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Event
Small Ensemble Concert: Jazz and Literature
Featuring special guest and Philadelphia Poet Laureate Sonia Sanchez!
Jazz and Literature will explore the languages of jazz and improvisation as they intersect with the spoken and written word. The program takes inspiration from historical and contemporary collaborations between word and sound, originating with the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s-70s that gave rise to a whole generation of formative African-American literature, poetry, music, and activism. The identity formation encouraged by this movement individuality and finding your own voice directly connects to the practice of improvisation, a touchstone of the jazz tradition. Contemporary hip hop and spoken word practices have built upon these foundations, illuminating how the exploration of history becomes a journey to the present moment.
Sonia Sanchez is one of the most important figures in African-American literature. She has had a profound impact on this literature's oral tradition, her writing including a variety of styles, languages, and dialects. She is the author of more than 18 books of poetry in addition to plays and anthologies. Among the many honors she has received are the Community Service Award from the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, the Lucretia Mott Award, the Outstanding Arts Award from the Pennsylvania Coalition of 100 Black Women, the Peace and Freedom Award from Women International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), a National Endowment for the Arts Award, and a Pew Fellowship in the Arts. Sanchez was also a pioneer in developing university coursework in Black Studies in the 1960s. She was the first Presidential Fellow at Temple University, where she held the Laura Carnell Chair in English.
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LocationCindy Pritzker Auditorium (View)
400 S. State St.
Chicago, IL 60605
United States
Categories
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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