Thursday, July 29: Vieux Farka Touré @ MetroTech Center

Vieux Farka Touré

Part of BAM's Rhythm & Blues Festival at MetroTech

Thu, Jul 29 at 12noon

"The son and torchbearer of West African musical icon Ali Farka Touré, Malian guitarist and singer Vieux Farka Touré has more than filled his father’s shoes, concocting his own hybrid style that radiates with “joyful audacity” (The New York Times). With an exuberant guitar sound perched perfectly between the blistering, desert-bred twang of the West African kora and the electric distortion of Chicago blues, Touré’s music is a study in seamless musical crossbreeding, born of both urban grit and blue Sahara skies."

MetroTech Commons
Free!

Info: Bam

Thursday, July 22: Bilal @ MetroTech Commons

Bilal - Part of BAM's Rhythm & Blues Festival at MetroTech

Thu, Jul 22 at 12noon
MetroTech Commons

"No longer the best-kept secret of the formidable Soulquarians collective—which includes such luminaries as Mos Def, Erykah Badu, and D’Angelo—singer/songwriter Bilal has become a neo-soul titan. His debut album, 1st Born Second, features production by Dr. Dre, and he’s collaborated with everyone from Beyoncé and Jay-Z to Sun Ra and Talib Kweli. Poised, suave, and prodigiously skilled, Bilal specializes in compelling, jazz-tinged ballads, which never sacrifice nuance to achieve showstopper status."

Info: BAM

Wednesday July 7: The Woman’s Film + Shorts @ BAM

The Woman’s Film + Shorts
Part of the BAMcinématek series Contraband Cinema


Wed, Jul 7 at 6:50pm
Directed by Louise Alaimo, Judy Smith, Ellen Sorren
(1971) 86min

"This invaluable cultural document traces the history of the women's movement in America, through interviews with women from all walks of life who discuss their reasons for getting involved with the cause and what feminism means to them.

Screens with the shorts:

Up Against the Wall Miss America, Newsreel Group (1968, 8min)
"Here she comes..." At the 1968 Miss America pageant, demonstrators introduced a sheep as the appropriate winner. This entertaining short film shows how Women's Liberation activists used guerrilla theater to raise awareness of what Miss America really represents. It is an interesting document of the early women's movement in action.

Janie’s Janie, Dir. Geri Ashur & Peter Barton (1972, 25min)
First I was my father’s Janie, then I was my Charlie’s Janie, now I’m Janie’s Janie. “Janie’s Janie, a fine documentary, unreels the self discoveries of a woman who married at fifteen to escape the constrictions of her own threadbare family.” —New York Times

Jeanette Rankin Brigade, Newsreel (1968, 8min)
In January 1968, 10,000 women led a peaceful march on Washington in protest against the Vietnam War. This film documents the march and raises questions about the forms of protest engaged by women and the role of women in the anti-war."

BAM Rose Cinemas
General Admission: $12
BAM Cinema Club members: $8

Info: BAM

Monday, July 5: Miracle at St. Anna @ BAM

Miracle at St. Anna
Part of the BAMcinématek series Contraband Cinema


Mon, Jul 5 at 4:30pm
Directed by Spike Lee
With Laz Alonso, Derek Luke, Omar Benson Miller
(2008) 160min

"Lee overturns decades of Hollywood whitewashing to tell the story of the US Army’s all African-American Buffalo Soldier unit stranded in Tuscany during World War II. Featuring some of the most remarkable battle sequences in recent memory and Lee's signature, bold directorial touches, Miracle at St. Anna is an urgent corrective to a Hollywood that has long ignored the vital contributions made by black soldiers during World War II."

BAM Rose Cinemas
General Admission: $12
BAM Cinema Club members: $8

Info: BAM

Monday, July 5: She’s Gotta Have It @ BAM

She’s Gotta Have It
Part of the BAMcinématek series Contraband Cinema


Mon, Jul 5 at 2*, 8pm
*Intro by and discussion with curator Kazembe Balagun and writer/poet Anika Lani Haynes

Directed by Spike Lee
With Tracy Camilla Johns, Tommy Redmond Hicks
(1986) 84min

"Lee’s fearless feature debut (shot largely in Fort Greene) took the world by storm by appropriating the indie sex comedy, à la Woody Allen, to address black sexuality. Nola Darling (Johns) is a sexually-liberated Brooklynite contending with the advances of three less than perfect suitors while struggling to maintain her independence. One of the watershed independent films of the 1980s, She’s Gotta Have It was radical for its concern with a demographic hitherto under-represented on-screen: the cosmopolitan, black female. 'A groundbreaking film for African-American filmmakers and a welcome change in the representation of blacks in American cinema, depicting men and women of color as intelligent, upscale urbanites' (New York Times)."

BAM Rose Cinemas
General Admission: $12
BAM Cinema Club members: $8

Info: BAM

Sat Jul 3 and Tues July 6: Weather Underground film @ BAM

Underground
Part of the BAMcinématek series Contraband Cinema


Sat, Jul 3 at 9:30pm
Tue, Jul 6 at 4:30pm
Directed by Emile de Antonio & Mary Lampson
(1976) 87min

"This documentary on the Weather Underground—then members of the FBI's “Most Wanted” list—features shrouded interviews with Bill Ayers, Kathy Boudin, Bernadine Dohrn, Jeff Jones, and Cathy Wilkerson. After production of the film was completed, the footage was subpoenaed by the government with the hopes that it might lead to arrests—but the filmmakers refused to hand it over. Within a couple years of the film's release, the Weather Underground dissolved."

BAM Rose Cinemas
General Admission: $12
BAM Cinema Club members: $8

Info: BAM

Fri July 2 and Wed July 7: The Garden film @ BAM

The Garden
Part of the BAMcinématek series Contraband Cinema


Fri, Jul 2 at 4:30pm*
Wed, Jul 7 at 9:30pm
*Intro by and discussion with Jonathan Wilson of Active Citizen Project

Directed by Scott Hamilton Kennedy
(2008) 80min

"Scott Hamilton Kennedy records the backroom politics and shady courtroom machinations that ensue when a thriving community garden operated by Mexican-American immigrants in LA is suddenly and inexplicably condemned to make way for warehouse development. The farmers' refusal to relinquish the land results in a David vs. Goliath battle that exposes a mess of bureaucratic corruption extending all the way to City Hall."

BAM Rose Cinemas
General Admission: $12
BAM Cinema Club members: $8

Info: BAM

Thurs July 1 and Sun July 4: Black Panthers (in Israel) Speak + Jerusalem Tapes: (Israeli) Black Panthers on the Street @ BAM

"Black Panthers (in Israel) Speak + Jerusalem Tapes: (Israeli) Black Panthers on the Street
Part of the BAMcinématek series Contraband Cinema

Thu, Jul 1 at 4:30pm
Sun, Jul 4 at 2pm

Black Panthers (in Israel) Speak
Directed by Eli Hamo & Sami Shalom Chetrit
(2002) 55min

With Jerusalem Tapes: (Israeli) Black Panthers on the Street
Directed by David Cort/Videofreex
34min

"The footage in these films reveals the mostly unknown story of an Israeli political consciousness that tried to align itself with the 1970s civil rights struggle in the US and third world Marxism internationally."

BAM Rose Cinemas
General Admission: $12
BAM Cinema Club members: $8

Info: BAM

Thurs, July 1: Tabou Combo Concert @ MetroTech Commons

Tabou Combo
Part of BAM's Rhythm & Blues Festival at MetroTech

Thu, Jul 1 at 12noon

"Masters of Haiti’s addictive national dance music, compas—a mix of brass-fortified Dominican merengue, quadrilles from colonial France, and lyrics in Creole, Spanish, English, and French—Tabou Combo is a national treasure, revered for their infectious, carefree musical cocktails. Together since 1968, the 12-piece band commands dancing with a bright, brisk sound, pairing compas with Carnival music, voodoo drumming, and a healthy dose of island pride."

MetroTech Commons
Free!

Info: BAM

Wednesday, June 30 and Sun July 4: Eldridge Cleaver Film and Q + A @ BAM

"Eldridge Cleaver"
Part of the BAMcinématek series Contraband Cinema


Wed, Jun 30 at 4:30pm
There will be an encore screening of Eldridge Cleaver on July 4 at 7:15pm featuring a Q&A with Kathleen Cleaver.

Directed by William Klein
(1969) 75min

"Under pressure from FBI's counterintelligence program, Black Panther Eldridge Cleaver and his wife Kathleen left the United States for Algeria. There, he set up the International Section of the Black Panther Party which quickly became the hangout of revolutionaries from the Vietnamese and African liberation movements. Klein's moving interview follows up with Cleaver during the Pan-African Cultural Festival in Algiers, where he expounds upon the Vietnam War and Black Power during a time when 'revolution was the main theme of the day.'"

BAM Rose Cinemas
General Admission: $12
BAM Cinema Club members: $8"

Info: BAM

Tonight! Film screening at BAM: Wah Do Dem

Wah Do Dem

Part of BAMcinemaFEST

Tue, Jun 15, 2010, 6:50pm
Q&A with directors Ben Chace & Sam Fleischner and actors Sam Bones and Norah Jones

Directed by Ben Chace & Sam Fleischner
With Sean Bones, Norah Jones, Carl Bradshaw

US, 2009, 75 min
NY Premiere!

Brooklyn hipster Max’s (Sean Bones) girlfriend (played by Norah Jones) dumps him just days before their Caribbean cruise. Bummed, but determined to make the most of it, Max sets sail alone for Jamaica, where, after having all his stuff stolen and literally missing the boat, he embarks on a crosscountry, philosophical journey that yields surprising revelations. Directors Chace and Fleischner capture both the exhilaration and anxiety of being a stranger in a strange land where the 2008 US presidential election becomes an unexpected catalyst for crosscultural connection. This reggae-infused odyssey features music and appearances by MGMT, Santigold, The Congos, Yeasayer, and more.

BAM Rose Cinemas
General Admission: $12
BAM Cinema Club members: $8"

Info: BAMWah Do Dem

Memorial Day Weekend: DanceAfrica Bazaar at BAM

Bazaar
Part of DanceAfrica

Memorial Day Weekend
Sat, May 29, 12noon—10pm
Sun, May 30, 12noon—8pm
Mon, May 31, 12noon—8pm

Lafayette Ave and Ashland Pl
Rain or shine!
Free!

"Celebrate the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Africa and its Diaspora at the DanceAfrica 2010 Bazaar. Close to 300 vendors from around the world converge on the streets surrounding BAM, transforming the neighborhood into a global marketplace offering African, Caribbean, and African-American food, crafts, and fashion.

The Bazaar will also feature entertainment for families with face painting and crafts at the Children's Village, and guest artists will be roaming through the marketplace throughout the day."

Info: BAM

May 27- June 19: Dance Africa Art Exhibit:::MoCADA::: and BAM

BAMart and the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art (MoCADA) have partnered again to produce an intimate exhibition coinciding with the 2010 Dance Africa Festival. Curated by MoCADA's Director of Exhibitions, Kimberli Gant, the exhibition is centers its theme on the 2010 Dance Africa theme of "African Rhythms, American Echos." Works by artists Bara Diokhane, Duhirwe Rushmeda, Francis Simeni and Ezra Wube, who all originally hail from various nations on the African continent, will be featured. Each artist will choose a piece from their oeuvre and pair it with a piece from BAM's own collection of predominantly American artists. The idea of letting artists select their pairing was a conscious curatorial decision allowing the artists to create a personal dialog. Exhibition will be on view from May 27 - June 19, 2010

Info: :::MoCADA:::

May 28-31: DanceAfrica Film @ BAMcinématek

DanceAfrica Film May 28-31st

"To complement BAM’s 2010 DanceAfrica celebration, we’re featuring some of the best new films from Africa with highlights from African Film Festival, Inc.’s Traveling
Series."

Visit website for full schedule of films and ticket purchase options


Info: BAMcinématek

May 28 - May 31: DanceAfrica 2010: Performance

DanceAfrica 2010: Performance

Part of the 2010 Spring Season and DanceAfrica

May 28 at 7:30pm
May 29 at 2 & 7:30pm
May 30 & 31 at 3pm

African Rhythms / American Echoes

Artistic Director Chuck Davis

Pamodzi Dance Troupe (Zambia)
Dallas Black Dance Theatre (Dallas)
Illstyle & Peace Productions (Philadelphia)

Restoration DanceAfrica Ensemble (Brooklyn)

Now in its 33rd year, DanceAfrica, guided by the vision of artistic director Chuck Davis, unites dance companies from near and far to celebrate the cultures of Africa and its Diaspora. This year, the Pamodzi Dance Troupe from Zambia offers a medley of traditional music and dance rich with Zambian heritage. Joined by American companies, including Brooklyn’s very own BAM/Restoration DanceAfrica Ensemble from Bedford-Stuyvesant—performing at BAM for the fourteenth straight year—this program promises to inspire.

A Memorial Day weekend tradition, DanceAfrica is packed with dance, music, art, and film events—plus the-one-and-only DanceAfrica outdoor bazaar.

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
Running Time: 120min with intermission

Subscription tickets: $16, 24, 32, 40
Full price: $20, 30, 40, 50
Kids 16 & under: $10, 15, 20, 25


Info: BAM

Saturday, May 22: Restoration’s DanceAfrica Pre-Opening Activities | Bed-Stuy Restoration Plaza

Restoration’s DanceAfrica Pre-Opening Activities

Saturday, May 22nd 1:00PM - 4:00PM

The celebration continues at Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza for their 14th Annual DanceAfrica Pre-Opening Celebration. Memorial Day week, the Restoration Dance Theatre Company will perform at BAM.

Date/ time: Saturday, May 22nd 1:00PM - 4:00PM
Location: Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration plaza. 1368 Fulton St;

Info: Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza

April 7th-May: African Film Festival New York!

**This is kind of amazing. The website is chock-full of info, so click the link to find out more.**

"The 2010 New York African Film Festival, presented under the banner “Independent Africa,” spotlights 17 African nations, as they observe 50 years of independence from colonial rule. These nations include: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia and Togo. Complementing the theme of independence, the festival incorporates rare archival footage of African nations as they transitioned from colonial rule, alongside independently produced classic and contemporary African cinema, to bring into full view a strong visual narrative, which chronicles the changes throughout the continent, over a 50-year period. Rounding off the festival are films that highlight the World Cup in South Africa!

CO-PRESENTERS:
The Film Society of Lincoln Center
Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)
Institute for African Studies, Columbia University
New Museum
Creative Time

FESTIVAL VENUES:
Walter Reade Theater, Lincoln Center: April 7th – 13th
Columbia University: April 14th
The Lounge at 310 Bowery: May 6th
New Museum: May 13th, 15th, & 16th
Brooklyn Academy of Music: May 28th – 31st"

Info: African Film Festival, Inc

Friday, February 5: Sounds Like Brooklyn: Littlefield NYC Hip-Hop Show

SOUNDS LIKE BROOKLYN: Sonic!Clash MetroSonics Album Release

Paul “MetroSonics” Josephs
Jean Grae
Rich Medina
Scribe
Chela
DP One
Full Circle
C.K. Chu
Angela Gao

In Association With BAM

Doors 9:00pm

21 and Over

$12 Advance, $15 At The Door.

Info: Littlefield NYC

Monday January, 25 - Thursday, January 28: Film, "Soundtrack for a Revolution" @ BAM

Soundtrack for a Revolution tells the story of the American civil rights movement through its powerful music—the freedom songs protesters sang on picket lines, in mass meetings, in paddy wagons, and in jail cells as they fought for justice and equality. The film features new performances of the freedom songs by top artists, including John Legend, Joss Stone, Wyclef Jean, and The Roots; riveting archival footage; and interviews with civil rights foot soldiers and leaders, including Congressman John Lewis, Harry Belafonte, Julian Bond, and Ambassador Andrew Young. Soundtrack for a Revolution is a vibrant blend of heart-wrenching interviews, dramatic images, and thrilling contemporary performances—a film of significance, energy, and power.

Directed by Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman. (2009) 82min

Tickets: $12. $ 8 for members.

Info: BAM