SPECIAL EVENTS

Celebrating its 41st year, the 2011 Houston International Festival will spotlight The Silk Road: Journey Across Asia from April 30 - May 1 and May 7 - 8 throughout 16 acres in Downtown Houston.

The Houston International Festival offers music playing continuously on ten stages throughout the day.

The Green Mountain Energy Louisiana Stage in Tranquility Park will again feature a distinctive Gulf Coast musical gumbo of zydeco, blues, funk and jazz. The Southwest Louisiana/Southeast Texas zydeco tradition will be prominently featured with a number of regional favorites, including the legendary Buckwheat Zydeco, Step Rideau, J. Paul Jr., Lil Brian and the Travelers, Cedric Watson, Leroy Thomas, Corey Ledet, Curtis Poullard and Ruben Moreno. On April 30, Watson’s band Bijou Creole will jam with Kora Konnection in what is billed as an “African Zydeco Revue.”

The New Orleans brass band tradition is represented by Crescent City trombonist/vocalist Glen David Andrews, known as “the Crown Prince of Treme,” the ever-so-funky Soul Rebels, and Houston’s own jazz traditionalists, the Voodoo Brass Band. Rounding out the Green Mountain Energy Louisiana Stage lineup are hard-charging blues guitarist Chris Bell, New Orleans roots-rockers the Honey Island Swamp Band and funk-rock singer-songwriter Mia Borders. In addition to the great music on the stage, this year’s Louisiana Zone will feature new and improved food choices, a Hurricane Hut with shaded seating near the stage, and a recreation of Jackson Square.

The African Caribbean Zone and Jamaica Zone in Lower Tranquility Park features a steel drum pan yard, African capoeira and an ongoing drum circle, and Jamaican Dancehall reggae parties at night featuring DJs Mickey Faith, Norro and SupaNeil. In addition, a series of fashion designers will showcase their clothing lines in daily fashion shows located in the African Caribbean and Jamaica Zone. Featured designers include: Fashion Plate (April 30), Kachi Designs (May 1), Lucas Escalada (May 7) and Leaford James (May 8).

On Sunday, May 1, contemporary blues legends Keb’ Mo’ and Robert Cray share the Bud Light World Music Stage in the bowl at Sam Houston Park. On Saturday, May 7, Michael Franti and Spearhead – former underground hip-hop/alt-rock heroes who enjoyed a major commercial breakthrough last year – headline on the Bud Light World Music Stage, joined by “sacred steel” gospel-rockers Robert Randolph and the Family Band.

Rootz Underground, hailed as the best roots-reggae band to come out of Jamaica in decades, returns to iFest on Saturday, April 30, along with Kora Konnection, an Afro-jazz fusion band featuring Senegalese kora player Morikeba Kouyate. Seating in the shaded iFest Lounge – featuring a good view overlooking the Bud Light World Music Stage and full bar service – is available at the festival website.

Kyle Turnerbrings his funky contemporary jazz saxophone stylings to the 29-95 Stage on Saturday, April 30. Other jazz-oriented bands appearing on this stage are Funk Bank, Free Radicals and the HSPVA Jazz All-Stars. Headliners on the Room Store Latin Stage include Karina Nistal, the Rainel Pino Afro-Cuban Orchestra, Los Skarnales and the Norma Zenteno Band.

Center Stage, built over the Reflection Pool in front of Houston City Hall, will feature entertainment based on the Silk Road theme, including the Golden Dragon Chinese Acrobats, Bollywood Blast!, the Oriental Arts Dancers performing “The Story of the Silk Road” and the Houston Shaolin Kung Fu Academy.

For more information on the 2011 Houston International Festival celebrating “The Silk Road: Journey Across Asia,” call 713-654-8808 or visit the festival’s official website at www.ifest.org.