DURHAM, N.C., Sept. 10, 2014 – The Art of Cool Festival (AOCFEST), a locally run, three-day music festival, has announced that Snarky Puppy, 2014 Grammy winners for Best R&B Performance for the song “Something,” will perform at the jazz and soul festival running from Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26, 2015.

Formed in Texas, the band now based in Brooklyn, New York, has become one of the most respected names in instrumental music, featuring a collective of nearly 40 musicians performing on instruments including guitars, pianos, keyboards, woodwinds, brass, percussion and strings. Led by Grammy Award-winning bassist, composer and producer Michael League, the group is committed to music education and community outreach. Snarky Puppy has worked with Roots of American Music (ROAM) in Cleveland and the Music Lab at Jefferson Center in Roanoke, Virginia, as well as given numerous clinics at colleges, high school and middle schools worldwide to help the younger generations get inspired by music and positivity. Additionally, in 2013 alone, Snarky Puppy had almost 200 performances and workshops on four continents. The group performs regularly with such artists as Erykah Badu, Snoop Dog, Kirk Franklin, Justin Timberlake, Roy Hargrove, Marcus Miller and others.

Launched in 2014, The Art of Cool Fest is Durham’s first world-class jazz and soul music festival. The three-day event combines two outdoor stages, five indoor music venues and over 30 world-class performances. The event presents artists that rarely appear in Durham or perform on the same lineup together. AOCFEST’s economic impact for the City of Durham was approximately $600,000 in direct and indirect spending in April 2014.

A Kickstarter campaign has been launched to raise $35,000 in operational funds by Friday, Sept. 19 to continue to book music talent. Pledges are needed to maintain the festival’s nonprofit status and to support the event in bringing world-class performers to Durham. Donations to its Kickstarter campaign can be made through http://aocfestival.org/.

To hear some of Snarky Puppy’s songs, including the Grammy winning, “Something,” visit http://snarkypuppy.com.

QUOTES:

“From underground to one of the most recognized names in instrumental music, Snarky Puppy will bring a unique mix of raw funk and jazz to the Art of Cool Fest,” said Cicely Mitchell, Dr.PH., president of Art of Cool. “We are excited to have this Grammy Award-winning music ensemble perform at the 2015 festival and are confident that their soulful sound will inspire and entertain.”

NEW MEDIA CONTENT:

The Art of Cool Project YouTube channel

http://www.youtube.com/user/Theartofcoolproject?feature=mhee

The Art of Cool Fest Kickstarter on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1445669675696163/

The Art of Cool on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/theaocproject

ABOUT THE ART OF COOL FESTIVAL:

The Art of Cool Festival is a three-day music festival with two outdoor stages, five indoor venues and more than 30 world-class performances presented by Art of Cool. More information about the festival can be found at http://www.aocfestival.org.

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