The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) has revealed the artist lineup for the upcoming spring music series that it will host, called Eldorado Ballroom.
The Eldorado Ballroom music series is a program curated by singer and songwriter Solange Knowles, along with her creative agency Saint Heron. The name “Eldorado Ballroom” comes from a historic Black music hall located in Knowles’ native neighborhood, Houston’s Third Ward, which was where her love of performance started.
This year’s seven-show program, which begins on March 30 and concludes with the final performance on Sept. 22, is an atypical celebration of the intergenerational forms of experimental and transcendent performance throughout the decades, according to the music series’ announcement.
Each night will explore specific themes that relate back to Knowles’ own personal practice, featuring a roster of artists that span multiple disciplines, genres, and generations,
The announced artist lineup includes: Kelela (R&B/electronic), Res (rock/soul), KeiyaA (experimental R&B), Autumn Knight (interdisciplinary artist), Maren Hassinger (visual artist), The Clark Sisters (gospel), Malcom J. Merriweather (conductor), Angélla Christie (gospel saxophonist), Archie Shepp (jazz saxophonist), Linda Sharrock (jazz), Claudia Rankine (poet), Davóne Tines (opera singer), and Patrice Rushen (R&B).
In addition to the roster of performing artists, the program will also be featuring two unique film screenings at the BAM Rose Cinemas.
The first showing, called Unseen Nuyorican Pictures, showcases archived moving images created by Puerto Rican people residing in New York. The other film series, titled Coeval Dance Films, is an observation of Black and contemporary dance films.
"Last year's music series curated by Hanif Abdurraqib went beyond our wildest dreams," said BAM's Artistic Director David Binder. "The brilliance continues this year with a mind-blowing series from Solange and her Saint Heron collective. This inspiring multi-dimensional program sets the stage yet again for a profound and transformative experience."
To view the full schedule of performances, head over to the Saint Heron website.
