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DCA Invites You to:
THE GRAND OPENING OF THE CHARLES MINGUS YOUTH ARTS CENTER
A Tribute to Charles Mingus - Past, Present, and Future
at
The 27th Annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival - Saturday, September 27
and the
The 32nd Annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival – Sunday, September 28
Join an all-star line-up of world class musicians, singers, and dancers honoring Charles Mingus and celebrate the opening of the Department’s new Charles Mingus Youth Arts Center!
FREE ADMISSION
Watts Towers Arts Center and Charles Mingus Youth Arts Center
1727 East 107th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90002
Call 213.847.4646 for more information.
Event Highlights Include:
- World renowned Patrice Rushen and Buddy Collette conducting the JMP Orchestra in an electrifying musical tribute to Mingus
- The incomparable Sonship Theus drumming with Jeff Littleton to make spirits soar
- The luminous Nedra Wheeler bringing together a Bass Choir for more fabulous Mingus, Mingus, Mingus
and
- Billy Mitchell taking Jazz to a whole new level!
Join Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa and other luminaries in a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Sunday, and enjoy fabulous food, art, and cultural displays, and fun activities for children on both days.
Participate in the Universal Drum Circle led by Matt Gibson III and enjoy the amazing Giant Puppets from the Center for the Celebration Arts.
At the 27th Annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival, two schools battle it out in the Drumline Challenge and Chalo Eduardo leads an interactive drumming workshop.
At the 32nd Annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival, Roberto Miranda leads a string bass workshop in a further tribute to Charles Mingus.
See amazing art at the Noah Purifoy Gallery in the Watts Towers Arts Center - a master exhibition of 1+1+1 = Carlos Spivey, Kevin Tidmore and Ramsess and in the Charles Mingus Youth Arts Center, the Summer Arts Camp Showcase will display the work of our young artists.
It’s exhilarating, it’s fun, and admission is free! So join us at the historic Watts Towers on September 27th and 28th for this spectacular celebration of art, music, the Watts Community, and a once-in-a-lifetime tribute to the legendary Charles Mingus!
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
27th Annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival
A Tribute to Charles Mingus - Past, Present, and Future – Saturday, September 27, 2008
Artistic Directors: Rosie Lee Hooks and Munyungo D. Jackson
Masters of Ceremonies: Ndugu Chancler and James Janisse
11:00 a.m. Cuauhtemoc Mexica Dance - A synthesis of pre-Columbian and
contemporary music and dance in the ancient Mexica tradition
12:00 p.m. Korean Classical Music & Dance Company - One of the best drum
ensembles in America
1:00 p.m. Drumline Challenge - Locke High School and Centennial High School - the
local schools challenge each other through the exciting beat of their drums
2:00 p.m. Lian Ensemble - Percussion Section - The heart of the mystical heritage of
classical Persian music
3:00 p.m. Taumbu Drum Ensemble - Beautiful and exhilarating rhythms
4:00 p.m. Drumspirit Chief Matsemala Camara and The Weusi Nat’l Drummers
and Dancers - Weusi Africans of North America
5:00 p.m. Sonship Theus -with Jeff Littleton - Drumming that lifts the spirits
Events at the Charles Mingus Youth Arts Center:
1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Giant Puppets: The Center for Celebration Arts
3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Giant Puppets: Recreating the Ancient Art of Celebration
2:30 – 5:00 p.m. Chalo Eduardo - Interactive Circle Drumming for all ages
32nd Annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival
A Tribute to Charles Mingus - Past, Present, and Future - Sunday, September 28, 2008
Artistic Directors: Rosie Lee Hooks and Patrice Rushen
Master of Ceremonies: James Janisse
10:00 a.m. Alaadun - Yoruba ground blessing uniting all cultures based on common
themes and principles
11:00 a.m. Soul Seekers - A Quartet of Grammy Award winners come together to sing
12:00 p.m. LA Multi School Jazz Alumni Band
1:00 p.m. Presentations:
Poet Laureate Jerry Quickley - One of the most well-known and
well-regarded performance poets in the United States
Annual Charles Mingus Awards
Watts Towers Community Action Council
2:00 p.m. Billy Mitchell – High energy in a variety of Jazz genres that defy convention
3:00 p.m. Ray Bailey & Friends, featuring Kevin Brandon - World renowned Blues
and Jazz All Stars
4:00 p.m. Nedra Wheeler’s Bass Choir arrangements by James Leary -
Mingus! Mingus! Mingus! Mingus!
5:00 p.m. JMP Orchestra Conducted by Patrice Rushen & Buddy Collette -
A Tribute to Charles Mingus - Past, Present, and Future
Grand Opening of the Charles Mingus Youth Arts Center – Sunday, September 28, 2008
11:30 a.m. Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Presentations:
Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa
Janice Hahn, Councilwoman, 15th District
Olga Garay, DCA Executive Director
Rosie Lee Hooks, Director of the Watts Towers Art Center
and the Charles Mingus Youth Arts Center
Rudy Barbee, President, Friends of the Watts Towers
Lillian Mobley, President, Watts Towers Community
Action Council
11:30 a.m. Piano Student’s Recital - Brenda McGee, Instructor
11:30 a.m. String Bass Workshop - World Class Musicians led by Roberto Miranda
11:30 a.m. Giant Puppets - The Center for Celebration Arts
2:00 p.m. Giant Puppets - The Center for Celebration Arts
All Day Activities on Saturday and Sunday:
- Guided Tours of the Watts Towers
- Universal Drum Circle with Matt Gibson III
- Prof. Peter Abilogu, Stiltdancer
- The Noah Purifoy Gallery will feature 1+1+1 = Carlos Spivey, Kevin Tidmore,
and Ramsess
- The Mingus Gallery will feature The Summer Arts Camp Showcase
- Dr. Joseph and Bootsie Howard Gallery features International Music Instruments
- Film Festival featuring The Watts Towers, Community Artists, The Jazz Mentorship Program, and Previous Festivals
- Supervised Children’s Art Activities from noon to 4:30 p.m.
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