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<p class="NoSpacing1"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><img width="215" height="85" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01CCE682.B01D7800"></span><b><span style="font-size:48.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><br>
</span></b><b><span style="font-size:48.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">THE ROOTS</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">HIP-HOP VISIONARIES RETURN WITH
<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">THE 8<sup>th</sup> ANNUAL ‘ROOTS JAM SESSION’<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><i><u><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Legendary night of music to take place on February 11<sup>th</sup> at the House of Blues<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><i><u><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></span></u></i></b></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Event also Celebrates The Roots’ own 2012 GRAMMY Nomination<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><i><u><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></span></u></i></b></p>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width="189" height="219" src="cid:image003.jpg@01CCE682.B01D7800" align="left" hspace="12" alt="RJSlogo" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Los
Angeles, CA February 8, 2012</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> - The Legendary Roots Crew, named one of the greatest live bands around by both
<i><u>Spin</u> </i>and <i><u>Rolling Stone</u></i>, are returning on the eve of the GRAMMY Awards, for the
<b>8th annual </b></span><a href="http://rootsjamsession.com"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">ROOTS JAM SESSION</span></b></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> at the
<b>House Of Blues</b> in <b>Los Angeles, CA</b> on <b>February 11th</b>. The event, which has become a celebrated tradition during awards season, will deliver an innovative and unforgettable mix of musicians performing under one roof. Talent for the Jam will
be announced in the upcoming days</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">. The announcement comes on the heels of The Roots’<b>
</b>own <b>GRAMMY Nomination</b> for <b><u>Best Traditional R&B Performance</u></b> on ‘<b>Surrender</b>’ with (Betty Wright), which marks the
<b><u>7<sup>th</sup></u></b> nomination for the <u>4-time</u> GRAMMY Award winning group.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><br>
With an audience packed full of musicians and talent from every area of the entertainment industry,
<u>THE ROOTS JAM SESSION</u> is a night where legendary mash-ups and groundbreaking music is created.
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It is consistently praised as
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">a truly unique evening where artists become fans and the performances and impromptu jams turn the night into a celebration of music. Past performers and attendees reads like a “who’s who”
of the entertainment world: <b>Jay-Z, Norah Jones, Cee-Lo, Slash, Black Eyed Peas, Mos Def, Beyoncè, Queen Latifah, Bill Maher, Snoop Dogg, Matisyahu, Queens of the Stone Age, K’NAAN, Elizabeth Banks, John Mayer, Chelsea Handler and Prince.</b>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In addition to the performances, however,
<u>THE ROOTS JAM SESSION</u> is annually interwoven with themes of social awareness, partnering with top organizations dedicated to creating global change. The goal is to entertain but also to utilize the power of its high-profile attendees to make an impact
and educate audiences outside of the Jam. <u>The Roots Jam Session </u>has previously partnered with organizations from
<b><i>Save Darfur</i></b><i> </i>to<b><i> Green Music Group</i></b>. This year’s cause partner is
<b>United Roots </b>(<a href="http://unitedrootsoakland.org/"><span style="color:windowtext">http://unitedrootsoakland.org/</span></a>). The organization engages and empowers marginalized youth in a variety of socially innovative ways from arts and media training,
career and workforce development, community engagement and wellness services by creating a safe and sustainable environment for youth to heal and grow.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">###<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><br>
<b><u>About ‘The Roots Jam Session’</u> <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" style="text-align:justify"><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Roots Jam Session</span></u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">, occurring annually the night before the Grammys, has
become an industry staple through the years and has become one of the most anticipated experiences of award season. Having been covered in everything from
<i>The Washington Post</i> to <i>People Magazine</i>, the Jam is produced by Tina Farris of Tina Farris Tours.
<u>The Roots</u> are </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Black Thought (MC), Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson (drums), Kamal Gray (electronic keyboards), F. Knuckles (percussion), Captain Kirk Douglas (electronic guitar), Damon
Bryson (sousaphone), Mark Kelley (bass) and James Poyser (electronic keyboard)</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.<b>
</b></span><a href="http://www.RootsJamSession.com"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">www.rootsjamsession.com</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="NoSpacing1" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Carleen Donovan/ Natalie Sawyer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Press Here (212) 246-2640</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><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>
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