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| Blues festival comes to South Mountain Reservation Orange native and long-time South Orange resident Mike Griot is hosting the annual South Mountain International Blues Festival, formerly the South Orange International Blues Festival, which is entering into its fifth year. Such major undertakings are not foreign to Griot, who has criss-crossed the world for several decades as a sought-after bass player in a variety of musical genres including, blues, funk, jazz, gospel and rock, according to a press release about the festival. He has performed in various cities including Frankfurt, Dubai, Paris and Amsterdam. While still a music student at Washington DC's Howard University, he began touring and performing and reinvested his earnings to book studio time and learn computer-based production. Before graduating, he owned and operated a small recording facility, managed and booked his band four times a week, and produced a rap act with a video on MTV. After graduation, Griot returned to New Jersey where he based his touring and production work, eventually signing a publishing deal with Motown Records and began his production company: PWI Entertainment. In 2010, Griot founded the festival. When asked why he wanted to create a blues festival, he said in the release, "Created through the African-American experience, the blues is integral to who and what we are as a nation. It's our own classical music. Once exposed, most Americans instantly recognize that much of their favorite music has its roots in the blues. I founded the festival to celebrate all of this, and bring a robust blues experience to the culturally-rich melting pot of northern New Jersey." The South Mountain International Blues Festival is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 7, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., on Cherry Lane in Essex County's South Mountain Reservation. Performing acts include a cross section of blues-influenced artists from across the Blues diaspora. Featured this year are renowned blues acts including Regina Bonelli, Long Tall Deb, Stephane Wrembel, Lil Bastad, Michael Hills Blues Mob and Johnny Sansone. The "Culinary Rocker" Johnny Ciao returns to host the day. Food and drink are available onsite all day. The festival is free. It is sponsored by Essex County, Investors Savings Bank, and Mike Griot's PWI Entertainment & Media. write your comments about the article :: © 2014 Jazz News :: home page |