Uptown Nights: Immanuel Wilkins

UPTOWN NIGHTS

IMMANUEL WILKINS

“THE 7TH HAND” ALBUM RELEASE SHOW

Friday, February 25, 2022, 7 & 9:30PM Harlem Stage Gatehouse Address: 150 Convent Avenue at West 135 Street, New York, NY 10031 Phone: 212.281.9240 ext. 19 | Website: www.harlemstage.org

@harlemstage

@myharlemstage

Photo Credit: Rog Walker

ABOUT THE EVENT Welcome to a new season of live performances at Harlem Stage!

Tonight we celebrate the album release event of saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins’ new album, The 7th Hand. Wilkins is joined on stage by Tyrone Allen, Micah Thomas, and Kweku Sumbry.

Thank you for joining us.

ARTIST STATEMENT The music for tonight’s concert is called The 7th Hand. It is a suite of seven pieces that moves the players closer and closer to “vesselhood.” The music is about how the Black church serves as a space of escape from a white gaze that is seemingly inescapable, and presents the idea of divine intervention/becoming a vessel as a possibility when that surveillance is lifted and people are able to truly be free.

PERFORMERS Immanuel Wilkins Tyrone Allen Kweku Sumbry Micah Thomas

Saxophonist, Composer, Bandleader Bass Drums Piano

BIOGRAPHIES

IMMANUEL WILKINS

SAXOPHONIST, COMPOSER & BANDLEADER

Immanuel Wilkins is a saxophonist, composer, educator, and bandleader from the greater Philadelphia area. While growing up, Wilkins honed his skills in the church and studied in programs dedicated to teaching jazz music like the Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts. After moving to New York in 2015, he proceeded to earn his bachelor’s degree in Music at Juilliard (studying with the saxophonists Bruce Williams and the late, great Joe Temperley) while simultaneously establishing himself as an in demand side-person, touring in Japan, Europe, South America, The United Arab Emirates, and the United States and working and/or recording with artists like Jason Moran, the Count Basie Orchestra, Delfeayo Marsalis, Joel Ross, Aaron Parks, Gerald Clayton, Gretchen Parlato, Lalah Hathaway, Solange Knowles, Bob Dylan, and Wynton Marsalis to name just a few.

It was also during this same period that he formed his quartet featuring his long-time bandmates: Micah Thomas (piano), Daryl Johns (bass), and Kweku Sumbry (drums).

Being a bandleader with a working group for over four years has allowed Wilkins to grow both as a composer and as an arranger — and has led to him receiving a number of commissions including, most recently, from The National Jazz Museum in Harlem, The Jazz Gallery Artist Residency Commission Program (A collaboration with Sidra Bell Dance NY, 2020) and The Kimmel Center Artist in Residence for 2020 (a collaboration with photographer Rog Walker and videographer David Dempewolf). Being emerged in the scene at a young age and sharing the stage with various jazz masters has inspired Wilkins to pursue his goal of being a positive force in both music and in society. This includes quite an impressive resumé as an educator. In addition to teaching at NYU and the New School, he has taught and given master classes and clinics at schools/ venues like Oberlin, Yale and the Kimmel Center. Ultimately, Wilkins’ mission is to create music and to develop a voice that has a profound spiritual and emotional impact.

By studying the humanity and the cultural specificity of jazz, Wilkins aspires to bring people together through his art. His debut recording, Omega — produced by Jason Moran — was released

by Blue Note Records in 2020 and has received uniformly rave reviews. In addition to being voted “Best New Jazz Artist” in the JazzTimes Critics’ Poll and “Best New Talent of 2020” by Musica Jazz, Wilkins’ Omega has appeared on numerous “Best of 2020” lists — most notably, it was named NPR Music’s “Best Debut Jazz Recording of 2020” and The New York Times number one Jazz Recording of 2020. Wilkins began 2021 on a very positive note. He was nominated for a NAACP Image Award (Best Jazz Instrumental album) and won the prestigious LetterOne Rising Stars Jazz Award.

BIOGRAPHIES TYRONE ALLEN BASSIST

Born and raised in Temple Hills, MD, Tyrone Allen II began his musical journey on recorder at the age of 3.

Taking instruction from his father who taught in DC public schools, Tyrone developed an ear for a variety of music very early on. He studied Jazz and Classical music at Eastman School of Music under Jeff Campbell and James VanDemark respectively, and then went on to attend the Berklee College of Music. There he received a Masters of Music from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. Tyrone now resides in Brooklyn, NYC and is making an impact on the NYC jazz scene. He has played with the late, great Ralph Peterson, Terri Lyne Carrington, George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi, Sullivan Fortner, David Kikoski, and JD Allen, to name a few since graduating from Berklee. Most recently Tyrone has preformed around the globe with Jazzmeia Horn, Laurin Talese, and has performed and recorded with Rodney Green’s newest project, Jackson Miller.

KWEKU SUMBRY DRUMMER

Kweku Sumbry is a multi-percussionist from Washington, DC whose music is grounded in the traditions of the Djembe Orchestra. Sumbry began his studies as a toddler under the tutelage of his uncle, Mahiri Fadjimba Keita, founder and artistic director of Farafina Kan. In the fall of 2015, he moved to New York City and began his studies at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. While in New York, Sumbry has worked with both the Abdel Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance company and the Asase Yaa African American Dance Theatre under the tutelage of Yao Ababio, and Osei Ababio. Music has given him the opportunity to travel to

places like Guinea, Senegal, Ghana, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, and Turkey. At just 23, he has already graced the stage with players like Ambrose Akinmusire, Dayna Stephens, Yosvany Terry, Cyrus Chestnut, Reggie Workman and he is currently a member of the Immanuel Wilkins Quartet. A true global citizen, Sumbry continues to travel the world, building upon his knowledge of diverse musical traditions and cultures. A true lover of Art, Dance, Music, and all things pertaining to African culture, Kweku has set out to take the art world by storm, while changing the lens in which West African drumming is viewed.

MICAH THOMAS PIANIST

Pianist, composer and educator Micah Thomas grew up in Columbus, Ohio. He started playing songs on the piano by ear at the age of 2, and shortly afterwards began private piano training. From his sophomore year of high school onwards, Micah began gigging regularly with violinist Christian Howes, and was a regular faculty member at his annual Creative Strings Workshop. In 2015, Thomas received the Jerome L. Greene Fellowship from the Juilliard School and received his Master of Music (M.M.) degree in 2020. In addition to working as a leader with his own trio, Thomas has toured and/or recorded with such jazz luminaries as Immanuel Wilkins, Ambrose Akinmusire, Walter Smith III, Matt Stevens, Giveton Gelin, Lage Lund, Billy Drummond, Joel Ross and Melissa Aldana among others. In June 2020, Micah Thomas released his first album as a leader “Tide”, which received uniformly rave reviews from publications like the The New York Times, JazzTimes, and Financial Times.

OUR SUPPORTERS

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in Partnership with the City Council.

Harlem Stage’s Programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

ABOUT HARLEM STAGE Harlem Stage is the performing arts center that bridges Harlem’s cultural legacy to contemporary artists of color and dares to provide the artistic freedom that gives birth to new ideas.

For nearly 40 years our singular mission has been to perpetuate and celebrate the unique and diverse artistic legacy of Harlem and the indelible impression it has made on American culture.

We provide opportunity, commissioning, and support for artists of color, make performances easily accessible to all audiences, and introduce children to the rich diversity, excitement, and inspiration of the performing arts.

We fulfill our mission through commissioning, incubating, and presenting innovative and vital work that responds to the historical and contemporary conditions that shape our lives and the communities we serve.

Board of Directors Courtney F. Lee-Mitchell, President Jamie Cannon, Vice President Michael Young, Secretary Mark Thomas, Treasurer Stefany Bergson Angela Glover Blackwell Jamila Ponton Bragg

JoAnn K. Chase Patricia Cruz Hugh Dancy and Claire Danes Trevor Gale Jenette Kahn LaChanze Sapp-Gooding Tamara Tunie

Administration Staff Patricia Cruz, Artistic Director & CEO MANAGEMENT Eric Oberstein, Managing Director DEVELOPMENT Shamar Hill, Director of Development Shanté Skyers, Associate Director of Development Julia Marrero, Development Associate PROGRAMMING Carl Hancock Rux, Associate Artistic Director/Curator-in-Residence Yunie Mojica, Programming Manager MARKETING Deirdre May, Senior Director of Digital Content and Marketing Andre Padayhag, Marketing Manager and Graphic Designer BOX OFFICE Daniel Im, Box Office Manager PRODUCTION Amanda K. Ringger, Director of Production Jeff Davolt, Stage Coordinator Clarence Taylor, Lighting Operator Orlando Alvarado, Audio Engineer Julio Collado, Audio Crew David Barrett, Deck Crew OPERATIONS Rodney Bissessar, Director of Operations Lamont Askins, Operations Assistant Acey Anderson Sr., Maintenance

ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE Ncheng LLC, Accountants/Advisors Michelle Blankenship, Principal Aaron Lam, Supervising Senior Accountant CONSULTANTS Aon/Albert G. Ruben Company (NY) Claudia Kaufman, Insurance Digital Video Services—BriGuel Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, P.C. —Lisa Davis Itelagen, IT Consultant Lutz & Carr/Chris Bellando, Accountants Madison Consulting Group, —Matt Laurence Manchester Benefits—Greg Martin Marc Millman Photography Digital Video Services —Jess Medenbach PR Canvas Public Relations & Marketing RL Stein Group—Robyn L. Stein Development Consultant The Whelan Group Incorporated —Charles Whelan USHERS Miriam Hernandez, Chloe Wilson, Keyry Duran, Brenda Hernandez, Nobar Deleon, Toma Carthens