Curated by India Cooke, violin and Lewis Jordan, saxophone
July 16, August 20, September 17
A new forum for great black art and beyond: Innovative explorations from the roots to the branches of music, dance, visual art, and word. Bringing local, national and international performers, scholars, students and interested public together in a forum designed to enhance and broaden understanding and awareness of the dynamic
cultural impact of African American music and art, in all its diverse expressions. P
Free World ~ 3rd Thursdays
with
CONJURE!
con·jure: make (something) appear unexpectedly or seemingly from nowhere as if by magic
India Cooke, violin
Lewis Jordan, saxophone, word
Joe McKinley, contrabass
Kele Nitoto, percussion
Donald Robinson, set drum
~and ~
Special Guest:
Writer, social commentator, and poet Daphne Muse
Daphne Muse, Writer, social commentator, and poet (Special guest July 16, 2015)
Born into a jazz-centric family in Washington, DC, Daphne Muse continues to breathe across the beats of a music created by her people and now rhythmically embraced across the world. She's currently working on "Gaza Blues and Dues," a piece on Palestinian jazz musicians. She is the former Director of the Women's Leadership Institute and faculty member at Mills College. She is a member of Dames at the Roundtable and writer, social commentator and poet. Her commentaries air on NPR, KALW, Radio One and other major media markets across the country. Her articles, Op-Ed pieces, and blogs have appeared in the Atlantic, Congressional Record, This Week in Palestine and at Portside. To follow her commentaries, go to www.daphnemuse.blogspot.com.
India Cooke, violinist, recorded and released, to critical acclaim, her Grammy nominated debut CD as a leader, IndiaCooke~Redhanded (Music and Arts 1996).
Her continuing jazz and improvisational experiences include performances and recordings with Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor, George Lewis, Pharoah Sanders, Julius Hemphill,
Reggie Workman, George Sams, Abdul Wadud,Charles "Bobo" Shaw, Peter Kowald, John Lindberg, James Emery, Eddie Marshall, E.W. Wainwright, John Tchicai,
Michael White, Pauline Oliveros, Donald Robinson, Lewis Jordan, and Bill Crossman, among many others.
Lewis Jordan, alto and baritone saxophones
Born in San Francisco, he grew up in Chicago, with the blues, while learning to associate creative musicians with the advancement of society as we know it. He is an international touring and recording musician, poet, actor and playwright. He was a founding member of United Front, a seminal San Francisco Bay Area ensemble known for its originality, aggressive imagination and cultural synthesis. Presenting his music and words in performance, he continues to carry the torch.
He has focused on creative structures for improvisation, which has led to working with artists from a range of practice: dance, poetry, theater and music, presented in his Music At-Large series. He continues to seek out performers who strive for modes of expression that honor their traditions while speaking to the urgency of the present. If that's in B-flat, fine. If it's in time, that could work too. If it's outside, it must be honest.
Suggested donation $20. No one turned away for lack of funds.
7:30pm to 9:30pm, 2133 University Avenue
$36 adv / $38 door. 644-2020. www.thefreight.org
8pm, Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, 2020 Addison Street
One of America’s top socio-political comedians, W. Kamau Bell has been back in the Bay Area for more than six months now, but there’s a problem: He doesn’t get out that much. Between being a road warrior for comedy, and filming for his upcoming CNN show, The United Shades of America, Kamau just wants to be with his family, catching up with episodes of Shark Tank and sleep. With a 4 year-old and a 7-month-year old baby, the sleep part isn’t happening.
The Berkeley Marsh is pleased to announce that Kamau will be doing a summer residency in their Cabaret Theater: Six shows every Thursday, beginning June 25. Every show starts at 8pm, and will feature some of the top comedians in the Bay Area.
Kamau will be drawing hot-off-the-press material from today’s headlines (or copy and pasting from clickbait)…or he might just complain about changing diapers.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit Hearts Leap Preschool.
$15 Open Seating
$25 Open Seating plus Pre-show Meet and Greet with Kamau at 7:00pm in Marsh Cabaret Bar
$50 Reserved Seating plus Pre-show Meet and Greet with Kamau at 7:00pm in Marsh Cabaret Bar
8pm to 9pm, 2120 Allston Way
Reggae from Chile. $13. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com
8:30pm, Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center, 1317 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, CA, United States