About this Event
Beyond the Frames: A Series in Jazz features three performances that, through jazz, musically illuminate the remarkable lives and legacies of Sojourner Truth, William and Martha Brown, and Frederick Douglass, the subjects of the Great Hall’s newest portrait installations. The performances will captivate jazz fans, history buffs, artists, poets and storytellers, and, well, everyone!!
Series and individual performances tickets are available. Buy Tickets
The incredible talent of vocalist, composer, educator, jazz artist Ruth Naomi Floyd is featured in the October performance. Floyd has created a discography dedicated to a sacred jazz expression. For more than 25 years, she has been at the forefront of creating vocal jazz settings that express theology and justice.
www.frederickdouglassjazzworks.com
Floyd’s recordings consist primarily of original compositions. Blessed with a soaring mezzo-soprano voice, critics praise Ruth’s music for its distinctive sound of progressive ensemble jazz that is seamlessly blended with messages of hope, faith, redemption, and love.
Floyd and her multi-faceted ensemble will perform her Frederick Douglass JazzWorks, a groundbreaking body of music that honors the legacy of Frederick Douglass, born enslaved but who escaped to freedom and became an abolitionist, leading orator, statesman, political activist, writer, banker, ambassador, and theologian. The performance pairs her original compositions with Douglass’ words from his speeches and writings. It shares the themes of tragedy, grief, despair, and injustice of American slavery through the lens of Douglass’ own words of hope, perseverance, triumph and joy—not to be missed!
Ruth Naomi Floyd’s, Frederick Douglass Jazz Works, is Floyd’s latest body of compositions for septet, based on the speeches and writings of the great leading orator, abolitionist, writer, publisher, and statesman. This body of work won the Best Vocal Recital Award at the San Francisco Classical Voice Audience Choice Awards in 2020-2021
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Mechanics Hall, 321 Main Street, Worcester, United States
