SOFAR SOUNDS NEW HAVEN
The SOFAR premise is one of intimate and small spaces (see SOFAR Sounds New Haven-October Event and the upcoming interview with Paul Bryant Hudson in the Interview section of AMP) but their January and February happenings had two distinct narratives.
SOFAR’s first show of the new year was held at Bregamos Community Theater on Blatchley Avenue in New Haven. According to Paul Bryant Hudson, lead ambassador and founder of the New Haven chapter, this was their biggest affair to date. Usually shows are held in living rooms and backyards therefore attendance is kept to a minimum but this venue allowed for a larger audience. Hudson said “I’m a community guy” and wanted to start the year with a bang.
The theater was packed. Patrons sat on folding chairs and rugs slung close to the stage. Hudson and M.C. Raven Blake let the crowd know they were “in for a treat” as the nights performers were up and coming local talent.
The first act was Manny James, a R&B singer with a strong soulful voice. James and his backing band consisting of Jeremiah Fuller (drums), Peter Greco (guitar) and Corey Claiborne (bass) played songs from his recent release Church Street South and covered Marvin Gaye’s “Whats Going On”. The audience ate it up as James‘ stage presence and easy banter pulled everyone in deeper and deeper. By the end of his set everyone was looking for more.
Next up was Stephen “Gritz” King, saxophonist extraordinaire. With Greco on guitar, Fuller on drums and Dwele Coore on keyboards, King played a short set of originals from his The Breakfast EP that dropped that very day and covers. His sax playing was fresh and exuberant. He definitely conveyed his joy of music quite nicely. His animated personality was readily transferred to the turnout who swayed easily to his beats and joined in to sing along to Erika Badu’s “On and On”. Even though King professed not to be a singer he ventured his pleasant vocals to loud applause.
The night was a rousing success with everyone feeling good and appreciative of SOFAR, Manny James and “Gritz” King. My seventeen year old daughter who was my date for the night said “that was awesome”. And it truly was.
SOFAR’s February show returned to the small and intimate. Nestled in a living room in a house in downtown New Haven 50-60 attendees experienced a trio of completely different art forms. Celebrating both Black History Month and the release of the Black Panther movie, SOFAR subtitled the nights gig “Welcome to Wakanda”, the fictional home of the Black Panther.
The evening started with Salwa, a spoken word poet whose poems put social justice in the forefront. As she read her poetry she conjoined the congregation to snap, “In poetry we snap”. Her pieces were poignant and at times disturbing but isn’t that the aim of true art; to make one think and contemplate. The listeners felt Salwa’s words in their hearts and souls. She was inspiring.
The next performer was puppeteer Isaac Bloodworth. Behind a framed hand painted moving scroll he recited his piece on the life of a young black child named Joy and police brutality. The piece was called Larvae and part of a larger series called Metamorphosis. His theme was eerily representative of many of today’s haunting headlines and again the audience had much to ponder. Bloodworth’s art brought us into the real world with beauty and tragedy.
Our last act definitely lightened the air and complemented the “Wakanda” and Black History Month theme. Middletown, Ct.’s based The Lost Tribe, a six piece Afro-Funk influenced ensemble, took the stage. From their first note the entire throng was on their feet. Their rhythms had everyone moving and dancing to their beautiful African jams. The Lost Tribe ended the evening on an uplifting note with music being a unifying force.
On the whole SOFAR sponsored a night of passionate and meaningful art. They embraced the true essence of Black History Month with both much-needed thought-provoking social awareness and beautiful cultural melodies.
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