New arts residencies announced by Park Avenue Armory

Park Avenue Armory Names Artists in Residence
by Allan Kozinn, The New York Times, April 19, 2013

May it RESONATE! with you

RESONATE! African America in Sound and Story launches its after-school arts programming today at 4pm with song/spoken word artists Chandra Rule and Somi at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center.

Co-presented by Lincoln Center's Meet the Artist and New York University's Institute of African American Affairs, this series of four free events for high school and college students will also welcome the acclaimed singer/musician Toshi Reagon (April 13), dancer-choreographer Nora Chipaumire (April 20) and the And Lay Duo--two members of the Ethiopian funk/groove collective Debo Band (April 27).

Each performance, celebrating the rich cultural diversity and innovative artistry of the African diaspora, will be followed by a discussion and Q & A moderated by Ethiopian singer Meklit Hadero, Artist-in-Residence of NYU's Institute of African American Affairs.

Free! Reservations not required.

Wednesdays, 4pm-5pm
David Rubinstein Atrium at Lincoln Center
Broadway between 62nd and 63rd Streets, Manhattan
(directions)

Burnt Sugar/DANZ at BAC

Last evening, Summer Stages Dance/Baryshnikov Arts Center Artist Residency participants Greg Tate (music) with Germaul Barnes and Gabri Christa (dance) presented an invitation-only, informal showing of their improvisatory Burnt Sugar/DANZ project. In a music/movement jam called La Celestina, the trio continued earlier explorations of this question:

Why can't choreographers come together and create spontaneous new ensemble work the way musicians do?

Of course, they can. Of course, they did.

And given that most of the dance artists involved last night have sizzling dance skills and presence, that sugar was burning. Conductor Tate's ensemble--which included vocals by Latasha Diggs and Somi--hit some sweet spots at times, too. But the evening belonged to extraordinary, imaginative movers like Barnes and Christa and like Daniel Gwirtzman, Kyle Abraham, Ayo Jackson, Catherine Cabeen, Nejla Yatkin and Christian von Howard, who know how to get a groove going or take full advantage of whatever's already happening on the floor.

As in any improvisation, sometimes you hit it, sometimes you don't. But, in Burnt Sugar/DANZ, the entirety is fun, stimulating and a welcome experience of some exceptional performers exercising their creativity on the spot. So, if you hear of other chances to witness this project, jump right in!

burnt sugar...danz

some sugar

some solid pliability 

energetic calligraphy

hive gathers gestures 

sparrows call spasm

family movements

determined undetermination 

conducted spheres of action 

baton for music baton for dance 

mass of singularity

scampering steady chime 

dignified hectic traffic

(c)2010, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

Summer Stages Dance

Baryshnikov Arts Center

Souls intact

To even attempt to invoke the complex genius of Nina Simone might require an entire stage filled with badass women, and that's exactly how things went down last night at Aaron Davis Hall. Presented by Harlem Stage, the renowned Black Rock Coalition Orchestra gave the final performance of its Nina Simone Tribute, featuring numerous female singers and a versatile musical ensemble covering nearly two dozen songs written or interpreted by the extraordinary musical diva and activist who left us in 2003.

Standouts included Angela Johnson's mellifluous piano work and vocal phrasing, where we could grasp every nuance of thought and feeling in Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair and Brown Baby; Joi's frisky I'm Gonna Leave You with its driving rhythm that sounds exactly like a strong woman getting the hell on outta there; anything that Imani Uzuri turned her fierce voice to, absolutely anything, from the romping Backlash Blues to the softly pitying Fodder to the raging anger of Peaches in Four Women; the bravado of Toli Nameless's triple-threat celebration of See-Line Woman in song, dance and trumpet-playing.

Tamar-kali sizzled--what confidence and clout!--in the torch song Tell Me More, a five-alarm I Put A Spell On You, and a slow-drag Feelin' Good. Her voice is dark smoke crossed with flutely sinuosity. Mazz Swift, besides her duties in the lovely string quartet, offered up Lilac Wine with mesmerizing sensitivity. LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs's Pirate Jenny glowed with toxic charm.

There was much, much more, and I wish there could be much, much more. Harlem Stage, bring each and every one of them back without delay!

Other great vocalists from this show are also online:

Lisala
Somi
Maya Azucena

651 Arts is LIVE AND OUTSPOKEN

Brooklyn's 651 Arts--dedicated to performance of the African diaspora--launches LIVE AND OUTSPOKEN, its new series of arts conversations, this spring with an exciting line-up:

Tuesday, April 27
Award-winning choreographer Ralph Lemon interviews Mississippi bluesman Jimmy “Duck” Holmes in the home of Emmy Award-winning producer, Tom Fontana
Tuesday, May 4
Poet/playwright/activist Sonia Sanchez interviews choreographer Ron BrownMark Morris Dance Studio at , Brooklyn

Tuesday, May 11
South African composer Hugh Masekela interviews musician/performer Somi at the Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts, Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus

Tuesday, May 18
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage interviews actress/writer April Yvette Thompson at BRICstudio, Brooklyn

Tickets go on sale on March 1.

For further information about this and other activities of 651 Arts, click here.