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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:black">Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars Announce Additional North American Tour Dates</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><i><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:black">Including the Highline Ballroom in New York City June 29<sup>th</sup>
</span></u></i></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:black">Free Single “Mother In Law” Available Now!</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:black">Third Album
<i>Radio Salone</i> Out April 24<sup>th</sup></span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black"><img width="427" height="285" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01CD0820.3911DCA0" alt="SLRAS Rooftop 2 by Kisha Bari-lr"></span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">(Photo Credit: Kisha Bari)</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">“Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars share experiences of violence, loss and the tedium of life in the camps. But when they make music together, something
unexpected emerges: buoyant grooves and fierce optimism.” – <b><i>NPR</i></b></span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">“…their music emanates a life-affirming positivity.” –
<b><i>BBC</i></b></span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">“…they still have something to teach the world.” –
<b><i>Paste</i></b></span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">On the heels of unveiling new song
<b>“Mother In Law”</b> on <b><i>PasteMagazine.com</i></b> earlier this month (now available for free download
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXSWe0V4VMA" target="_blank">here</a>), globally acclaimed<b> Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars
</b>have just announced additional North American tour dates. The band’s third studio album
<b><i>Radio Salone</i> </b>will be released<b> April 24, 2012, </b>on<b> Cumbancha.
</b>The beloved group, one of Africa’s most lauded and active touring bands, will be bringing their joyful live shows to crowds from coast to coast from mid-May through mid-September, playing headlining dates and making a series of festival appearances. Newly
announced dates include <b>Summer Camp Music Festival 2012 </b>in <b>Chillocothe, IL</b> and
<b>Rochester International Jazz Festival</b> in <b>Rochester, NY</b> as well as headlining shows in
<b>Phoenix, AZ, Colorado Springs, CO, Burlington, VT </b>and a <b>New York City show at the Highline Ballroom on June 29<sup>th</sup></b>. The full list of dates is below with more shows to be announced to be announced soon.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Additionally, the band will perform on
<b>April 18<sup>th</sup></b> aboard the <b><i>National Geographic Explorer </i></b>when the ship docks in the Sierra Leone capital of
<b>Freetown, </b>part of an incredible expedition along the entire western coast of Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><i><span style="color:black">Radio Salone</span></i></b><span style="color:black"> was produced by roots reggae, soul and Afrobeat guru
<b>Victor Axelrod, aka Ticklah,</b> (Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, Amy Winehouse, Easy Star All Stars, Antibalas) and is the follow-up to the band’s 2010 album
<b><i>Rise & Shine</i></b>, which was the<b> #1 of the year on the World Music Charts Europe</b>. This album marks the band’s most musically sophisticated and virtuosic collection of songs to date, featuring a vintage African vibe and intricate dub elements
that connect traditional West African sounds with roots reggae in ways that the band has never before explored. After persevering through the horrors of the Sierra Leone civil war, a 2005 documentary skyrocketed the band to a global platform. Since then they
have garnered praise from the likes of the <b><i>New York Times, NPR, BBC, CNN, PBS, Billboard
</i></b>and more. They appeared on <b><i>The Oprah Winfrey Show</i></b>, opened for<b><i>
</i>Aerosmith</b> and contributed to the<b><i> Blood Diamond </i></b>film soundtrack while the likes of
<b>Paul McCartney </b>and<b> Keith Richards </b>have sung their praises. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">For tour updates, visit <a href="http://www.sierraleonesrefugeeallstars.com" target="_blank">
www.sierraleonesrefugeeallstars.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="color:black">Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars North American Tour Dates:</span></u></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">*Newly announced dates in bold</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">May 18<sup>th</sup> San Diego CA @ Anthology (headline)<br>
May 19<sup>th</sup> Joshua Tree, CA @ Joshua Tree Music Festival <br>
<b>May 20<sup>th</sup> Phoenix, AZ @ MIM-Musical Instrument Museum (headline)</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">May 22<sup>nd</sup> Santa Fe, NM @ Santa Fe Sol (headline)<br>
May 24<sup>th</sup> Kansas City, MO @ Crossroads (with The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Orgone)<br>
May 25<sup>th</sup> Iowa City, IA @ Englert Civic Theater (with Orgone)<br>
<b>May 26<sup>th</sup> Chillocothe, IL @ Summer Camp Music Festival 2012</b>
<br>
May 31<sup>st</sup> Memphis, TN @ Levitt Shell at Overton Park (headline)<br>
<b>June 11<sup>th</sup> Colorado Springs CO, Armstrong Quad</b> <b>(headline)</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">June 17<sup>th</sup> Arlington, TX @ Levitt Pavilion (headline)<br>
<b>June 22<sup>nd</sup> Kennett Square PA, Longwood Gardens</b> <b>(headline)</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">June 29<sup>th</sup> New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
</span></b><span style="color:black"> <b>(headline)</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">June 30<sup>th</sup> Rochester, NY @ Rochester International Jazz Festival
</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">July 1<sup>st</sup> Toronto, ON @ TD Toronto Jazz Festival
<br>
<b>July 7<sup>th</sup> South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground</b> <b>
(headline)</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">July 10<sup>th</sup> Montreal , QC @ Festival Nuits d’Afrique<br>
August 4<sup>th</sup> Laytonville, CA @ The Gaia Festival <br>
<b>Sept 7<sup>th</sup> Columbus, OH @ BiCentennial Park Performing Arts Pavilion
</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Sept 8<sup>th</sup> Bowling Green, OH @ Black Swamp Arts Festival<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black"><br>
</span><span style="color:black">For more information on <b>Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars</b>, please contact:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color:black">Press Here<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color:black">212-246-2640<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color:black">Carla Senft<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color:black"><a href="mailto:carla@pressherepublicity.com" target="_blank">carla@pressherepublicity.com</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium","sans-serif";color:purple">Carla Senft</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium","sans-serif";color:purple">Press Here
</span><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium","sans-serif";color:purple">138 West 25th Street, 9th Floor</span><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium","sans-serif";color:purple">New York, New York 10001</span><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium","sans-serif";color:purple">Phone: 212-246-2640</span><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium","sans-serif";color:purple">Fax: 212-582-6513</span><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.presshere.com"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium","sans-serif";color:blue">www.presshere.com</span></a><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/presshere" title="http://twitter.com/presshere"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue">http://twitter.com/presshere</span></a><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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