Brownswood Music’s Yussef Kamaal have been forced to cancel two performances at SXSW due to issues with US visas.
Yussef Dayes, one half of the duo, had his US visa revoked just days before their scheduled appearance. The band were due to travel tomorrow (14 March).
In a statement on the news, their label stated that “The band believe this to be discrimination based on religion & race.”
The statement also explains that the situation is particularly frustrating for jazz re:freshed – the London based blog / music collective who were supposed to host Yussef Kamaal at their showcase. According to Brownswood, they “have spent months of hard work putting this showcase together, to highlight the exciting British jazz scene in Austin.”
We will update this story as we learn more.
Update: Jazz Re:freshed have issued a statement on their Facebook page conveying their outrage and disappointment.
