Our first "Mosaics: Music and Culture lecture series" event is Tuesday, May 8th and will be on Calypso: A Cultural Commentary and presented by Gene Scaramuzzo, who for many years has written and researched Calypso and Caribbean music. A style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots, Calypso was often used as a form of political commentary or protest. Mr. Scaramuzzo will explain Calypso music and help us understand it's social and cultural importance with lots of good music as examples. Since 1980, he has been deeply involved in the Caribbean and African music scenes, interviewing and researching. He has a special interest in the music of Trinidad, Tobago, and the French Antilles islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, and is the only English-language writer that provided in-depth coverage of the French Antilles music scene. For many years, Gene hosted a bi-weekly radio program, "The Caribbean Show," on New Orleans radio station WWOZ. From 1980 to 1991, he was associate editor and columnist on Caribbean and Rhythmatic music for Wavelength, a New Orleans music magazine and wrote a column for The Beat called "The Other Caribbean." Gene has written freelance articles on Caribbean and African music for many publications, including the Times Picayune. He was Caribbean music advisor for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Festival International de Louisiana and has served as editor and annotator for Rounder records compilations on zouk and soca.
Then on Saturday, May 12th, Movie Night will present the film "Calypso Dreams.” Winner of the Best Caribbean Documentary at the Jamerican film Festival, and chosen as the Audience Favorite at the DC Film Fest, Pan-African film festival, Mill Valley Film Fest and embraced by an entire nation in Trinidad, Calypso Dreams chronicles the rich and complex cultural roots of calypso music in Trinidad and Tobago. After our lecture on Tuesday, we should know all about Calypso!
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Our monthly Movie Night always offer you something “completely different.” Travel back in time and enjoy a silent film accompanied by live music, a vintage cartoon, short clips which may include classic East Indian dances, a 1942 travel documentary about Haiti or birthday tributes to such artistic icons as Django Reinhardt and Josephine Baker. We might even take a trip to India or France or some tropical island. And before the movie or at intermission, buy a bag of popcorn and a soft drink or enjoy a glass of wine or beer with some great food from a local restaurant. Come experience an entertaining evening and maybe even learn a thing or two!
