Song Yet Sung: McBride's Novel Set to Life in Word & Song

~By guest blogger, Jessica Graae

On June 19, the second floor of Wilmington’s Ameritage Bistro burst alive with the words of James McBride’s Song Yet Sung and the beat of African drums and griot cries. In conjunction with the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival and the celebration of Juneteenth, The Delaware Humanities Forum presented a dramatic reading of McBride’s historically influenced novel set in Dorchester County. The character, Liz Spocott, who has suffered a blow to her head rendering her prophetic, is loosely based on the life of Harriet Tubman.

TS Baynes, an actor with City Theater Company, performed Spocott’s monologue. Baynes’ performance was warm and thoughtful. She made clever use of her performance space, pulling the audience into the pre-Civil War town and its outlying swamps. The steady drumbeat provided by Kamau Ngom helped establish urgency to Spocott’s message of freedom and escape, carrying us back to her African roots at the same time.

In the second portion of the program, Ngom gave an informative performance and lecture on Underground Railroad songs and handmade musical instruments. The audience learned that “Wade in the Water” wasn’t just a song about baptism, but a song slaves would sing to warn others to get to water quickly to throw off the chase of nearby dogs. Ngom reminded us of the powerful influence this early African American music has had on the blues, jazz and popular music.

Hungarian Flavors from DCMF

From the gypsy lilt and rubato in the Jenö Hubay Hejre Kati to the Hungarian Dance #5 by Johannes Brahms, Music Director Barbara Govatos played the gamut of range and color of her 1619 Amati violin.

Igor Begelman, clarinet and Jeffrey Lang, horn were jazzy and unfettered in the Sextet in C major by Ernö Dohnányi. The contrast of winds and strings with Barbara Govatos, violin, Burchard Tang, viola and Clancy Newman, cello soared above Marcantonio Barone’s piano.

Kudos to Marcantonio Barone for his telepathic anticipation of each player. The Piano Quartet in G minor by Johannes Brahms was passionate, yet perfect.

See www.dcmf.org.

Who Wants a Mai Tai?

OK, this is not really “arts”, but it is retro funky, which I love…If you’re headed to the Clifford Brown Jazz Fest on Saturday, June 20 and want some later-evening, campy fun, be sure to hit Wilmington’s newest old tradition—Saturday Night Supper Club!

This increasingly-popular theme night returns to Deep Blue Bar & Grill, this time as Copacabana Night. With dinner seating from 7:00pm on, you can grab a 3-course nosh and complimentary bubbly ($35 fixed price), then stay for Mai Tais & dancing with spinning by the ultra-hip DJ Zip at 10:00pm. Dress to impress and don’t be afraid to go with the theme—music and passion is always the fashion at the Copa!

Miss it this time around? Catch SNSC monthly on the third Saturday at Deep Blue, 111 W. 11th Street in Wilmington.

See http://www.deepbluebarandgrill.com/.