Hamsa Lila

World music band Hamsa Lila will be returning to the San Francisco Bay area after a three year hiatus to headline a gala event benefiting Common Vision and featuring the legendary Brazilian drum master Airto Moreira. The event is an official Green Festival SF After-Dark event at the renowned Regency Ballroom on Saturday, November 14, 2009.

Hamsa Lila blew up the West Coast world music scene with their hypnotic world fusion sounds back in 2004, when their album Gathering One went to number two on both U.S. and Canadian world music charts. Their infusion of West and North African influences, and multi-lingual, trance-inducing songs had crowds dancing like never before at festivals like Earthdance, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, and High Sierra Music Festival, as well as packing concert venues like The Fillmore and The Independent. Hamsa Lila's unique blend of traditional instruments and influences along with modern electronic elements brought them international acclaim as a pioneering band in the world fusion genre, who's membership have played with the likes of Paul Simon, Sting, Michael Franti, Ozomatli, Hugh Masekela, Mickey Hart, and many others.

The Brazilian musical legend Airto Moreira will be heralded as the super-star special guest, leading a group of world drum masters (TBA) in a rhythmic ceremony to kick off the evening, and then performing alongside Hamsa Lila throughout their set. Airto is a multi-instrumentalist/percussionist who has worked with some of the world's all time greats like Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Santana, Paul Simon, Smashing Pumpkins, Chick Corea, and a host of others. He's recorded numerous albums over a stellar career that spans four decades, and his recent release entitled Life After That (Narada - Virgin/EMI) has helped to win him the title as the best jazz/fusion percussionist of 2009 by DRUM! magazine.

Common Vision is a 501 (c) 3 organization that works with inner city schools planting fruit trees, traveling throughout California in bio-diesel powered coach buses and teaching young people about growing food and taking care of the Earth. To date the organization has worked with over 50,000 kids, and planted tens of thousands of fruit trees all over the state. Learn More about Common Vision here.

This special evening will be packed with guests, including Bill Rasaki, King Sunny Ade's Master Talking drummer for 25 years. Rasaki will be performing an opening set with Airto called Planetary Pulse. Additional Master Drummers will be announced soon.

Other acts to perform include Lynx & Janover, DJ Jef Stott (6 Degrees), and DJ Dragonfly.

The evening will also include visual projections by master artists and VJs and the world renowned National Geographic South American photographer Sebastian Belaustegui will be showcasing his African's in the Americas exhibit as well.

Tickets are on sale now here and here. Tickets are $22 in advance, $28 day of show, and $50 for special VIP passes.