NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 1, 2006) — Yamaha Corporation of America has donated gear to The Refugee All Stars, a group of six Sierra Leonean musicians who formed a band while living as refugees in the West African nation of Guinea. The Yamaha gear this special group will use back home in Africa and on their upcoming summer tour include: the
Maple Custom professional drum set; the
S90ES, an 88-note weighted action digital piano and synthesizer; the
BBT500H, a lightweight digital bass amplifier; and the BBT410S speakers.
Forced from their homes by a brutal, decade long civil war in Sierra Leone, the band is the subject of an award-winning feature length documentary, also entitled
The Refugee All Stars, which was written, produced and directed by Zach Niles and Banker White. The film follows the band over the course of three years and their performances in refugee camps and their eventual return to war-ravaged Freetown, Sierra Leone.
"The Refugee All Stars are a true testament to how music can transform your life and help you transcend even the worst of circumstances. Yamaha is honored to assist these courageous and hard-working musicians who refused to accept the injustices that surrounded them," comments Chris Gero, corporate director of Yamaha Corporate Artist Affairs.
The film has also spawned a two-disc album,
Living Like a Refugee, which showcases The Refugee All Stars' soulful mix of traditional West African music, reggae and classic R&B. All proceeds from the album sales go directly to the band. The income generated thus far has paid the school fees for their children, their rent, and supported the band and their families since they have returned home to Sierra Leone.
The Refugee All Stars' new Yamaha gear will certainly enhance the already beautiful message-oriented songs that decry the insanities of war and call out for social justice. Fans will have a chance to hear the music live on the Refugee All Stars summer tour, which begins June 14 in Edgartown, Massachusetts. The band will also make stops throughout the summer in North American cities such as Miami, New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto and Montreal. They will play the popular Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, Tenn. on June 18 and even travel to Japan for the Fuji Rock Festival in July.
Band members include Ruben M. Koroma, Francis John Langba, Abdul Rahim Kamara, Grace Efuah Ampomah, Alhadji Jefferey Kamara, and Mohamed Bangura. They are a diverse group, but all share a common bond born through a collective history of war, loss and displacement.
For more information on The Refugee All Stars, please visit
www.refugeeallstars.org.
