The stage is set for the block to rock once again ahead of this summer’s Krasl Art Fair on the Bluff.
The Krasl Art Fair Block Party will return July 7th as more than 170 artists from across the country converge for the 61st Art Fair on the Bluff in St. Joseph July 8-9. In partnership with The Livery, Krasl Art Center announced the music lineup for this year’s block party, which takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. on the Krasl lawn.
The Samuel Nalangira Trio will welcome guests as they arrive from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Samuel Nalangira is a multi-instrumentalist, dancer and choreographer who has been performing traditional Ugandan folk music since the age of 15. He has toured across Europe, United States, Canada, and Asia performing and leading workshops in schools, universities, festivals and community centers.
According to his website, “he is a master at many traditional instruments, including the Adungu from northern Uganda, Akogo from eastern Uganda, Endingidi, percussion and Ngoni. He has also developed a unique approach and personal techniques on most of these instruments and, in combination with a soaring voice, his music carries a true identity of the sub Saharan skies.”
“He has a really unique sound that he’s bringing,” said Krasl Marketing Manager Matthew Bizoe. “I’m really excited to have his music. It’s really dance focused and a great way to kick off the block party.”
The Samuel Nalangira Trio will be followed by the Grand Rapids-based Cosmic Knot. Incorporating sounds derived from trees and plants, Cosmic Knot is the originator of the nature-assisted genre called Florganoleptic Music. Their playing music with plants is achieved with a special midi device that allows plants to make music by connecting electrodes to the roots and leaves and measuring the electromagnetic variations between the two. Through recording a plant’s electromagnetic impulses a wave is formed. Each peak of the wave is assigned a musical note which allows the plant to create music in real time with the band.
Bizoe said the nature-based based band actually ties in with one of Krasl’s exhibits from this year – The World After Us by Nathaniel Stern.
“[Nathaniel] was playing with technology and plant life and kind of showed what technology is going to look like when nature starts to take over and humans are gone,” Bizoe said. “That’s what made me excited for Cosmic Knot, is he is actually playing music with plants and combining this idea of technology and plant life into his music. That’s a really fun way to kind of look at the work that Krasl Art Center is doing and also bring it to the block party this year.”
In addition to the music, block party guests will be able to choose from three local food trucks – The Brick House Food Truck from Benton Harbor, Taqueria Don Chepe from Niles and Lost Coast Shave Ice from St. Joseph. Beer from The Livery and wine from Round Barn Winery will also be available at the bar.
Additional information about the Block Party can be found online at krasl.org/art-fair/block-party. Block Party general admission tickets are available for $5, while Krasl members and children under 12 can attend for free. To purchase tickets, visit krasl.org/art-fair/tickets.
