This year's JP Porchfest will not be like any other before it, as it's taking place over two days, at 33 different locations across Jamaica Plain
This year is Dunamis first year of organizing JP Porchfest, and this year has a focus on BIPOC musicians.
There are three main porches being curated by JP Porchfest's community partners and featuring varied performers and musical styles:
- Rogerson House, 434 Jamaicaway, community partners: Meraki Productions and CEI
- Eliot School, 24 Eliot Street, community partners: Dorchester Art Project and Cultural Agora.
- Sam Adams Porch, 30 Germaina St, Community Partner: Urbano Project.
There is something for everyone's musical tastes this year. On Saturday there will be two lively group performances at the Anna M Cole Community Center at the Mildred Hailey Apartments (10 Lamartine St.). At 1:30 pm, the Tempo International Rhythm and Steel Band will perform. The group includes percussionists primarily from Trinidad and Tobago and play handmade indigenous instruments from Africa, Asia, Trinidad and "anything that can create a sound." At 2:30 pm, local favorite School of Honk will perform, which is a community street band and music school. The larger Jamaica Plain Honkband is performing on Aug. 22 from 1:15-2:15 pm at 470 Centre St.
If you're looking for rather opposite performances then you'll want to bounce from 39 Oakview Terrace to 470 Centre St. on Saturday from 11 am to noon. The JP@Home Singers is a local group of seniors who will perform and lead a singalong, and the Grateful Dead tribute band Citizens' Dead will once again play Dead songs and the like at JP Porchfest.
But wait, there's actually a second Grateful Dead tribute band performing this year at JP Porchfest! Lock Bolt and Key (564 Centre St., Aug. 22, 3-4 pm) is a 5-piece Dead tribute band with a modern twist featuring a pedal steel guitarist.
Do you want to dance? Los Gallos Locos (21 Starr Lane, Aug. 21, 11:30 am -12:30 pm) plays classic Latín songs that you can dance to. Check out RELEASE Your DANCE with DJ SavSoul spinning deep, soulful, Afro house music from 11 am to 4 pm at 633 Centre St. on Aug. 21.
Truly, there are so many unique performers participating this year. natural calling (Aug. 22, 58 Pershing Road, 12-12:30) features Jeff playing various Native American flutes. Saafyr (Aug. 22, 7 Park Place, 12:15-12:45 pm) will be showcasing music to unblock the sacral chakra, as Saafyr specializes her performances in rap, poetry, dance, and ASL.
Another popular spot is the Wenham Street Cinema, which is hosting music on both days from noon to 3 pm with live music from T.S. I Love You; The Roland High Life; The New Limits; Oh, Glory!; and Lynn Bailey Witty.
And these are just a handful of the many performers that will be distributed throughout Jamaica Plain on Saturday and Sunday. Please visit the JP Porchfest site to learn about all of the performers.
Times and descriptions of performers are available on the JP Porchfest website. Click here for a full schedule for both days.