Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars to return to US for tour

The Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars return to stages across the U.S. early next year in support of their acclaimed Anti- Records release Living Like A Refugee, bringing with them a spirited and infectious fusion of traditional West African music, roots reggae and classic rhythm ‘n blues. The national tour will touch down on campuses and theaters, including a performance at Royce Hall at the University of California Los Angeles, famed for its “UCLA Live” cultural series. The SLRAS’ tour will conclude in March with a performance at 2008’s Langerado Music Festival alongside the likes of R.E.M, the Beastie Boys and the Roots.
The past few years have been an exciting time for the former refugees. They have appeared on everything from NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” to the Oprah Winfrey Show, describing their journey fleeing from civil war in their home country of Sierra Leone, to the refugee camps in West Africa where the All Stars met and became a band, into the world’s spotlight, where they proclaim their inspirational message of hope and courage through infectious grooves.
Additionally, the self-named documentary film which started their journey from refugee camp to world stage has screened to great critical acclaim at film festivals all over the world over the past few years, winning 13 awards, such as the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the AFI Film Festival in 2005.
They have been hugely supported by celebrity/activists such as Sir Paul McCartney, Keith Richards and Angelina Jolie in the presentation of the film, which documents the story of the band and their triumph over the worst kinds of adversity.The All Stars appeared with R.E.M, U2, Green Day and others on the Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur release, Instant Karma.
On the CD, the band collaborated with the legendary rockers Aerosmith on the John Lennon classic, “Give Peace A Chance.”
The band is also joined by Joe Perry on a cover version of U2’s “Seconds” for the compilation CD, In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2, set for release April 1st, 2008. A portion of the album’s proceeds will directly benefit The Global Fund and features 12 artists each representing a different region of Africa.
Diverse in age and character, from Reuben M. Koroma, the sage, 43-year old songwriter and guiding light of the group, to Black Nature, an orphaned 20-year-old rapper, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars have a common bond of loss and displacement and a shared belief in the transformative power of music.
"As harrowing as these personal tales may be, the music buoying them is uplifting," writes New York Times critic Stephen Holden. "The cliché bears repeating: music heals and creates community."
Make sure to catch the spirit with the Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars on the following dates: 1/23/2008 Agnes Scott College Decatur GA
1/24/2008 University of Tennessee Knoxville TN
1/26/2008 The Grey Eagle Asheville NC
1/27/2008 Carver Theater Birmingham AL
1/28/2008 Middle Tennesee State University Murfreesboro TN 2/2/2008 Granada Theater Dallas TX 2/4/2008 The Blue Note Columbia MO
2/6/2008 Fox Theatre & Cafe Boulder CO 2/8/2008 Wheeler Opera House Aspen CO 2/9/2008 Lensic Performing Arts Center Santa Fe NM 2/10/2008 KTAO Solar Center Taos NM 2/13/2008 Irvine Barclay Theatre Irvine CA 2/15/2008 UC Santa Barbara-Campbell Hall Santa Barbara CA 2/16/2008 UCLA -Royce Hall Los Angeles CA 2/17/2008 Scottsdale Center for the Arts Scottsdale AZ 2/19/2008 Rio Theatre Santa Cruz CA 2/20/2008 Humboldt State University Arcata CA 2/21/2008 John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts Eugene OR 2/23/2008 Moore Theatre Seattle WA 2/24/2008 Broadway Center for the Performing Arts Tacoma WA 2/26/2008 Wilma Theater Missoula MT
2/27/2008 Emerson Theater Bozeman MT
3/3/2008 Guthrie Theater Minneapolis MN
3/7/2008 Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation Big Cypress FL