Eric Krasno & Friends featuring Ivan Neville, Tony Hall, and Nikki Glaspie with special guests Celisse, Matisyahu, Emily King, Molly Tuttle, and Robert Randolph

Event Info
Brooklyn Bowl
61 Wythe Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11249
Doors: 7:00pm
Show 8:00pm
Amplified is a charity benefit concert for WhyHunger, a nonprofit working to end world hunger and the injustices that cause it. Uniting a diverse array of artists, Amplified kicks off WhyHunger’s annual Hungerthon campaign and taps into the power of music to raise awareness about real solutions to hunger. Join us and help make nutritious food is a human right for all. Visit WhyHunger.org/Amplified2023 for information about VIP tickets and sponsorships.
About WhyHunger
Founded in 1975 by the late Harry Chapin and radio DJ Bill Ayres, WhyHunger funds and supports community solutions to protect the human right to food. In nearly five decades of innovation and evolution, our programs and our grassroots partners in 24 countries have expanded agricultural practices that are better for the planet, helped communities address the root causes of hunger, and ensured access to nutritious food for millions of people.
As a grassroots support organization, we stand behind the leadership of the people most impacted by hunger and injustice. We prioritize providing resources to support the rights of communities who have been historically excluded from defining and controlling their food systems. We advocate for workers’ rights and champion agroecological food production that unites science and sustainability with Indigenous knowledge and wisdom. Together we can build socially and economically just food systems that nourish all people and the environment. Learn more at whyhunger.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.
Artist Info
Eric Krasno
Eric "Kraz" Krasno is a New York-based Grammy-winning guitarist, songwriter, recording artist, and producer best known for his work with Soulive and Lettuce, both of which he co-founded. His own musical roots lie in funk, jazz, rock, and hip-hop, and he has written songs and produced records for a variety of artists in a range of genres including Norah Jones, Aaron Neville, Talib Kweli, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Ledisi, 50 Cent, and Matisyahu.
Krasno was raised in the suburbs of New York City, and in Fairfield County, Connecticut. His earliest influences were his musician grandfather, a professional pianist who played gypsy jazz and swing, as well as his older brother and father, also accomplished musicians though amateurs. His early attraction to classic rock records from Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jeff Beck, and Grateful Dead influenced his decision to become a guitarist. He began playing in local bands during high school. After graduating, he attended the Berklee School of Music for one semester before transferring to Hampshire College. Despite its brevity, it was at Berklee that he encountered other founding members of the funk/jam unit Lettuce during a summer program. The band formed while its members were still in their teens and have been a going concern in both the studio and on concert stages since then. In 1999, he joined brothers Alan and Neal Evans, and Sam Kininger, to co-found Soulive, a jazz/hip-hop/folk/groove unit that recorded for several labels including Blue Note and, like Lettuce, they're known for a rigorous touring schedule.
Krasno began his career as a producer on Kweli's Quality in 2002. His reputation spread among hip-hop artists, and under various monikers he worked with a variety of rappers including Redman and Pharoah Monche, and R&B, jazz, pop, and rock artists including Keyshia Cole, Allen Stone, Dave Matthews Band, Justin Timberlake, and Nigel Hall. As a guitarist, Krasno's work has graced albums and tours by everyone from the Beatnuts, Snoop Dog, and Sonya Kitchell to Vieux Farka Toure, Christian McBride, Joshua Redman, and Dr. Lonnie Smith.
Krasno issued Reminisce, his debut solo album in 2010 on SOI, and toured with his own group while continuing to play and record with Lettuce and Phil Lesh & Friends. His sophomore offering, Blood from a Stone, was released in July 2016 through Feel Records. It was preceded by the singles "Waiting for Your Love" and "On the Rise." The latter set showcased his lead vocals for the first time alongside his playing and songwriting. Krasno and his road sextet toured throughout the summer supporting Dumpstaphunk. The same year, he produced Neville's Apache album. The studio band he enlisted included members of Lettuce, Soulive, the Dap Kings, and Budos Band. ~ Thom Jurek
Celisse
In the past few years Celisse’s momentum has carried her into numerous ventures. She has collaborated with Alicia Keys contributing guitar and additional production to her track “Billions (Unlocked).” Her touring in 2022 included support spots for Lucius and Brandi Carlile, Dave Matthews Band at The Gorge, and as part of Joni Mitchell’s historic “Joni Jams” performance at Newport Folk Festival, among various festival appearances. Her soulful voice and captivating
stage presence led to her inclusion on NIVA’s Live List as a favorite up-and-coming touring artist in 2023, with festivals this year including Boston Calling, Bonnaroo, and more. In addition to the fireworks of her live performance, audiences may have caught Celisse on television appearing alongside Lucius on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert or the season premiere of Austin City Limits Live with Brandi Carlile. Most recently, Joni Mitchell once again invited Celisse to collaborate, this time in celebration of Joni's Gershwin Prize Honor, where the two played a stirring performance of "Summertime." With her debut album forthcoming, Celisse is preparing to give full exposure of herself. The thesis has been written... now we get to the good stuff.
Matisyahu
Grammy Nominated artist Matisyahu is a singer, songwriter, rapper, and alternative rock musician. He’s known for his skill in blending reggae and hip hop as he provides a raw expression of his spirituality. His long and winding career consists of seven albums including chart-topping Light, Youth, Spark Seeker, Akeda, and Undercurrent with hits like “One Day”, “Sunshine”, and “King Without A Crown”. Through his lyrics, Matisyahu develops a personal, artistic, and sophisticated way to express the yearning for deep spiritual meaning, and as his own beliefs opened up to find more variety and depth, the desire for his performances to match the unpredictable flow of life developed as well.