ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE
January 28, 7:30PM
Live/Reserved Seating
Priority Seating: $35
General Seating: $25
Part III: POETRY
Music & Poetry: Thulani Davis + Wadada Leo Smith
Playwright, journalist, librettist, novelist, poet, and screenwriter Thulani Davis and Pulitzer Prize-nominated trumpeter and composer Wadada Leo Smith, perform an evening of poetry and music alongside Smith’s Kikuyu Ensemble. Harlem, a Futuristic vision: a Historical and Cultural Oasis and a Sanctuary for the Spiritual Rebirth of America engages with Davis’ works, Nothing But the Music and The Emancipation Circuit.
Davis, an interdisciplinary scholar, mentored artists including journalist Greg Tate, and collaborated with artists including Laurie Carlos, Jessica Hagedorn, and Ntozake Shangé. She also wrote for The Village Voice for more than a decade, becoming a Senior Editor for the publication. Davis is one of several women poets connected to the Black Arts Movement, whose work continues to breathe impressionistic life into the Black Arts Movement’s sonic-social history.
For the last five decades, Smith has been a member of the historical and legendary AACM collective, one of the pioneering ensembles of the Black Arts Movement. He distinctly defines his music as “Creative Music,” and his diverse discography reveals a recorded history centered around important issues that have impacted his world. Smith is a recipient of the 2016 Doris Duke Performing Artist Award and the Hammer Museum’s 2016 Mohn Career Achievement Award.
Artists:
Wadada Leo Smith, Trumpet & Digital Piano
Thulani Davis, Poetry Recitations
Ashley Walters, Cello
Erica Dohi, Piano & Electronic Keyboard
Pheeroan akLaff, Drums
Presented in collaboration with Blank Forms.
Black Arts Movement: Examined is supported by the Mellon Foundation.
BEFORE YOU PURCHASE YOUR TICKET, know that you must show proof of full Covid-19 vaccination having completed the vaccination series at least 14 days prior to the performance date. Masks are required. We will continue to update our safety protocols to remain in line with CDC guidelines. Learn more about our safety protocols.
Harlem Stage continues to host a captivating array of performances by talented Black Artists from around the world, as well as right here in bustling New York City. To ensure you never miss out on the latest live and digital shows, be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
