Joy Keys chats with Taina Asili and La Banda Rebelde

SPECIAL GUEST Taína Asili carries on the tradition of her ancestors, fusing present and past struggles into one poetic voice. She is a puertorriqueña vocalist, poet, educator, and community organizer from Philadelphia, PA and Albany, NY. Her newest artistic work is with her live band, Taína Asili y La Banda Rebelde, soulful vocals laid over a unique fusion of Afro-Caribbean, reggae, rock, and hip hop sounds. The band’s eclectic style represents the diversity of its band members, who have origins in Puerto Rico, Sicily, Greece, Brazil and Ghana. Taína is a winner of the 2005 Transformation Award given by the Leeway Foundation. She has shared the stage with artists such as Ursula Rucker, Sonia Sanchez, Pamela Means, Dead Prez, Immortal Technique and Tyrone Hill of The Sun Ra Arkestra. Taína has just completed her debut album with La Banda Rebelde entitled War Cry, to be released this March 2010. Check out www.TainaAsili.com