Ozomatli musicians Ulises Bella and Justin Porée bring new beats to Vietnam Photo courtesy of Alan Nguyen

From May 10-15, three-time Grammy award-winning band Ozomatli visited Vietnam for a heavy schedule of concerts and outreach events sponsored by the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. At the band’s first concert, held May 11 at the My Phuoc Theater in neighboring Binh Duong province, more than 4,000 people, mostly local university students and factory workers, made up the cheering, dancing crowd. The Ho Chi Minh City concert on May 13 has continued to make waves in the South—with ecstatic reviews appearing in blogs and in the media. At both concerts, Ozomatli was joined on stage for several numbers by Vietnamese traditional musician Ho Nga; the Ho Chi Minh City show also featured a group of talented young hip-hop dancers, as well as opening performances by young people from the Hy Vong Center for the Deaf and the Thien An Shelter for the Blind. In addition to the public shows, the band conducted three meaningful outreach events. On May 12, Ozomatli visited the District 3 Vocational Training Center for the disabled, a government facility which schools, houses, trains, and provides job placement for people with physical and/or developmental disabilities. The program started off with songs, dances, and a fashion show by young people at the Center. Ozomatli then took to the stage, immediately captivating the audience of 400. At the Thien An Shelter for the Blind, Ozo held an intimate outreach program with 25 young blind music students. Finally, on May 14, the band performed for 600 orphans, street children, people living with HIV/AIDS, and the disabled.