World Beat at Bear Creek

This weekend's Bear Creek Music & Art Festival has some top-notch world-beat bands -- in addition to the funk, jazz, hip hop, soul, R&B and elecronica that will rock the woods at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fl.

Here's a guide to Bear Creek world beat:

World Beat Thursday:

Toubab Krewe rocks The Paste magazine stage

Toubab Krewe from Asheville, North Carolina plays bouncy jam fusion and West African griot music These guys play some wild instruments including the Kora and Kamelngoni.  They play twice during the weekend -- the first show is Thursday at 7:30 p.m. on the porch stage and the second is Friday at 1:15 p.m. in the ampitheater.


World Beat Friday: 

Brownout

Brownout brings scorching Latin funk from Austin, Texas. This outfit began as a side band by some members of the Grammy-winning Latin ensemble Grupo Fantasma. Their funk-Latin fusion is reminiscent of the 1970s chart-topper band, band War. ("Spill the Wine," "Low Rider") but brings the genre new places. Brownout plays Friday at noon on the Purple Hat stage.

Then you can head over to the Toubab Krewe show mentioned above, at 1:15 p.m. in the ampitheater.

Antibalas

Antibalas brings the Afrobeat  jams in the style of the late Fela Kuti. Ths large band travels all the way from Brooklyn, New York to play for us Friday at 6:30 pm  in the ampitheater.

World Beat Saturday

The Resolvers

The Resolvers are a full-on 10-piece big-band reggae band out of Miami with brother and sister lead vocalists. They play Saturday at 2 p.m. on the campground stage.

Suenalo

Suenalo also hails from Miami. The Miami New Times named Suenalo as the best Latin band of the year in 2011.

"And we're not choosing it as the best because it's hands down one of the hardest-working bands on the scene. It's because nobody busts la rumba like these dudes.New Times issues you this challenge: Catch them performing live anytime, anywhere you choose. Then try to not let your hips move and your ass shake. Good luck with that one. Suenalo's signature blend — funk, reggae, Latin jazz, hip-hop, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and electronic elements, among others — is the quintessential embodiment of Miami as melting pot."

The 9-piece Suenalo plays Saturday at 4 p.m. in the Music Hall.