*(Watts, CA) — The Division of Cultural Affairs (DCA) celebrated the forty first anniversary of the Annual Day of the Drum Pageant, and the forty sixth anniversary of the Annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Pageant. DCA and the Buddies of the Watts Towers Arts Middle hosted the multicultural dance and music efficiency on Saturday, September 30, for the Watts Towers Day of the Drum Pageant and Sunday, October 1, for the Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Pageant.
“These festivals convey group members collectively, fostering a way of unity, belonging, and solidarity,” stated Daniel Tarica, DCA Interim Basic Supervisor. “The annual festivals are among the longest-running in Los Angeles celebrating inter-generational tradition, traditions, and heritage. The Watts Towers Arts Middle Campus serves as a beacon for creativity, empowerment, and willpower. Mr. Tarica prolonged “an invitation to the group to affix within the celebration of the Watts Towers Day of the Drum Pageant and the Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Pageant.”
“The Annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Pageant and the Annual Simon Rodina Watts Towers Jazz Pageant has entertained native residents for many years, fostering civic pleasure and engagement,” remarked Rosie Lee Hooks, Watts Towers Arts Middle Campus Director. “The Watts Towers Arts Middle Campus and sponsored organizations play a significant position in preserving tradition, contributing to the native financial system and well-being, and introducing historic and cultural consciousness by the help of the festivals. The festivals increase group pleasure and a way of place.”
For 2 days attendees had been capable of immerse themselves within the infectious rhythms throughout the Day of the Drum Pageant and/or the sheer pleasure of spoken phrase performances and dwell jazz on the Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Pageant.
Whether or not one is a jazz aficionado, a causal listener or somebody merely looking for a weekend of charming performances, the Watts Towers Day of the Drum Pageant and the Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Pageant offered an unforgettable expertise for all in attendance.
An all-star lineup of worldwide recording artists, native jazz greats, percussionists, and dancers got here collectively over two days, from 10:00am-6pm, for an unbelievable drum and jazz competition expertise underneath the creative course of Rosie Lee Hooks, Patrice Rushen, and Munyungo Jackson. Introduced by DCA and the Buddies of Watts Towers Arts Middle, the two-day was free and open to the general public.
I joined a number of hundred music lovers on Sunday, October 1st for the forty sixth Annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Pageant, with co-emcees Kamau Daáood and Dee Dee McNeil.
The Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Pageant featured a stellar line-up of artists. This system acquired underway with Alaadun, Yoruba floor blessing uniting all cultures primarily based on widespread themes and ideas.
Further leisure was offered by Melvin Lee Davis and Buddies that includes Derek Bordeaux, Kevin Flournoy, and Jeffrey B. Suttles for a set of gospel jazz.
The group and I had been completely entertained all afternoon. Highlights had been Food4Thought, Queen Socks, and Love, an superior spoken phrase efficiency from this tight household of poets. Co-emcees Kamau Daáood and Dee Dee McNeil shined brightly whereas sharing some unique spoken phrase items.
You may’t go flawed with the blues that you should use as served up by the explosive and electrifying guitarist Ray Bailey.
The World Stage Huge Band is a cultural establishment in Leimert Park Village. Their explosive set continued the legacy of all the good grasp musicians, composers, and arrangers in black music that’s beloved, loved, and appreciated by all cultures. Vocalist Amita Delone was additionally featured within the band.
Varied native organizations had been acknowledged and acknowledged for his or her steady help of the Watts Towers Arts Middle Campus and the group. Native dignitaries had been on website to benefit from the sights and eclectic sounds of the festivals. Councilmember Tim McOsker, Metropolis of Los Angeles fifteenth Council District, State Senator Steven Bradford, and Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, 2nd District. Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell introduced the Watts Towers Arts Middle with a Commendation. Rosie Lee Hooks introduced Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell with a restricted version of this 12 months’s wonderful Pageant Poster, by Buena Johnson. The identify of the artwork is entitled ‘Mighty Spirit of Watts.’ You may see this and different paintings by Buena Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buenavisionart.
The Jazz Mentorship Program All–Stars (JMP) that includes Patrice Rushen on piano, Munyungo on percussions, Dr. Bobby Rodriguez on trumpet, and Reggie Hamilton on bass capped off one other profitable Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Pageant with a set of straight-ahead jazz to the delight of the jazz aficionados within the crowd.
The Metropolis of Los Angeles Division of Cultural Affairs (DCA), as a number one, progressive arts and cultural company, DCA empowers Los Angeles’s vibrant communities by supporting and offering entry to high quality visible, design, literary, musical, performing, and academic arts programming; managing very important cultural facilities; preserving historic websites; creating public artwork; and funding companies offered by arts organizations and particular person artists.
Fashioned in 1925, DCA promotes arts and tradition as a option to ignite a strong dialogue, have interaction LA’s residents and guests, and guarantee LA’s various cultures are acknowledged, acknowledged, and skilled. DCA’s mission is to strengthen the standard of life in Los Angeles by stimulating and supporting arts and cultural actions, guaranteeing public entry to the humanities for residents and guests alike.
DCA advances the social and financial affect of arts and tradition by grantmaking, public artwork, group arts, performing arts, and strategic advertising, growth, design, and digital analysis. DCA creates and helps arts programming, maximizing relationships with different metropolis companies, artists, and humanities and cultural nonprofit organizations to offer wonderful service in neighborhoods all through Los Angeles.
For extra data, please go to https://www.wattstowers.org or https://www.culturela.org In case you are ever in want of one thing to do particularly with household and pals visiting for the Holidays, try the tradition information or Occasions calendar to see an inventory of occasions cultural occasions happening throughout Los Angeles and all 12 months lengthy, or observe on Fb at fb.com/culturela, Instagram @culture_la and Twitter @culture_la.
Ricky Richardson is a Southern California-based author, music reviewer, and photographer. Contact him through: [email protected]
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