Harold Moss – founder of the award-winning transmedia animation and live action production for broadcast TV, feature film, & digital multi-platform FlickerLab – and his colleagues are moving out to Dumbo, Brooklyn after their 15 years in Soho, Manhattan. In celebration of this move and as a farewell, FlickerLab is sponsoring a one week multimedia art exhibition: Are We Already Gone? Artists on the Art of Leaving.Featuring many artists from around the world with their works, such as sculptures, paintings, music and short films.
The curator of the show, Negin Sharifzadeh, invited SoSaLa to perform in the spirit of this exhibition’s title and theme and give some life to the art works at FlickerLab.
Photo courtsy of Baba Don
SoSaLa consists of Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi on tenor ans sopran sax plus vocals and Baba Don on djembe, congas and other percussion instruments. For Sohrab and Baba Don to play at this event is kind of a reunion.
Speaking of Baba Don:
For almost a quarter century, Baba Don, a percussionist very much in demand, has performed with many major American Dance Companies in the world’s greatest performing-arts venues. His recording career is as equally varied as it vast; the jazz idiom, rhythm and blues, and most African derived percussion styles are represented in his discography. He is a featured member of the esteemed Last Poets. He has long been acknowledged as one of New York City’s master teachers of African Drumming and the rhythms of the Diaspora in the Americas. Baba Don is presently on faculty at the Harlem school Of the Arts for over 25 years, teaching all ages from 4 years of age to adults.
He has performed and recorded with The Dance Theatre of Harlem, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Maurice Hines, Gregory Hines, Andy Williams, and Chuck Davis Dance theatre, Pattie Labelle, philicia Reshard, Choreographers Frank Hatchet, Geoffrey Holder, Louis Johnson and many more.Baba Don has recorded with many Jazz artist Donald Brown, Joe Henderson, Jason Linder, Tyrone Jefferson, James Spaulding, Ron Carter, Gorge Clinton, Pharaoh Sanders, and The Last Poets
This time SoSala consisted of four DC musicians: Rob Coltun on electric guitar, Luke Stewart on electric bass guitar and Warren G. Crudup III on drums, Kamyar Arsani on daf and vocals; and Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi on sax and vocals. Kamyar played for the first time.
Tour dates
Date: Saturday, August 2, 2014 Venue:An Die Musik (409 North Charles Street, 2nd Fl., Baltimore, Maryland 21201)
A WORTHLESS HOMESTEAD (photo by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi)
The Baltimore progressive rock trio A WORTHLESS HOMESTEAD opened up for SoSaLa. Playing nu jazz-progressive rock which could remind you of the British legendary prog-rock band Soft Machine.
SoSaLa (photo by Maria Teresa Henderson)
Date: Sunday, August 3, 2014 Venue:Bossa Bistro + Lounge (2463 18th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009)
Guest appearance by DC guitarist Pete Muldoon.
The opening band was I m U r with Rob Coltun on guitar, Kamyar Arsani on daf, kuzeh, percussions & vocals, Abhik Saha on percussion & vocals; and Joey Jenkins on bass. They played some Sufi songs and improvised music with poetry.
Song List
* A Beginning Is An Ending
* What’s What?
* Leyla
* Heavy Funk
* Vatan Kojai?
Khorasan
* Enough Is Enough
* Sohrab’s Shushtari
(* video available)
Note: the two videos of “A Beginning Is An Ending” prove that SoSaLa is a band which doesn’t want to repeat itself. The core of the song is the same, but the execution is totally different. The sound of the song changes in accordance to the venue’s ambiance, how the audience respond to the music, how each member interprets and executes the information from each song’s lead sheet, Sohrab’s mood and for many other reasons.
This email ends this report perfectly. It says what SoSaLa is about.. stands for…speaks out…fights for. All SoSaLa members joined this collective, because they believe that the time has come to make some important changes in their lives.
A Fan Email
“Salam my dear Sohrab,
I so enjoyed your performance and our nice chat afterwards. You have indeed been blessed with the gift to create meaningful music that engulfs the soul.
Thank you for all that you are doing to help musical artist who are being treated unfairly. Enough is Enough is a great movement, and I have been enlightened. I have subscribed to DooBeeDooBeeDoo NY and will share it with others. I truly believe that social awareness can be fostered through music. Music triggers interest. We must all open our hearts and make a difference.
My work involves working with our poorest brothers and sisters in the world. I am blessed every day. I exhibit/travel for our organization in the U.S. explaining why we must live our life in solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the world. We are one family but many do not understand; however, I just keep pushing forward.
I purchased your CD and a t-shirt which I have worn on several occasions. I like the design. I was listening to your CD a few days ago for the third or fourth time and I could visualize you holding the stool above your head crying out. It was a powerful statement. I love the true form of jazz, which should be expressive with different movements, surprising me at each turn without structure, free flowing.
If I am not traveling the next time you are in Baltimore I will attend your performance. Continue to inspire, advocate, produce music and stand up against social injustices. It is our call.” ( – Jacklyn Ireland from Baltimore)
Date: September 25, 2014
