Music that traces its history to a wrecked slave ship near what is now St. Vincent centuries ago is coming to West Philly tomorrow.
Umalali (the Garifuna word for “voice”), a musical ensemble consisting of Garifuna women from the countries of Belize, Honduras and Guatemala, is visiting West Philly this Wednesday, May 4, with two performances at Crossroads Music (801 S. 48th Street). The first show is for children and their parents, and starts at 6 p.m. Children’s tickets are only $5 and the accompanying adults go for free! The main performance begins at 7:30 p.m. All tickets can be purchased here.
The Garifuna culture traces back to 1635 when a ship carrying people from present-day Nigeria to be sold into slavery wrecked off the coast of St. Vincent in the eastern Caribbean. The people who survived the wreck were absorbed into the indigenous Carib population and created their own unique culture. Four centuries later the Garifuna culture was recognized by UNESCO as a “Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.” It’s mostly Garifuna women who should take credit for this recognition, because they carried on the teaching of the language and passed on songs from generation to generation.
The tour that stops in West Philly is the result of a 14-year process of recording Garifuna songs – first in their original setting – and then in a studio. Belizean musician and producer has led the project, which has become like a Buena Vista Social Club for the Garifuna music and culture. The resulting album, “Umalali: The Garifuna Women’s Project,” was recorded in a studio set up in a thatched-roof hut in the village of Hopkins, Belize.
Here’s a video preview of Umalali: The Garifuna Women’s Project.
Oree, a bassist, is the leader of the Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble and director of the renowned West Oak Lane Jazz Festival. He has produced and recorded several jazz records and has toured throughout Europe, South America and the Caribbean. Oree also leads workshops on jazz for kids and families.
Penn’s Chinese Music Society is holding their annual spring concerts on Saturday and Sunday from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. in the Bodek Lounge in Houston Hall (3417 Houston Hall) on Penn’s campus. Fifteen percent of the proceeds from the “Resonance of Spring” concert will go to the Japan Relief Fund.
Tickets for the concert are $7 at the door, $5 if bought from a vendor on Locust Walk this week or $4 for groups of five or more.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo will be in West Philly on March 18 at the Annenberg Center (3680 Walnut St.) at 8 p.m. This show is very likely to sell out so we are giving you plenty of notice. The beloved South African vocal group will perform songs from their new album, Songs From a Zulu Farm.
Tickets for the performance are steep – $60. If that’s a deal breaker, then you might try to hold out for “West Philly Rush Hour” tickets. The Annenberg Center offers special first-come-first-serve $10 tickets for residents who can prove they live in the following zip codes: 19104, 19131, 19139, 19142, 19143, 19151, 19153. The tickets are on sale for an hour two hours before the show starts. So if there are any left for this show, they would be available from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the box office.
All of that said, though, there is a pretty good chance that the show will sell out.
Registration is underway for the spring session of the West Philly-based interactive music workshops for kids “All Around This World,” named last year’s “Best Date With Your Kid” by Philadelphia Magazine. The session starts March 7 and will focus on music and dancing from East and Southeast Asia.
Participants 0-8 and their families can choose from Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday classes. The spring classes will run for 11 weeks. Click here for more information.
This is a very cool event going on in the neighborhood tonight. First, author Sara Marcus will read from her book Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution at the Kelly Writers House (3805 Locust Walk on the Penn campus) at 6 p.m. The book explores the Riot Grrl movement, which started in the mid 1990s and has taken root in a number of cities in the form of female empowerment efforts.
In Philadelphia, those efforts include Girls Rock Philly, a rock & empowerment camp where girls ages 9-17 learn instruments, write songs & form their own bands. The founder of that group, Beth Warshaw-Duncan, will join Marcus, Kathleen Hanna (the front woman of the pivotal Riot Grrl band Bikini Kill) and activist/musician Katy Otto for a panel discussion on topics ranging from the panelists’ own participation in the movement to “what women in music can and should be doing today.” Copies of Marcus’ book will also be available at the discussion.
Then it’s time to rock. A concert will follow the discussion nearby at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut St.) beginning at 8 p.m. The benefit show for Girls Rock Philly will feature Trophy Wife, Whore Paint (Providence), Slutever and Cat Vet. Suggested donation is $5. All proceeds go to Girls Rock Philly.
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