Makanda Project Free Community Concerts
The arts—and the community spirit achieved through these particular events—are an ideal vehicle for the principles that VISIONS represents. Presenting these concerts is another way that VISIONS is involved in the community where we work. The Makanda Project is a 13 piece ensemble formed in 2005 to play the previously unrecorded compositions of Makanda Ken McIntyre (1931-2001), a Roxbury native who was a significant yet under-recognized jazz innovator in a career that spanned over four decades. The Makanda Project includes several of Boston’s most accomplished jazz musicians. Many of the concerts also feature internationally renowned guest artists, as well as performances by community youth. Some of the concerts also include a live painting activity facilitated by Massachusetts College of Art & Design’s sparc! the ArtMobile.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The Makanda Project will be performing three concerts at the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library this spring.
On Saturday, February 25 we will reprise a program we did last spring. Saxophonist Ricky Ford has written a series of compositions based on poems by Langston Hughes; we premiered them last May, with renowned poet and Roxbury community member Askia Toure reading the poems. There was a very good response, and it seemed like it would be worth doing it again. We’re adding a second voice on the poems, Vanessa Silva, this time. As before, the horn section will be expanded from 10 to 14 to go with Ricky’s arrangements.
On Saturday, April 15 Chico Freeman will join us; he will play at the library for the first time after a few visits to the Bolling Building. We’ve worked closely with Chico over the last few years, and we have arrangements of a couple of his especially intriguing compositions that we’ve never performed – those will be featured on April 15.
On Saturday, May 5, since the previous 2 concerts have been all Ricky’s and Chico’s music, we will do a concert just featuring compositions by Makanda Ken, McIntyre, which is what we originally formed the band to play. We have a couple new, newly arranged ones that we’re working on, that will be heard in public for the first time.
All the events start at 7 pm and are free to the public. Reservations will be recommended due to space constraints at the library.
Worldwide Partners
Fio Partners helps leaders make better decisions. Through consulting and research, we work with our clients to create an information-rich process to support an organization’s leadership in making strategic decisions. Our services include strategic planning, strategic alliances and corporate restructuring, evaluation and research, and leadership and management training.
Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI) keeps the people affected by conflicts at the center of peacebuilding. It is our mission to build local skills for peace and promote mediation worldwide. Our approach emphasizes inclusivity and cultural competency. Our multi-disciplinary practitioners uncover and address the many contexts of conflict, including the impact of trauma on communities.
Trauma Informed Los Angeles centers transformative social justice values and action as the foundation upon which we build all of the rest of our work. Our fundamental way of connecting to our vision for a socially just society is to imagine a world that is equitable and healing for all to live in. We commit to bringing this vision for a more just world into fruition through our commitment to transformative justice, social justice movements, healing justice work, and other community healing. Trauma Informed Los Angeles (TILA) works to radically transform Los Angeles, envisioning a county full of individuals and communities that center healing from trauma and living in ways that engender wellbeing and harmony.
