elements of afro beat, reggae/ dancehall, hip-hop, R&B, and rock, into a style that is distinctively his own.

NINA ISEI is a designer, dancer, and abstract/mixed media artist. In 2006 Nina cofounded 9ja Soundz Ltd, a music production company with bases in Honolulu, London, and Abuja. Also a passionate activist, she currently volunteers for the African American Diversity Cultural Center Hawai'i.

JAYSON FANN is the founder and director of The Esalen International Arts Festival, Big Sur Spirit Garden Productions and the Ashé Esemble. Jayson is a musician, visual artist, director, producer and multi-cultural arts consultant.

His dedication as a presenter and impresario of performing and visual artists has given him international praise and recognition as an ambassador of global arts and culture. He facilitates a multitude of diverse artistic projects throughout Europe, African, Haiti, Cuba, Brazil and beyond. Through these diverse projects, he weaves together a rich tapestry of presentations dedicated to a common vision and spirit of cross cultural unity.

The Spirit Garden's Global Dance Project brings dancers from around the world to perform and collaborate towards the common vision of cultural interconnectivity.

Our mission is to honor and celebrate culturally diverse dance forms through presentation, education and support of artists and their traditions. Working with artists, organizations and communities we strive to advance cultural understanding, and to achieve universal appreciation and support of the world's diverse dance traditions as a vital and essential force in our world community.

The Big Sur Spirit Garden
Interdisciplinary Arts Residency
www.bigsurspiritgarden.com

The Big Sur Spirit Garden Interdisciplinary Arts Residency Program brings innovative, world-class artists to Big Sur for a month long residency sponsored by supporters of the Spirit Garden. While in residence, artists teach an interdisciplinary workshop, present a public event, and participate in community outreach. The program gives exposure to working touring artists, provides opportunities for collaboration with the local community of artists and teachers, and strengthens programmatic ties among poets, musicians, visual artists, dancers and other community arts entities.

The Interdisciplinary Arts Residency Program is made possible by Jayson Fann, Founder and Director of the Big Sur Spirit Garden and the Esalen International Arts Festival.

Photos complimentary of Sacred Celebration Photography, Patrice Ward photography and Jayson Fann. For more information contact jayson@bigsurspiritgarden.com 831-238-1056.

The Spirit Garden is located 26 miles south of Carmel at Loma Vista along Highway 1 next to the Big Sur Bakery