Baltimore’s arts council, event center and film office. A nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
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SoBo Summer Music Series
The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) presents the SoBo Summer Music Series on Saturday, June 1 through Saturday, August 24, 2019. The series features live music concerts and special events throughout South Baltimore.
Widely known and emerging Baltimore-based musicians perform various genres including blues, brass band, funk, jazz, R&B, reggae and timba. The 2019 SoBo Summer Music Series is produced by BOPA and supported by the Maryland State Arts Council, South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, Catholic Charities, Rhythms & Reels, South Baltimore Community Association, Youth Resiliency Institute, Baltimore City Recreation and Parks and the City of Baltimore.
These events activate green spaces and community gathering locations in less visited neighborhoods in the South Baltimore including Carroll Park, Cherry Hill, Lakeland, Mt. Winans, Sharp-Leadenhall and Westport. This area is an entrance point for many visitors to Baltimore City and home to major attractions including the American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore Museum of Industry, Fort McHenry and Gwynns Falls Trail.
A full schedule of events is below. Events include ones produced specifically for the series as well as existing events with a music component.
June 2019
Rufus Roundtree & Da B’More Brass Factory
Saturday, June 8, 2019, 6–8pm
Mt. Winans
2400 S. Paca St., Baltimore, MD 21230
Formally trained musicians Rufus Roundtree and Da B’More Brass Factory infuse the essence of the New Orleans brass band sound that defines the mardi gras experience with a hometown contemporary flare, and recreates versions of R&B and hip-hop songs with funk, neo-soul and jazz elements. This is not the traditional band; this is truly an invigorating experience.
THE PANAMA BAND, DJ Grown Man & Special Guests
Wednesday, June 19, 2019, 1–7pm
Cherry Hill Shopping Center
634 Cherry Hill Rd., Baltimore, MD 21230
Panama Band was formed 23 years ago by two brothers, Robert Lee and Gerald Lee. The Lee Brothers’ careers were launched at the age of 12 and 15, performing on shows with the late Eddie Kendricks, The O’Jays, The Softones, and Rick James, among others. Panama Band’s repertoire includes all types of music including pop, R&B, rock ‘n’ roll, disco, hip-hop, ballads and raw funk.
Solo Gibbs Movie Night featuring DJ Cool Curtis Strong
Saturday, June 22, 2019, 5–8pm
Solo Gibbs Park
1044 Leadenhall St., Baltimore, MD 21201
A Sharp-Leadenhall favorite, DJ Cool Curtis Strong spins contemporary and old school R&B and hip-hop.
Lakeland Day - Jazz in the Park - featuring the D.C. CUBAN ALL STARS
Saturday, June 29, 2019, 6–8pm
Lakeland Elementary School
2921 Stranden Rd., Baltimore, MD 21230
Afro-Cuban saxophonist Luis Faife unites his upbringing in Holguin, Cuba, with singer and composer Juan Del Risco from Havana, Cuba. Under Faife and Risco’s direction, the D.C. Cuban All Stars perform live Cuban timba music, showcasing both traditional and contemporary Cuban.
Underground Experience Festival
Saturday June 29, 2019, 10am–7pm
Middle Branch Park
3301 Waterview Ave., Baltimore, MD 21230
The second annual Underground Experience Festival at Middle Branch Park is the premier event for electronic dance music and arts in Baltimore. The 2019 festival lineup includes: Wayne Davis, Mandrill Harris, Sam Burns, Jordan Pope, Terry Thompson, DJ Pope and Aaron K. Gray.
July 2019
Saturday, July 6, 2019, 11am
Baltimore Museum of Industry
1415 Key Hwy., Baltimore, MD 21230
Kristin Forbes/Lady Hatchet leads the punky reggae crew, The Scotch Bonnets, and has backed HR of Bad Brains and Roddy Radiation of The Specials. She performs with Olivia Mancini & The Mates, The Players Band, Strykers Posse, The Slackers, The Toasters, The Pietasters, as well as duo acoustic gigs with The Almighty Senators’ Landis Expandis.
Saturday, July 13, 2019, 5–8pm
Solo Gibbs Park
1044 Leadenhall St., Baltimore, MD 21201
A Sharp-Leadenhall favorite, DJ Cool Curtis Strong spins contemporary and old school R&B and hip-hop.
Saturday, July 13, 2019, 11am–7pm
Carroll Park
1500 Washington Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21230
Come to Carroll Park and experience Fiesta Latina, the first festival in South Baltimore celebrating salsa dancing. Get to know the diverse culture of South Baltimore, amazing dancers and delicious food. The day includes dance classes, performances, live band concerts and salsa.
August 2019
Saturday August 3, 2019, 5–8pm
Solo Gibbs Park
1044 Leadenhall St., Baltimore, MD 21201
Solo Gibbs Heritage Festival features music by DJ Cool Curtis Strong, who spins contemporary and old school R&B and hip-hop, and Baltimore-based trumpet player Theljon Allen, whose decades-long career includes collaborations with Ledisi, Janet Jackson, Lonnie Liston Smith and Cyrus Chestnut, among others.
Saturday August 3, 2019, 11am
Baltimore Museum of Industry
1415 Key Hwy., Baltimore, MD 21230
Jahiti is a singer-songwriter based in Baltimore. As part of Baltimore’s legendary group Brown FISH and as a solo artist, he has performed throughout the U.S., Canada and Jamaica for the past 15 years. Bringing his own brand of roots, reggae and soul, Jahiti continues to build his solo legacy while remaining close to the spirit of the Brown FISH name.
Saturday August 10, 2019, 6–8pm
Cherry Hill Community Garden
Cherry Hill Road and Veronica Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21230
Baltimore-based saxophonist and trumpeter Clarence Ward III pours heart and complex emotion into the fiber of his sound. Standing as a major influencer in the development of Baltimore’s present jazz sound and scene, Ward’s lionheart positions him on the vanguard, reinforcing jazz music as a vital voice for these modern times.
Saturday, August 24, 2019, 6–8pm
Westport Academy
2401 Nevada St., Baltimore, MD 21230
Theljon Allen, a native of Baltimore, began playing trumpet in the sixth grade. Allen has played and or recorded with many music acts including Ledisi, Janet Jackson, Lonnie Liston Smith and Cyrus Chestnut, among others.