Central Park Sessions: The Southern Fried Session

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Thursday, Sept. 3, Central Park, 5-10 pm

Central Park Sessions are back to the familiar Thursday night setting with this fundraising concert that benefits the River Alliance of Wisconsin and the Madison Parks Foundation. Performers include Evan Murdock and the Imperfect Strangers (5 pm), Robbie Fulks (6:30 pm) and the Royal Southern Brotherhood (8:30 pm).

Press release:

The Greater Williamson Area Business (GWABA) presented the first three Central Park Sessions last year and the concerts were a huge musical success and also raised significant funds for six nonprofit partners. The second year of the Central Park Sessions will once again feature sensational music events that will be presented like hopefully no other year. Because of skate park construction in the eastern reaches of Central Park, this year's sessions (5 in all) are on three Thursdays -- the first being at Olbrich Park on July 30 and the last two on September 3 and 10. In between we will present a large Latin music day on Saturday, August 8, and the following weekend we will present the Bamako/ Blues Session on Sunday, August 16, while  sharing equipment and performers with the African Association of Madison's Africa Fest. Africa Fest will move over from Warner Park to Central Park this year for the first time and host a full day of music, dance and activities on Saturday, August 15. At every Session there will be a wonderful variety of food vendors complimenting the musical theme. An excellent selection of wine and beer will once again add to the enjoyment of the concerts. 

The Central Park Sessions: 

The Silk Road Session, July 30, at Olbrich Park, with Caravan Gypsy Swing Ensemble 5 pm, Dengue Fever 6:30 pm, Hanggai (Inner Mongolia) 8:30 pm. 

El Gran Sabado Session, Aug. 8, Central Park, with Grupo Candela 2 pm, Son Contrabando 3:30 pm, Madisalsa 5 pm, 6:30 Los Cojolites (Mexico and Grammy nominees)) 6:30 pm, Handphibians (offstage) 8:00 pm, Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca 8:30 pm. 

The Bamako (Capitol of Mali) / Blues Session Aug. 16, Central Park, with Tani Diakite and Andy Ewen 1 pm, the Joel Paterson Trio with Jim Liban 2:30 pm, the Jimmys 4:15 pm, Lurrie Bell’s Chicago Blues Band 6:15 pm, Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba Band (Bamako, Mali) 8:30 pm. 

The Southern Fried Session, Sept. 3, Central Park, with Evan Murdock and the Imperfect Strangers 5 pm, Robbie Fulks 6:30 pm, An Evening with the Royal Southern Brotherhood (featuring Cyril Neville) 8:30 pm. 

The City of Angels Session, Sept. 10, Central Park, The Rousers 5 pm, Eric Lindell 6:30 pm, La Santa Cecilia (Grammy Award winners) 8:30 pm. 

This year the Sessions non-profit partners are The Urban League of Greater Madison; Centro Hispano; The Literacy Network; The Tenant Resource Center; WORT; Project 1808 (Sierra Leone relief work based in Madison); The River Alliance and The Madison Parks Foundation all doing exemplary work in Madison and beyond. These organizations will be selling tickets for the  Central Park Session raffle that will offer over $5,000 in prizes with the 5 item Half Raff (-le) drawing at the August 16 Session and the 10 item grand prize drawing will be on September 10 featuring the top prize $1,750 entertainment package. The groups will also share in the Sessions unique profit-sharing program that distributed an additional $15,000 to the partnering organizations last year.