1st Annual John Coltrane Edu-tainment Festival

Steve Levitt performing with the West African Akonting at the 1st Annual John Coltrane Edu-tainment Festival at the birthplace of John Coltrane in Hamlet, NC, Oct 3, 2009. This 1st annual festival was created and organized by Hamlet, NC native Mr. Gerard Morrison who brought together a wonderful variety of both local and invited performances in a wide range of musical genres. This Poem/Story performance teaches about the history and roots of the banjo from Africa to America. Performance of the poem included the West African (Senegambian) Akonting, banjo, fiddle, rhythm bones, hambone, flatfoot dancing and singing. Poem performance was followed by songs from Africa and slave plantations, including 'step-it-down' and spirituals. Audience participation included call-and-response singing and dancing.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Coltrane
• Akonting
• Ekonting
• Festival
• Music
• Dance
• Spirituals
• Step-it-down
• tunes