Town Hall Seattle is proud to call SAMA: Music & Art a co-producing partner on our long running Global Rhythms series, a staple of Town Hall music programming since 2002. SAMA: Music & Art is a cultural start-up and nonprofit organization focused on creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue between global communities through the transformative power of music and art. Founded by Darek Mazzone and John Goodfellow in 2019, SAMA has a mission to grow empathy across cultures by being a hub for global roots music in the Pacific Northwest and worldwide.
With a deep connection to the music, musicians, and their community following across the region, SAMA has played an integral role in expanding the reach of Global Rhythms for the past three seasons, helping us connect with new and longtime audiences. SAMA also deepens the Global Rhythms experience by curating the talks with musicians and scholars that are part of our pre-show event, Global Atmosphere, connecting attendees with the history and context of the music.
“SAMA: Music + Art is honored to continue our long-standing support of Town Hall Seattle and the Global Rhythms series,” said Darek Mazzone, Executive Director of SAMA: Music + Art. “For many years, we’ve shared a commitment to creating opportunities for artists from around the world to perform in Seattle and to elevating the voices of immigrant communities who enrich the cultural fabric of this city. We’re also working diligently to make Seattle a true destination for touring artists, many of whom currently bypass the city, and we’re determined to change that.”
SAMA joins us again for our 2025-26 season of Global Rhythms as we take on the theme of “The Next Generation: Renewal and Revitalization.” Together, we’ll explore how traditions are passed down through families and communities while also expanding the musical landscape by pushing boundaries and exploring new genres.
Experience it for yourself on Saturday, October 18, with the soulful Balkan blues of Damir Imamović. Standing as a luminary figure in the realm of Bosnian music, Damir wields his expertise as a musician, singer, composer, and preeminent authority on the traditional melodies of Bosnia and Herzegovina, specifically the evocative “sevdalinka” or “sevdah.”
Plus, check out the rest of our 2025-26 lineup: Maloya band Votia, Afro-Peruvian beats from Novalima, and the vibrant Italian pizzica of Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino.
We hope you’ll join us!
If you’re inspired by SAMA’s work, check out their other projects and learn how to support them here.
