Roy’s Hall presents Chuck Wood and his band in an exclusive Worldbeat Concert on Saturday, September 30th. “Worldbeat” is a fusion of western pop and rock music with international indigenous instruments and influences. The genre rose to prominence in the 1980s when recording artists, Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, Sting, David Byrne and others began incorporating ethnic sounds and instruments into their recordings.

Chuck Wood is a multi-percussionist, guitarist and vocalist from northwest New Jersey. He is also a composer, recording artist and live performer that has toured the U.S. extensively with his own projects and many other artists. The percussion instruments he plays are West African in nature, including the djembe, doun doun and shekeree; some are rooted in the South American culture such as the congas and berimbau. He has studied these instruments with various teachers including Babatunde Olatunji and Madeleine Yayo Nelson. Recently, Wood has not only been playing percussion, but he is also performing and recording songs on the electric guitar with his four-piece band. This performance will feature inspired original compositions consisting of vocals, guitars, saxophone and various world percussion instruments.

Chuck’s duo Ghandharva, which features percussionist Arjun Bruggeman, will open the show with their eclectic take on percussion driven instrumental music.