Monthly Archives: March 2010

Angelique Kidjo Concert

Posted on by
Reply

It’s been a while since I’ve had this much fun at a concert. Last night, my sister Rebecca and I saw Angelique Kidjo, a Grammy Award winning singer from Benin (West Africa). The fan base for Angelique spans across different races and ages, which made this concert feel like a world summit party.

Angelique is a fabulous performer who does not disappoint; she rocked the house from start to finish. She entertained the audience through her incredible, solid voice and African dance moves. In addition, throughout the concert, Angelique explained the meaning behind her songs, including…

  • a dedication to her mentor Miriam Makeba, a South African singer and civil rights activist
  • a song that combined music styles from Ghana, Benin, Cameroon and Togo
  • a song dedicated to her deceased father who encouraged her to read, write and be a good student, which was uncommon for girls during her childhood
  • a song about parents who told their son on his wedding night to treat a woman with respect

In addition, Angelic sang songs by James Brown and Curtis Mayfield, which were really neat to hear in her dialect.

The music brought everyone to his or her feet, and the concert became a non-stop celebration. Towards the end of the show, Angelique did something I have never seen before. She invited the audience to come on stage with her to dance; about 100 people were able to fit on the stage with her. After a song, she asked everyone to sit on the stage floor while she introduced her band. Her band members came from Africa, Brazil and the United States. After the introductions, the party continued on the stage.

The show ended with an encore song, and everyone left the concert wanting more. To experience the rhythms of West Africa, listen to Angelique’s music on her website or see her live in concert.

Mediterranean Food Sampling

Posted on by
Reply

My five colleagues and I went to Mezze, a restaurant in Baltimore that serves small plated Mediterranean food, like tapas. I love these restaurants, as they provide a great way to sample a lot of dishes in one sitting. The variety is absolutely incredible, and we ordered more than we could handle: fattoush (tomatoes & cucumbers over pita), spinach fritters, falafel, bacalao (salt cod cakes), braised beef, chicken kabobs and merguez (lamb sausage) to name a few. With this style of dinning, you only take a few bites of each dish. Therefore, it works out if you don’t like a dish and want to try something new.

They also had a great variety of desserts like baklava and baked custard in phylo; however, there was no way we could eat another bite.

If you are going out to dinner with a large group, consider a place like Mezze.

African American Museum featuring Romare Bearden

Posted on by
1

It’s great to visit a place and get more than expected. That’s what happened to Jonathan and me when we visited the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture. We went there to see the Romare Bearden exhibit and got so much more.

Romare Bearden, an African American artist, is known for his creative and textured collages through various photographic processes: etchings, aquatints, collagraphs, photo projections, lithographs and screenprints. Through his work, Bearden illustrated African American experiences, including slavery, civil rights, religion, love and jazz music.

Upon entering the museum, we learned that actors from the Arena Players, a renowned African-American regional theater, were performing excerpts from August Wilson plays to show the similarity in themes and universal relevance with Romare Bearden’s work. We came in on the end but were able to hear one song and two readings. The performances were well worth our visit, and we had yet to see the exhibit.

The Romare Bearden exhibit included 75 works and explained in detail how Bearden produced different art forms. It also relayed how many writers, including August Wilson, Langston Hughes and Toni Morrison, were inspired by Bearden’s work, which led them to used his artwork as the covers of their books.

Another added bonus to our museum visit was the Ulysses Marshall exhibit titled “Storytales.” This artist was also inspired by Bearden and produced mixed-media paintings that incorporated elements of collage and print-making. His work on display pays tribute to the sharecroppers, bluesmen, rural families and ancestral figures that form the continuum of African American experience.

If you are unfamiliar with Romare Bearden or Ulysses Marshall’s work, I encourage you to seek it out. Their works give beautiful and vivid illustrations of social and cultural issues facing the African American community.

In addition, the museum’s permanent exhibits focus on the history of the African American community in Maryland, including farming, politics, medicine, sports and education. There are interesting objects on display such as Dominique Dawes’ gymnastic leotard from the 1996 Olympics and medical tools used by Dr. Ben Carson.

If you are ever in Baltimore, definitely visit the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. It’s worth the trip.

Latin and Afro-Caribbean Production

Posted on by
1

Last night we attended the Strathmore Hall to see the production of Danzón, which included Luna Negra Dance Theater with the Grammy Award winning ensemble Turtle Island Quartet and Grammy Award winner Paquito D’Rivera.

Luna Negra Dance Theater, a Chicago based, multicultural dance company, blends traditional ballet with contemporary dance. Each dancer previously trained with different companies located within and outside of the United States: Chicago, Houston, New York City, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Spain. The Turtle Island Quartet consists of two violinists, a cello player and a viola player. This ensemble fuses classical music with contemporary American, Latin and Indian musical styles. Paquito D’Rivera, a Cuban native, is a composer and musician who blends jazz, classical and Latin music. When these diverse artists came together, they generated a lively and exciting show.

Danzón music was originally created in Cuba in the late 1800s. During that period, dancers would follow the melody via different actions: choose partners, stroll onto the dance floor, and begin to dance at precisely the same moment. Later in the music, the dancers would stop, chat, flirt, greet their friends, and start again. After learning more about Danzón, I realized the Luna Negra Dance Company interpreted this style in their production, which consisted of three parts: Nube Blanco (White Cloud), Danzón and Quinceañera.

The Luna Negra Dance Company started the show with what I would call a “step show” but with a Spanish, African and Latin American twist. When Turtle Island Quartet and Paquito D’Rivera took stage, they played colorful pieces that infused blues, jazz, classical and Latin music, which complemented the dancers’ movements. The show ended with the dancers doing a whimsical interpretation of a girl’s coming of age. I liked all parts of the production, as they were each very unique. However, there were moments when I did not understand the modern dance interpretations. In those instances, I used the rhythmic beats of the music to let my imagination come up with my own story lines.

The Luna Negra Dance Theater reminds me of a junior version of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, where traditional ballet is modified with a cultural influence. Once again, their style of dance shows that the art is made for every culture to explore and interpret.

Overall all, I enjoyed the Danzón production and encourage you to see it if it comes to your town.

Traditional Irish Dance

Posted on by
1

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! To celebrate this festive occasion, I saw members of a traditional Irish dance school perform at a local Irish pub. If you can’t remember this dance, think of Riverdance where dancers move their legs in rhythmic steps while keeping their arms straight. Also, the lively folk music for these performances includes instruments such as accordions and flutes.

Today’s troop ranged from about five years old to teenagers. The older girls and boys rotated in and out with solo dances, and the younger kids, in traditional attire, performed a group dance. The kids were great, and the patrons enjoyed the celebration with green outfits and glasses of Guinness.

The following is a short video of the performances.