A historic meeting of NY's West African Griot (poet/storyteller/musician/historians) community performing in the spectacular gardens of Wave Hill overlooking the Hudson River. Artists from Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Mali, Sierra Leone, and Ivory Coast including Abdoulaye Diabate, voice, guitar; Tapani Sissoko, voice; Mai Kouyate, voice; Mmah Doumbouya, voice; Ayiba Bangoura, voice; Bebe Camara, voice; Sonah Dioubate, voice; Bailo Bah, timbin flute; Abdourahmane Mangara, gambare lute; Yacouba Sissoko, kora harp/lute; Salieu Susso, kora; Lankandia Cissoko, kora; Yacouba Diabate, kora; Mamady Kouyate, guitar; Mamady Kourouma, guitar; Famoro Dioubate, balafon marimba; Abou Sylla, balafon; Toumany Diabate, balafon, djembe percussion; and Makane Kouyate, percussion - will perform throughout the garden and together.

This event is produced by Isabel Soffer/Live Sounds and curated by Sylvain Leroux.

The Kyo Shin An Shakuhachi Dojo will play traditional music of the shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute). James Nyoraku Schlefer and seven students perform the haunting, penetrating music performed in Japan for centuries in an unbroken tradition associated with the practice of Zen Buddhist meditation.

The community-based Mariachi Academy of New York brings 15 students, aged 7-17, to perform the quintessential Mexican folk-derived music, mariachi. Performing classic rancheras and romantic boleros on vocals, violin, guitar, vihuela (guitar), guitarrón (bass guitar) and trumpet.

Members of the New York Arabic Orchestra take it to the streets at Bryant Park! Director Bassam Saba and his electrifying cast of musicians will perform an exciting set of dance-inspired music from the Arab World. Bring a picnic, or put on your dancing shoes to enjoy this upbeat set of popular Arabic rhythm and song!