Psych-rockers Making Movies have announced a four-night virtual event, AMERI’KANA fest: the beginning of an exploration into American music, past and present over four-nights of live streamed music, conversation, and music education. Featured artists include Los Lobos, Flor de Toloache, Terrance and Marcella Simien, The Sensational Barnes Brothers & Deborah Barnes, The Greeting Committee, Luke Winslow-King, Making Movies, and youth performers from The Rebel Song Academy.
The festival includes virtual performances, collaborations and conversations with legendary musicians, youth performers, free educational workshops and panels, and the debut of AMERI’KANA TV, a living documentary exploring the American music story.
AMERI’KANA is an ongoing exploration into American music, and poses the question – “What is American music to you?”
Serving as a fundraiser for Art as Mentorship, a music education non-profit established by Enrique Chi of Making Movies, the fest is the culmination of the band’s work musically and socially.
“AMERI’KANA fest is a way for us to tell stories that have not been told or have been lost in our music history,” says Juan-Carlos Chaurand, percussionist in Making Movies. He continues, “It’s important for us to remember how American music came to be and why it’s not just one specific style of music.”
The festival takes its name from the Spanish pronunciation of the word “americana,” a word that in English often refers to music rooted in the United States. But for the past few years the Americana genre and its gatekeepers have been criticized for not being representative of the American music community.
“The music industry would have you believe that genres define music, but they don’t,” adds Diego Chi, bassist in Making Movies. “Genres don’t know the secrets of the human heart, or the brilliance of an honest song. Storytelling and ideas are what resonate and excite us, not marketing or showbiz. Over the four nights of AMERI’KANA fest, you’ll experience just how deep and rich the American story is.”
Tickets for the four night virtual festival are on sale at
amerikanafest.com
