Learn More About This Event Below

Presented in partnership with the Center for Jazz Studies at Columbia University and the Columbia/Harlem Jazz Project.

 

Special Deal

Join us for the performance of Blood Dazzler at 7:30 and cross the street for the Cabaret for a full evening of dynamic presentations that enliven civic discourse through transformative art.

Special package available for both performances on Saturday, September 25^th for $35. (Only available at our Box Office.)

 

9:30 pm Cabaret performance (food and drinks available - cash bar)

 

About this Performance

WeDaPeoples Cabaret was created four years ago by Sekou Sundiata as a celebration of art and activism, a time to “dance to the revolution.”  Carrying forward that legacy with his own unique persepective, Carl Hancock Rux fuses political consciousness with artistic mastery in the spirit of Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln’s “We Insist: Freedom Now Suite.” Rux curates a raucous night of music, spoken word, poetry, film and dialogue paying homage to Sundiata’s ever conscious need for insurgent testimony & discourse to extend beyond the academy to reach the community at large.

Featuring

Toshi Reagon

Gordon Chambers

Queen Esther

Helga Davis

Greg Tate

Marcelle Lashley

Jason DiMatteo

Chris Eddleton

Jayne Cortez

Felipe Luciano

Laura Flanders

Roger C. Jeffrey/Subtle Changes Dance Co.

DJ Phonozone

The America Project was created by the late poet, artist, performer and educator Sekou Sundiata as a research-to-performance method dedicated to arts-based and artist-driven public explorations of the meaning of engaged citizenship in the world today. It continues today through a national affiliation of artists, cultural workers, scholars and activists housed at MAPP International Productions.  The America Project engages people from many walks of life in exploring the intricate and powerful connection between their citizenship and their creative voices through community gatherings, film screenings, curriculum and the creation of national arts projects.

 

About the Artists

Carl Hancock Rux

Carl Hancock Rux is a published poet, essayist, novelist and playwright. His plays and performance works for theater have been produced and or commissioned throughout the United States and internationally at venues including The Joseph Papp Public Theater, the Robert E. Fischer Center for the Performing Arts, PS 122, the Kitchen, HERE Arts Center, New Victory Theater, Lincoln center (Serious Fun & Outdoors Festival), Aaron Davis Hall, the BAM Harvey Theater (Next Wave Festival), REDCAT (Los Angeles), Mass MOCA (Mass.), the Central District Forum for Arts and Ideas (Seattle, Washington), Theater X (Milwaulkee, Wisconsin), University of Ghana at Legon (West Africa), Ebenezor Experimental Theater Festival (Sweden) Maison des Arts (Creteil, France), and the Victoria Theater (Singapore) among others. Plays include include "Geneva Cottrell, Waiting for the Dog to Die", "Mycenaean", "Chapter & Verse", "The No Black Male Show", "Smoke, Lilies & Jade", "Singing In the Womb of Angels", "Yanga", "Song of Sad Young Men" and the libretto for two operas: "'The Blackamoor Angel" and "Makandal". As a radio journalist he has been a guest commentator on WNYC and for XM radio's The Bob Edward's Show as well as co-wrote and hosted National Public Radio's "Walt Whitman: Songs of Myself", winner of the New York Press Club Journalism Award for Entertainment  News. As a recording artist he has recorded three cd's: "Rux Revue" (Sony 550), "Apothecary Rx (Giant Step) and "Good Bread Alley"( Thirsty Ear). Rux is the subject of "Carl Hancock Rux , Coming of Age," (Larry Clamage/Richard Maniscalco for Voices of America) recipient of the CINE Golden Eagle award for television documentary. Carl Hancock Rux has written for (and performed with) several dance companies including the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Urban Bush Women, the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Co., Jane Comfort & Co., and created the title role in the Robert Wilson/Bernice Johnson Reagon opera 'The Temptation of Saint Anthony" which had its world premiere at the Paris Opera (Garnier). .

http://www.carlhancockrux.com/index.php?section=1

 

Toshi Reagon

Described by Vibe magazine as “one helluva rock’n’roller-coaster ride” and by Pop Matters as “a treasure waiting to be found,” Toshi Reagon is a one-woman celebration of all that’s dynamic, progressive and uplifting in American music. Since first taking to the stage at age 17, this versatile singer-songwriter-guitarist has moved audiences of all kinds with her big?hearted, hold-nothing-back approach to rock, blues, R&B, country, folk, spirituals and funk. The New York Times described her blend as “...a love of mixing things up...[her] vocal style ranges from a dirty blues moan to a gospel shout to an ethereal croon.” Her live performances, in particular, aren’t just accessible; they’re irresistible. And Toshi Reagon loves her audiences. Leading her renowned band--BIGLovely, launched in 1996--she instantly connects, inspires and empowers.

http://www.toshireagon.com/index.shtml

 

Gordon Chambers

Gordon Chambers is no stranger to the music industry. In fact, he has been writing songs since the age of 7! The Teaneck, New Jersey native is currently signed to L.A. Reid's prestigious Hitco Music publishing company where has written for over 60 recording artists, including household names Aretha Franklin, Queen Latifah, Usher, Brandy, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan and Marc Anthony. He is best known for his 1994 Grammy- winning hit "I Apologize" for Anita Baker and his 1995 #1 Grammy-nominated smash "If You Love Me" for the trio Brownstone (which was later featured as the theme song of the film "Living Out Loud").

More recently, the eight-time ASCAP winner penned tunes for superstars The Isley Brothers ("Just Came Here To Chill"), Yolanda Adams ("Someone Watching Over Me"), Patti Labelle & Ron Isley ("Gotta Go Solo"), Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown ("My Love"), R&B crooner Carl Thomas ("My Valentine"), breakthrough soul singer Angie Stone "No More Rain (In This Cloud)" and pop sensation Beyonce ("After All Is Said And Done"). Over the years, his compositions have been performed at the ESSENCE awards, the American Music Awards and the Goodwill Games--as well as six major motion pictures.

www.gordonchambers.com

 

Helga Davis

Vocalist and performance artist Helga Davis mixes rock, jazz, soul, and funk to create her own unique brand of music that defies boundaries. From her early days with Greg Tate’s band Women in Love to her role as Hilarion in the Robert Wilson/Bernice Johnson Reagon staging of Flaubert’s The Temptation of St. Anthony, Davis has made artistic choices that push boundaries and draw her listeners into ecstatic exploration with her. She has hosted Overnight Music on WQXR 105.9 fm since 2007.

http://www.wqxr.org/people/helga-davis/

 

Queen Esther

Queen Esther -- a vocalist, lyricist, songwriter and actor/solo performer and playwright -- has had creative collaborations in neo-vaudeville, alternative theater, alt-rock configurations, (neo) swing bands, trip hop DJs, spoken word, jazz combos, jam bands, various blues configurations, original Off Broadway plays and musicals, experimental music/art noise and performance art. Queen Esther’s Stagedoor Canteen -- a weekly hour-long USO style variety show that welcomed performers to entertain the relief workers at Ground Zero for free -- received an honorary Drama Desk award.

As a featured actor in Bravo TV’s documentary series The 'It' Factor, an AUDELCO award-nominated star of George C. Wolfe’s Harlem Song, and Grand Prize winner of the 2008 Jazzmobile Vocal Competition, Queen Esther continues to create solo performance art as well as genre-defying original music while thriving in ongoing creative partnerships in jazz.

Queen Esther’s newly released jazz CD What Is Love? is currently garnering rave reviews and radio airplay worldwide.

http://queen-esther.com/

Greg Tate

Greg Tate is a writer and musician living in Harlem. His band Burnt Sugar will be freaking the music of James Brown at The Apollo October 4-9 with special guests Patricia McGregor,  Brandon Vincent Dixon,  Imani Uzuri and gazillions more sweet muhfuhs. Tate is also co-editor  (w/ LaTasha Nevada Diggs) of  the journal COON BIDNESS. The mag's premiere edition ('The Critical Ass Issue') is set to be published on Ocotber 14 of this year and features contributions from Wangechi Mutu, Quincy Troupe, Iona Rozeal Brown, Jessica care Moore, Edwin Torres, Miles Davis and Minister Faust. Tate lives by this bit of sage wisdom from jazz flute avatar Bobbi Humphrey: "Get rid of the haters and brand yourself."  Tate riles Facebook with a Niobium fist.

http://burntsugarindex.com/greg-tate/

 

Laura Flanders

Laura Flander is the host and founder of GRITtv, the talk show for people who want to do more than talk. Watch GRITtv daily in New York on MNN (Ch 34) and CUNY-TV (Ch 75.) She's also the author of BUSHWOMEN and the forthcoming : AT THE TEA PARTY THE WINGNUTS, WHACKJOBS AND WHITEY-WHITENESS OF THE NEW REPUBLICAN RIGHT …AND WHY WE SHOULD TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. Edited by Laura Flanders  " (October 2010, O/R books.)

http://www.GRITtv.org.

Roger C. Jeffrey/Subtle Changes Dance Company

Roger C. Jeffrey was born in New York City where he began his training at Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center.  A graduate of Performing Arts High School, he received his B.F.A. from The Juilliard School under the direction of Benjamin Harkarvy.  Mr. Jeffrey performed in the companies of Bernice Johnson, Martial Roumain, Kevin Iega Jeff, Twyla Tharp, Lar Lubovitch, Zvi Gotheiner and with Mikhail Baryshnikov's White Oak Dance Project. He worked with Gary Deloatch, Dudley Williams, Eleo Pomare, Benjamin Harkarvy, Christopher Huggins, Otis Salid, Debbie Allen, Rasta Thomas, Ayodele Casel, Danny Tidwell, D'bi. Young, Doug Varone, Richard Move, Mark Dendy and Obediah Wright. Mr. Jeffrey is currently a dancer with The Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company.

http://subtlechangesinc.com/cdirector.html

 

DJ Phonozone

DJ Phonozone is a self-made music selecta whose photographic memory, Olympic-level athletic skills, and mastery of the martial arts make him a virtual Renaissance man. After graduating college at age 13, he eventually became a renowned ethnomusicologist. He created the Fair Play Club as an alternative to juvenile delinquency. He holds five black belts; has won the Olympic Decathlon of Turntabalism; is the inventor of the Zonophone, an artificially intelligent miniature device that he controls with his earphones. The Zonophone can fly, create holographic images, project beams of light, release electrical charges, tie into computers and GPS satellites, and cloak Phonozone against detection by any non-organic means. He is the third-smartest man alive and currently serves as the Black Naga of the newly restructured Al Fadah. He also backs Brooklyn-based emcee and producer J-Essential on the one's and two's.

http://www.blacknaga.com/Al_Fadah/Home.html