A good musician’s relationship with the past is tricky. You want to move forward without entirely forsaking what you’ve already done. You don’t want it defining you when so much future defining lies ahead. It’s a dilemma Meshell Ndegeocello was thinking through at her dining room table in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, on a recent afternoon.
Ndegeocello happens to be much more than merely a good musician. She’s been playing professionally since the early 1990s and, at 55, is about to release her 14th album, a collection of songs that excites her. The past — the repertoire, the old stuff, the hits — can start to feel like “karaoke of myself,” she said, even if that’s never what it’s been like for us folks in the audience. Take her performances earlier this year at the Blue Note, the essential Greenwich Village jazz club.
Music
Festival
Meshell Ndegeocello
No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin
Presented by
Hancher
Tickets
Festival passes and individual tickets on sale now
Day Dreamer Pass $80 / $25
Infinite Dreamer Pass $150 / $50
Individual tickets:
Adults $25
Students $10
Patrons 25 and under $10
Thursday, September 26, 2024, 6:00 pm
Thursday, September 26, 2024, 9:00 pm
Part of Hancher's Infinite Dream festival
A voice for right now—and for the ages—engages with the world-changing words of James Baldwin.
“In these times we’re living in,” says vocalist Meshell Ndegeocello, “I feel called to create something that can be healing—healing through the energetic frequency of the music, through the sound waves. I feel called to create songs that give a kind of upliftment, and, sometimes, mirror the sadness. In this I find great inspiration in James Baldwin.” Guided by Baldwin’s work as American novelist, playwright, essayist, poet, and activist, Ndegeocello and her funky, bluesy, soulful, hip-hop inflected band delve deeply into the author’s message and spirit in his centenary.
“Ndegeocello has made truth-telling her business, along with a sound and style fed by many tributaries of Black music” — NPR
This performance will be presented in a thrust configuration (seating on three sides); capacity is 226. All seating will be set up on the Hadley stage. This configuration is used primarily for daring, intimate, and immediate performance.
SHOP FESTIVAL PASSES
Day Dreamer Pass: Pick any 4 ticketed events
Preorder food from the Stanley Café!
Avoid the lines by making your food selections before you come to Hancher Auditorium. Most entrées are only available through pre-order and cannot be purchased on-site at the performance. Snacks and beverages will be available on-site.
Orders must be placed by noon two days before the performance.
HANCHER EVENT PARTNERS
Sara & Sherwood Wolfson Educational Fund
See more from Infinite Dream:
Patti Smith: A reading of selected poetry
Conrad Tao and Caleb Teicher: Counterpoint
News
Some sites may require subscription
The New York Times - Thursday, August 1, 2024
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Paris Young in advance at (319) 467-4849 or at paris-sissel@uiowa.edu.