Tempe Jam to feature local powerhouses Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra and JFunk

There will also be an interactive hula hooping performance by Evalina Tinklepaugh.

PUBLISHED NOV 7, 2024

Bands were selected through an application/panel process.

Tempe, Arizona: The 4th annual Tempe Jam will take place on Saturday, November 16, at the Tempe Sports Complex (8401 S. Hardy Drive, Tempe) from 6pm to 9pm. The free, family-friendly music celebration will highlights local bands/musicians and performances by local powerhouses Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra (PAO) and Jerusafunk (Jfunk), alongside an interactive hula hooping performance by Evalina Tinklepaugh.

The Tempe Jam is an annual event that highlights two out of 44 bands selected for the Tempe Playlist Program which offers professional development resources to local bands and musicians. Bands were selected through an application/panel process and are available for booking at events.

From concert hall to music festival, fashion show to fundraiser, PAO has shared the stage with musical icons.

What is the Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra?

The Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra (PAO) "carries the musical and social torch that was first lit by the powerful duo of Fela Kuti and Tony Allen, original inventors of the Afrobeat sound in Lagos, Nigeria in West Africa. PAO is led by Camille Sledge and a 16-strong orchestra.

From concert hall to music festival, fashion show to fundraiser, PAO has shared the stage with such musical icons as George Clinton and The Roots, as well as masters including Bombino, Vieux Farka Touré, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, Orgone, Dengue Fever, Turkuaz, Sudan Archives, The Dip, and Los Esplifs.

Who are JFunk?

JFunk is a six-member band that blends rhythms of traditional American funk with an avant-garde twist. Drawing inspiration from a myriad of world genres, their music is a celebration of diversity and unity: Funk, Afrobeat, jazz, and beyond.