Anya M. Wassenberg's Blog: Art & Culture Maven, page 130

Broadway Premiere: Inspired by the Lyrics & Music of Tupac Shakur, Holler If Ya Hear Me Previews June 2, Opens June 19 2014

From a media release:

Broadway Premiere
Holler If Ya Hear Me
at The Palace Theatre, New York City
Previews begin June 2, 2014
Opening Night: June 19, 2014

• Buy Tickets

NEW YORK CITY - The world inside Tupac Shakur’s music and lyrics blazes to life in an entertaining new musical opening at the Palace Theatre, located at 1564 Broadway (at 47th Street).

Broadway has always given voice to popular culture and social change. South Pacific, West Side Story, Hair, For Colored Girls…, Sarafina and Rent are among the hits that hit home. Now Broadway gives voice to the lyrics of Tupac Shakur, whose music has sold over 77 million albums.

Written by Todd Kreidler and directed by Kenny Leon, HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME will begin previews on Monday, June 2 and open on Thursday, June 19.

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, the world inside Tupac Shakur’s music and lyrics, blazes to life in a non-biographical story about friendship, family, revenge, change and hope. Inner city lives struggle for peace against the daily challenges they face in this entertaining and original musical. Through the poetry of one of the 20th century’s most influential and culturally prominent voices, we are given a window into realities of the streets still relevant today.

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME stars award-winning slam poet, actor, singer, musician Saul Williams (Slam) as John, Christopher Jackson (After Midnight) as Vertus, Saycon Sengbloh (Motown The Musical, Fela!) as Corinne, Ben Thompson (Matilda) as Griffy, John Earl Jelks (Radio Golf – Tony nomination) as Street Preacher, Joshua Boone (Brownsville Song [b side for Tray] at Actors Theatre of Louisville) as Darius, Dyllon Burnside (“Prison Break”) as Anthony and Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins (Jelly’s Last Jam, Caroline or Change, Play On!) as Mrs. Weston.

The cast also features Tracee Beazer (Memphis), Afi Bijou (Fela!), Mel Charlot (Three-time World Hip Hop Champion), Carrie Compere (Shrek National Tour), Otis Cotton, Ryan Davis (danced for Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj), Brandon Gill (Neighbors at The Public),  Ariana Groover (Bare Off-Broadway), F. Michael Haynie (Wicked), Jared Joseph (Book of Mormon National Tour), Jahi Kearse (Baby It’s You), Muata Langley (freestyle Krump performer), Candace Maxwell, Valentine Norton (“American Idol”), Christina Sajous (Spider-Man:  Turn off the Dark), Charlene “Chi Chi” Smith, Jaime Lincoln Smith (Ruined Off-Broadway), Donald Webber, Jr. (Motown The Musical) and Joaquina Kalukango (Godspell).

Joining director Kenny Leon (A Raisin in the Sun [2004 and 2014], Fences [2010], The Mountaintop) and author Todd Kreidler (Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and direction of How I Learned What I Learned) on the creative team, are Tony Award winning choreographer Wayne Cilento (Wicked, The Who’s Tommy, How to Succeed…[1995], AIDA, Sweet Charity [2004]), and musical supervisor Daryl Waters (Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk, The Color Purple, Memphis).

The creative team also includes scenic design by Edward Pierce (The Other Place, Shatner’s World) based on original concepts by David Gallo, projections by Zachary G. Borovay (No Man’s Land, Waiting for Godot), costumes by Reggie Ray (Stick Fly), lighting by Mike Baldassari (Cabaret [1998/2014], First Date), sound by John Shivers (Kinky Boots) and David Patridge (Soul Doctor) and casting by Caparelliotis Casting (Casa Valentina, The Trip to Bountiful).

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME is produced on Broadway by Afeni Shakur, Eric L. Gold, Chunsoo Shin, Jessica Green, Marcy Kaplan-Gold and Anita Waxman. General Manager is Richard Martini for KL Management.

Tickets are now on sale through Ticketmaster at www.Ticketmaster.com or by calling 877-250-2929.  Tickets available in person at the Palace Theatre box office, 1564 Broadway at 47th Street beginning May 12 at 10AM.  Box office hours are Monday through Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.  Ticket prices range from $59 to $139 (all prices include a $2.00 facility fee).  A limited number of student tickets at $35 are available through TIX4STUDENTS at www.tix4students.com.  TIX4STUDENTS is an annual membership program for students 18+ only that provides access to purchase student tickets online in advance (validation of student status required). HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME is participating in this program as part of their commitment to being accessible to college students.

CD Release: Beautiful Nubia and the Roots Renaissance Band with Keere (EniObanke, May 19, 2014)

From a media release:

CD Release: Beautiful Nubia and the Roots Renaissance Band
Bats, Birds, Music - Beautiful Nubia releases 10th album
(Keere - EniObanke, May 19, 2014)

• Buy the CD here

“The bat hangs upside down watching the way of birds...", so goes the opening line of the title track of "Keere", the 10th studio album by Nigeria's foremost folk and roots musician, Beautiful Nubia (and the Roots Renaissance Band).

Brimming with sparkling melodies, evocative lyrics and lush arrangements, "Keere" was recorded and mixed in Nigeria and mastered and manufactured in Canada. The 12-track album explores the usual themes championed by its predecessors: social justice, truth, courage, love and communalism.

Not one to bend to commercial pressures, Beautiful Nubia has kept faith with his peculiar "arty", contemporary African folk and roots style, with poetic songs offered in Yoruba and English. There is a lot here to transport the listener into deep reflection, but there is an equal number of dance-floor candidates. Somehow, Beautiful Nubia is able to make his listener think and dance at the same time, and that is no mean feat. Well, at least, so he thinks...



Beautiful Nubia and the Roots Renaissance Band is Nigeria’s foremost contemporary folk and roots music group. Formed and fronted by songwriter and poet Segun Akinlolu (aka Beautiful Nubia), the group’s songs and albums have achieved cult status among their loyal and growing fans spread across the world.

Beautiful Nubia’s songs are built on rich folkloric traditions and native wisdom but his message is universal in thrust and theme: value life, respect nature and learn to live in peace with others. The music speaks for the voiceless and champions the dream of a balanced society where individuals are truly free and equal. It preaches love and tolerance but also urges people to stand and defend their rights when trampled upon anywhere in the world.

Born in Ibadan in 1968, Segun started writing songs at a very young age. He drew his early influence from the traditional culture which was prevalent in the form of oral poetry, theatre, music and folklore. In 1994, with enough resources to produce a demo, his timing coincided with the final departure of major record labels from Nigeria. In response, he established EniObanke, a music production and marketing company under which his first album was released in 1997. All subsequent recordings have been released on this label and the company recently commenced the first ever folk and roots music festival in Nigeria, the EniObanke Music Festival (EMUfest).



In 1998, the artist invited several young musicians in Lagos to form a backing band to which he gave the name ‘The Roots Renaissance Band’. Throughout the years, Beautiful Nubia has remained the songwriter, arranger and bandleader contributing acoustic/rhythm guitar, lead vocals and percussion. The band is still mostly made up of the original members.

Reward came in 2002 with the release of the ground-breaking third album Jangbalajugbu . It is estimated that more than 50 million Nigerians wake up each day to “Owuro L’Ojo (How D’You Do?)”, one of the hit tracks in the album. To date, Jangbalajugbu has sold in excess of a million copies (not including the large numbers sold in the open market by pirates). Since then, the band has released five more albums, all of which, except the most recent, were recorded with vintage analog equipment at the historic Afrodisia (Decca) Studios in Lagos. Awilele (2004) is a no-holds-barred celebration of the artist's political views, Fere (2006) earned BN the sobriquet "Nigeria's King of Melody" and Kilòkilò (2007) and Irinajo (2009) both confirm what can be described as the Beautiful Nubia style and his stubborn refusal to be pigeon-holed. The albums, deeply political, have cemented his reputation in Nigeria and beyond as an advocate for social justice. It is the combination of enjoyable entertainment and provocative thoughtfulness that has come to define BN’s style. Sun No Dey Sleep, the latest album, continues that tradition.

The music has garnered excellent reviews in leading african/world music publications. It has been nominated for music awards and topped international/world charts on community, grassroots and campus radio stations.

Segun Akinlolu graduated from the University of Ibadan with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree in 1992 and worked as a Vet Doctor for about 8 years. He also holds a Post-Graduate Diploma from the Nigeria Institute of Journalism.

Discography: Sun No Dey Sleep (2011);  Irinajo (2009); Kilòkilò (2007); Fere (2006); Awilele (2004);Jangbalajugbu (2002); Fire On The Roof (2001); Voice From Heaven (1999); Seven Lifes (1997)

Publications: Waiting For The Bones (poetry, 1997); Thinking Big (poetry, 2000); On A Cold Evening (poetry cd, 2000); The King's Messenger (2004); Where Rivers Sing A Song (poetry cd, 2004); Citadel Blues (Fiction, 2004); Like A Tale At Night (poetry cd, 2006)

Transglobal Grooves: Karikatura Debut Album (Eyes Wide - Ropeadope Records June 3 2014) & Release Party June 1 in NYC

From a media release:

KARIKATURA ANNOUNCES DEBUT ALBUM
EYES WIDE TO BE RELEASED ON JUNE 3, 2014 ON ROPEADOPE RECORDS
NYC RECORD RELEASE PARTY June 1 2014 @ BOWERY ELECTRIC

• Check out the party & the CD here

This June, Karikatura will release its debut full-length album, Eyes Wide, recorded to analog tape at Mighty Toad Studios and mixed at Strangeweather Studios by creative luminary Daniel Schlett (Bob Dylan,Yeasayer, Rita Indiana). The music on the album is as diverse as the backgrounds and life-experiences of the band-members; each member contributed songs to the album, expressing his personal vision, and the band shaped the music collectively. They write songs the way a storyteller crafts tales, exploring universal themes through personal experiences. Eyes Wide is also a covert tribute to New York City, where the band spent a year of relative stasis and creative hibernation after three consecutive years of touring.

The album will come out on Ropeadope Records; Karikatura is excited to join the Ropeadope family, which boasts recent Grammy winners Snarky Puppy and a magnificent lineage, including The Philadelphia Experiment, Antibalas, Spanish Harlem Orchestra and many more amazing artists.

Karikatura makes life-affirming, body-shaking music that moves people around the world. While the band has toured everywhere from Japan to Brazil, New York City is home. With bright horns, socially conscious lyrics and booty-bouncing beats, Karikatura delivers real songs that transcend style and genre.  An organic synthesis of all the music heard blasting out of car windows and shops onto the streets of NYC, Karikatura lives where cumbia meets hip-hop, reggae meets klezmer and indie-rock meets afrobeat. Neither purist nor revivalist, this is music of the present, for the future.   The band has released two EPs and has successfully done DIY tours in Europe, Asia and South America. 



Born on the road, Karikatura hasn’t stopped moving since. The band was conceived in South India in 2009 by Ukrainian-born, Brooklyn-bred recovering metal guitarist, Dima Kay, at the end of a life-changing journey across three continents. He returned to his adopted hometown of NYC to make the group a reality, joining forces with like-minded musicians: soulful singer Ryan Acquaotta, bassist Eric Legaspi, woodwinds maestro Joe Wilson, drummer Morgan Greenstreet, and brass-blaster Ric Becker. They hit the road, traveling from Kyoto to Berlin, via Bratislava and New Orleans, to spread the joy of music that brings people together. They are equally at home performing at a packed festival in Belgium, a Manhattan jazz bistro, a Czech punk club or the subways of Sao Paolo.

They were also selected for the Music Under New York Program (MUNY), one of only 18 new acts chosen by the MTA out of 300 applicants for permits to perform in the subways of NYC. After just a few months with MUNY, Karikatura was invited to participate in the Red Bull Sounderground Festival in Sao Paulo, alongside other popular street music performers from around the world. They made a major impact on Brazilian audiences, instantly winning fans and building bonds for the future.

2014 has already brought Karikatura to new places, with a three-week tour down to Austin, Texas for SXSW, including shows throughout the Northeast, Midwest, and the Southeast of the US. The band made new fans, new friends and lots of music along the way.

Wherever Karikatura goes, they move people with honest songs, strong rhythms and creative horns. Karikatura brings the world to New York and New York to the world, capturing the present moment, with eyes and ears wide open.

The Sacrament - A Film by Ti West - Opens in Toronto June 6 2014

From a media release:

The Sacrament
A Film By Ti West
Opens June 6, 2014 in Toronto
Carlton Cinema - 20 Carlton St.

“Horrifying” - Fangoria
“Unique and startling” – Horror Talk
“Bone-chilling” – The Hollywood Reporter
“Slow-burning…frightening in any genre language.” – Variety

(TORONTO, May 22, 2014) From acclaimed writer/director Ti West (The Innkeepers, The House of the Devil) and master of horror Eli Roth (The Last Exorcism, Hostel, Cabin Fever), The Sacrament follows two Vice Media correspondents as they set out to document their friend’s journey to find his missing sister. They travel outside of the United States to an undisclosed location where they are welcomed into the world of “Eden Parish,” a self-sustained rural utopia, comprised of nearly two hundred members. At the center of this small, religious, socialist community is a mysterious leader known only as “Father.” As their friend reunites with his sister, it becomes apparent to the newcomers that this paradise may not be as it seems. What started as just another documentary shoot soon becomes a race to escape with their lives. The film opens theatrically in Toronto on June 6, with more cities to come.

Director Ti West started with the concept of a mini-series inspired by the Jonestown Massacre, but his impatience led him to rework it into a feature film because he thought that had a better chance of getting off the ground.

“My goal was to create an elevated genre film that examines the last days in the life of a religious cult,” explained West. “It is rare to find films like these that are more than just cheap thrills. It was important to me not to portray these characters as mindless, psychotic cult members, but as relatable real people.”

Producer Eli Roth agreed, “I would hope after watching The Sacrament that people would think about the cause they’re committed to, and how fanatical they may be in areas of their own life. But more than that, the next time we hear about a mass suicide, or when people talk about David Koresh or Jim Jones, we want them to have a more emotional connection to the stories like that.”

The film also stars Joe Swanberg (V/H/S, A Horrible Way to Die), A.J. Bowen (You’re Next) and Gene Jones (No Country For Old Men, “Boardwalk Empire”)

The theatrical release of The Sacrament will be followed by a home entertainment release in August.

Theatre at WorldPride 2014 Toronto: Staged Play Readings & Talks June 22 & 25 at Buddies in Bad Times

From a media release:

Part of WorldPride 2014:
TWO IMPORTANT READINGS COME TO BUDDIES FOR WORLDPRIDE 2014
JUST ME, YOU AND THE SILENCE - JUNE 22, 2014
THE LADY HAMLET - JUNE 25, 2014

• Buy Tickets & Check out the rest of Queer Pride 2014

Toronto: May 22, 2014. WorldPride 2014 Toronto and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre are pleased to announce the staged readings of two exciting new plays: ADONG Lucy Judith’s Just Me, You and The Silence and Sarah Schulman’s The Lady Hamlet. The company’s month-long Queer Pride celebration will be amplified by the unique perspectives of these two international playwrights, both of whom will be in attendance. Audiences can look forward to adding these thought-provoking events to their Pride schedule.

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre’s Artistic Director, Brendan Healy, says, “We are thrilled to be partnering with WorldPride 2014 Toronto to bring these two distinguished writers to Buddies!”

WorldPride 2014 Toronto, Obsidian Theatre, IFT Toronto, and Buddies in Bad Times present a staged reading of
JUST ME, YOU AND THE SILENCE
by ADONG LUCY JUDITH
7:00pm | June 22, 2014
Just Me, You and The Silence traces the story of an ambitious politician who introduces a bill that divides his nation and family. A powerful play by Ugandan writer ADONG Lucy Judith that explores the anti-homosexuality laws in her country.

A fictional piece, Just Me,You and The Silence, is directed by ITC Theatre’s Mumbi Tindyebwa and provides a timely look at the legislation instituted in Uganda with the Anti-Homosexuality Act. Nine of Canada’s leading talents, including Karen Robinson, Cara Ricketts, Tawiah Ben-Eben M’Carthy, Araya Mengesha, Sodi Waboso Amajor, and Peter Bailey join Tindyebwa’s creative team.

All proceeds from the reading will be donated to FARUG (Freedom and Roam Uganda), a local LGBT Charity Organization serving the Ugandan community.

RENOWNED UGANDAN PLAYWRIGHT COMES TO TORONTO FOR THE FIRST TIME
Just Me, You and The Silence was first developed by ADONG Lucy Judith at the Royal Court Theatre International Playwrights’ Residency in 2011. In the context of Toronto’s WorldPride Festival, the play’s Canadian premiere invites frank reflection on global LGBTQ rights. This significant occasion is bolstered by the presence of ADONG Lucy Judith, who will be in attendance for the reading.

ADONG Lucy Judith is a brilliant educator and artist whose groundbreaking work spans theatre, film, television, and radio. As a human rights activist, ADONG’s socio-political pieces give voice to marginalized Ugandans. In 2011 she was invited to the prestigious Sundance Theatre Lab where she created Silent Voices, a work based on interviews with victims of the Northern Uganda conflict. ADONG is currently enrolled in the Film and Media Arts Graduate program at Temple University in Philadelphia, where she received a Fulbright Scholarship to study filmmaking.

A VITAL PANEL DISCUSSION DURING WORLDPRIDE
Just You, Me and The Silence evokes an essential conversation about the ongoing struggle for international gay rights, and panel discussion will follow its staged reading. Moderated by internationally celebrated Jamaican-Canadian, d'bi.young anitafrika, and featuring playwright ADONG Lucy Judith in addition to other distinguished guests, the panel will draw attention to current LGBTQ issues in Uganda, Africa, and the international scene.

(Video from a previous play, Silent Voices)



WorldPride 2014 Toronto and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre present a staged reading of
THE LADY HAMLET
by SARAH SCHULMAN
8:00pm | June 25, 2014
Two artists, both born to play Hamlet, also happened to be born women. With 1920s New York City as their sparring field, they engage in a war of wits that leaves their colleagues and lovers caught in the crossfire.

On June 25th Buddies teams up with WorldPride 2014 Toronto to present a reading of The Lady Hamlet, a work by renowned writer and thinker Sarah Schulman. The reading will be performed by Laura Codlln, Michelle Pollack, Richard Greenblatt, Elley-Ray Hennessy, Dalal Badr, and Jonathan Seinen with direction from Andrea Donaldson.

All proceeds from the reading will go to Wychwood Open Door, a day-time drop-in centre that has serves homeless and socially isolated people in Toronto's midtown St. Clair West community.

LEADING INTELLECTUAL & ACTIVIST IN ATTENDANCE
WorldPride 2014 Toronto and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre are honoured to welcome Sarah Schulman to Toronto for a reading of her work The Lady Hamlet. Schulman is a multi-talented creator: a novelist, playwright, screenwriter, nonfiction writer, AIDS historian, journalist, and political activist. She is the Co-Founder of MIX: NY LGBT Experimental Film and Video Festival, Co-Director of ACT UP Oral History Project, US Coordinator of the first LGBT Delegation to Palestine and Distinguished Professor of English at CUNY, Staten Island. Her impressive work has been recognized with numerous awards including a Guggenheim in Playwriting, Fullbright for Judaic Studies, the Kessler Prize for Sustained Contribution to LGBT Studies, as well as a finalist nomination for the Prix de Rome.

Based out of New York and best known for her intellectual discourse, this staged reading gives Toronto audiences a rare chance to experience Schulman’s theatrical work. The Lady Hamlet, is a thought provoking exploration of gender and representation, and an exciting showcase of Schulman’s thoughtful outlook and critical eye. Schulman will be available for a Talkback after the reading.

- - - -
These events take place during Buddies in Bad Times’ Queer Pride Festival. Queer Pride is a celebration of love and acceptance, full of theatre, comedy, art, music, and parties that showcases our community’s unstoppable spirit. Events take place from May 31st until June 29th, for more event listings & information go to www.buddiesinbadtimes.com/pride.

WorldPride Toronto 2014, Obsidian Theatre, IFT Theatre, and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre present a staged reading of
JUST ME, YOU AND THE SILENCE
by ADONG Lucy Judith
Sunday, June 22, 2014 at 7:00pm

Tickets $10 in advance or PWYC at the door.
All proceeds from the reading will be donated to FARUG (Freedom and Roam Uganda).
Box Office 416-975-8555 or buddiesinbadtimes.com
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander Street, Toronto ON

WorldPride Toronto 2014 and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre present a staged reading of
THE LADY HAMLET
by SARAH SCHULMAN
Wednesday, June 25, 2014 at 8:00pm

Tickets PWYC at the door, all proceeds go to Wychwood Open Door.
Box Office 416-975-8555 or buddiesinbadtimes.com
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander Street, Toronto ON

Sketch Comedy: The Reception with Tony Ho & Jeremy Woodcock May 29 2014 at The Comedy Bar Toronto

From a media release:

THE RECEPTION
with Tony Ho and Jeremy Woodcock
Thursday, May 29, 2014
8pm at Comedy Bar

TORONTO - THE RECEPTION welcomes TONY HO and JEREMY WOODCOCK to their monthly Comedy Bar extravaganza on Thursday, May 29, 8pm.

TONY HO believes being unsettled isn't a bad thing. This darkly hilarious Toronto group has been called the haunted house of sketch with good reason. Equally funny and disturbing, Tony Ho is entirely unexpected and absolutely unforgettable.

JEREMY WOODCOCK is a stand-up/sketch comedian and comedy writer. He has written for several programs including This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Just For Laughs, and hosts a television show, The Urbane Explorer, itself a spin-off of his popular video Finding Bessarion. His comedic writing has appeared in print for The Walrus, CBC Punchline, Bite.ca, and others, and on his Twitter account, @jwPencilAndPad, for which he has been cited in New York Times magazine.

THE RECEPTION is a five-piece post-punk, sketch comedy party on turbo mode. They have performed to rave reviews in Montreal, Chicago and New York sketch comedy festivals. Their monthly show at Comedy Bar has quickly become one of the must-see performance events of the month.

"The Reception is high-paced and polished, making it very clear they are professional and serious about their sketch. An ensemble that moves like a well-oiled machine, The Reception definitely felt like the after-party their name suggests.“ Kelly Opalko (The Sketch Review, Chicago)

"There's something so enjoyable about seeing a group perform who look like they don't want to be anywhere else, and that kind of effort is something this city needs a lot more of.“ Christina Strynatka (TheExaminer.com)

THE RECEPTION
WITH THE TONY HO AND JEREMY WOODCOCK
Thursday, May 29, 8pm
Comedy Bar (Main Stage), 945 Bloor Street West
Tickets $5 (suggested)
www.comedybar.ca
facebook.com/thereceptionTO
@TheReceptionTO

Prog Rock: moe. No Guts, No Glory CD Release Party May 28 2014 in New York City

From a media release:

Prog Rock CD Release:
moe.
No Guts, No Glory Album Release Party
at Stage 48 - 605 West 48th Street, NYC
Wednesday, May 28, 2014

• Buy the CD

NEW YORK CITY - moe., the preeminent progressive rock band on the music scene today and a quintet of world class musicians, whose creative output equals that of their longevity, will perform an intimate show on Wednesday May 28th at Stage 48 in midtown Manhattan. The band will perform a rare acoustic set in the early part of the evening as part of a VIP ticket package that also includes a top shelf open bar, buffet stations, a commemorative show poster, a meet and greet with the band where fans will get their posters signed, and more. The band will perform a full two-set show for both VIP and general admission audiences beginning at 10pm.

Over a journey spanning nearly a quarter-century, moe. has let their knack for dynamic, democratic improvisation influence nearly every facet of the band's existence. In concert, they stretch the boundaries of their source material into intricate, set-long suites where distinct songs seamlessly segue into one another in exhilarating fashion. In the studio, their eclectic, wide-ranging sensibilities manifest in playful, varied albums that spotlight both their fluid musicianship and their incisive, hook-laden songwriting.

Available May 27, 2014 on Sugar Hill Records, moe.'s new album No Guts, No Glory finds moe. at their most inventive and resilient. The album's eleven songs (fourteen on the deluxe CD, digital, and double vinyl editions, featurin artwork by Emek) took a winding path. "These songs were written with an acoustic album in mind," says guitarist and vocalist Chuck Garvey. When that original intention fell victim to logistical hurdles, Garvey says, "we ended up making a whole different thing."

$35 - General Admission Tickets / $150 - VIP Tickets6:00 PM - VIP Doors /  9:30 PM - GA Doors / 10:00 PM - Show 16+ General Admission - 21+ VIP AdmissionPlease note that no taping or videotaping is allowed for this performanceFull Bar and Restaurant on Premises
$150 VIP Ticket Party Package Includes: Early entry into venue Commemorative Show Poster Meet and Greet and Memorabilia Signing with moe Top Shelf Open Bar from 7:30pm-8:30pmLatin Themed Dinner With Buffet stationsRaffle Entry for very special door prizesPrivate Acoustic VIP set by moe.Special surprises!

Ethiopian Reggae by way of Israel: Zvuloon Dub System at SOB's in New York City June 15 2014

From a media release:

Ethiopian Reggae in NYC;
Zvuloon Dub System at SOB's June 15, 2014

• The CD Anbessa Dub will be available June 30, 2014
• Pre-release vinyl

NEW YORK CITY - When Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia, the man known as Ras Tafari, visited Jamaica on April 21, 1966, more than one hundred thousand Rastafarians were waiting at Kingston Airport to see the man they revered as the Messiah. For a brief moment, still celebrated by the faithful as Grounation Day, the two countries came together. 18 years later, in 1984, an Ethiopian Jewish family, members of the lost tribe of Israel, walked across the desert, making the long track to their homeland. And now those three cultures – Jamica, Ethiopia, and Israel - merge on the new album by Tel Aviv-based  Zvuloon Dub System, called Anbessa Dub.

“It’s a natural mix,” explains drummer Asaf Smilan. “We started out in 2006, playing roots reggae, all very ‘70s. I’d also loved that old Ethiopian music since I first heard it, about 10 or 15 years ago, but I didn’t have any Ethiopian friends to discover more about it. Then Gili Yalo joined as the singer in 2009. He’s from Ethiopia. And once he came, everything changed.”

That change didn’t happen overnight, of course. But fooling around at rehearsal, they took an old song in Amharic, the Ethiopian language, and transformed it into something that connected the dots between the classic Ethiopian soul of the early 1970s and roots reggae.

“We liked it,” says singer Yalo, “and the crowd liked it, so we did more and this whole new sound was born.”

Yalo was the catalyst, but his has been long journey, covering many miles and a number of years, to discover exactly where he belonged musically. He’d grown up in a Jewish family, a member of Israel’s lost tribe, in Gondar, in the north of Ethiopia, in a house with no electricity or running wat er.

“The Jews could live there, but not own land,” he recalls. “They used to work with their hands, making tools and knives and plates. We’d have meat to eat once every few months.”

In 1984, as drought started to grip the country, the family made the decision to go to the land of their distant ancestors – Israel. Yalo was just four years old at the time.

“We walked across the desert for two months, all the way to Sudan,” he recounts, “and then we were in a refugee camp for several months after that. Finally, one night, trucks took us out into the desert and we got on an airplane. The next thing I knew, we landed in Israel. After all I’d seen in my life, it was like going 100 years into the future.”



It was on that trek that he first realized he was destined to be a singer.

“My father carried me on his shoulders most of the way, and I drove everyone cr azy singing old songs that I knew. My mother felt that singing was my true calling – and I haven’t stopped ever since.”

And with Zvuloon Dub System he can not only explore the Jamaican music he loves, but also know his roots he’d been forced to denied for so long, due to the difficulties face integrating into Western society. What the band has created is a unique fusion that’s based in Tel Aviv, but looks equally to Kingston and Addis Ababa. And they’ve refined the sound until it feels utterly natural, the mix of the reggae offbeat with horns and chord changes from Ethiopia.

Anbessa Dub, which although not a classic dub album, is filled with the atmosphere of vintage Jamaican roots reggae, mixes old Ethiopian songs arranged in the Zvuloon style, along with some originals, like the opener “Alemitu,” where the arrangement moves smoothly between Lee Perry’s studio and a downtown Addis club in 1 973. It’s completely convincing, in part because of the equipment the band uses in its studio.

“Everything is analogue,” says Smilan. “We take all those old sounds as reference points, we record onto tape. We do it the real way.”

One person who liked what he heard was Mahmoud Ahmed, the voice behind so many legendary tracks in the Golden Age of Ethiopian music.

“I found out he was coming to Israel,” Smilan says. “I got his number and sent him a demo of a song we wanted him to do. He liked it and did a session with us. He was a complete perfectionist in the studio, listening to what he’d done and wanting to do it over until it was right. His friends said that he told them it was the highlight of his trip.”

The result, “Ney Denun Tesesh,” sounds as if it would have been perfectly at home in the classic Ethiopiques series, but it’s just one in a series of standouts on Anbessa Dub, with Yalo’s soulful voice shining throughout. The music flows perfectly, Africa and the Caribbean in perfect sync.

“When we play in front of Ethiopian people here it’s very special,” Yalo observes. “Parents think the culture has been forgotten here, but hearing us, they know it’s not. We even use a krar (an Ethiopian lute) and a maskino (one-string violin) mixed in with the sound.”

This summer they’ll be taking that Anbessa Dub on the road, with a tour of North America and a date at Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

“We want to go into the studio while we’re over there,” Smilan says. “I want to take the riddims from this album and record Jamaican artists singing about Ethiopia, Haile Selassie and the Lion of Judah. To celebrate the triumvarate.”

Legend has it that Menelik, the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, traveled from Ethiopia to meet his father. He stayed for a year, and his father showed him great favor. But when Menelik returned home, he took something holy with him – the Ark of the Covenant, containing the tablets handed to Moses by God. Some believe it’s still carefully hidden in Ethiopia, which took as its national symbol the Lion of Judah, the same one that watches over the Jews. The same lion that guards Jamaica’s Rastas. Those three lions come together in the music of Zvuloon Dub System, and together they make the sweetest roar.

The Theatre Centre Toronto presents Promises to a Divided City May 30 & 31 2014

From a media release:

The Theatre Centre presents
Promises to a Divided City,
a data-driven, interactive performance by Mammalian Diving Reflex

11 limited capacity performances at The Theatre Centre
May 30 to 31 (Check the link for times)

Toronto, ON – In a collaboration with ‘international live-art stars’ (The Globe and Mail), Mammalian Diving Reflex, The Theatre Centre presents Promises to a Divided City. Created by Mammalian, this data-driven, interactive performance takes audiences on a tour through our 'Divided City', examining its social and economic dynamics. For a limited run of 11 performances for two days only on May 30 and 31 (with a capacity of 20 people per show), a cast of more than 30 performers from across the GTA will animate all the spaces at The Theatre Centre (1115 Queen St. W.), inviting audiences to help save a divided Toronto.

“It is a huge honour to welcome back Darren O'Donnell and Mammalian Diving Reflex to our new home," said Franco Boni, General & Artistic Director, The Theatre Centre. "When I first asked Darren to consider making a work for our inaugural year of programming, we spoke about celebrating three things that have been critical in The Theatre Centre's recent success: our heritage and that of our new home, a former Carnegie Library; the tenacity, goodwill and vision of our many dedicated volunteers; and the idea of philanthropy and what it means to selflessly give. Mammalian not only explores these three things in the context of The Theatre Centre but, with their usual brilliancy and playfulness, they make us look at the city we live in."

Internationally renowned for creating one-of-a-kind experiences, like Haircuts by Children and All the Sex I’ve Ever Had, Mammalian creates performances designed to encourage discussion and investigate the social sphere. Promises to a Divided City explores their beloved home base, the city of Toronto. Using the latest research and data, including reports from J. David Hulchanski (University of Toronto), the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and Capital in the 21st Century by Thomas Piketty, Mammalian looks at one of the biggest challenges facing the city: the growing wealth inequality dividing city’s neighbourhoods, and how it’s changing the current and future state of Toronto.

"Promises to a Divided City speaks openly about the people of Toronto and our differences,” said Darren O’Donnell, Artistic Director, Mammalian Diving Reflex. “It focuses on arguably the most important differences: economic class and, wrapped up in class, ethnicity and race. So we're going to talk about class and race. Hope you're okay with that."

In their tradition of using community collaboration to provide unique and tailored experiences, Mammalian is asking audience members to fill out a survey prior to the performance. The data collected will be used during the show, giving participants a personal perspective on their role as a citizen of the 'Divided City'. Mammalian will use their characteristic playful humour to explore the data, talk trends, goof around, tell some stories, have a meltdown, sing some songs, make some promises and think about the city.

Promises to a Divided City will be presented at The Theatre Centre (1115 Queen St. W.) with five performances on May 30 and six performances on May 31. The performance is approximately 80 minutes long with no intermission. Tickets from $10 to $15 are available online at theatrecentre.org by phone at 416-538-0988.

Website: theatrecentre.org
Twitter: @TheatreCentre; @mammaliandiving; @darrenodonnell
Hashtag: #DividedCity

About Promises to a Divided City:
Venue: The Theatre Centre (1115 Queen St. W.)
Dates: May 30 to 31; Opening and media night: Friday, May 30
Friday May 30: 7 p.m., 7:40 p.m., 8:20 p.m., 9 p.m., and 9:40 p.m.
Saturday May 31: 4 p.m., 4:40 p.m., 5:20 p.m., 6 p.m., 6:40 p.m., and 7:20 p.m.
Tickets on sale: Tickets $15 ($10 for seniors and students), at theatrecentre.org or 416.538.0988

Produced by The Theatre Centre
Created by: Mammalian Diving Reflex

Toronto Harbourfront: Food, Art & History at Shore Lunch May 18 & 19, June 20 & 29 2014

From a media release:

Shore Lunch
Food, art, and the history of Toronto’s shoreline are explored
in the world premiere of a new multi-site art commission

TORONTO - join us this weekend for form one of Shore Lunch entitled Leaving Marks. Shore Lunch is a three-form Fresh Ground new works commission by Lisa Myers, in collaboration with Kip Jones, John Myers, and media artist and musician Melody McKiver. This multi-site art venue for video, performance and food takes the form of a camp kitchen and explores the historical interaction of waterfront leisure areas and industrial hubs in Canada's Great Lakes.

WHERE:
Harbourfront Centre
Canada Square, on the shore of Lake Ontario.
235 Queens Quay West, Toronto, M5J 2G8

WHEN:
Sunday, May 18, 1:00 PM
Monday, May 19, 1:00 PM

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS:
Carved rolling pins will be used to create print blocks with berry pigment.
Prints will be “cooked up” onto postcards with four rolling print blocks, each a different element and metaphor related to shoreline development.
Pureed strawberry drink served to the audience.

UPCOMING FORMS:

Friday, June 20, 9:30 PM
Landing under Water considers the water and land aspects of the shore. During this evening event the artist will present two video works that capture water surfaces at different sites around the Great Lakes.

Sunday, June 29, and July 1, 1 PM
Listen to This will include musical scores for wild rice parching and fish frying by Melody McKiver and Lisa Myers. The audience will enjoy eating wild rice and fish served after the performance in small cornhusk containers.

ABOUT FRESH GROUND NEW WORKS
Since its creation in 2004, Fresh Ground new works has become a catalyst for new Canadian artistic works incorporating more than one discipline or field. Through open national submission calls, Harbourfront Centre has awarded $500,000 in prize money toward 23 new Canadian commissions. These awards add to Harbourfront Centre’s near-40-year history of commissioning new Canadian works in dance, theatre, music, visual arts and craft. For more information visit, http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/wha...