Ozomatli to perform for President Obama

Los Angeles based band Ozomatli have been invited to perform this Wednesday, September 16th, at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s 32nd Annual Award Gala in Washington DC, held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will be in attendance, and the President will address more than 2,000 guests commemorating this hallmark event of Hispanic Heritage Month. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, providing leadership development programs and educational services to students and young emerging leaders.

More than 35 Members of Congress, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, are also confirmed to attend. The CHCI’s 32nd Annual Award Gala will be emceed by Maria Hinojosa, senior correspondent for the acclaimed public television series “NOW on PBS”.

Ozomatli has a longstanding mission to spread a message of global communication and understanding through music and diversity. Often describing their pioneering mash-up of hip hop, salsa, and cumbia as “the people’s music”, Ozomatli recently served as US cultural ambassadors with a US sponsored State Department trip that included Ozomatli community outreach and performances in Rangoon, Myanmar; Ho Chi Mihn City in Vietnam; and Bangkok, Thailand.

Ozomatli have been “off the grid” recently, focused on tracking new songs for their Downtown / Mercer Street debut (2010 release) with veteran producer Tony Berg (Public Image Limited, Aimee Mann) at his home studio in Los Angeles. Some of the titles Ozo has recorded so far include, “Malagasy Shock”, “Why Are You Trippin’”, “It’s Only Time”, and “Around The World”.

OZOMATLI “OFF THE GRID” FALL ‘09 TOUR DATES

OCTOBER
29th: Sacramento State – Sacramento, CA
30th: The Catalyst – Santa Cruz, CA
31st: Mateel Community Center – Redway, CA

NOVEMBER
1st: Crystal Bay Club – Crystal Bay, NV
4th: Mystic Theatre – Petaluma, CA
5th: Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
6th: Showbox at the Market – Seattle, WA
7th: Showbox at the Market – Seattle, WA
9th: Knitting Factory – Spokane, WA
11th: Wilma Theatre – Missoula, MT
12th: The Knitting Factory – Boise, ID
13th: The State Room – Salt Lake City, UT
14th: Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO
15th: Belly Up – Aspen, CO
17th: Cain’s Ballroom – Tulsa, OK
18th: House of Blues – Dallas, TX
21st: Orpheum Theatre – Flagstaff, AZ

DECEMBER
18th: Club Nokia – Los Angeles, CA
19th: Club Nokia – Los Angeles, CA