Swing to Mambo
10:00am-3:00pm, Saturday November 16
The Abyssinian Baptist Church at 32 W 138th St, New York
Wild Rhythm will conduct workshops on the origin and character of swing for this youth-oriented community event. In addition, Wild Rhythm will perform original material to Danny Jonokuchi & The Revisionist
Urban Stomp: From Swing to Mambo is the first interactive arts-education series that shares important artistic, cultural and historic connections between these two genres to strengthen relationships between communities. The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, with the resounding sounds of Louis Armstrong, helped lay the foundation for swing music as a distinct genre in the mid-1920s. Swing influenced the creation of mambo in Cuba; especially the style later popularized in 1950s New York by artists melding Afro-Cuban rhythms, innovative instrument arrangements and dynamic dance technique. Together, swing and mambo exemplified aspirations of a more democratic world performed at venues such as the Savoy (nicknamed “home of happy feet”) and the Palladium Ballrooms (nicknamed “temple of the mambo”). The momentary spaces they open ignite new possibilities of greater equality, freedom and a shared humanity. This is a collaboration between U.S., Latin, American, Caribbean, and European artists-historians-activists-anthropologists pushing the boundaries of art and education.
This curated event is a culmination of interactive music and dance workshops throughout NYC. We’ll have live music with the most swingin’ swing (Danny Jonokuchi & The Revisionists-vocals with Alexa Barchini hard-hitting mambo (and some New York salsa) with 7x Grammy nominated bandleader Bobby Sanabria bringing his Quarteto Aché, will show what happens when Cuba, Africa, Harlem, and Puerto Rico meet NYC. There will also be some boogaloo, cha cha cha and blues to show how the music represents various communities.