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ImageOn Friday, March 12th, progressive reggae band John Brown's Body and West African-influenced quintet Toubab Krewe perform at Castaways. The two bands share a 14-city co-headlining U.S. tour that begins in Brooklyn, NY and ends in Solana Beach, CA. (John Brown's Body is playing a second night at Castaways on March 13th with The Gunpoets.)

Each group has achieved mainstream success by performing their own forward-thinking approach to traditional roots styles, John Brown's Body with reggae and Toubab Krewe with West African music.
 
In recent years both groups' music has spread like a grassroots wildfire to the farthest corners of the world. While Toubab Krewe performed in Mali and Portugal, John Brown's Body completed first-ever tours of New Zealand and the UK in late 2009.
 
In January, the musicians were re-introduced aboard Jam Cruise -- the celebrated, floating music festival in the Caribbean. Returning from stops in Jamaica and Grand Cayman Island, the bands met up during an all-artist basketball tournament (neither advanced past the first round). Despite a disappointing showing on the court, they spent the night catching up and watching each other perform as the ship sailed out to sea.
 
The upcoming tour will build on the friendly vibe forged in far away places, where the bands found common ground.

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