CAL PERFORMANCES PRESENTS

Friday, February 24, 2006, 8 pm Zellerbach Hall Sweet Honey In Th e Rock

Th is performance is made possible, in part, by the generous support of the members of the Cal Performances Producers Circle and Friends of Cal Performances.

Cal Performances thanks our Centennial Season Sponsor, Wells Fargo.

CAL PERFORMANCES 17 ABOUT THE ARTISTS ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Voice!, the live soundtrack recording of the Stanley and fi lm soundscore credits include Eyes on the Nelson fi lm which aired on PBS’s American Masters Prize, Frederick Douglass: When Th e Lion Wrote during the summer of 2005. Th e fi lm received History, MTV’s Battlegrounds: Ball or Fall and voluminous praise from critics and audiences arrangements for Maid in Manhattan. Arnaé everywhere, and it is now available on DVD. has also conducted vocal workshops as resident artist at numerous institutions, including der Technischen Universität in Graz, Austria. Her formidable arranging skills have led to long-term stints as principle vocal arranger and opening performer for Wyclef Jean’s Ecleftic tour and U2’s Elevation tour. Arnaé comes to Sweet Honey In Th e Rock as a former member of In Process…, the group’s a capella workshop. She was thrilled to fi nally perform with Sweet Honey In Th e Rock in a tour which resulted in the CD, Alive in Australia: Sweet Honey In Th e Rock. A native of Chicago, Arnaé currently resides Th e women who comprise Sweet Honey are more in , where she is well known as a (l to r) Louise Robinson, Aisha Kahlil, Arnaé, Shirley Childress Saxton, Carol Maillard, Nitanju Bolade Casel, Dr. Ysaye Maria Barnwell than entertainers. Th ey are a septet of artists fi rst-call session singer and a recording industry/ dedicated to preserving and celebrating African special events contractor. She is also co-owner have always believed art is the conscience of the the winds of time. Th e metaphor of sweet honey American culture and singing traditions. Th ey are and operator of Allustrious Recording Studios. human soul and that artists have the responsibility in the rock captures completely these African poets and activists who cannot remain silent on not only to show life as it is but to show life as it American women, whose repertoire is steeped in I the most pressing contemporary issues. And it is Dr. Ysaye M. Barnwell is a native New Yorker should be. … Sweet Honey In Th e Rock has withstood the sacred music of the Black church, the clarion the activist’s fervor and sense of urgency that fuels now living in Washington, D.C., where, since the onslaught. She has been unprovoked by the 30 calls of the civil rights movement and songs of the their sometimes tender and often explosive musical 1979, she has performed with Sweet Honey pieces of silver. Her songs lead us to the well of truth struggle for justice everywhere. drive. Sweet Honey members continuously evolve In Th e Rock. She appears as a vocalist and/or that nourishes the will and courage to stand strong. Rooted in a deeply held commitment to create as musicians, composers, arrangers, singers and instrumentalist on more than 25 recordings with She is the keeper of the fl ame.—Harry Belafonte music out of the rich textures of African American storytellers, retaining an unmistakable quality of Sweet Honey and other artists. Dr. Barnwell legacy and traditions, Sweet Honey In Th e Rock sound, yet always sounding fresh. spends much of her time off stage as a master Founded by Dr. in 1973 possesses a stunning vocal prowess that captures teacher and clinician in cultural performance at the D.C. Black Repertory Th eater Company, the complex sounds of , , traditional Arnaé is an innovative singer-songwriter who theory and voice production. Her workshop, Sweet Honey In Th e Rock, internationally gospel , rap, reggae, African chants, hip-hop, possesses a voice of stunning range and color. “Building a Vocal Community: Singing in the renowned a cappella ensemble, has been a vital ancient lullabies and jazz improvisation. Sweet She is also an accomplished cultural historian African American Tradition,” has been conducted and innovative presence in the music culture Honey’s collective voice, occasionally accompanied and organizer who has served as a public radio all over the , Great Britain and of Washington, D.C., and in communities of by hand percussion instruments, produces a programmer and producer and artistic director Australia, making her work in the fi eld a real conscience around the world. Now entering her sound fi lled with soulful harmonies and intricate of an acclaimed jazz repertory series at the source of inspiration for her performances fourth decade, the Grammy Award-winning rhythms. Smithsonian Institution. onstage. ensemble moves forward, following Dr. Reagon’s In the best and in the hardest of times, As a performing artist, Arnaé has traveled the Dr. Barnwell’s 15-year study of the violin retirement in February 2004, continuing the legacy Sweet Honey In Th e Rock has come in song to globe, touring and recording throughout North beginning at age two was the foundation of her begun 33 years ago. Sweet Honey is now a septet, communities across the United States and around and South America, Europe, Japan, Australia and musical career. She holds BS and MS degrees in welcoming back two singers, Louise Robinson and the world, raising her voice in hope, love, justice, the Middle East. Her genre-spanning artistry Speech Pathology, a PhD in Cranio-Facial Studies Arnaé, both of whom had been part of the Sweet peace and resistance. Sweet Honey invites her includes performances with artists such as India. and a Master of Public Health. For 12 years, Honey family in the past. audiences to open their minds and hearts and think Arie, Geri Allen, Henry Th readgill, Arrested she was a professor at the College of Dentistry From Psalm 81:16 comes the promise to about who we are and what we do to one another Development, B. B. King, Nona Hendryx, the at Howard University, during which time she a people of being fed by honey out of the rock. and to our fellow creatures on this planet. Black Rock Coalition Orchestra, Sekou Sundiata, also administered and implemented community Honey—an ancient substance, sweet and Sweet Honey celebrated her 32nd year with the Kelis and Urban Bush Women. Her television health projects. nurturing. Rock—an elemental strength, enduring CD release, Sweet Honey In Th e Rock: Raise Your

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Dr. Barnwell is a commissioned composer and with local artists, the National Council of Negro “See See Rider” and “Fulani Chant.” Some of the all-city orchestra and the citywide chorus. She arranger who has worked on numerous and varied Women, the National Th eatre Daniel Sorano, the group’s most innovative and experimental work studied music while attending the High School of dance, choral, fi lm, video, theater and recording University of Dakar, Air Afrique radio (O.R.T.S.) occurs in the performance of her compositions, Music and Art in New York. She graduated with projects. In addition to these endeavors, Dr. and television programming, the Schomberg including “Fulani Chant” and “Wodaabe a BFA from Howard University in Washington, Barnwell is an actress whose credits include voice- Center for Research and Development and the Nights.” “Wodaabe Nights” was included in the D.C. over narrations and appearances on both television late Dr. Ewart Guinier of Harvard University. sound score for the 1998 PBS fi lm series Africans Louise’s fi rst professional job was with the and big-screen fi lm and video. She has authored Casel has brought the improvisational rhythms of in America, produced by WGBH-TV. “Fulani Arena Stage’s company, Living Stage. She then a children’s book, No Mirrors in My Nana’s House, hip-hop and jazz to Sweet Honey In Th e Rock’s Chant” was included in the Climb Against the moved on to join Robert Hook’s newly formed illustrated by Synthia Saint James; compiled and palette since her arrival in 1985. She is currently Odds benefi t recording for Breast Cancer Funds acting ensemble at the D.C. Black Repertory edited Continuum: Th e First Songbook of Sweet co-director, with her sister Aisha Kahlil, of First and in the fi lm score for Down in the Delta, Company. It was there that Louise, along with Honey In Th e Rock; produced Sweet Honey In Th e World Productions, a cultural and educational directed by Maya Angelou. Recently added to her Mie, Carol Maillard and Bernice Reagon, formed Rock’s 25th anniversary CD, …twenty-fi ve…; organization in the performance arts. Casel made acting credits is her debut appearance in Beloved, the a cappella quartet Sweet Honey In Th e Rock. and is the featured storyteller/singer on her release her fi lm debut appearance in Beloved, directed by directed by Jonathan Demme. Aisha composed Louise moved back to New York several years UM HMM, a feast of African American stories, Jonathan Demme. the closing song for the American Bible Society later to resume her acting career and performed poems and songs for young audiences. video featuring Sweet Honey In Th e Rock. She both on and off Broadway in such productions as Aisha Kahlil joined the group in 1981. As an also composed and performed original music for Reggae, Tintypes, I’m Getting My Act Together and Nitanju Bolade Casel fi rst came to Sweet Honey experienced jazz vocalist and African dance and the fi lm Freedom Song, starring Danny Glover Taking It on the Road, Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Little after four years of studying, performing and song artist, she has moved Sweet Honey In Th e and directed by Phil Robinson, with music by Shop of Horrors. cultural organization in Dakar, Senegal, where Rock into new territory of improvisation. She Sweet Honey In Th e Rock and James Horner, she was co-founder with Marie Guinier of ADEA is Sweet Honey In Th e Rock’s strongest blues and appeared with Sweet Honey as guest artist on Shirley Childress Saxton is a veteran professional (Artistes des Echanges Africaines). Dedicated singer. In 1994, the Contemporary A Cappella the TNT special A Tribute to Joni Mitchell. She is Sign Language interpreter, having learned Ameri- to the exchange of ideas and services between Society of America (CASA) named Kahlil as best currently at work on a recording project featuring can Sign Language from her Deaf parents. She African of the diaspora, ADEA worked in alliance soloist in a cappella music for her performance of her original compositions and arrangements. has 25 years of experience providing Sign inter- preting services in a wide range of life situations, Carol Maillard was born and raised in Philadelphia, including educational, employment, legal, medi- Pennsylvania, and attended Catholic University of cal and performing arts/music. Shirley conducts America in Washington D.C., where she studied master workshops on Sign-interpreting music. violin and theater. She began her performance She holds a bachelor’s degree in Deaf Education career at the D.C. Black Repertory Th eater as a and is a certifi ed member of the Registry of In- member of the professional company. Carol has terpreters of the Deaf, Inc., who published a trib- worked extensively both on and off Broadway, in ute to her in an article entitled “Shirley Childress many national and international tours, on TV and Johnson, the Mother of Songs Sung in ASL.” She in fi lm. She has produced, written and recorded has been recognized for her interpreting work and with Sweet Honey In Th e Rock and other well- services to the community by awards from Deaf known artists. Her arrangement of “Motherless advocacy organizations including Women Un- Child” is featured in the fi lm Th e Visit and in the limited, Deafpride, Inc. and the Silent Mission at documentary fi lm about Dorothy Height, We Are Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. She Not Vanishing. She is a published writer and lives has authored three writings on her experiences as in New York City with her son, Jordan. She is a a child of Deaf adults (C.O.D.A.) and her work founding member of Sweet Honey In Th e Rock. as a sign language interpreter that can be found SGMKJ! in the following publications: We Who Believe in Freedom: Sweet Honey In Th e Rock…Still on the Louise Robinson is a native New Yorker Journey; Continuum: Th e First Song Book of Sweet who began her relationship with music in the Honey In Th e Rock; and Souls of My Sister: Black children’s choir at church. She went on to play Women Break Th eir Silence, Tell Th eir Stories, and the accordion and concert bass, later joining the Heal Th eir Spirit.

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