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MEDIA CONTACT:
Victoria Powers
victoria@keldof.com
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HOLLYWOOD (February
12, 2007) - The 4th
Annual Roots Jam Session presented by T&T
Style Sessions at Los Angeles’ KeyClub was once again the place
to be the night before the Grammys. Following a packed Roots concert
at the Gibson Amphitheatre with Jill Scott, Akon, and Lupe Fiasco
- and going strong until 4am, this year’s Roots' jam featured
thrilling spontaneous performances and appearances by a slew of grammy
nominated musicians and actors, including Black Eyed Peas,
Jill Scott, Isaiah Washington, Michael Rapaport, Jurnee Smollet,
Sanaa Lathan, Tony Sinclair, Talib Kweli and Common
as well as an opening act by former Prince protégés,
the Family - reconnecting on stage for one of the
first times in twenty years.Some highlights from this year’s
jam included:
- Legendary Anita Baker granting ?uestlove’s
personal request to perform and sang Bob Marley’s “Redemption
Song” with India.Arie and Matisyahu
(pictured middle left). Baker also danced on stage
as Arie gave a flute solo.
- Queen Latifah (pictured bottom left) had
the crowd join in her jazzed up version of her hit “U.N.I.T.Y”
with singer/songwriter Gordon Chambers adding back-up. Chambers wrote
Anita Baker’s Grammy-winning hit “I Apologize” among
others.
– Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump sang his
own funked up version of Carl Carlton’s “She’s A
Bad Mamma Jamma” with The Roots’ guitarist Captain Kirk
and R&B singer Glen Lewis joined in on background vocals.
– In reference to his Comedy Central Show, Dave Chappelle
(pictured top left) confessed to the audience that
it “cuts like a knife to see Charlie Murphy hosting my s@!%!
- That's like giving 'The Cosby Show' to Rudy and Vanessa."
Once again, The
Roots used the annual jam session as an opportunity to raise
awareness for world issues - this year’s focus was the environment.
From the green-lit front of venue, GREEN carpet arrivals, guest credential
lanyards from 100% recycled soda and water bottles from Rhode
Island Textiles to bathrooms filled with only biodegradable toilet
paper and drinks for the night being served into only biodegradable
cups, which once composted will return to dirt within 45 days –
all courtesy of Eco-Products.
Continuing with this theme, the bottom floor of the venue housed a
“green room” educating high-profile attendants
on the importance of composting and featuring 5 specially
designed compost bins, signed by guests from The Roots
and Chappelle to Matisyahu. The bins will be used to launch the national
FEED
YOUR ROOTS environmental campaign, created to educate
and integrate composting in schools across the nation. Every student
will have the opportunity to win their own ROOTS compost bin for the
creation of a composting program in their school by entering the contest
and designing posters celebrating the campaign.
THE
ROOTS JAM SESSION is produced annually by Tina Farris of
GoodTime Girl and Kevin Seldon of Keldof.
This year’s environmental partner, Global
Inheritance, is a 501c3 non-profit organization working
to reinvent activism for today’s young generation - their initiatives
focus on the power of creativity to communicate and push for progressive
social change while rejecting conflict. Fourth annual Style Partners
included RayBan, Puma, Tanqueray,
JBL, iTunes, Harman/Kardon,
and Goldspun Denim.
About THE
ROOTS:
Philadelphia's GRAMMY-award winning group, THE
ROOTS, are popularly regarded as among today's most innovative,
adventurous and influential bands. The Roots are: Ahmir “?uestlove”
Thompson (drums), Tarik “Black Thought” Trotter (emcee),
Leonard “Hub” Hubbard (bass), Kamal Gray (keyboards), Kirk
“Captain Kirk” Douglas (guitar)and Frank Knuckles (percussion)
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