"FUNK & SOUL,” a special concert presented by Zion Union Heritage Museum in honor of Black History Month, will take place at Cotuit Center for the Arts on Saturday, February 16. Doors will open at 7 pm for a 7:30 pm start. Featuring The GroovaLottos, 6-time Grammy nominees, the evening is a fundraiser for the landmark museum, which celebrates the African-American, Cape Verdean, and Wampanoag populations, as well as the ethnic and demographic diversity, of Cape Cod. Tickets for the event are $27 and $32, with senior discounts available. They can be purchased in advance by contacting the Cotuit Center for the Arts at 508.428.0669 x1 or on-line at https://artsonthecape.org/explore/funk-and-soul-celebration.
The GroovaLottos are a powerhouse soul-funk-blues band, said to play with their souls instead of their hands. A high-energy band on a mission to unlock the spirit and the soul—and closely connected with the who's who of classic soul, funk and blues legends—these journeymen are keepers of a musical tradition and legacy, rich with storytelling and infectious grooves. Incredible music and wild senses of humor make them one of the most entertaining bands around. The group is comprised of Eddie Ray Johnson, drums and vocals; Mwalim Daphunkee Professor, keyboards and vocals; and Richard Johnson, bass, and child prodigy percussionist and MC, The ZYG 808.
The GroovaLottos and Cotuit Center for the Arts have a common link. The Center's founder, Cotuit resident and former Motown session guitarist James Wolf, brought drummer Eddie Ray Johnson and keyboardist/singer/songwriter Mwalim together for jam sessions in 2009 that evolved into The GroovaLottos. The group made their first concert appearance at the Multicultural Festival at Cape Cod Community College’s Tilden Arts Center in 2011.
The Zion Union Heritage Museum was founded in part by the Community Preservation Act and the Lyndon Paul Lorusso Foundation, in partnership with the Town of Barnstable. Opened a decade ago on the site of the century-old Zion Union Church, the museum is increasingly recognized, not only as a historical landmark in the Commonwealth, but also as a destination of national significance. The museum is sponsoring a wide range of events in honor of Black History Month and hosting an important new exhibition Lewis Hayden and the Underground Railroad.