{"id":16578,"date":"2020-02-17T16:28:50","date_gmt":"2020-02-17T22:28:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/offtheshelfandonline.blog\/?p=16578"},"modified":"2020-05-02T20:27:34","modified_gmt":"2020-05-03T02:27:34","slug":"somi-the-refashioning-jazz-with-a-homecoming-night","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teaching-without-borders.org\/?p=16578","title":{"rendered":"Somi: The Refashioning Jazz With A Homecoming Night"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Written by Zeying Lang <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Somi. (https:\/\/krannertcenter.com\/events\/somi<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This is a homecoming performance. As the music plays, memories flowing by. Born in Champaign, Illinois, the outstanding artist Somi is the first generation of immigrants from Uganda and Rwanda. Tonight, at her home town, with the fantastic jazz band, she tells her stories in her music about growing up as a descendant with African heritage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Somi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Somi was born and raised in Champaign, Illinois, and she finished her first college degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She then gained a master’s degree from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Somi is a preeminent musician that creatively combines the “jazz” and “African music” in her new Album Petite Afrique (Sony Music). The album is related to her own experience —- the stories of African immigrants living in a gentrified Harlem in New York City. Her voice is described as “Superb!” by Vogue magazine. With the high quality of the refashioning music in this album, she won the 2018 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album. Today’s performance was especially meaningful. As she mentioned in the stage, her mom and some of her friends from schools were sitting under the stage. Tonight, She came back to her hometown, Champaign, and shared her deep thoughts with those who grew up with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tickets for the performance at Krannert Center for Performing Art<\/em>. (Photo by Jiaxuan Meng)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\nCD REVIEW: Somi – Petite Afrique<\/a>\n<\/div>
Read more comments on the amazing work of Somi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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