American history is defined by amnesia – a convenient forgetfulness about sin of the past. But selective memory is dangerous because it prevents healing and progress. Afrika’s Ensemble topples this barrier through a collective spirit dedicated to beauty and the beat. Improving confidently through jazz and African rhythms, reed-player Rene Ford leads percussionists Kevin Washington and Eliezer Santos and bassist Yawo Attivor. Joining them are dancers/singers Aimee Bryant and Tarloh Quiwonkpa, plus a roster of guest artists. The result is a vibrant journey highlighted by Bill Cottman’s projected photographs and the soaring poetry of Langston Hughes and J. Otis Powell! A memorable performance. – Caroline Palmer City Pages
Afrika’s Ensemble melds the cultures and experiences of African-Americans and American-Africans, the latter being those who have migrated to the United States during the past 20 to 30 years. Searing saxophone by Rene Ford, drumming by Eliezer Santos and the dance of Tarloh Quiwonkpa wrap around poetry by J. Otis Powell!, Langston Hughes and Sonja Parks. Many lines stand out in the spoken word, but one articulates the vibe here: Freedom is found through improvisation. It’s a great piece of entertainment. – Graydon Royce Star Tribune
A woman growls, as if undertaking the first act of morning – reborn in a world verbal language, As if to express some wordless tale, she moans and cries, stretching both her voice and the listener’s definition of singing. Layers of percussion and piano underpin the voice of a man intoning a poem that begins “perpetual motion is unsentimental . . .” This introduction complete, African rhythms take hold and the Barbieri-esque sax playing joins the fray, signifying the start of an hour’s journey into a heady mix of rhythmically propelled Coltrane and Sun Ra-inspired jazz and spoken word. – Straight no Chaser
Rene Ford Performance Artist 