” God has wrought many things our of oppression. He has endowed his creatures with the capacity to create, and from this capacity has flowed the sweet songs of sorrow and joy that have allowed man to cope with his environment and many different situations.”- Martin Luther King Jr. -1964 Berlin Jazz Festival. Something […]
South African Soul- Soweto Gospel Choir Read More »
A couple of weeks ago I woke up thinking that I should find some place to sing— maybe a choir—and I began my hunt. Turns out Philly has quite a few and many require an audition. Too scary for me. I’m not a professional, although I can carry a tune and have sung in choirs
Singing with Old People Read More »
I’m having a hard time with this loss. Jill Sobule, a singer songwriter who I’ve followed for over 20 years died last week in a house fire at age 66. It’s devastating. When a person dies, their spirit remains and hers was one of the sweetest and most generous ones. She knew how to make
Jill Sobule- Songbird, Gone Too Soon Read More »
I was lucky to experience Alicia Keyes’ Hell’s Kitchen this week on Broadway while visiting my friend Jane in Brooklyn. Semi-autobiographical, it tells the story of a young girl, Ally, who as a teenager has to deal with a lot of heartache and struggle. “Do something with that anger,” her piano teacher tells her. “Sit.
Art for Healing- Hell’s Kitchen Read More »
I’ve wanted to see world music vocalist and five-time Grammy winner, Angélique Kidjo, ever since I heard her album Eve in 2014 and started using her music in my Global Rhythms Dance programs. I danced joyously with hundreds of families to rousing “M’Baamba” (Kenyan Song). We rested with her lullaby “Blewu.” Saturday night I got
Angélique Kidjo— World Dance Party in Philly Read More »
The piece begins with a single dancer running frantically and fearfully on the stage. She is running from something. We don’t know what. “Darkness—Dancing to Pieces,” performed by the Philly-based Koresh Dance Company this past weekend (March 14-16) at FringeArts, is “dedicated to all the victims of the Nova
Dancing in the Darkness- Koresh Dance Company Read More »
