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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></i><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><img width=164 height=65 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image002.jpg@01CBF835.89DD2DC0"></span><o:p></o:p></p><p align=center style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;background:white'><b><u><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson’s Announces Classical Project “Philly-Paris Lockdown” at the Philadelphia Kimmel Center on April 17<sup>th<o:p></o:p></sup></span></u></b></p><p align=center style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;background:white'><u><sup><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></sup></u></p><p align=center style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;background:white'><b><u><sup><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Drummer of internationally acclaimed The Roots, set to collaborate with Karen Ann on the event taking place during the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts<o:p></o:p></span></sup></u></b></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white'><b><u><sup><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></sup></u></b></p><p align=center style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;background:white'><b><u><sup><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Performance will infuse modern instrumentation and hip-hop with the work of iconic period composers like Ravel, Debussy and Stravinsky.<o:p></o:p></span></sup></u></b></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white'><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
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</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_4" o:spid="_x0000_s1029" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Amir_01_024" style='position:absolute;left:0;text-align:left;margin-left:-9pt;margin-top:5.35pt;width:96.2pt;height:2in;z-index:-1;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text' wrapcoords="-337 0 -337 21375 21555 21375 21555 0 -337 0">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width=128 height=192 src="cid:image004.jpg@01CBF835.89DD2DC0" align=left hspace=12 alt="Amir_01_024" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_4"><![endif]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Join renowned Roots drummer <b>?uestlove,</b> international singer-songwriter <b>Keren Ann,</b> and various special guests for an explosive concert celebrating Paris through groundbreaking partnership at the Kimmel Center on <b>April 17th </b></span><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>at 8pm</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>.<span style='color:black'> Inspired by everything from the white-domed Basillica of Sacre Coeur to the seedy neon-lit streets of Pigalle, ?uestlove's project <b><i>Philly-Paris Lockdown</i></b> is a paean to the Paris of the early 1900s. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>After the performance, ?uestlove will also be spinning a </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>free, underground post-show DJ set in <span style='color:black'>the Kimmel Center's Perelman Theater. Philadelphia DJ favorites Rich Medina and DJ AfroDJiak will also spin. Hosted by Forte and Philly 360. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>World, pop, jazz, dance and theater collide on stage at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, <b>April 7 to May 1</b>, as part of the <b>Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA).</b> Inspired by the Kimmel Center, PIFA celebrates the artistic energy of Paris, circa 1910-1920, when the City of Lights was a haven for artists creatively pursuing innovative, unique art forms. Stravinsky, Picasso, Chagall, and Matisse are just a few of the artists who inspired and influenced the next generation of innovators. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>?uestlove of The Roots</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Featuring Keren Ann and Special Guests</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 8pm</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Philly-Paris Lockdown</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Verizon Hall</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Ticket Price: $35 - $65</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Tickets</span></b><span lang=EN style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> to individual performances and events can be purchased on the PIFA website, in person at the Kimmel Center Box Office, or by phone at </span><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>215-546-PIFA</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'>.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959'>Carleen Donovan<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959'>PRESS HERE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959'>138 West 25th Street 9th Fl<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959'>New York, NY 10001<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959'>p: 212.246.2640<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959'>f: 212.582.6513<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959'>e: carleen@pressherepublicity.com<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#595959'>----->For downloadable photos, press kits, releases, bios & tour dates go to our website (all info in the "current roster" section): <br><a href="http://www.pressherepublicity.com"><span style='color:#595959'>http://www.pressherepublicity.com</span></a> <br><a href="http://www.twitter.com/presshere"><span style='color:#595959'>http://www.twitter.com/presshere</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>