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BIO

A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Beirut born American guitarist Raja Kassis has been an integral part of the greater New York City music scene for over ten years, and is currently a touring member of the legendary afrobeat orchestra Antibalas (Daptone records).  Newly relocated to New Orleans in 2014, Kassis quickly has become a fixture in the music community and presented his expertise in West African music and culture at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz and Heritage Center, curated Positive Vibrations and Pirate's Choice (a West African Mandé rock band Kassis co-founded).  This included, in addition to full band performances, flying in master musicians from Senegal and Mali to teach group classes for Congo Kids.  For three years running, Kassis along with co-founders Pirate's Choice have also presented Juju Fest, an ambitious program of musical acts that celebrate African culture in New Orleans and the greater diaspora during Jazz Fest.  Beginning while attending Berklee in Boston, Kassis cut his teeth for 15 years in the Senegalese underground scene in America touring with the likes of Senegalese luminaries Fatou Guewel, Kiné Lam, Marie N'Diaye and Fatou Laobé, and also performed with famed singer Assane N'Diaye in Dakar, Senegal. His mentor while living in Boston was Lamine Touré (currently an artist in residence at MIT), widely regarded as one of the greatest Sabar drummers of the "Boul Falé" generation. 

In addition, Kassis has also performed at such venues as Carnegie Hall (in Antibalas which served as the house band for both the Paul Simon and Aretha Franklin tributes) and his guitar work can also be heard on such soundtracks as the Mark Jackson film entitled "War Story" starring Ben Kingsley and Catherine Keener.

In 2011, Kassis recorded in Kingston, Jamaica at Bob Marley's famed studio Tuff Gong International for the album Ancient Power by Senegalese reggae sensation Meta and The Cornerstones in Kingston, Jamaica.  Through this experience Kassis was able to record with Damian Marley, Julian Marley, Capleton, U-Roy, Sizzla, Dean Fraiser and a who's who of additional Jamaican studio aces.

Around the same time, Kassis was an intregal part to Ghanian Hip-Life/Hip-hop artist Blitz the Ambassador.  A friendship and partnership that yielded five albums.  After an incendiary performance opening up for The Roots with Talib Kweli, A French promoter quickly offered a slot at the famed Festival Trans Musicales in Rennes, France.  After the performance there, Blitz was picked up by booking agents and embarked on the first of 3 extensive world tours.

As a solo artist, Raja Kassis released his album entitled Humanbeing (2014) to rave reviews on Ropeadope Records.

Raja Kassis has performed and recorded with artists such as, Antibalas, Allen Toussaint, Taj Mahal, CeeLo Green, Todd Rundgren, Living Color, Cory Henry (Funk Apostles), Ledisi, Kyp Malone (TV on the Radio), Santigold, Nels Cline, Blitz The Ambassador, Angelique Kidjo, Seun Anikulapo Kuti, Damian Marley, Julian Marley, Hassan Hakmoun, Nneka, Talib Kweli, Sam Moore (Sam and Dave), Kenny Loggins, Bettye Lavette, Capelton, U-Roy, Oxmo Puccino, Marcelo D2, Mike Gordon (Phish), Tunde Adebimpe (TV On The Radio), Melissa Ethridge, Naomi Shelton, Corey Henry (Galactic), Meta and the Cornerstones, Peetah Morgan (Morgan Heritage), Cat Core (Third World), Don Bryant, G. Love, Ruthie Foster, Sarah Dash, Toubab Krewe, Emicida, Sarkodie, Y'akoto, Fashawn, Amayo's FU Arkist-RA, Akoya Afrobeat, Les Nubians, Corneille, Teranga (NYC Mbalax band From Senegal), Assane N'Diaye, Fatou Guewel, Kine Lam, Marie N'Diaye, Fatou Laobe, Balla Kouyaté, Lamine Toure and Group Saloum, among many, many others

Raja Kassis has performed at such venues as Carnegie Hall, The Apollo Theater, Lincoln Center, Central Park Summer Stage (NYC), Celebrate Brooklyn Prospect Park, Northsea Jazz Festival (Rotterdam, Holland), Musicales do Mundo (Sines, Portugal), Trans-Musicales (Rennes, FR), Womex (Copenhagen), Womad (Malmesbury, U.K.), Theatre De La Ville (Paris, FR), Paradiso (Amsterdam, holland), SESC Pompeii (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Nuits D'Afrique (Montreal), The Smithsonian (Washington, DC), Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington, DC), The United Nations (NYC) among many, many others.

DISCOGRAPHY

  • Raja Kassis, Humanbeing (2014 Ropeadope Records)
  • Meta and the Cornerstones, Ancient Power (feat. Damian Marley, Julian Marley, Capleton, U-Roy)
  • Blitz The Ambassador, Afropolitan Dreams (feat. Seun Kuti, Angelique Kidjo, Nneka, Marcelo D2, Oxmo Puccino)
  • Blitz The Ambassador, Native Sun (feat. Les Nubians, Corneille)
  • Blitz The Ambassador, Stereotype
  • Blitz The Ambassador, The WarmUP EP
  • Blitz The Ambassador, Stereolive
  • Prince Polo, Mix Me Down Operator
  • Soundtrack: Mark Jackson's War Story
  • Soundtrack: Bronx Princess

From Ropeadope Records:

Guitarist for Antibalas and Blitz The Ambassador, Beirut born Raja Kassis is a positive force for awareness and progress. His debut recording entitled Humanbeing (Ropeadope Records), is world slash jazz slash rock music that tells a story of the power and the glory of humankind on planet earth. Raja assembled an allstar crew of musicians from Senegalese Mbalax to Reggae and delivers it all with a vision of the new blend of transglobal sound. Raja has performed and recorded with the likes of Damian Marley, Seun Kuti, Angelique Kidjo, Antibalas and Blitz the Ambassador and many of the worlds foremost venues including Carnegie Hall and the Apollo Theater.

The live show, entitled Raja Kassis’s Humanbeing, boasts a collective of legendary West African and New York City musicians and the show is an experience from start to finish.