What We Do

All the Rivers is a global music ensemble featuring over 20 immigrant musicians from 10 countries who now call Vermont home. Founded in 2024 by musical director and activist Avi Salloway (Billy Wylder / Bombino), the project emerged in response to growing political, environmental, and social pressures facing immigrant communities worldwide. Singing in six languages and weaving musical traditions from around the globe, All the Rivers invites audiences into powerful experiences of story and connection—amplifying immigrant voices while celebrating the cultural richness our newest neighbors bring to Vermont.

The ensemble includes the Burlington-based Congolese Choir; West African percussionists; Steeve Valcourt of Haiti’s Lakou Mizik; Colombian singer-songwriter Cintia Lovo; balafon master Ousmane Camara of Guinea; violinist Ernesto Villalobos of Veracruz, Mexico; and many others, collaborating with Salloway and his bandmates. Together, this vibrant collective interlaces stories of migration, identity, justice, displacement, love, freedom, home, and belonging through powerful, genre-spanning performances rooted in lived experience.

All the Rivers made its debut at Burlington’s Festival of Fools and has quickly grown into an ongoing artistic collaboration and emerging cultural movement. At a time when migration and identity are deeply politicized, the project offers a space for understanding and solidarity—where music becomes a bridge across difference and a platform for immigrant artists to be seen, heard, and celebrated.

All the Rivers was proud to play a sold-out benefit concert at the 1,500-seat Flynn theater on March 11! Looking ahead, All the Rivers will expand its impact through the release of a debut studio album, the production of a documentary film, and a growing lineup of performances and educational workshops across Vermont and the Northeast. We see this work as part of a broader ecosystem of support—uplifting immigrant-led organizations such as Migrant Justice, and the Association of Africans Living in Vermont (AALV), while also fostering long-term cultural change.

By shaping public narrative, creating platforms for immigrant leadership, and building belonging through culture and connection, All the Rivers strengthens cultural infrastructure and expands visibility for immigrant artists. At its core, the project is both a celebration and a conversation—reflecting the spirit of welcome that defines Vermont and the belief that our communities are strongest when everyone feels seen, supported, and at home.