KlezCalendar

New York, NY, 11/7/05- Parallel Voice Productions in association with World Music Institute and The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine present the premiere of Songs Of The Spirit, a musical celebration of unity among diverse faiths and cultures. The event will be held on Tuesday, December 6 at 7:30pm at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine.

Songs Of The Spirit is a concert series that blends contemporary popular music and spoken word performances with traditional sacred music, representing a range of genres, cultures and faiths. Through an innovative fusion of styles and traditions, the program is designed to convey the shared spiritual principles of an interconnected, interdependent world.

With religious violence and extremist rhetoric on the rise throughout the world, popular perceptions of faith and culture continue to become more dangerously polarized and distorted. As a unifying voice amidst the conflict and confusion, the international performing arts community can be a deeply inspirational force for clarity, fellowship and healing.

This awe-inspiring evening will feature:

• The socially conscious Meshell Ndegeocello who constantly continues to push boundaries with her sophisticated mix of sweet, raucous, and deeply personal rock, jazz, funk, hip-hop, soul. After multiple Grammy nominations for her debut album "Plantation Lullabies" on Madonna's Maverick label, the bassist/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist/producer turned to more challenging material by exploring the sensitive politics of race, sex, and spirituality among other topics.
• "The Queen of American Folk Music," Odetta, who has been hailed by The New York Times as the "Mother Empress of Folk and Blues" as well as one of the 20th century's most influential artists..
• Paul D. Miller, better known under the moniker of his 'constructed persona' DJ Spooky, is a conceptual artist, writer, composer and musician..
• The Klezmatics, with virtuoso gospel singer Joshua Nelson, who create a genre-bending fusion of gospel, klezmer, rock, jazz, and world-beat styles..
• Harlem-born poet Sekou Sundiata, who was featured on Bill Moyers' PBS series, "The Language of Life," and as part of Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam on HBO..
• Tehran-born Sussan Deyhim, a remarkable vocalist and performance artist whose work blends traditional Middle Eastern music with cutting edge technology and a progressive sensibility.
• Trombonist/composer Craig Harris, whose musical adaptation of James Weldon Johnson's "God's Trombones" combines Johnson's classic text with the energy and emotion of the old-style trombone shout bands.
• Tibetan monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery, who are renowned for their fascinating multiphonic singing in which each monk holds multiple notes simultaneously.

Songs of the Spirit builds on the experience of music industry veterans Brian Young and Jonathan Secor as co-producers of the Candlelight Concert of Remembrance and Hope, presented at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine on the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks. That evening, a group of performers and clergy representing a wide range of musical and spiritual traditions came together before a full house of 2,400 for a night of music, readings and prayer. The impact of that event inspired the development of the Songs of the Spirit concert series as a vehicle for the promotion of interfaith and intercultural unity through music.