Arts Alive San Antonio

by JASMINA WELLINGHOFF, Editor

This is the time of year when performing arts organizations traditionally announce their upcoming seasons, and the Carver Community Cultural Center has done just that, with a lineup brimming with talent, star-power and diversity of genres. There will be 12 mainstage productions, and at least four Little Carver Intimate Series shows.  As of today, all are expected to be live, in-person performances.

“I am excited to have live performances on stage again, and also real excited about all the artists that we are bringing to San Antonio,” said the Carver’s executive director Cassandra Parker Nowicki. “And the artists are excited as well to get back to work and tour again. So, there’s a lot of positive energy all the way around.”

Most of the shows were originally scheduled for 2020 but had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. To reschedule them took a lot more negotiation, because everyone was trying to reschedule, noted Parker-Nowicki, “So, everything took a little longer and required more coordination but we are so happy that we were able to reschedule every event that we had to postpone or cancel.” A few new events have also been added.

Here’s what’s coming up:

The season opens with An Evening with Mykal Kilgore and Jamison Ross on Oct.8. Though young, both have already won accolades, especially Ross, who is an exceptional drummer in addition to being a singer/songwriter. In fact, he was the winner of the 2012 Thelonious Monk International Drums Competition but also received a GRAMMY nomination in 2015 for Best Vocal Album, for his debut album “Jamison.” According to the press release, he “delivers messages of humanity through the medium of jazz.” Kilgore is an R&B soul singer whose first album, “A Man Born Black” helped him make a name for himself.

The Divas of Eastwood, Oct.23. The San Antonio-based Divas are a power house of six vocalists in a revival of this “critically acclaimed musical revue” that celebrates the rich musical history and legacy of the so-called Chitlin’ Circuit, the famed network of black-owned nightclubs and dance halls. The six are:
Cassandra Small, Evonne Nathaniel, Nerryl Williams, Briana Epps, Jessica Mitchell and Danielle King.

The Soul Rebels, Nov.6. Known for its explosive stage presence, the eight-member brass ensemble has toured all over the world, from Europe to Australia and the Far East, including China, Korea and Japan. The New Orleans-based Rebels incorporate soul, jazz, funk, hip-hop, rock and pop within their “contemporary brass framework.” Talk about eclectic! They “are the missing link between Public Enemy and Louis Armstrong,” is how the Village Voice described them.

Eleven Reflections: San Antonio, Nov.20. Different from the rest of the shows, this will be a brand-new stage work co-created by local artists and community members under the guidance of Andrea Assaf, a Carver artist-in-residence and founder of Art2Action, Inc. The New York-based Assaf, who is of Lebanese descent, is now in the process of selecting the 11 San Antonians who will co-create the new city-specific multi-media production marking the 20^th anniversary of the tragic 9/11 events and reflecting upon their reverberations and consequences.

Somi, Dec.4. In this show, GRAMMY nominated and internationally known vocalist, actress and playwright, Somi Kakoma, pays tribute to Miriam Makeba, “largely regarded as one of Africa’s first international superstars.”

Hiplet Ballerinas, Jan. 22, 2022. COVID prevented them from coming to San Antonio in 2020, so let’s hope that nothing stops them this time. Their dance style is a hybrid between classical ballet technique and hip-hop, Latin, African and urban dance. The company was founded by artistic director Homer Hans Bryant who wanted to make ballet accessible to everyone. Thus, the music accompanying the dancing may be a widely known pop song, for instance, instead of a classical music composition. Earlier this year, the Hiplet Ballerinas wowed the audience of the America’s Got Talent TV show with their dynamic, athletic performance.

Dee Dee Bridgewater, Feb. 5, 2022. The internationally loved jazz singer hardly needs an introduction. She’s recorded twenty albums, won three Grammy Awards, a Tony Award for her stage work, and a longish list of other honors and awards both in the U.S. and in France. For 23 years, she was the host of NPR’s JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater. This may be your first chance to see her live and in-person.

Christian Sands, Feb.18, 2022. Sands is currently one of the most in demand jazz pianists in the country. His talent and expressive playing is captured on his album “Be Water” which was inspired by both the serenity and the turbulent power of water.

Gabriel Royal, March 18, 2022.  This guy is something! He started by playing his cello in the subway stations of New York City. He is now in demand as a performer who sings over his cello, producing his unique style of pop music. ARTS SA was scheduled to bring him to town before the presenting organization abruptly decided to close for good a couple of years ago. Now we have a second chance to see him.

Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, April 2, 2022. This is a must-see performance for dance afficionados. The beautiful and innovative modern dance company, has been in San Antonio before but it’s been a while. The Carver performance will include the Texas premiere of “The Four Journeys,” a new work conceived by Amalia Viviana Basanta Hernandez, artistic director of Ballet Folklorico de Mexico.  Described as the tale about folk icon Catarina de San Juan’s journey from India to 17^th century Mexico, the ballet explores “the confluence of cultures” in Mexico, a New World country like the U.S. The project received a prestigious National Dance Project award from the New England Foundation on the Arts.

Nine, May 28, 2022. A multi-media performance celebrating the brave nine black teenagers who attempted to integrate the school system in Little Rock, Arkansas, back in1957. It wasn’t smooth sailing. The production combines modern dance, music and visual elements to tell that true story from our past.

The Suffers, June 3, 2022. That’s a Houston band that describes its style as “Gulf Coast Soul,” influenced by a mixture of cultural traditions, including country, Caribbean, Cajun, soul and more. According to reports, audience respond to them big time.
———————————————————————————————————————————-
To subscribe, call Carver Box Office, 210-207-2234; individual tickets are now on sale. Discounts for students, teachers, seniors, military and groups. Individual tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster outlets or at the Carver Box Office, 226 N. Hackberry.

.