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, May 25th at 9 and 10:30 pm, we close out this spectacular season with a Tribute to the great Hamiet Bluiett, featuring a band led by multi-percussionist Ronnie Burrage along with guitarist Kelvyn Bell, pianist Donald Smith, and two St. Louis musicians, bassist Darrel Mixon and saxophonist Kendrick Smith.

For 20 years, Bluiett was a consistent presence in the list of artists who annually performed at Sistas’ Place. The fact that he and so many like him lent their enormous talents and sound to our institution, was one of the reasons that we are now a Historic Landmark Institution. On this African Liberation Day weekend, we close out our season with a Tribute to this great tone scientist who meant so much to all who knew him. The brilliant Ronnie Burrage, whose mother asked Bluiett to take care of her son when he first came to New York, has been given the task of creating a band for this special occasion. He has chosen well in putting together greats like Donald Smith and Kevlyn Bell with St Louis musicians Kendrick Smith and Darrell Mixon, who will guarantee that the first of three Tributes to Bluiett, will be memorable. Don’t Miss This!

Make Reservations at (718) 398-1766!

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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, April 27th, at 9 and 10:30 pm, the 20th Central Brooklyn Jazz Festival at Sistas’ Place continues with the unique combination of Ahmed Abdullah’s Diaspora meets AfroHORN with multi-percussionist Fransico Mora Catlett; saxophonists Sam Newsome and Don Chapman; Bob Stewart, tuba; Donald Smith on piano; Radu Ben Judah, bass; Ronnie Burrage, multi-percussion; Roman Diaz, percussion; poet/vocalist Monique Ngozi Nri; and Ahmed Abdullah, trumpet and vocals. This Festival worthy event affords an opportunity to hear two bands for the price of one. The bands Diaspora and AfroHORN both have musicians directing them who have been influenced by the great Sun Ra, the combination of the two bands reflects the fact that they have been working together over the last year in each other’s productions. This event will be recorded live. Be a part of history.  Don’t Miss This!

Make Reservations at (718) 398-1766!

Get 8.5″ by 11″ 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 23rd season with the music of Resistance, Resilience and Resurgence.

On Saturday, January 12, 2019, at 9 and 10: 30 pm, pianist/vocalist Donald Smith will lead an incredible quartet featuring Frank Lacy on frumpet and trombone, bassist Stanley Banks and drummer Dwayne “Cook” Broadnax. The Donald Smith Quartet, which this writer heard a couple of weeks ago, is very special. The leader sings some of his classic hits and beautiful standards while playing in his characteristic style that is beyond category. Frank Lacy plays the frumpet (an instrument created by the great Art Farmer) with complete abandonment like a man possessed of some creative muse that is between him and the Creator. Stanley Banks and Dwayne”Cook” Broadnax lock the rhythm section down while freeing it at the same time. No-one plays the bass like Stanley keeping time with one foot playing the tambourine and swinging. Dwayne lives up to his middle name cause he is always cooking. If you miss this exciting quartet that Donald Smith put together, you have only yourself to blame, so don’t miss it!

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Note: the previously scheduled event with Francisco Mora-Catlett’s AfroHORN is being replaced by this event

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What’s coming up?

Saturday, February 16, 2019, at 8:30 and 10:30 pm, Out of the Collective with Reggie Workman, Buster Williams, Jason Moran and Lenny White! Read more and buy tickets.

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.

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“Sun Ra Returns”, is a synergistic Jazz puppet opera, originally conceived by former Sun Ra Arkestra trumpeter Ahmed Abdullah, who currently teaches music at PS 3 and the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and internationally acclaimed visual artist Tine Kindermann. The production combines tenets of PS 3’s school wide Leadership program, “The Leader in Me,” Stephen Covey’s innovative Seven Habits of Highly Effective People repackaged for public and private schools, along with the futuristic lyrics and music of Sun Ra expressed through a different new medium, a puppet opera. This science fiction epic takes the audience to Saturn, back to planet Earth and then to Saturn again.

Ahmed Abdullah, a trumpeter who worked with Sun Ra for a span of 22 years and who has led his own bands since 1972, has organized the music and will lead an ensemble comprised of PS 3 students, New School students and guest artist from own band, Diaspora including Donald Smith, Piano, Radu Ben Judah, Bass, Monique Ngozi Nri, vocals and narration. The Teaching Artists involved with this year’ production are Choreographer Kitty Lunn and puppet creator Jon Riddleberger.

This production, coordinated by Carol Prud’homme Davis, SBT Managing/ArtsEd Director and Ahmed Abdullah, includes all of the disciplines of the arts: music, poetry, dance, visual arts and theater, and provides a rare opportunity for elementary school students to work with college students and professional musicians.

For Information:

Shadow Box Theater: Carol Prud’homme Davis
917 607 7922 cpdavis@shadowboxtheatre.org

Ahmed Abdullah: 917 667 1246 www.ahmedian.com

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!

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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!

On Friday, April 8, 2016 Jazz 966, joined by Sistas’ Place, the Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium and Up Over Jazz Productions, are throwing an All Star Musical Birthday Tribute to Brooklyn’s own NEA Jazz Master Randy Weston. Randy’s contributions in music and culture span the African Diaspora from Bed-Stuy to Africa to travelling around the world showcasing African Rhythms.

Joining in to pay tribute so far are Kenny Barron, Donald Smith, Sonny Fortune, Jimmy Owens, Winard Harper and Robin Kelley. Very limited seating available; tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door. Call to purchase tickets (718) 398-1766.

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Randy @ 90
Press Release
(718) 398-1766