Connect with us

Entertainment

Jazz Musician Marsalis Cancels Venezuela Shows Amid Tensions

Published

on

In this Sept. 20, 2014, file photo, musician Wynton Marsalis performs during a memorial service for actress Ruby Dee at The Riverside Church in New York. It was announced Wednesday, March 11, 2015, that Marsalis is scratching a concert in Venezuela amid rising tensions between Venezuela and the U.S. that are making it harder for U.S. citizens to travel to the South American country. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, File)

In this Sept. 20, 2014, file photo, musician Wynton Marsalis performs during a memorial service for actress Ruby Dee at The Riverside Church in New York. It was announced Wednesday, March 11, 2015, that Marsalis is scratching a concert in Venezuela amid rising tensions between Venezuela and the U.S. that are making it harder for U.S. citizens to travel to the South American country. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, File)

JOSHUA GOODMAN, Associated Press
CHARLES J. GANS, Associated Press

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — American jazz legend Wynton Marsalis has canceled concerts in Venezuela at a time of rising tensions between the two nations.

The New York-based trumpeter and composer was scheduled to perform his “Swing Symphony” on Friday alongside the Simon Bolivar Orchestra conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, the first of three concerts planned in Caracas.

Marsalis and other musicians from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra also were supposed to lead a series of workshops with Venezuela’s world-famous El Sistema network of youth ensembles. Both that organization and the orchestra are supported by Venezuela’s socialist government.

Greg Scholl, executive director of the Jazz at Lincoln Center, said he regretted the last-minute scratch of Caracas from the jazz orchestra’s 12-city South American tour. He said the visit would be rescheduled at a later date to avoid becoming a distraction amid the recent political turmoil.

Jazz “is a powerful tool to bring people across cultures and geographies together,” he said in an interview from New York. “But it’s important that it’s performed in conditions when the music can be heard. Intentionally or otherwise, if our performances there and the work that we were doing with them there was to become politicized those conditions no longer exist. And that could be harmful to both of our institutions.”

Marsalis has long been an emissary for jazz and in 2010 spent a week in Havana jamming with music students in communist-ruled Cuba.

His first visit to Venezuela since 2005 couldn’t have come at a worse time for relations between the two countries.

Last week, President Nicolas Maduro ordered the U.S. to sharply reduce the size of its embassy and slapped a new visa requirement on Americans that has caught many travelers by surprise.

The embattled leader said he was taking the steps to protect the oil-rich nation from attempts by the U.S. to oust his government. The U.S. has dismissed the claims as laughable and called them an attempt to distract attention from Venezuela’s deepening economic crisis.

Scholl said all the musicians had visas and that neither the U.S. nor Venezuela’s government pressured the orchestra to either keep or cancel its appearance.

___

Associated Press writer Joshua Goodman reported this story in Bogota and Charles J. Gans reported from New York.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of October 30 – November 5, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of October 30 – November 5, 2024

Published

on

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Continue Reading

Bay Area

Love Life Organization Shows Love

As part of Love Life Week, the Love Life Foundation was honored to produce the 1974-75 World Champion Golden State Warrior Day. It’s a shame that our first Bay Area World Championship team’s unique accolades had been lost in the pre social media era and the cultural revolution of the 1970s.

Published

on

Members of the 1975 NBA championship team, Charles Dudley (left) and Clifford Ray (right) embrace Love Life Foundation leader Donald Lacy for his antiviolence mission. Courtesy photo.
Members of the 1975 NBA championship team, Charles Dudley (left) and Clifford Ray (right) embrace Love Life Foundation leader Donald Lacy for his antiviolence mission. Courtesy photo.

City of Oakland Celebrates 1975 NBA World Championship Team 

By Donald Lacy

Special to The Post

 As part of Love Life Week, the Love Life Foundation was honored to produce the 1974-75 World Champion Golden State Warrior Day.

It’s a shame that our first Bay Area World Championship team’s unique accolades had been lost in the pre social media era and the cultural revolution of the 1970s.

The 1975 NBA World Championship team were invited back to the City of Oakland last Friday, to be properly celebrated for their ground-breaking performance in 1975.

The heartwarming ceremony highlighted the recent passing of the legendary coach of that team, Al Attlles, and his former players Clifford Ray and Charles Dudley were on hand to represent the “Cardiac Kids” as they were called back then for their ability to make great comeback victories during their run for the title.

Warriors great Chris Mullin and former spiritual advisor Gary Reeves gave heartfelt testimonies of their experiences under Attles’ leadership and their relationship with the inspiration they received from the NBA 1975 World Champion Golden State Warriors.

The City of Oakland provided proclamations to all parties with speeches made by city leadership including Mayor Sheng Thao and Deputy Mayor Dr. Kimberly Mayfield and activity host Love Life non-profit founder and Executive Director Donald E. Lacy Jr..

There will be a celebration of life event Nov. 9 honoring Attles’ legacy at Alameda College.

Continue Reading

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of October 23 – 29, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of October 23 – 29, 2024

Published

on

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Continue Reading

Subscribe to receive news and updates from the Oakland Post

* indicates required

CHECK OUT THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE OAKLAND POST

ADVERTISEMENT

WORK FROM HOME

Home-based business with potential monthly income of $10K+ per month. A proven training system and website provided to maximize business effectiveness. Perfect job to earn side and primary income. Contact Lynne for more details: Lynne4npusa@gmail.com 800-334-0540

Facebook

Exclusive interview with County D.A. Price days before recall election. Photo by Ken Epstein.
Activism4 hours ago

‘Jim Crow Was and Remains Real in Alameda County (and) It Is What We Are Challenging and Trying to Fix Every Day,’ Says D.A. Pamela Price

“People have no idea what the vision is for the next district attorney, or where the office will go if I am, in fact, recalled, she continued. “I'm just running against a billionaire,” who does not show his face in public, she said. Courtesy photo.
Activism5 hours ago

‘Criminal Justice Reform Is the Signature Civil Rights Issue of Our Time,’ says D.A. Pamela Price

Activism1 day ago

Oakland Post: Week of October 30 – November 5, 2024

Keyanna Ortiz-Cedeño at her graduation from UC Berkeley after receiving her master’s degree in City Regional Planning. Alongside her, are her parents holding a Puerto Rican flag. Courtesy photo.
Activism3 days ago

“Two things can be true at once.” An Afro-Latina Voter Weighs in on Identity and Politics

PPIC
California Black Media4 days ago

Ahead of Nov. Election, Event to Check Pulse of California’s Political Landscape

Stock Photo
Alameda County4 days ago

Access Better Health with Medically Tailored Meals – Transforming Health Through Nutrition for Medi-Cal Patients

Courtesy of National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Art4 days ago

A Prolific Painter: Artist and Advocate Lois Mailou Jones

iStock Photo
California Black Media4 days ago

Not So Sweet: California State Health Campaign Highlights Dangers of Sugary Drinks

Yahushua Robinson
California Black Media4 days ago

New California Law Will Protect Students During Extreme Weather

California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber. Photo Courtesy of ShirleyWeber.com.
California Black Media4 days ago

More Than 1.2 Million Youth Pre-Registered to Vote, Secretary of State Weber Announced

Courtesy of Art Harris.
Black History4 days ago

Health is Our Wealth: An Afrocentric Perspective to Health & Wellness

On Sept. 19, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bipartisan legislative package to improve housing initiatives and address the homelessness crisis.
California Black Media4 days ago

Gov. Newsom Signs Legislative Package to Increase Housing, Improve Accountability

Shutterstock
Activism4 days ago

On Your November Ballot: Prop 6 Could End “Involuntary Servitude” in California Prisons

Minister King X
Activism4 days ago

Minister King X, Civil Rights Group Sue California Prisons Over Right to Protest

Photo courtesy UC Berkeley News.
Community4 days ago

Advanced Conductors Provide Path for Grid Expansion

Trending

Copyright ©2021 Post News Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.