Global Union promises an eclectic collection of concerts
Imagine attending a free concert where the acts are foreign, unknown, and dynamic. This weekend, Alverno’s Global Union promises to blow you away by a band you never heard of. It’s also a great opportunity to enjoy one of the last few summer weekends in Wisconsin.
This yearly event, produced by Alverno College, has brought world music acts to Milwaukee since 2006. The festival transforms Humboldt Park one late summer weekend into a world music stage. It draws an audience that crosses social and ethnic lines.
Ravel has his favorites but won’t reveal them. “It is truly a world music festival with a broad global representation. After six years, we have a pretty good idea of what works, and that’s music that gets people up and dancing.”
Ravel’s festival is part of an upper Midwest consortium that brings world class artists to a regional circuit. Among them are Lotus Music Festival in Bloomington, Indiana, and both Madison and Chicago world music festivals. Numerous Milwaukee area businesses fund Global Union.
Here is this year’s Global Union lineup.
Diblo Dibala: A celebrated Congolese guitarist known for his masterful skill, crowned the “Master of Soukous Music.” Soukous music is categorized as dance music which originated from both the Belgian Congo and French Congo territories during the 1930s and ‘40s (1 p.m. Saturday).
Bomba Estereo: A self described “electro-tropical” band from Colombia, Bomba Estereo combines traditional Colombian Cumbia with modern electro music, creating a sound uniquely their own (2:30 p.m. Saturday).
Kultur Shock: Led by singer/songwriter Gino Srdjan Yevdjevich, a former Yugoslav pop star turned anarchist, Kultur Shock combines western rock with thought provoking content for the audience. It garners support from other prominent artists such as System of a Down and Gogol Bordello, the latter being fellow tour mates (4:00 p.m. Saturday).
Sergent Garcia: Led by Spanish-French artist Bruno Garcia, Sergent Garcia’s music is heavily influenced by African, Latin and Carribean music to create an eclectic and original sound (1 p.m. Sunday).
Marco Calliari: A Quebec singer-songwriter with Italian roots, Marco Calliari celebrates his newest album Al Faro Est and single “We No Speak Americano,” a fun tune sure to get the Global Union audience on their feet dancing (2:30 p.m. Sunday).
Blitz the Ambassador: A Ghana native with a knack for socially conscious hip hop, Blitz the Ambassador is hailed by Rolling Stone as “the future of African music.” His performance will both entertain and pose a thought provoking perspective on social issues (4pm Sunday, September 18th).
Alverno’s Global Union will run from 12 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18 at Humboldt Park in Milwaukee.
