Skirball Cultural Center Announces its Twenty-second Annual FREE Summertime Outdoor Concert Series

SUNSET CONCERTS

The Skirball Cultural Center announces the lineup for its twenty-second annual free summertime live music series, Sunset Concerts. This year’s artists showcase local and global influences from Malawian Nyanja Vibes, socially conscious R&B, psychedelic dream-pop, and Afro-Americana to experimental indie rock and Ethiopian funk. In addition to pioneering new sounds inspired by their own cultural identities and traditions, they utilize their art to bridge communities. Presented every summer since 1997 in the Skirball’s picturesque hillside setting, Sunset Concerts features both emerging and established talents, drawing music fans from across greater Los Angeles.

 

The 2018 Sunset Concerts schedule is as follows: Goapele (July 26); Peter Mawanga (August 2); The Marías (August 9); Ranky Tanky (August 16); Kishi Bashi (August 23); and Gili Yalo (August 30) in his LA debut.

 

“For this twenty-second season of Sunset Concerts, we wanted to celebrate the wonderfully layered cultural identities and personal journeys of musicians from around the globe, across the country, and here at home in Los Angeles,” remarked Adele Lander Burke, Vice President and Director of Programs. “The musicians featured in this year’s lineup—whether rising stars, mid-career, or seasoned veterans—have built upon the styles of both traditional world and American music to create a contemporary sound that reflects the popular music they’ve grown up with. We invite Angelenos to our idyllic hillside setting for a cozy, friendly night of great company and outstanding music.”

 

The six Thursday night concerts are presented free of charge. Music fans of all ages are invited to arrive early to enjoy food and drink under the stars and also explore the museum galleries. The exhibitions Leonard Bernstein at 100, The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited, and Spotlight: Selections from Kehinde Wiley’sThe World Stage: Israel are currently on view through September 2. They will be free and open to all concertgoers until 10:00 p.m.

About the Artists:

Thursday, July 26, 8:00 p.m. (Doors and DJ set at 6:30 p.m.)

GOAPELE

Lauded singer-songwriter, activist, and mother Goapele kicks off the twenty-second season of Sunset Concerts with her deeply personal take on R&B, soul, funk, and hip-hop. The Oakland-born and now LA-based artist debuted her first single, “Closer,” in 2001, which has racked up over nine million Spotify streams and has been sampled by accomplished rappers Drake and YG. Since her explosive start, she has released four full-length albums, landed high-profile syncs in Sparkle,Honey, and 90210, and collaborated with famed artists Snoop Dogg, E-40, Eric Benét, and Soulive. Goapele released her most recent EP, Dreamseeker, in 2017, which “features seven songs and three interludes that soulfully and thoughtfully relay the singer/songwriter’s perspectives on motherhood, sensuality, social consciousness and self-love” (Billboard). As she evolves as an artist, Goapele also devotes herself to activism, acting, and fashion. In 2006, she received the first-ever Human Rights Cultural Hero Award, from the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, for her inspiring performances at political rallies and events in the US and abroad. She recently partnered with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation as an official ambassador. Goapele—whose name means “to move forward” in the African language Setswana—is the daughter of a South African activist father and a New York–born Israeli Jewish mother. In the midst of all her projects, Goapele is currently recording a new album, expected for release later this year.

Thursday, August 9, 8:00 p.m. (Doors and DJ set at 6:30 p.m.)

THE MARÍAS

Named after a Gullah expression that roughly translates to “work it” or “get funky,”Ranky Tanky builds upon the musical traditions of the South Carolina Low Country with gospel-style vocals, jazzy trumpet solos, and African rhythms. The Charleston-based quintet released their self-titled debut in October 2017—which shot to the #1 position on the Billboard, iTunes, and Amazon jazz charts—and was described as “lively, soulful honey to the ears” by NPR. Led by accomplished vocalist and South Carolina native Quiana Parler (who appeared on season two of the popular TV program American Idol), Ranky Tanky performs playful, emotional, and spiritual songs that are steeped in the Low Country’s Gullah culture, which traces its roots back to West Africa and the transatlantic slave trade.

Singing in both English and Amharic, Ethiopia’s official language, Gili Yalo creates a rich patchwork of contemporary soul, funk, psychedelic rock, and traditional Ethiopian music for the closing concert of this year’s Sunset Concerts. Drawing inspiration from his experience as an Ethiopian Jew who fled war and famine in 1984 to eventually re-settle in Israel, Yalo learned the motivational power of music from a young age. He has since performed on revered international stages as both a soloist and as a member of the Israeli world-reggae band Zvuloon Dub System. In 2017, he released his self-titled first album, which PopMatters described as “one of those rare debuts with a clear sense of purpose and style.” Yalo’s vibrant music represents his own personal triumph while giving new meaning to traditional Ethiopian music. His LA debut performance at the Skirball is part of his first US tour as a solo artist.