They’re Back! Wildly Popular GLOBAL MASHUP Concerts Return to Flushing Town Hall for the First Time in Three Years

Cumbia River Band and Di Shikere Kapelye, two of the bands performing at Global Mashups in May

— Fans of global music can enjoy two big mashups in May, Colombia Meets Klezmer and Ireland Meets Mexico, plus a mini mashup! — 

Cumbia River Band and Di Shikere Kapelye, two of the bands performing at Global Mashups in May

May is for music—and specifically, global music— at Flushing Town Hall. The Smithsonian Affiliate’s most popular series, the Global Mashups, returns for the first time in three years. To celebrate, Flushing Town Hall is packing three fabulous mashups into one month: Global Mashup: Colombia Meets Klezmer on May 6, Global Mashup: Ireland Meets Mexico on May 19, and Mini-Global Mashup: Stride Piano Meets Guinea on May 21. And that’s just to start—a new Global Mashup concert will follow each month throughout the summer. 

The Global Mashup concert series presents a different pairing of bands each month. Starting with dance lessons from each band, both ensembles play a set, showcasing traditional music from their distinct country or culture, and then they jam together for a third, collaborative, and spontaneous set—to the delight of audiences.

The popular series regularly sold out in pre-pandemic years, so excited audiences are encouraged to purchase tickets soon—and come prepared to groove, for the Flushing Town Hall dance floor is open once again!

“It has been a long time coming, but we are thrilled to finally welcome the Global Mashups back to our stage,” says Ellen Kodadek, Flushing Town Hall Executive & Artistic Director. “Queens is the world’s borough where you can find more language and diversity than anywhere else on the planet, so it is only right that we are the go-to destination for great, global music.” 

GLOBAL MASHUP #1: Colombia Meets Klezmer (Saturday, May 6)

The Colombia Meets Klezmer concert will feature the Cumbia River Band and Klezmer all-star band Di Shikere Kapelye, known in English as The Inebriated Orchestra. 

Cumbia River Band’s music draws from a festive repertoire of Colombian Cumbia and Riverside music. Their sounds take listeners back to the golden years of Cumbia and inspire them to dance and contemplate the joy and energy that the Cumbia River brings. The band delivers a captivating performance that honors both traditional and contemporary sounds, featuring tuba, accordion, clarinet, percussion, guitar, and voices.

Di Shikere Kapelye, commonly referred to as Frank London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars, performs high-energy Eastern European party music appropriate for all occasions, from concerts and festivals to parties and parades.

The group comprises Frank London on the trumpet, Michael Winograd on the clarinet, Ron Caswell on the tuba, Ilya Shneyveys on the accordion, and Aaron Alexander on the drums.

The group has released five acclaimed recordings and the pandemic-era live concert film, The Rooftop Concert. The band has collaborated with artists, including Yiddish singers Eleanor Reissa, Lorin Sklamberg, Sarah Gordon, Michael Alpert, Joshua Nelson, klezmer clarinet legend Margot Leverett, and more. They are often featured at the HONK NYC Festival and have toured internationally. 

GLOBAL MASHUP #2: Ireland Meets Mexico (Friday, May 19)

Ireland Meets Mexico will feature Irish musician  Cillian Vallely, who will bring the pipes and whistles of the Emerald Isle to the stage, and Mexican band Jarana Beat.

Cillian Vallely plays the uilleann pipes and low whistle with the renowned Irish band Lunasa, described as “The hottest Celtic band on the planet” by the Irish Voice. With Lunasa, he has performed at The Hollywood Bowl, Glastonbury Festival, Womad Aledaide, and Edmonton Folk Festival, in addition to multiple tours of Asia, Australia, the United States, and Europe. In recent years, he has played and recorded with Bruce Springsteen, Natalie Merchant, Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Tim O’Brien, and Riverdance, as well as as a guest on over 50 albums. 

Jarana Beat is a 10-piece band incorporating music and dance into its vibrant live performances. Jarana Beat blends Mexican folk and Afro-Amerindian musical traditions with the percussive footwork of dancers performing in traditional costumes to create an irresistibly spirited and uplifting cross-cultural sound.

Led by composer/producer Sinuhé Padilla-Isunza, the band gathers professional performers from Mexico in collaboration with artists from all over the world, drawing on elements and percussive footwork from styles such as Son Jarocho, Son Guerrerense, Son Huasteco, Salsa, Cumbia, Samba, and Rumba, taking New York’s (and the world’s!) scene on a journey through Afro-Amerindian culture.

MINI-GLOBAL MASHUP: Stride Piano Meets Guinea (Sunday, May 21)

Stride Piano Meets Guinea will feature renowned jazz pianist Anthony Coleman and the globally recognized balafonist Famoro Dioubaté.

Anthony Coleman’s musical odyssey has taken him through many cultures and led him to wear many hats as a composer, improvising keyboardist, and teacher. Coleman joined the NEC faculty in 2006, returning to a school where he studied in the 1970s, during the birth of NEC’s Contemporary Musical Arts program (then called Third Stream). In addition to his work as a studio teacher and ensemble coach, Coleman works with NEC’s Contemporary Musical Arts students to organize a departmental concert each spring. 

Famoro Dioubaté is recognized as one of West Africa’s most talented and graceful balafonists. Hailing from Conakry, Guinea, Famoro comes from a long family lineage of griots (or jeli in Malinké), African oral historians, and musicians, a sub-culture dating back to the 13th century. The balafon is a 23-key wooden xylophone on a diatonic scale, crafted by hand in the Guinean countryside. The music forms delightful, looping cross-rhythmic melodies that shift shapes as Famoro emphasizes different notes. 

Dioubaté’s balafon style is primarily traditional and mixes well with everything from a classical duo to a jazz band. Dioubaté stands out from the rest because of his absolute confidence and utter grace in his playing style. How he delicately, yet firmly places the notes around the (often unplayed) beat is mesmerizing.

Tickets to Colombia Meets Klezmer and Ireland Meets Mexico are $20 for general admission and $15 for members, seniors, and students. Tickets to Stride Piano Meets Guinea are $15 for general admission and $12 for members, seniors, and students. To purchase tickets, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/global-mashup-may-6

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/ireland-meets-mexico

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/stride-piano-meets-guinea​​

For the venue’s full schedule of 2023 Spring events, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/fth-presents

For those unable to attend events in person, Flushing Town Hall has launched Culture Stream. Subscriptions start at $5 per month.

COVID Policy: 

Flushing Town Hall no longer requires visitors or performers to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19; wearing a mask is optional but recommended. For more details, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/covid-safety

Support Global Arts with a Gift Today!

All gifts of $50 or more give you exclusive Flushing Town Hall Circle of Friends membership benefits, including a Smithsonian membership, ticket discounts, and more! Donations in any amount are appreciated to support the artists and the nonprofit cultural organization as they continue to provide programming and entertainment across New York and the world.

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/circle-of-friends

Flushing Town Hall is a not for profit organization and receives major support in 2022 from the National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature; New York State Assembly Member Ron Kim; The City of New York, Mayor Eric Adams; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Commissioner Laurie Cumbo; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; The New York City Council, Speaker Adrienne E. Adams and New York City Council Members Sandra Ung, Tiffany Caban, Shekar Krishnan, Linda Lee, Vickie Paladino, Lynn Schulman, and Jessica Won; Howard Gilman Foundation, Booth Ferris Foundation, Guru Krupa Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation. The Mini-Global Mashups are funded in part by the Center for Cultural Vibrancy.

To view current donor lists, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/donor-listings

About Flushing Town Hall

Flushing Town Hall (FTH), a Smithsonian affiliate, presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City in order to foster mutual appreciation. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, we support local, immigrant, national, and international artists, developing partnerships and collaborations that enhance our efforts. As a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), we serve to restore, manage and program the historic 1862 landmark on behalf of the City of New York. FTH celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz by presenting the finest in Jazz performance. We are committed to arts education and hands-on learning for the arts-curious, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists. We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.

Flushing Town Hall is a proud member of the Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), a collective of 34 nonprofit museums, performing arts centers, historical societies, zoos, and botanical gardens across all five boroughs with a distinct private-public partnership with the City of New York and a commitment to serving all New Yorkers.

Land Acknowledgement:

Flushing Town Hall acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the Matinecock People, one of the original tribes of New York and the first people of Flushing, Queens, who live and work on this land to this day. Flushing Town Hall honors their elders who have stewarded this land throughout generations.