MCLA Presents! World Street Corners
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts’ MCLA Presents! series will conclude its 2009-2010 season with a night presented by an MCLA performing arts management class, under the direction Jonathan Secor, director of special programs at MCLA.
"World Street Corners" will showcase two urban groups—The ReMINDers and Gokh-Bi System—on Wednesday, April 28, at 6:30 p.m. in the Venable Gym on the MCLA campus.
The evening will kick off with the husband/wife duo of Big Samir and Aja Black, known as The ReMINDers. Although they reside in the Midwest, their Hollis Queens, N.Y., and Belgium origins are apparent in their lyrics as they occasionally flow seamlessly between English and French.
Through a mix of song and rap, this duo creates a soulful awareness and a positive, harmonic hip hop sound. Over the past couple of years, the ReMINDers have shared the stage with artists such as Mos Def, DeLaSoul, KRS 1, Dead Prez, Little Brother, K'Naan, Immortal Technique, Pharcyde and Talib Kweli. Most recently, the pair graced the stage of Harlem’s Apollo Theater with their musical message of life and love.
Closing out the evening will be Gokh-Bi System, a group formed in 1993 by three childhood friends: Mamadou Ndiaye (MC), Diasse Pouye (MC) and Pape Bathie Pouye (manager) who were born and raised in one of Dakar’s poorest villages in Senegal, a republic of West Africa.
When the friends added Backa Niang (percussionist/vocals) and Sana Ndiaye (ekonting/vocals) they christened themselves Gokh-Bi System which literally means "neighborhood system."
Gokh-Bi System (a.k.a. GBS) embodies a style dubbed "ancient meets urban"- a blend of traditional African rhythms and modern hip hop. One of the most distinctive components of GBS's sound is the ekonting played by Sana. The ekonting is a folk lute once used to calm social unrest in parts of West Africa.
According to AMU (Ancient Meets Urban) Music, "Gokh-Bi System has arrived as one of the leaders of the emerging African hip hop movement and is the premiere band blending traditional African rhythms with beats and rhymes made popular by the hip hop culture in the United States."
Since arriving in America, Gokh-Bi System has completed 10 U.S. tours through 30 states, opening for and sharing the bill with Kanye West, Damian Marley, Tribe Called Quest, Angelique Kidjo, Femi Kuti, Culture, Toots and The Maytals, Michael Franti (Spearhead) and Erykah Badu.
"World Street Corners" is a glimpse into the urban hip hop scene around the globe. The show was programmed from beginning to end by MCLA’s performing arts management students.
Students were given the freedom to develop an evening for the "MCLA Presents! The World" series as practical experience for the class. Students, under the direction and guidance of Secor, came up with the concept, selected the artists, and worked on aspects such as marketing, production, artist services, community connections, and "wrap arounds."
MCLA junior Kimberly Gritman said, "This process has been invaluable to me as an arts management student. It has felt at times like I have been thrown into the real world of performing arts presenting without a paddle, but under the guidance and encouragement of Jonathan Secor and his insistence that we take care of things ourselves, I have learned that I am more than ready and capable of applying the items I have learned inside the classroom. It just takes a little push into the deep end."
"World Street Corners" also will feature opening acts from the MCLA community and a host of wrap-around activities, including shopping, food and graffiti artists. Student groups such as the Multicultural Student Society (MCSS), Student Government Association (SGA), and Student Activities Council (SAC) also will participate in the event.
The class will collect donations for a scholarship through a local organization, The Berkshire Project, based in Lenox. The Berkshire Project is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to teaching the art of hip-hop dance, meditation, trust, and teamwork to girls in the juvenile justice system. The scholarship will be awarded to a responsible at-risk teenager to attend camp or dance classes in their area.
"I really think this is a special opportunity to use this event to help others in our community,” said MCLA junior Rachel Seklecki.
General admission is $12, and tickets are $5 for MCLA faculty and staff. Tickets are free for MCLA Presents! members and MCLA students. To reserve tickets, call 413-662-5204. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
For additional information and a complete listing of the season, visit www.mcla.edu/presents. For additional inquires contact Kimberly Gritman at kg2380@mcla.edu.
