Pascal Bokar AfroBlueGrazz

All Ruins Tuesdays & Thursday shows are a $3 cover if you arrive before 7pm, and $8 cover if you arrive after that. Doors open at 5:30pm. No early entry! We aren’t ready for you until 5:30pm…. The shows are all-ages until 7pm and then 21+ after.
Food Vendor: Indian Bowls & Rolls.

The name “AfroBlueGrazz” derives from combining Afro-Funk, Blues, Bluegrass and Jazz to form a completely new sound blending the familiarity heard across a multi-genre performance. Pascal Bokar, as a music composer, vocalist, and guitarist, proudly expresses the musical textures of his Senegalese and Malian roots by including fiddle, balafon, and banjo in the band.

Born in Paris, France and raised in Mali and Senegal, West Africa, Pascal had a chance growing up to hear the musical, harmonic, melodic, rhythmic, dance and spoken words traditions of West African music and culture that informed his heritage through the musical legacies of instruments such as the Ngoni (banjo) or balafon (ancestor of xylophone) which will later define the early cultural and musical foundations of the American South through the migrations of West Africans through the Atlantic Slave Trade (1550-1888). “As a musician, I have always tried to synthesize the convergence of African esthetics and appreciate their influence in the music of the African American communities of the American South, from the rural sounds of the Blues and Gospel into this music we call Jazz.”

He has performed with Jazz Greats Dizzy Gillespie, Donald Byrd, Donald Bailey, Donald Brown etc…and is the recipient of the Outstanding Jazz Soloist Award presented by Dizzy Gillespie and James Moody. In 1999, he received his Master’s Degree from Cambridge College, Massachusetts, USA and in 2006 received his Doctoral Degree Summa Cum Laude from the Graduate School of Education of the University of San Francisco, CA USA.
One of Pascal Bokar’s previous recordings, “Guitar Balafonics”, was selected by Downbeat Magazine as one of the “Best CDs of 2015.”and received a 4 star review. Pascal Bokar is listed in Jazz journalist Scott Yanov’s Book entitled “Great Jazz Guitars” published by Hal Leonard.
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Pascal has been a headliner at more than 50 Jazz festivals nationwide and has performed in Europe and Japan.
Things to note:

1. This year there will be no re-entry once you have paid and entered the show. We will be creating a smoking-area that will be accessible without having to leave the property.
2. There is limited seating available, so if having a seat/table is important to you, we suggest arriving when the doors open at 5:30pm.
3. There will be no longer be a Locals Thursday series. We’re changing Thursdays to just mirror what we do on Tuesdays, with touring, regional, and national bands. We will still have plenty of local talent gracing our stage this year in support roles.
4. We still don’t allow dogs! Dogs are great, but it would be dog madness if we let them attend shows. We’d also really prefer if you didn’t leave them unattended in your vehicle.
5. Outside alcohol is NOT ALLOWED! Violators will be 86’d and publicly shamed.
6. The parking lot does NOT belong to The Ruins. Yes, the actual owners of the parking lot expect you to pay to park. It’s usually about $4. It’s not our deal. We highly encourage people to walk, ride their bikes, or carpool. This year we will have a massively larger bike rack available as well.
7. Tail-gating is not allowed in the Mt Hood Railroad parking lot. They are implementing a “no open containers” policy for their entire lot. Please respect their wishes and help us to maintain a positive relationship with our community and neighbors.
8. We do rent out the Grotto Bar and/or the Indoor Bar during concerts, for birthdays, business receptions, etc. Email info@theruins.org for more information.
9. Ruins Tuesdays are May through August. Ruins Thursdays are June through August. For other non-Tues/Thurs concerts, please see our website at www.theruins.org/music-calendar
10. Each Tues/Thurs show all summer we’ve invited a “Featured Non-Profit” to be at the event, to fundraise and provide info.
11. We will be bringing back the Makers’ Market this year as well. It will be every Tuesday starting on 6/4.

https://www.facebook.com/events/443085278275648/