Family Day: Mister G, Soul Street Dance, DJ ASHO

Mister G
A 2014 Latin GRAMMY nominee, Mister G is a former indie rocker who was awarded the first songwriting scholarship in the history of Berklee College of Music. Called a “kid-friendly bilingual rock star” by The Washington Post, Mister G is the winner of a Parents’ Choice Gold Award and was named one of the “Best Live Acts for Kids and Families.”  His CDs have been selected as best albums of the year by People Magazine, Parents magazine, Education.com, and The Washington Post.

Soul Street Dance
Houston based Soul Street Dance is one of the most dynamic premier street dance companies in existence. Their technical and artistic skills, stage presence, and wit allow them to push the performance envelope to an amazing standard of excellence. Although they are called a “Dance Company,” their talents far outstrip any one category. In addition to dance, Soul Street performers are actors, athletes (with uncanny strength), and lately, songwriters and musicians too.

DJ ASHO
Ariel Fernandez-Diaz aka DJ ASHO is a Cuban cultural ambassador who has held notable performing and curatorial residencies at institutions such as the Bronx Museum of the Arts and at numerous hip clubs up and down the Eastern seaboard and New York City. A dream came true when he was invited to offer his DJ distinctive repertoire at a very special Central Park SummerStage event a few years back. Known from Miami to Oakland, in the DC area, he was the catalyst behind AfroCuba! which brought a rich mix of fans together on a weekly basis. In Cuba, he was among a generation of Black youth who identified with Hip Hop as a form of musical resistance. Previously, he’s worked as an engineer, producer, DJ, and author/columnist having established a leading magazine for youth and young adults focused on Black culture and identity.  While he still considers himself a “Hip Hop head,” he’s deeply knowledgeable about the diverse music from his island nation. No musical set from DJ Asho is ever quite the same. Though, he does consistently combines amazing selections ranging from obscure and historical Yoruba tracks to the greatest hits from Timba and Son with nods to Fela and Boricua heavy weights such as Hector LaVoe and the Fania era. A musical ride with DJ Asho is pure alchemy; just the right dose of heady musicology and straight up fun to feed the mind and heal the soul.