Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival

The Watts Towers Arts Center Campus has announced the lineup for its annual celebrated multicultural two-day entertainment extravaganza featuring jazz, drum-based music, poetry and dance from around the world on Saturday, Sept. 28 (10 a.m. – 6 p.m.),  with its 42^nd Annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival and on Sunday, Sept. 29 (10 a.m. – 6 p.m.),  the 47^th Annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival.  Both Festivals are free and taking place at the Watts Towers Arts Center Campus, 1727 E. 107^th Street, in Watts. Free street and valet parking are available.

Presented by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and produced by Rosie Lee Hooks, Director and Curator of the Watts Towers Arts Center Campus, the 42^nd Annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival on Saturday features drum-based music, poetry and dance from around the world!  Experience performances by “Danza Azteca Xochipilli” (Aztec traditional dancing and drums); “Hemant Kulkarni” (Tabla solo accompanied by Makheer Singh on Dilruba); “African Peruvian Experience” (presenting African Ancestors from Peru); “TAIKOPROJECT” (Taiko group based in Little Tokyo); “IGABA” (Ron Powell’s journey through Brazil and the Diaspora); “Jaz Sawyer Drum Summit” (teaming with two young percussionists Emi Desiré and Aisha Gaillard); and “Leon Mobley – Da Lion” (traditional African American drum music).

The 47^th Annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival on Sunday features a lineup of internationally acclaimed musicians for an unforgettable day of jazz including “Alaadun” (Yoruba ground blessing uniting all cultures based on common themes and principles); contemporary R&B artist “Kevin Flournoy”; Italian jazz and west coast soul by “The Jasmine Tommaso Group”; Delta-Chicago Jazz and Blues with a touch of R&B by “Kirk Andrés Wilson”; “Tai Chi Chuan” (School of Healing Martial Arts); renown community musician and artist “Nedra Wheeler & Friends” (honoring jazz legends and celebrating young prodigies; “Medusa Tha Gangsta Goddess;” and “Munyungo’s Jungle Jazz” (jungle groove music that makes you move).

“This year’s lineup reflects a very dynamic and eclectic combination of next generation jazz musicians who reflect the diverse tapestry of jazz and its genres” says Rosie Lee Hooks, Director, and Curator of the Watts Towers Arts Center Campus agrees. “It’s a celebration of drums, jazz and cultures that offers an opportunity for families to enjoy and create lasting memories.  We always make these annual festivals truly memorable. More musicians and visual artists have come from Watts than any other similar community in Southern California.”

Both Festivals feature children’s workshops, tours of the Noah Purifoy & Charles Mingus galleries, universal drum circle, craft stalls, vendors and a food court offering a variety of delicious options. These family-friendly events blend traditional and contemporary jazz and multicultural percussion, offering a delightful outing for music and rhythm enthusiasts of all ages.

Festival Activities:

Guided Tours – Nuestro Pueblo, The Watts Towers (11AM – 5PM)

Drum Pavillion – Universal Drum Circle led by Matt Gibson III

Noah Purifoy Gallery – “A Woman in Charge” by Robin Strayhorn

Charles Mingus Youth Arts Center – Children’s Activities (11AM – 4:30PM)

Garden Studio Gallery – Tiling and Garden Activities

Watts Towers Amphitheater

Food Court