Black Activist Song Cycle

Doors Open 6.30pm

Performance 7.30pm (60minutes)

Bar open till 9.15pm

Baritone Tayo Aluko and composer Andrew Barney present a new song Cycle inspired by Black History related to Liverpool at St Georges Hall.Centuries of words of Resistance, Activism and Peace-making
From the Haitian Revolution to a Liverpudlian Execution

Aluko has compiled words taken from a letter written by Nigerian Pastor Daniels Ekarte of Liverpool’s African Churches Mission in 1941; an interview with Gee Walker (mother of Anthony) forgiving her son’s murderers; a Slavery Remembrance Day lecture given at Liverpool Town Hall by Professor of African History Hakim Adi on the teaching of Black History and referencing the Haitian Revolution, and a poem by Aluko himself, inspired by a Black Lives Matter Protest at St. George’s Plateau in 2020.

The evening will also feature other music by Black composers (including Barney), and some guest performers.

Nigerian-born Tayo Aluko worked as an architect in Liverpool for several years before switching to full-time writing and performing. He has since toured the world with two plays: Call Mr. Robeson and Just An Ordinary Lawyer. His latest, Coleridge-Taylor of Freetown, was premiered in May this year and is also slated for national and international touring.

Andrew Barney is a proud scouser with West African, Caribbean and Irish roots. He studied Languages and Music at The University of Leeds, Languages at La Universidad de Granada in Spain, and Jazz and Classical Music at L’Université de Montréal in Canada. Andrew is a full-time musician, performer, composer and is also a polyglot speaking; English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Greek, Slovak, Czech and Arabic.

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