Arts and Culture

KOLA: An Afro Diasporic Remix of the Nutcracker

Published

4 years ago

December 19, 2019

In “KOLA: An Afro Diasporic Remix of the Nutcracker” — we meet Nzingha, an orphan, who lives with her grandparents. Actor Makeda Booker’s character doesn’t remember her mother and resents her abandonment. Though she knows her grandparents — actors Dame Drummer and Jennifer Jones, love her, the child feels a sense of isolation at the family holiday party and spends time playing games on her phone. While everyone mingles, then dances, Nzingha moves awkwardly when her Uncle Victor (James “Banks” Davis), whom she hasn’t seen in a while asks her to join him. The next day, he seeks his niece out as she does her chores, and shares with her stories of his sister, her mother.

And so begins the journey where Nzingha, guided by Uncle Victor, transformed into Esu (the Orisha of the Crossroads) takes her on a Sankofa journey so she can grasp her historic past to better understand her present.

Set to music by lead composer Kev Choice and others, KOLA is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate African resilience and fortitude. How many orphans like Nzingha were nurtured by adults in the journey across the water? How many were adopted when parents were killed or died or were sold off?

The cast is superb as the lead choreographer Rozz Nash sets work for this gifted ensemble. The battle between the Raccoon King and Capoeira King, is a highlight as the masked raccoons square off against the Capoiera posse. This dance is followed by the Resurrection where Nzingha meets tiny mythical snow angels, concluding in a grand finale: The Pantheon. End Act 1.

After a brief intermission where many in the audience go out to purchase KOLA bling, T-shirts and other swag, we see Nzingha on the shore where she meets fishermen and fisherwomen.

Crossing bridges made from bones, Nzingah dances through Bahia where she meets Yemanja—goddess of the salt waters, then into Cuba where she meets Oshun, goddess of love, and Ayiti where she dances Yanvolou, for Ogou and the ancestors known as Gede. It is a dance used to reinforce community and solidarity.

As Nzingha grows in self-confidence, she earns her elekes, or ritual beads, after she dances through each divine portal. The next stop is Southern Spain where Nzingha, also named for a warrior, meets Oya, the goddess of change and transformation. This stop is the beginning of the “great (re)turn,” this time accompanied by the deities Mamiwata, Obatala, and Esu. The child carries her nkisi, or charm, with her. She is wrapped in literal rainbows as she alights in New York at the African Burial Grounds (now Wall Street), dances into Congo Square in New Orleans then heads back to Oakland where the enchantment continues in Oscar Grant Plaza, where Nzingha meets her young grandparents. Home again, she meets her mother again in the mirror and embraces her as she embraces this episode of her journey, now complete.

For each leg of the literal journey master percussionists and other choreographers join lead choreographer, Rozz Nash and co-writer, theatre director, Ryan Nicole Austin – who was running the sound, opening night. 500+ students from more than a dozen Oakland and other East Bay schools are involved as performers, composers and costume/set designers, including OSA, Anna Yates, Northern Light, Pear Tree Community School, West Oakland Middle School, Envision Academy Middle Grades, Park Day, Head Royce, and Latitude High School.

Jennifer Johns is a co-writer and composer and also portrays both the grandmother and Mamiwata. Ultimately, it is through African divinity the orphaned Nzingha finds what she believes she lost. Once she steps into the chasm holding Esu’s hand or cane, it is trust that ultimately rewards Nzingha with the answers she seeks. Once she commits to the trip, she doesn’t let go until she reaches home, sweet home.

It is a beautiful story, one of hope and love. KOLA continues at Castlemont High School, Thursday, Dec. 19-22, 7 p.m. Sunday at 2 p.m. It is a family friendly production. For tickets visit www.thepeoplesconservatory.org

There is free parking on the side of the school campus by the fence near the childcare center signage. Keep driving all the way to the back.

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Arts and Culture

Berkeley’s Black Repertory Theater to Hold Fundraiser for Youth Programs

The Bay Area Jazz Society will hold a fundraiser and CD listening party to raise funds for youth programs at Berkeley’s Black Repertory Theater (BBRT), the only Black-owned-and-operated theater in the East Bay.

Published

1 day ago

September 27, 2023

Oakland Post

Larriah Jackson from ‘The Voice” will be one of the guest artists at the fundraiser for the Berkeley Black Repertory Group. Courtesy photo.

By Clifford Williams
Special to The Post

The event will take place at the BBRT on Sunday, Oct. 8 from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. at 3201 Adeline St., Berkeley, CA. Tickets are $25. The master of ceremonies will be KPFA’s Afrikahn Jamal Davis.

Many artists featured in “The Sounds of Oakland: Music from the Streets” compilation CD will perform with special guests including Larriah Jackson from “The Voice” Niecy ‘Living Single’ Robinson, one of the Bay Area’s most popular vocalists and Derick Hughes, who sang with Roberta Flack for many years, taking the place of Donnie Hathaway.

Other artists attending include Donnie Williams from “American Idol,” (the same year Jennifer Hudson and Latoya London appeared), and Williams’ sister, Terrill Williams. There will be live performances with food and drink for everyone, and the CD will be playing in the lobby when the performers take a break.

BBRT has had limited programming during and throughout the pandemic and is now struggling to regain continual of operations. Bay Area Jazz Society Executive Director Paul Tillman Smith, has an extensive background in theatre, starting with a stint as musical director for the Oakland Ensemble Theater’s Melvin Van Peebles play, “Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death,” featuring television star Ted Lange of the “Love Boat,” as director.

Tillman Smith is also the co-producer, along with Norman Connors, Levi Seacer Jr., and Nelson Braxton for the new Bay Area CD ‘The Sounds of Oakland: Music from the Streets.” Other artists listed on the CD may be in attendance, including Lenny Williams, Derick Hughes, and Lady Bianca to meet and greet guests.

The Berkeley chapter of the NAACP will also support the fundraiser.

The first 20 individuals attending the fundraiser will receive a free copy of the CD. Thirty percent of the CD sales will go into a fund to help aging artists who don’t have a pension and, in many cases, no social security.

For more information regarding the fundraiser and how to obtain tickets, contact Paul Tilman Smith at 510. 689.3332, or Bayjazz@gmail.com.

Art

Oakland Celebrates Hiero Day 2023, Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop

Thousands of music fans showed up at Oscar Grant Plaza Monday, Sept. 4 to celebrate the 11th annual Hiero Day block party and commemorate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, featuring the Souls of Mischief, Oakland native Kev Choice, Mister F.A.B. and a special guest appearance by Common.

Published

1 day ago

September 27, 2023

Oakland Post

Common was honored on Hiero Day at by Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Deputy Mayor Kimberly Mayfield. Photo courtesy of Ariel Nava.

By Post Staff

Thousands of music fans showed up at Oscar Grant Plaza Monday, Sept. 4 to celebrate the 11^th annual Hiero Day block party and commemorate the 50^th anniversary of hip-hop, featuring the Souls of Mischief, Oakland native Kev Choice, Mister F.A.B. and a special guest appearance by Common.

Hosted by the City of Oakland and Mayor Sheng Thao, the free event showcased over 30 live performances on three stages, including legendary, underground and undiscovered performers of hip-hop, R&B and other genres.

Souls of Mischief is part of the rap collective Hieroglyphics, which founded Hiero Day and this year celebrated its 30^th anniversary.

“HIERO DAY (is) a driving force in the music festival culture in Oakland,” according to event organizers. “The event is widely regarded as a day to celebrate independent hip-hop music and serves as a Labor Day destination being one of the largest hip-hop music gatherings in the Bay Area.”

The event was held at Jack London Square last year, but this year, it moved to the plaza in front of Oakland City Hall, reflecting its new connection with the Mayor’s Office and the City of Oakland.

“I’m so grateful to be here in Oakland,” said Common said after receiving a “heavyweight champion” belt and proclamation from Mayor Thao. “Y’all inspired us … The music, the culture — Hieroglyphics influenced me.”

Said Mayor Thao: “Oakland is the heart of the Bay Area’s music, art and culture scene, and I am so grateful for all the work our Hiero Day organizers did to celebrate it.”

The City of Oakland this year is hosting three events to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of hip-hop, including the collaboration with event organizers of Hiero Day. A special event was held on Sept. 10 to honor “50 years of women rooted in hip-hop,” including Pam the Funkstress, the Conscious Daughters, Traci Bartlow, and Mystic and Black.

Art

Thornton Dial: A Visionary Artist Ahead of His Time

Published

2 months ago

July 26, 2023

Oakland Post

Thornton Dial. Wikimedia photo.

By Tamara Shiloh

Thornton Dial, a pioneering American artist, left an indelible mark on the art world with his expressive and monumental works. Born on Sept. 10, 1928, in Emelle, Alabama, Dial’s artistic journey began in the late 1980s when he gained prominence for his assemblages of found materials, executed on a grand scale. His works encompass a wide range of subjects, from human rights to natural disasters and current events, reflecting a deep engagement with history and social issues.

Growing up in poverty on a former cotton plantation, Dial was raised by his teenage mother, Mattie Bell. It was his time spent with his second cousin, Buddy Jake Dial, a farmer and sculptor, that ignited his passion for art. Dial’s early experiences of witnessing the art created from everyday objects in people’s yards during his move to Bessemer, Alabama, fascinated him and instilled in him a deep appreciation for craft and creativity.

For many years, Dial worked as a metalworker at the Pullman Standard Plant in Bessemer, Alabama, until its closure in 1981. It was after this that he dedicated himself to his art, creating works for his own pleasure and self-expression.

He encountered Lonnie Holley, an artist who introduced Dial to Atlanta collector and art historian William Arnett. Arnett played a pivotal role in bringing Dial’s work to national prominence, along with other African American vernacular artists, through his efforts as an art historian and the founder of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation.

Dial’s work gained recognition in major cultural institutions and exhibitions, including the 2000 Whitney Biennial. His art resonated with viewers, addressing American sociopolitical issues such as war, racism, bigotry, and homelessness.

Through his assemblages, Dial incorporated a wide array of found materials, creating layered and textured compositions. His use of objects like bones, rope, and scrap metal added depth and symbolism to his works, reflecting the history and struggles of the rural South.

The tiger motif became a prominent symbol in Dial’s art, representing survival and the struggle for civil rights in the United States. Over time, Dial’s work began to be acknowledged as “first-rate, powerful Art” by critics such as Karen Wilkin of The Wall Street Journal. Dial’s unique artistic vision and his ability to merge materials into captivating and meaningful compositions led to his recognition as a contemporary artist.

Dial’s work can be found in notable collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where ten of his works were acquired in 2014. He passed away in 2016, but his legacy lives on, inspiring artists and viewers alike to explore the transformative power of art.

Thornton Dial’s contributions to the art world, his commitment to expressing social issues, and his ability to create captivating compositions from found materials cement his position as a visionary artist ahead of his time.

Source: https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/dial-thornton-1928-2016/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thornton_Dial

Image:

By copyright Jerry Siegel – Original publication: Garden & GunImmediate source: http://gardenandgun.com/article/thornton-dial, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49514861