Sistas’ Place, 456 Nostrand Avenue, at the corner of Jefferson Avenue, where Jazz: A Music of the Spirit Lives and Culture is our Weapon, continues its 23rd season with the music of Resistance, Resilience and Resurgence.

On Saturday, November 3, 2018, Ahmed Abdullah’s Diaspora will present a very special evening of inspirational music dedicated to Black Solidarity Day and Get Out the Vote!

The band will feature Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet, flugelhorn and vocals, the great Donald Smith (playing the newly purchased Yamaha baby grand, for the first time) along with Kelvyn Bell on guitar, Don Chapman, tenor sax, Monique Ngozi Nri, poetry and vocals, Radu Ben Judah playing bass and Ronnie Burrage on drums. It is a band that you really don’t want to miss!

Music of the Spirit will sustain you through the challenging times we are experiencing.

Make Reservations at 718 398-1766!

For reservations or more information call (718) 398-1766.

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Sistas’ Place, 456 Nostrand Avenue, at the corner of Jefferson and Frederick Douglass Square, where Jazz: A Music of the Spirit Lives and Culture is our Weapon, is in its 27th year with the music of Resistance, Resilience, and Resurgence. Sistas’ Place is a Historic Landmark Institution!

On Saturday, October 29th we continue our 2022-23 season with Ahmed Abdullah’s Diaspora Meets Francisco Mora Catlett’s AfroHORN featuring the woodwinds of Sam Newsome and Don Chapman; Bob Stewart, tuba; pianist D.D. Jackson; bassist RaDu ben Judah; poet/vocalist Monique Ngozi Nri, and African percussionist Roman Diaz, with the leaders on trumpet, flugelhorn, voice, and multiple percussion, respectively.

This project, which was recorded a few years ago, brings together two former members of the Sun Ra Arkestra who have developed their own imprint and collaborated to create something special for the 21st Century. Make reservations by calling (718) 398-1766 today! Don’t Miss This!!!

Note: Ahmed Abdullah’s memoir: A Strange Celestial Road will be published by Blank Forms in 2023!
https://www.lespressesdureel.com/EN/ouvrage.php?id=9950&menu=0

Ahmed Abdullah’s Diaspora featuring saxophonists Don Chapman and Andrew Lamb, pianist Donald Smith, bassist Radu Ben Judah, drummer Reggie Nicholson and vocalist/poet Monique Ngozi Nri with the leader, Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet and vocals in a special tribute to Marcus Mossiah Garvey on his 130th Arrival Day on Planet Earth and as well an acknowledgement of Ronald McNair (whose statue we play next to), Sun Ra (one of the progenitors of Jazz: a Music of the Spirit), and the music of the African Diaspora. We also continue to celebrate and acknowledge one of our great current day warriors, Robert Taylor of the December 12th Movement, son of our leader Viola Plummer!

In these times we live in we must use every opportunity to celebrate great leaders such as Marcus Garvey, Sun Ra and Ronald McNair, who came before us and lived through much more difficult times. Marcus Garvey, in particular, managed to mobilize millions of people throughout the Diaspora to raise up with dignity and pride in their African Heritage and challenge their oppressors. Who are the real revolutionaries of today?

For more information see: https://www.facebook.com/jazzinthetriangle/.
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Photo: Chandra Burrage

Photo Credits: Chandra Burrage of  Ahmed Abdullah’s Diaspora at Sistas Place, June 24th, 2017

Photo Credits: Chandra Burrage of  Ahmed Abdullah’s Diaspora at Sistas Place, June 24th, 2017

Sistas’ Place, 456 Nostrand Avenue, at the corner of Jefferson Avenue, where Jazz: A Music of the Spirit Lives and Culture is our Weapon, presents the second concert in our summer series of Special Concerts with a performance of Ahmed Abdullah’s Diaspora (Special Edition) featuring saxophonists Dr. Salim Washington and Don Chapman, pianist/vocalist Donald Smith, bassist Radu Ben Judah, drummer Ronnie Burrage, and poet/vocalist Monique Ngozi Nri perform.

Trumpeter/bandleader/educator Ahmed Abdullah continues the celebration of his 70th birth/arrival day with a reunion to Diaspora of Dr. Salim Washington (who is currently living in Durban, South Africa) and Donald Smith (they worked for many Friday nights at Saint Nicholas Pub). Sets are at 9:00 pm and 10:30 pm.

This promises to be a summer night of resistance, resilience, and resurgence that you won’t want to miss!

Music of the Spirit will sustain you through the challenging times we are experiencing.

Get flyer.

Sistas’ Place, 456 Nostrand Avenue, at the corner of Jefferson Avenue, where Jazz: A Music of the Spirit Lives and Culture is our Weapon, continues its 21st season with the music of Resistance, Resilience and Resurgence. This Saturday, October 29th, Ahmed Abdullah’s Diaspora (Dispersions of the Spirit), Sankofa Edition featuring Donald Smith vocals and piano, tenor saxophonist Don Chapman, bassist Radu Ben Judah, multi-percussionist Reggie Nicholson and the vocals and poetry of Monique Ngozi Nriand and Dancer Mickey Davidson at 9 and 10:30pm.

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The theme of this coming year for Diaspora is Sankofa, the principle of looking backwards to go forward. Having led a band since 1972 and approaching a landmark age in his life, Abdullah has decided to explore some of the music from the past that hasn’t been played by the band recently.

This Music of the Spirit will sustain you through the challenging times we are experiencing.

Don’t Miss This!
Make Reservations at 718 398-1766!

(click for 8.5″ x 11″ flyer)

Sat., April 30, 2016.
Two Sets: 9pm – Synergistic Jazz Opera Sun Ra Returns
& 11:30pm – Music of the African Diaspora: Ahmed Abdullah’s DIASPORA featuring Donald Smith
NOTE: The Jazz Opera runs longer and thus the second set begins at 11:30pm

$20 in advance. Call (718) 398-1766 for reservations.
$25 at door.

Sistas’ Place, 456 Nostrand Avenue, at the corner of Jefferson Avenue, where Jazz: A Music of the Spirit Lives and Culture is our Weapon, continues it’s 20th Historic Landmark Season. On Saturday, April 30th, International Jazz Day, Sistas’ Place presents Ahmed Abdullah’s Diaspora with a preview of the newly created Jazz Opera, Sun Ra Returns… featuring Don Chapman on tenor sax and vocals, Donald Smith on piano and vocals, Radu on bass, Reggie Nicholson on drums and Monique Ngozi Nri as narrator and vocalist.

Sun Ra Returns… is a synergistic Jazz Opera that will be previewed at Sistas’ Place on Saturday, April 30th @ 9:00pm with the above mentioned musicians. Sun Ra Returns… was conceived by Ahmed Abdullah. It is a science fiction libretto using the music of Sun Ra which begins in 1993 when Sun Ra leaves this planet to go back to Saturn. In the year 2050, Sun Ra decides to return to Planet Earth to see if people have utilized the ideas of Leadership based on the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, that Sun Ra left while on the planet. The opera has lyrics based on the Seven Habits by Tine Kindermann and lyrics by Sun Ra and Ahmed Abdullah. The second set on Saturday night will be the music of the African Diaspora and will begin at approximately 11:30pm.

Don’t Miss This!

Make Reservations at (718) 398-1766!

Sistas’ Place, 456 Nostrand Avenue, Frederick Douglass Square (formerly Nostrand & Jefferson Avs.), where Jazz: A Music of the Spirit Lives and Culture is our Weapon, is in its 29th year with the music of Resistance, Resilience, and Resurgence. Sistas’ Place is a Historic Landmark Institution!

On Saturday, April 27, 2024, Sistas’ Place welcomes Ahmed Abdullah’s Diaspora featuring Alex Harding (Woodwinds), Salim Washington (Woodwinds), D.D. Jackson (Piano), Alex Blake (Bass), Dwayne ‘Cook’ Broadnax (Drums), Monique Ngozi Nri (Vocals), and the bandleader, Ahmed Abdullah, on Trumpet.

Reservations are a must- call (718) 398-1766  (no credit card required). Walk-in tickets are $35 and first come, first served.

Don’t miss this!

Get an 8.5″ by 11″ high-res flyer (PDF).

Sistas’ Place, 456 Nostrand Avenue, Frederick Douglass Square (formerly Nostrand & Jefferson Avs.), where Jazz: A Music of the Spirit Lives and Culture is our Weapon, is in its 30th year with the music of Resistance, Resilience, and Resurgence. Sistas’ Place is a Historic Landmark Institution!

On Saturday, November 9th, Sistas’ Place proudly presents Ahmed Abdullah’s DIASPORA featuring Ngozi Nri (Vocals, Poetry), Don Chapman (Saxophone), D.D. Jackson (Piano), Norbert Marius (Bass), Warren “Trae” Crudrup III (Drums), Melissa Almaguer (Tap Dance), and, Band Leader, Ahmed Abdullah (Composer, Arranger, Trumpet).

Reservations are a must for guaranteed seating — call (718) 398-1766 to reserve $30 tickets (no credit card required). Walk-in tickets are $35 and first come, first served.

Get 8.5″ x 11″ high-res flyer (PDF)

The Entire Month of April is the Music of Sun Ra!

$35 per set; Showtimes:
Doors Open: 7:30 pm, 
1st Show: 8 pm. 
2nd Show: 9:30 pm.  

Sistas’ Place, 456 Nostrand Avenue, Frederick Douglass Square (formerly Nostrand & Jefferson Aves.), where Jazz: A Music of the Spirit Lives and Culture is our Weapon, is in its 30th season with the music of Resistance, Resilience, and Resurgence. April’s performances honors Sun Ra and the people he chose to be part of his Arkestra over the decades.

Sat., April 5th  – The Dick Griffin Quartet
Sat., April 12th – Robert Rutledge & George Gray Quintet
Sat., April 19. –  Alex Harding & Anthony Nelson Quintet
Sat., April 26. –  Ahmed Abdullah’s Diaspora

Reservations are a must–call (718) 398-1766 (no credit card required). $35 cash at door (and only cash accepted) and in advance it costs only $30 if you post in CashApp: $HTFLH (https://cash.app/$htflh) and your name.

Don’t miss this!

Get 8.5″ by 11″ flyer (200 dpi & PDF)