Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars released an LP, touring (dates)

Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars released their new album, Radio Salone, on Tuesday (4/24) via Cumbancha. The album was recorded using analog equipment in New York. Here’s what the band had to say about recording in NYC from an interview with PopMatters:

It was so different from New Orleans. I remember New Orleans in July felt like home. It felt like Africa. We always say to people that New Orleans reminds us of our home. But for the record (haha) we really appreciate being in New York. It is such a big city that we have never been able to take it all in, especially at the time of year that we were there. It was January and we were exposed to weather that was very, very unfriendly to us. We were not used to severe weather like that and we weren’t sure we would even survive. The snow is interesting for one day, maybe two but after that it was too much. Oh… I remember we would just sit in the studio all with our hands on one heater–with our cold caps (winter hats) pulled over our ears and nobody was happy when it was their turn to sing or play their part because it meant being away from the heater! Luckily we had friends from Sierra Leone that would bring us spicy food from home to keep us warm. I’d like to go back to NYC for some time, but next make it summertime, I beg you!

Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars will be embarking on a tour in support of the album this spring/summer. They’ll make their way to NYC on June 29 at Highline Ballroom. Tickets are on sale now. All dates are listed below…

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Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars — 2012 Tour Dates
Fri May 18 Anthology San Diego CA
Sat May 19 Joshua Tree Music Festival Joshua Tree CA
Sun May 20 MIM-Musical Instrument Museum Phoenix AZ
Tue May 22 Santa Fe Sol Santa Fe NM
Thu May 24 Crossroads (with The Dirty Dozen Brass Band)Kansas City MO
Fri May 25 Englert Civic Theater Iowa City IA
Sat May 26 Summer Camp 2012 Chillocothe IL
Thu May 31 Levitt Shell at Overton Park Memphis TN
Mon Jun 11 Armstrong Quad Colorado Springs CO
Sun Jun 17 Levitt Pavilion Arlington TX
Fri Jun 22 Longwood Gardens Kennett Square PA
Fri Jun 29 Highline Ballroom New York NY
Sat Jun 30 Rochester International Jazz Festival Rochester NY
Sun Jul 01 TD Toronto Jazz FestivalToronto ON Canada
Sat Jul 07 Higher Ground South Burlington VT
Tue Jul 10 Festival Nuits d’Afrique Montreal QC CANADA
Sat Aug 04 The Gaia Festival Laytonville CA
Fri Sep 07 BiCentennial Park Performing Arts Pavilion Columbus OH
Sat Sep 08 Black Swamp Arts Festival Bowling Green OH