Flushing Town Hall Presents the Cross-Cultural Fusion of Nation Beat

(Flushing, New York)—On Saturday, May 13, Flushing Town Hall will present Nation Beat in a funky, explosive concert, preceded by an interactive percussion & movement workshop.

Nation Beat’s live shows have taken on an almost mythological aura for their ability to lift the souls, and the feet, of their growing cross-cultural audience. Band leader, drummer, percussionist Scott Kettner, has long been at the forefront of merging different musical elements together, from the earliest days of Nation Beat’s Brazil meets North American music. Nation Beat, where maracatu, Big Easy’s funk, forró, and swinging jazz all dance together. Nation Beat exemplifies how music crosses borders and that similarities, more often than not, outweigh differences, not just in music but in life.

In 2017, Kettner connected with arranger and tenor sax player Paul Carlon, and the band entered a new phase in its cross-cultural exploration, generating a funkified, New Orleans-meets-Brazil, jazzy carnival sound.

“Past albums have leaned heavily on Brazilian music,” Kettner says. “While that is ever present in Nation Beat’s sound, our latest groove is jazz-tinged. This is a beat that moves your feet!”

“Flushing Town Hall is known as a venue for global music and outstanding jazz, and Nation Beat perfectly embodies both,” says Ellen Kodadek, Artistic and Executive Director of Flushing Town Hall. “Nation Beat takes off with be-bop-via-Brazil drumming; propelled by percussive bursts of New Orleans-flavored brass – Bring your dancing shoes!”

_{Youtube Video – Nation Beat: Big Chief}

Members of Nation Beat include Scott Kettner (Drums), Paul Carlon (Tenor Sax/Arrangements), Mark Collins (Trumpet), Tom McHugh (Trombone) and Joe Correia (Sousaphone).

The evening at Flushing Town Hall will kick off at 7 PM with an interactive workshop, introducing audiences to body percussion and movement rhythm techniques and continues with a lively concert at 8 PM. In-Person Tickets are $18 for General Admission / $12 for Members, Seniors, & Students w/ID and include the 7 PM workshop (no RSVP required). 

Patrons are invited to participate in a food drive and bring non-perishable food items that will be donated to a local food pantry.

For those unable to attend events in person, Flushing Town Hall has launched Culture Stream. Subscriptions start at $5 per month.

About Flushing Town Hall

Flushing Town Hall (FTH), a Smithsonian affiliate, presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City in order to foster mutual appreciation. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, we support local, immigrant, national, and international artists, developing partnerships and collaborations that enhance our efforts. As a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), we serve to restore, manage and program the historic 1862 landmark on behalf of the City of New York. FTH celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz, by presenting the finest in Jazz performance. We are committed to arts education and hands-on learning, for the arts-curious, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists. We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.

Flushing Town Hall is a proud member of the Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), a collective of 34 nonprofit museums, performing arts centers, historical societies, zoos, and botanical gardens across all five boroughs with a distinct private-public partnership with the City of New York and a commitment to serving all New Yorkers.