Black History Month may have come to an end, but you can still take a fun trip down memory lane with some of the greatest African-American musical groups of all time.
Next week, the Asante Children’s Theatre (ACT) will offer what promises to be an unforgettable experience with “Blended Soul,” a musical tribute to the timeless music of several popular groups.
“Blended Soul” will take listeners on a journey from the 1950s through the 1990s, covering genre’s ranging from doo wop and gospel, to neo soul and R&B.
From March 6 – March 16, “Blended Soul” will be performed during eight shows at the Madame Walker Theatre, 617 Indiana Ave.
“This production examines an array of vocal groups and bands and how through harmony and teamwork, they found success,” said Deborah Asante, founder of the Asante Children’s Theatre. “The dictionary defines harmony as agreement in feeling or opinion; the pleasing combination of the elements that form a whole.”
Following an opening gospel song and a tribute to gospel choirs, “Blended Soul” will feature performances of songs from the doo-wop era with classics by groups such as The Diamonds and Chiffons, a set from the show “Shindig” and songs used to encourage activists during the civil rights struggles of the 1960s.
Also featured will be a tribute to Soul Train founder Don Cornelius, a segment highlighting The Pointer Sisters, a ‘90’s Jam Slam and a finale featuring hits by the group Earth, Wind & Fire.
“Does that sound like an explosive blowout or what?” asked Keesha Dixon, executive director of ACT. “This project gave us a chance to look at what’s happened to certain groups, which ones lasted and why did they last. What made them go up, stay up and stay consistent over the years, some of them decades. On the other hand, we see how some groups started, had one or two hits and fizzled out.”
ACT was formed in 1990 and is committed to enriching the lives of young people through the arts so they can become “empowered citizens of the world.”
Through four programs offered by the theater, members ages 12 through 23 perform live in various productions and have a special opportunity to develop their acting, dancing and singing talents.
Dixon noted that “Blended Soul” is not only a tribute to some of the greatest music groups, but it is also an opportunity to make this season’s theme about harmony and teamwork.
All of the ACT members, she said, love to sing solo, but some struggled at first to work within a choir or group arrangement.
“This gave us a chance to not just teach music history, but also an opportunity to work on the dynamics of teamwork and allow them to see what skills you have to utilize in order to succeed as a team and make a project come into fruition,” Dixon said.
