One man can help change the world. Joe Baker is doing it through music. Fired up with the vision to bring together musicians from three countries and two continents, Baker traveled to Ghana and South Africa with versions of three classic American songs and field-recorded musicians in Ghana and South Africa contributing to them. They also donated nine other songs for American performers to complete the circle of collaboration.
Baker and his colleagues at Bay Area Recorders Organization (BRO), based in San Francisco, produced a 74-minute film of the musicians performing. Sales of the DVD/CD package of the film and the songs will benefit education programs in Africa. Joe Baker named his undertaking The Africa Project.
Cyprian’s is excited to host the Bay Area premiere of The Africa Project on this upcoming Saturday, August 20th at 7:30 pm. After showing the film on a large screen – everyone gets a good seat – 14 of the musicians from the film will perform live on Cyprian’s stage.
The Africa Project DVD/CD features an amazing collection of songs -- emotion-charged, lilting and inspiring – by the artists playing hand-made drums, organ and grand piano, acoustic guitar, banjo, flute, stick & snake shaker, bell trea, donno drum, gome drum, trombone, trumpet, laspsteel guitar and many more with vocalists and choirs.
A few of the local contributors include
• Garrin Benfield, acoustic guitar
• Michael Manring, fretless bass
• Larry Kassin*, flute
• Unity Nguyen, flute
• Jordan Feinstein, organ and grand piano
• Edna Love, vocalist
The Africa Project at Cyprian’s benefits the Ghana Initiative for Valued Education (GIVE) and Amajika Performing Arts of South Africa, and St. Cyprian’s Building Fund.
*A huge thanks to Larry Kassin, producer of SF Live Arts, for bringing The Africa Project to Cyprian’s and to Duncan Ramsay for the remarkable poster image.
The Africa Project
Saturday, August 20
Doors open 7pm, film begins 7:30 pm, live concert 9:30 pm
DVD/CD and refreshments available for purchase
Tickets: $13 advance / $15 door
Tickets: brownpapertickets.com
See transportation and parking info above -- "Getting to Cyprian's"
