Expanding Traditions Concert: Fanmi Asòtò & Takht Al-Nagham

Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC)'s Folk Arts program, as part of the Tradition as Resistance series, is proud to present a night of music from Haiti and Syria together in one space:

Fanmi Asòtò is a Haitian cultural organization whose drum performance, community workshops, and herbal teachings are rooted in Haitian Vodou. Paying homage to the asòtò drum, the mother of all African descended drums, their mission is to encourage identity-building for all Haitians, with an emphasis on the next generation of Haitian-American youth. Created in 2014 with the support of master drummer Jean Guy “Fanfan” Rene, Fanmi Asòtò seeks to develop a sense of pride within the Haitian community in a way that people of all backgrounds can be attracted to.

Takht Al-Nagham is a New York-based Arab ensemble featuring the sound of a traditional takht (Arab chamber music group). Following the vision of its founder Samer Ali, it is committed to performing classical Syrian repertoire with traditionally all acoustic instruments. In order to familiarize audiences in the U.S. with the original structure of the musical traditions, the takht presents its sets (called wasla in Arabic) in the same manner that they were originally performed over a century ago, without reading from sheet music and relying heavily on improvisation. “Nagham” means melody or tune in Arabic, and is also used as a synonym for the Arab Maqam system.

This event is FREE and open to the public! Space is limited, please RSVP.

$5 suggested donation supports the Flanbwayan Haitian Literacy Project. 

Flanbwayan Haitian Literacy Project is a social justice organization focused on serving immigrant youth with s focus on immigrant education reform. We are currently working on the "Your School, Your Choice" campaign addressing the barriers immigrants students face when enrolling in high school as they enter the country.