SUN STAGE BAND BIOS!
Kungiz is a 7-piece band featuring timbales, congas, guitar, horn, and bass. They play tropical music, blending Reggae, Soca, West African music, Brazilian music, and Ska, creating a very light-hearted and fun atmosphere. Warming up the Sun Stage first we have Kungíz at 12:15pm.
Boston-Area Singing Circles lead participatory singing gatherings that inspire deeper connection to ourselves, each other, and the Earth. They believe in the healing, freedom, and joy that communal singing can bring, and aim to make that experience more widely accessible. All ages and all voices are welcome to join - whether you've sung on stages or just in the shower! At 1:15pm, after the Opening Ceremony, stop by the Sun Stage to sing with the Boston-Area Singing Circles.
Safiya is a rising star in the jazz, neo-soul, and reggae scene, known for her electrifying performances and visionary ventures. Infusing her Afro-Caribbean roots with jazz influences, Safiya captivates audiences worldwide with her innovative sound. A graduate of Berklee College of Music and a nominee for both the New England Music Award (2023) and Reggae Artist of the Year (2024) for a Boston Music Award, Safiya is on a mission to inspire cultural exploration and foster connections through her groundbreaking project, Travel Through Music. With accolades including recognition as one of Boston’s Extraordinary Women in 2023, Safiya continues to push boundaries and redefine the music industry. Get ready to groove with Safiya and her band at the Sun Stage at 1:30pm!
Sing Positive is an intergenerational choir based in Jamaica Plain (Boston), directed by Lysander Jaffe and Lexi Ugelow. They welcome singers of all ages and experience levels to sing music from many different genres. Their unique choir model includes a wide range of music tailored for children and adults, and designed to facilitate community between generations and singers of all walks of life. The choir rehearses Sunday afternoons 4-6 pm at Spontaneous Celebrations. Witness Sing Positive at the Sun Stage area at 2:15pm!
Los Mambiseros is a Boston-based Traditional Cuban Music and Fusion project led by Cuban-American artist Christopher Carlos Montejo. The project’s mission is to share and celebrate Cuba’s folkloric culture, music, and dance. The group is a flexible trio-to-septet ensemble that focuses on traditional Cuban music, including Son, Rumba, Bolero, Changüí, Danzón, Cha-Cha-Cha, as well as experimental jazz and salsa. “Mambiseros” is a playful spelling of “mambíses,” the revolutionary guerrilla fighters from the Cuban Wars of Independence. The mambíses were a grassroots, freedom-fighting force represented and led by Caribbeans of diverse racial and social backgrounds. The project spans time and aligns with the decolonial, international, and rebellious spirit of being “mambí.” Make your way to the Sun Stage for the sound of Los Mambiseros at 2:45pm!
A Los Angeles native shaped by time in the music scenes of Atlanta and Boston, PheonixOutThe is an artistic nomad. Born from a lineage of bourgeois-revolutionary Black academic activists, he carries both a legacy and a burden. Yet, like the raucous beat poets, Hip-Hop innovators, and Rock & Roll showmen who inspire him, he also carries a mandate to move crowds.
Cutting his teeth in Atlanta, Pheonix is a member of three musical collectives—Divine Suns, Vinyl Junkie Clique, and Gershwin BLX. Alongside his work as an educator, student, and entrepreneur, he has steadily built an independent career as a writer, performer, and recording artist, releasing both solo and collaborative projects.Formerly known as Felix the Black Cat, Pheonix embodies rebirth, resurrection, and the cleansing fire that transforms waste into purpose. His sound and style draw from the titans of the 1990s and 2000s, while his message channels the revolutionary spirit of the 1960s and 1970s—calling for change, reflection, and unity among people.
Pheonix is currently booking, performing, and touring. With his band, we welcome Pheonix OutThe to the Sun Stage at 4:15pm.
Zoë Knight is a Boston-based music educator and performing artist, currently serving as Assistant Professor of Voice at Berklee College of Music when not teaching in her private studio and performing with her band. She has been composing and performing original music for over twenty five years. Her original deep & funky rock & soul is rooted in psychedelic rock grooves with soul jazz tendencies and lyrics that speak to universal truths, fostering community and uplifting the human spirit. Headlining the Sun Stage at 5pm - Zoë Knight & the Mythical Beasts!
