RFF Staff
Mariachi Mariposas

mariachi
Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Mariachi Mariposas, based in the Rio Grande Valley, is a groundbreaking all-female mariachi ensemble redefining a tradition long dominated by men. Founded in 2012 by educator and musician, Mayra García, the group has become a driving force in preserving and keeping the flame for mariachi music. Everywhere they go, the band’s elegant purple traje de charro—the traditional filigreed suit of the mariachi—proclaims their status as both women and mariachi; as mariposas (butterflies) who are gracefully evolving the music that they love and representing their culture. As Mayra García declares, “We’re very proud to be from the Rio Grande Valley…because the Valley has such a rich culture, you know, it’s a big part of us and who we are.”

Mariachi Mariposas

Agalisiga “Chuj” Mackey

Agalisiga “Chuj” Mackey

country
Salina, Oklahoma

Cherokee musician and educator, Agalisiga “Chuj” Mackey, has been turning heads with a vibrant and fresh idea: country music sung entirely in Cherokee. With the goal to create projects that speak directly to different times and experiences—inspired by Māori language revivalists’ blueprints—Chuj Mackey is composing original music that speaks to his upbringings in the Cherokee Nation, as well as translating iconic country songs into Cherokee. Through his recordings and mesmerizing performances, with a deep and rich voice that draws equally from tones and inflections of Cherokee ceremonial song and the unhurried confidence of traditional country, Mackey says his goal is “to inspire people to create in the language on their own.”

Brinae Ali Quartet

Brinae Ali Quartet

tap dance
Baltimore, Maryland

Alexandria “Brinae Ali” Bradley is at the forefront of a new generation of artists who are using tap dance as a vehicle for both artistic expression and community activism. Besides being an exceptional dancer, choreographer, and teacher, she is applauded for her multifaceted talents as a playwright, spoken-word artist, singer-songwriter, and community organizer. In a recent review, the New York Times praised how her historically informed work “looks back to look forward.” Brinae is the co-founder of the Baltimore Jazz Collective, and her most recent work, The Baby Laurence Legacy Project, explores the history of Baltimore-bred dancer Laurence Donald Jackson and his impact on tap dance and jazz music.

Insun Park & Generals

Insun Park & Generals

Korean traditional mask dance and rock music
Seoul, South Korea

Direct from Seoul, South Korea, Insun Park & Generals offer a riveting and sometimes raucous blend of experimental Korean music and dance—part traditional, part rock—based primarily on the unique centuries-old Gangnyeong Mask Dance, designated as part of Korea’s National Intangible Heritage by UNESCO. Together Insun Park & Generals performances bridge ritual, social critique, and contemporary expression, while making this ancient Korean art form accessible to global audiences.

Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials

Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials

Chicago blues
Chicago, Illinois

With his blistering slide guitar riffs, raw-boned Chicago shuffles, and heartfelt slow blues, Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials have been aptly described as “the world’s #1 house-rocking blues band.” Not since the heyday of Hound Dog Taylor has a Chicago blues group served up such sizzling, rollicking sound. Lil’ Ed appears with his high-octane band of 38 years, the Blues Imperials, which features guitarist Michael Wolancevich, bassist James “Pookie” Young, and drummer Kelly Littleton, who each provide impeccable backup for Williams’s charismatic music.

Mariachi Mariposas

Mariachi Mariposas

mariachi
Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Mariachi Mariposas, based in the Rio Grande Valley, is a groundbreaking all-female mariachi ensemble redefining a tradition long dominated by men. Founded in 2012 by educator and musician, Mayra García, the group has become a driving force in preserving and keeping the flame for mariachi music. Everywhere they go, the band’s elegant purple traje de charro—the traditional filigreed suit of the mariachi—proclaims their status as both women and mariachi; as mariposas (butterflies) who are gracefully evolving the music that they love and representing their culture. As Mayra García declares, “We’re very proud to be from the Rio Grande Valley…because the Valley has such a rich culture, you know, it’s a big part of us and who we are.”

Reverie Road

Reverie Road

Irish
New York, New York, and Chicago, Illinois

Reverie Road is a powerhouse group adding fresh ideas and boundless energy to Irish music—looking “beyond the horizon of the tradition," according to The Irish Echo. Band members Winifred Horan, John Williams, Katie Grennan, and Utsav Lal bring a lifetime of experience from legendary groups such as Solas, Cherish the Ladies, and Gaelic Storm, and each is steeped in far-flung Irish musical traditions, from Dublin to New York City to Chicago.

Swanky Kitchen Band

Swanky Kitchen Band

Caymanian kitchen dance music
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Swanky Kitchen Band is on a quest to revive the traditional music of the Cayman Islands. Set amidst the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea, the three tiny islands are home to kitchen dance music, an infectiously danceable fiddle-driven style. The kitchen dance sound, created through a crossroads of European and African influences, nearly disappeared save for the efforts of Swanky Kitchen Band, the last of the Caymanian kitchen bands. “Swanky,” as the group is known to its fan base, was founded by fiddler Samuel Rose, at a time when development and societal change nearly ended the genre. The band adds a modern twist to their Caymanian heritage with more contemporary instruments, creating a 10-piece powerhouse dance band.

The Chuck Brown Band

The Chuck Brown Band

go-go
Washington, D.C.

What better way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of go-go, the official music of Washington, D.C., than by welcoming back the Chuck Brown Band, now led by Wiley Brown, son of the “Godfather of Go-Go,” Chuck Brown. The go-go sound is firmly rooted in D.C.’s Black neighborhoods; created, nurtured, and sustained by a whole community over generations, but almost everyone agrees that the originator of the sound was guitarist, singer, and bandleader Chuck Brown and his band The Soul Searchers. Nearly 15 years after the passing of their legendary founder and bandleader, the pioneering group continues to lay down the signature go-go beat for legions of fans nationwide.

Wyatt Ellis

Wyatt Ellis

bluegrass
Maryville, Tennessee

When a musician makes a guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry at age 13, people take notice. In just a few short years since that 2023 performance, Wyatt Ellis has blazed his own path through the bluegrass world, being widely recognized as one of the most exciting young performers and composers in the genre. While firmly grounded in the traditions of the bluegrass greats, Ellis continues to push the music into the future with original compositions and virtuosic musicianship.