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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 17th, 2023 - Los Angeles, California CONTACT: Craig S. Hyman Numinous Music Email: craigshyman@gmail.com Phone: (917)-854-6315 SIA TOLNO & AFRO DEAD announce the brand new Sia Tolno single and music video “Baya”. “Sia Tolno’s strapping, pliable alto is sometimes likened to that of South African singer and activist, Miriam Makeba — and, in grittier moments, to a female version of the percussive Afrobeat groaner Fela Kuti”……..Washington Post “It's a beautiful fusion of Afro beat rhythms, the timeless songs of the Grateful Dead and an incredibly strong African female vocalist. I love it!” ………Matt Butler - founder/conductor Everyone Orchestra, Founder Musical Sojourns Sia Tolno & Afro Dead – Electronic Press Kit (EPK) Sia Tolno is an award-winning global touring & recording artist, vocalist and songwriter, from Guinea/Sierra Leone, steeped in Afrobeat, Afro-blues, Mandinga and Soukous styles of African popular music. Her music is both personal and universal, singing about her unique past while making it relevant to the global masses. She has worked with Tony Allen (Musical director for Fela Kuti) and Lusafrica records, and her new album is being recorded in Barcelona produced by Aaron Feder in collaboration with Slow Walk Music. Afro Dead is a musical collective from Africa, Europe and the USA, which is music directed by Aaron Feder and featuring the talented Guinean singer Sia Tolno and Diakanké guitarist Yaya Dambakate. Aaron Feder is the founder of Alma Afrobeat Ensemble (credited with 5 albums and 4 US tours) and is a multi-instrumentalist with many years of extensive experience with Grateful Dead music, including playing and recording with members of Phil and Friends, Oteil and Friends, Peter Rowan and more. Sia Tolno an award-winning recording artist, vocalist and songwriter, brings to the collective her years of extensive global live performance touring. Yaya Dambakate is a Griot musician who comes from a long tradition of modern and traditional musicians and has toured & recorded with an endless list of African musical royalty. Live Performance Video Links: SIA TOLNO – ”Ibe” AFRO DEAD - "The Other One” Future plans for the bands include extensive US, North America & European Touring, starting this summer 2023, and next winter, spring and summer 2024, followed by another new record release in 2024. Sia Tolno & Afro Dead are already poised for even greater success given their current, substantially blossoming & previously existing fan base in the US and North America as well as in Africa, France & Spain. Largely embraced by both the African & World Music communities as well as the Grateful Dead & Jam band communities, they encompass a wider appeal than most bands and attract an extremely loyal lifestyle audience unlike any other, and in turn, their demographic is threefold! Sia Tolno & Afro Dead can be followed via their social media: Sia Tolno Facebook Sia Tolno Instagram Sia Tolno YouTube Afro Dead Facebook Afro Dead Instagram Afro Dead YouTube SIA TOLNO Website AFRO DEAD Website For Press, Industry & Bookings Contact - Craig S. Hyman For Numinous Music @ craigshyman@gmail.com or call (917)-854-6315 * NOW BOOKING Available US, Canada & Europe Tour Dates: June – September 2023 -&- January 1- 14, March 22 – April 7, May 23 – September 30th, 2024. This tour is sponsored and supported by the kindness of the following institutions, individuals, and organizations – PICE, AC/E, Numinous Music, Slow Walk Music, Kingsland Music, France Rocks & WOMR. ####
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 2nd, 2023 - Los Angeles, California CONTACT: Craig S. Hyman Numinous Music Email: craigshyman@gmail.com Phone: (917)-854-6315 SIA TOLNO & AFRO DEAD announce their first round of US Summer 2023 tour dates and the brand new Sia Tolno EP record release. Additional tour dates to be announced soon! “Sia Tolno’s strapping, pliable alto is sometimes likened to that of South African singer and activist, Miriam Makeba — and, in grittier moments, to a female version of the percussive Afrobeat groaner Fela Kuti”……..Washington Post “It's a beautiful fusion of Afro beat rhythms, the timeless songs of the Grateful Dead and an incredibly strong African female vocalist. I love it!” ………Matt Butler - founder/conductor Everyone Orchestra, Founder Musical Sojourns Sia Tolno & Afro Dead – Electronic Press Kit (EPK) Sia Tolno is an award-winning global touring & recording artist, vocalist and songwriter, from Guinea/Sierra Leone, steeped in Afrobeat, Afro-blues, Mandinga and Soukous styles of African popular music. Her music is both personal and universal, singing about her unique past while making it relevant to the global masses. She has worked with Tony Allen (Musical director for Fela Kuti) and Lusafrica records, and her new album is being recorded in Barcelona produced by Aaron Feder in collaboration with Slow Walk Music. Afro Dead is a musical collective from Africa, Europe and the USA, which is music directed by Aaron Feder and featuring the talented Guinean singer Sia Tolno and Diakanké guitarist Yaya Dambakate. Aaron Feder is the founder of Alma Afrobeat Ensemble (credited with 5 albums and 4 US tours) and is a multi-instrumentalist with many years of extensive experience with Grateful Dead music, including playing and recording with members of Phil and Friends, Oteil and Friends, Peter Rowan and more. Sia Tolno an award-winning recording artist, vocalist and songwriter, brings to the collective her years of extensive global live performance touring. Yaya Dambakate is a Griot musician who comes from a long tradition of modern and traditional musicians and has toured & recorded with an endless list of African musical royalty. Live Performance Video Links: SIA TOLNO - "Kelema" AFRO DEAD - "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" Sia Tolno & Afro Dead are very excited to announce their first set of Tour Dates for the US Summer 2023 tour, with more dates to be announced soon! Here are the first round of dates: Sia Tolno’s new EP recording “Baya” will be released to the public on May 2nd, 2023, and will be supported by her First US Tour this summer along with Afro Dead. The record, released on Slow Walk Music, was recorded in Barcelona, Spain, and Produced by Aaron Feder who is also the Music Director For both the Sia Tolno and Afro Dead bands. Sia says about the new EP that “This recording is mostly about Joy and determination. I started writing some of these songs during the pandemic lock down. It was important for me because while the whole world was in its darkest moment, I thought it was necessary to bring back the sunlight through inspiration from my music and writing. With the arrangements of Aaron Feder every song came to life. Now this is a gift from us to the world.” The Track Listing Is As Follows: 1) “Baya” - A rhyming Afrobeat/Blues song typically danced to by happy villagers during fiesta. 2) “Kelema” - A type of desert blues song sung by a woman calling on her entire village to come dance the fire dance for her man. 3) “Ibe” - A tinge of reggae/rocksteady about determination for women and the youth of today, telling them to work hard for a better future. 4) “Weather Song” - Influenced by modern Afrobeats, about how humans should take responsibility for cleaning-up and taking care of the earth. Sia’s new EP runs the gamut of modern African styles, from the blues infused Afro Beat of the title track, “Baya”, to the desert blues influence present in “Kelema”. Add to that “Weather Song”, with its roots in Modern Afrobeats, and “Ibe” with a tinge of reggae, and you have a well-rounded, powerful 4 song EP which represents the next step in the evolution of Sia Tolno’s long and storied career. This new EP is much of modern traditional style blending the Nigerian afrobeat and the Mandinga guitar style from Guinea and the Sahara of Mali with choruses from the forest of Guinea and Sierra Leone. It is sung in four different languages: Kissi, Mendi, Creole and English. The songs are about liberty, empowerment of African women, climate change, love, children’s education and peace. The Musicians & Production On The EP Are: Sia Tolno: Lead and background vocals Aaron Feder: Electric and pedal steel guitars, bass (Weather Song) Yaya Dambakate: Mandinga guitar Eric Mills: Bass (Baya, Kelema, Ibe) Juan Oliva: Keyboards (Baya, Kelema, Ibe) Tato Sassone: Drums and percussion Fletcher Ventura: Electric guitars (Kelema and Ibe) Carlos Santos: Saxophones and flute (Baya and Weather Song) Recorded at Slow Sound Studio by Aaron Feder, Vallestage Music Factory (Kelema, Ibe) by Fernando Redondo, and Frank Schmidt at Studio Barberousse Mixed by Aaron Feder at Slow Sound Studio Mastered by Alfonso Almiñana at Audiomagic Produced by Aaron Feder and Sia Tolno All songs by Sia Tolno with Aaron Feder Special thanks to Javi Zarco, and to Alan Mekel (field recordings in Kaui, Hawaii) EP Cover Photo by Najib Al Araki, cover design by Aaron Feder While in the US for the summer 2023 Tour, Sia Tolno & Afro Dead will be recording new songs that will yield a full-length record projected to be released in 2024. Future plans for the bands include extensive US, North America & European Touring, starting this summer 2023, and next winter, spring and summer 2024, followed by another new record release in 2024. Sia Tolno & Afro Dead are already poised for even greater success given their current, substantially blossoming & previously existing fan base in the US and North America as well as in Africa, France & Spain. Largely embraced by both the African & World Music communities as well as the Grateful Dead & Jam band communities, they encompass a wider appeal than most bands and attract an extremely loyal lifestyle audience unlike any other, and in turn, their demographic is threefold! Sia Tolno & Afro Dead can be followed via their social media: Sia Tolno Facebook Sia Tolno Instagram Sia Tolno YouTube Afro Dead Facebook Afro Dead Instagram Afro Dead YouTube SIA TOLNO Website AFRO DEAD Website For Press, Industry & Bookings Contact - Craig S. Hyman For Numinous Music @ craigshyman@gmail.com or call (917)-854-6315 * NOW BOOKING Available US, Canada & Europe Tour Dates: June – September 2023 -&- January 1- 14, March 22 – April 7, May 23 – September 30th, 2024. This tour is sponsored and supported by the kindness of the following institutions, individuals, and organizations – PICE, AC/E, Numinous Music, Slow Walk Music, Kingsland Music, France Rocks & WOMR. ####