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SOURCE: YOSHI’S OAKLAND
Photo Courtesy: Yoshi’s Oakland
WED 5.24
DOORS: 7:30 PM / SHOW: 8:00 PM
featuring Jason Brown, Dan Wilson & Troy Roberts
Touring in support of his new release on Mack Avenue Records, Project Freedom, DeFrancesco’s new quartet, features him on the Hammond B-3—plus contributions on keyboards, trumpet and as a vocalist. Accompanying DeFrancesco are drummer Jason Brown, guitarist Dan Wilson and saxophonist Troy Roberts—collectively billed as the People.
Joey DeFrancesco’s emergence in the 1980s marked the onset of a musical renaissance. Organ jazz had all but gone into hibernation from the mid-’70s to the mid-’80s until DeFrancesco reignited the flame with his vintage Hammond organ and Leslie speaker cabinet. The son of “Papa” John DeFrancesco, an organist himself, the younger DeFrancesco remembers playing as early as four-years-old. Soon after, his father began bringing him to gigs in Philadelphia, where he was proudly born and raised, with legendary players like Hank Mobley and Philly Joe Jones, who quickly recognized his talent and enthusiasm. With a natural gift for music, DeFrancesco also swiftly picked up on the trumpet after a touring stint with Miles Davis as one of the two youngest players ever recruited for any of Davis’ ensembles. READ MORE.
Photo Courtesy: Yoshi’s Oakland
SAT 5.27
DOORS: 7:00 PM / SHOW: 7:30 PM
Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Two-time Grammy Award-winning salsa and Latin jazz band Spanish Harlem Orchestra will be touring in support of their 2015 CD self titled “Spanish Harlem Orchestra”. With thirteen world-class musicians and vocalists the group naturally creates an unparalleled musical experience that leaves audiences mesmerized until the last note is played at each show.
For 14 years the music preformed by Spanish Harlem Orchestra has been characterized by the raw, organic and vintage sound defined by the genre. Their authentic New York Style salsa is preformed with excellent energy on stage and rich sounds as they pursue their mission of keeping the musical legacy of expanding “hard salsa” to an audience who loves great music, not just Latin music. Spanish Harlem Orchestra creates a unique and fresh approach to keep the music relevant, thus accomplishing their goal. READ MORE.
SOURCE: Boris Hecha
SOURCE: Oprah’s Book Club
Photo Courtesy: Oprah’s Book Club
This Award-Winning Book Is a Must-Read
This year’s Pulitzer Prize winner was just picked—and you absolutely need to put it on your reading list today! Plus, more of the year’s best in fiction and non-fiction.
- The novel that won America’s biggest prize (and why you need to read it)
- 20 best books to pick up this April
- What’s on Gayle King’s bookshelf?
- 3 brand-new thrillers
SOURCE: Blacknews.com
NIGERIAN AMERICAN ARTIST LAUNCHES ONE OF THE FIRST EVER AFRICAN ART GALLERIES IN LOS ANGELES
— Afr-i-can Contemporary Art Opens Loft Gallery Space in Los Angeles’ Iconic American Cement Building —
Los Angeles, CA — Afr-i-can Contemporary Art gallery, an informal and unconventional viewing experience, has its grand opening in the iconic American Cement Building on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 and the viewing will remain open until June 30, 2017.The inaugural show, Presentation 001, will highlight the works of nine contemporary Nigerian artists including Sam Ebohon, whose richly colored brushstrokes create kaleidoscope-like works; Obinna Makata, who was trained as a sculptor and integrates traditional fabrics with ink and acrylic to ex-plore daily life, social issues, and cultural identity in Nigeria; Joshua Nmesirionye, whose textured paintings depict the current state of
Founder Olufemi Ibitayo in front of Olusegun Adejumo, 2016. Earth’s Reception (40 x 40 in). Photo Courtesy: Blacknews.com
Northern Nigeria fifteen years after the rise of Boko Haram; and Art X Lagos award-winning photographer David Dosunmi.
The exhibition is curated by social entrepreneur and founder of Afr-i-can Contemporary Art, (ACA) Olufemi Ibitayo. After first moving to Los Angeles, Ibitayo recounts, I found myself in beautiful houses, perfectly decorated – except for the lack of art. Art that actually reflected the owners identities, he explains. It just wasn’t there. I realized it was an issue both of lack of accessibility and lack of exposure.
Each presentation will be on view within Ibitayos loft at the iconic midcentury American Cement Building. The loft was designed in partnership with Modloft, an international furniture and design company that works with a hand-selected team of designers from across the world to create inno-vative pieces that are stylish, sophisticated, and carefully crafted.
Ive always enjoyed viewing art in the context of a living space rather than in a gallery or museum, said Ibitayo Theres so much more intimacy seeing art in a home, and it is where artwork really comes alive it is in those moments, for example, while having a cup of tea, that you have the chance to really live with a piece, to let it unfold over time and experience its facets. This is the kind of contact with art that I want to share with people, especially considering how rare it is to encounter contemporary African art.
By presenting art in the context of an actual living space, ACA seeks to challenge the status quo of how art is traditionally exhibited, with the particular intention to help new and established collectors visualize how they might live with Contemporary African Art.
ACA will exhibit emerging, mid-career, and established African artists creating contemporary works on paper, paintings, fine art photography, encaustic and assemblage. By focusing on various medi-ums of art, Afr-i-can Contemporary Art aims to create a visual portal to the continent and diaspora.
ACA will officially be located at 2404 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles California by appointment and invitation only.
For an overview on the gallery project, visit: www.afr-i-cancontemporaryart.com/overview
For more information call (310) 867-9261 or visit www.afr-i-cancontemporaryart.com
beenetworknews 
May 20, 2017
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