Brooklynites will be excited to learn that BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! will return to the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park at full capacity, with live, free and in-person performances in June, kicking off on the 8 th with a performance by saxophonist-composer-producer Kamasi Washington and closing on August 6 with Nigerian singer-songwriter Yemi Alade.
The innovative Los Angeles-based musician is one of the major jazz musicians to emerge in the past decade, having collaborated with a galaxy of jazz artists as well as Kendrick Lamar (on his groundbreaking “To Pimp a Butterfly” album), Florence + the Machine and others. He also has performed at multiple nights of BRIC JazzFest in years past.
Brooklyn-based DJ Reborn and Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter Ravyn Lenae will open the show.
Alade, who has performed with Beyonce, Rick Ross and Mr. Eazi, will close out the festival season on August 6.
The news comes on the heels of the recent benefit concert announcements, which help to support BRIC’s free programming: singer-songwriter and 2021 PvNew cover star Phoebe Bridgers will hit the festival stage on June 14 and 15, and legendary R&B singer Erykah Badu will perform on August 5. The remainder of the festival lineup will be announced on May 3rd.
Past BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! artists include Common, Patti Labelle, the Roots, Wizkid, D-Nice with special guests, Ari Lennox, J.Cole, Skip Marley, David Byrne, Jimmy Cliff, Chaka Khan, Bomba Estereo, Janelle Monae, Philip Glass, St Vincent, Lila Downs, Youssou N’Dour, Sonic Youth, The Violent Femmes, and many others.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to invite our communities back to Prospect Park for BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!,” said Diane Eber, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! executive producer. “This season is all about gathering and what it means to experience music and art together at this moment in human history. During this time of change and challenge, our stage is a place where artists can share their vision in celebration of our common humanity. We can’t wait to welcome you back to the Bandshell to experience it for yourself!”
