THE BAND
Vocals: René Marie
Trumpet/Percussion: Etienne Charles
Trombone: Andrae Murchison
Guitar: Dan Wilson
Piano: Xavier Davis
Bass: Rodney Jordan
Drums: Quentin E Baxter
ABOUT THE SHOW
Maybe it was the audible, irrepressible joy, the mischief, or the heartfelt delivery in every song he sang; qualities that obliterated any pain or doubt, drew me out of my shyness long enough to memorize Man Piaba / Woman Piaba, or Cocoanut Woman. By listening carefully, I could see in my mind’s eye the full detail of whichever character he happened to be singing about.
Was it the percussion alone? Or the playful vocabulary of calypso as a whole? Was it simply the FUN in singing along with Matilda, Scratch Me Back or Jump in the Line?
Whatever the ingredients, I have memorized the lyrics, savored the music and danced to it my entire life.
Why am I having such a difficult time expressing what Belafonte’s music means to me? Perhaps because it touches something so fundamental and personal that words simply dissipate. Here is what I am trying to say about Belafonte: long before I became aware of his dedication to the civil rights movement, he provided a healing for my spirit that I didn’t know I needed. That laid the foundation for all his admirable works I was to learn about - and not merely learn about, but attempt to imitate as an adult.
Excavating aspects of the depth, breadth and width of an artist’s work in 90 minutes or less is an impossible endeavor. But we are going to have a LOT of fun trying…
-René Marie
MEET THE ARTIST
René Marie
In a span of two decades, René Marie has cemented her reputation not only as a singer but also as a composer, arranger, actress and educator. Guided and tempered by powerful life lessons and rooted in jazz traditions laid down by icons of past generations, this two-time Grammy Nominee melds jazz with elements of spirituals, folk, R&B, classical and even country to create a captivating hybrid style. Her body of work is musical, but it’s more than just music. It’s an exploration of the bright and dark corners of the human experience, a musical architecture for the human spirit.
© John Abbott