Be Here Now Festival, August 14-16

BANDS BRING MUSIC FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO STARKS, ME
Tibetan, Indian, and Middle Eastern Musicians Join Line Up for Be Here Now Festival, August 14-16

With the addition of Tibetan, Indian, and Middle Eastern music to a lineup that already includes traditional West African, bluegrass, country, and jam bands, the Be Here Now festival scheduled for August 14-16 at Harry Brown's Farm in Starks, Maine.

Okbari, Natraj, and Penpa Tsering have all signed up to play at the August festival.

-- Okbari performs Ottoman classical and Turkish contemporary art music along with works from the Armenian and Anatolian folk traditions. Okbari also presents Arabic folk and classical music as well traditional songs from Greece and the Balkans. Okbari has released five albums since they formed in 1995, and play widely throughout the Northeast.

--Penpa Tsering, a world-class musician, singer and dancer, born in Tibet in 1963. He undertook an arduous 27-day trek over the Himalayas to Nepal. In 1989, he went to India where he was invited to join the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) in Dharmsala as a teacher and performer. During this time he toured to Japan, Thailand, Nepal and Finland. Now Penpa makes his home in the United States, exposing Americans to his intriguing culture. His presentation includes performances on sixteen different traditional instruments, including strings, pipes and horns; dance demonstrations and explanations of Tibetan philosophy and religion – a totally captivating performance.

-- Natraj seamlessly melds the classical music of India, traditional music from West Africa, and contemporary jazz to create its own unique and infectious style. Hard-driving African grooves and graceful Indian ragas meet in the band`s expansive jazz conception. Natraj captivates and excites audiences with its exotic textures, accessible melodies, and rhythmic energy. They will be joined by a special guest, Senegalese percussion master Lamine Toure.

Cowpasture Productions hopes to build on the success of “Harry Hoe-Down,” the first festival held on the site this season, where thousands of people braved the late June rains to bring to life Harry Brown's vision of “free people assembling freely.”

An icon of Maine's counter-culture, Brown has been hosting festivals on his land for nineteen years to support efforts to legalize marijuana in Maine. This season's festivals, though, are a realization of a larger vision of events that also celebrate free expression, cultural diversity, individual freedom, and respect for the Earth. For events at Harry Brown's Farm, we will commit 50% of our net profit to organize in support of ending marijuana prohibition through the Maine Marijuana Policy Initiative. www.mainecommonsense.org

The Be Here Now Festival will also include performances by:

-- Black Bear Moon, an ensemble that brings the infectious rhythms of traditional West African music to New England.

-- Trailer Trash, featuring Paul Dube on acoustic guitar and vocals and Ellen Lindsey on upright bass, blending country, blues, folk, and rock and roll to create music that will get you laughing, singing, and smiling. Winners of the 2008 Best Duo of the Year Award from the Pine Tree State Country Music Association.

-- The Brew, an innovative quartet that has developed a large and devoted following with their infectious grooves rooted in classic rock and seasoned with prog, jazz, reggae, world beat, indie, funk and orchestral pop influences.

-- Hot Day at the Zoo, rising stars in the roots music revival, a 4-piece string band that delivers foot-stomping down home jams guaranteed to get everyone dancing.

-- Trash Into Art, a community collective founded by multi-media performance artist Rijah Newell that uses giant puppets in energetic street theater pieces that promote environmental awareness.

-- One World Puppetry, bringing mystical creatures to life to enchant people of all ages.

-- RESISTDANCE, a dance troupe whose original performances help us connect with our history, our hopes, our collective responsibility, our pain, our joy, and challenges us to create something different in a world that stands on the brink.

-- STARMA Circus, a troupe of clowns, jugglers, and acrobats bringing circus arts to the stage and beyond.

Plus Lazzlo, Jordan Kaulbach, the Stoned Mountain Boyz, and many more performers to be announced as the festival draws closer.

Artists and healers will also be sharing their knowledge and skills in workshops throughout the weekend. There will be activities for children as well including yoga, puppet making, arts and crafts, and Jedi Knight Training.

For more information, please visit us at www.harryshill.com and www.mainecommonsense.org.