Black History Month - Thurman Barker and Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky

Black History Month - Thurman Barker and Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky

Livingston Manor, NY – Catskill Art Space is pleased to announce a multimedia evening of contemporary performance in celebration of Black History Month at Catskill Art Space, 48 Main Street, Livingston Manor, NY, kicking off President’s Day Weekend on Saturday, February 17th. The evening will begin with African/American Composers, Then and Now, a lecture and performance presented by Thurman Barker, from 4 – 5pm, followed by screening of DJ Spooky’s multimedia film remix, Rebirth of a Nation, from 5:30 – 6:45pm. Both events take place in CAS’s second floor River Gallery.  Barker and Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky will be in attendance for audience questions and talk-back. The two performance events offer opportunities to reflect on the important artistic contributions of Black artists, while examining historic and present-day narratives around race and power in America.

Thurman Barker’s presentation and performance, entitled African/American Composers, Then and Now, invites audiences to examine the impact of Black Jazz composers on compositional music today. The narrative intertwines historical context with Barker’s own orchestral compositions, drawing on his experience writing for chamber orchestra and work with orchestras in Chicago and New York. The presentation includes live performance from the dynamic percussionist himself of selections from Barker’s trio’s latest release, IMPACT!.

Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky’s Rebirth of Nation reinterprets DW Griffith’s infamously racist silent film, Birth of a Nation, to create a commentary on exploitation and political corruption in America’s history and present-day society. Miller writes, “We live in an age where media across all platforms has come to reflect the toxic sensibility of an era dominated by a hyper-partisan political discourse. ‘The Birth of a Nation’ is generally considered one of the most controversial films of all time, and could be considered a precursor to the media landscape of our time.” Miller’s remix project encapsulates a new approach to thinking about applying the concept of “remix” to cinema—where “the director is the DJ.” With an original soundtrack scored by DJ Spooky and performed by the Kronos Quartet, this multimedia film event provokes audiences to question the power structures propagating media of yesterday and today.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Thurman Barker is a celebrated percussionist who built his career on innovation. As a professional musician, composer, and college professor, he brings endless passion and decades of experience together to entertain, educate, and expand the horizons of his art. Since creating Uptee Records in the early 80s, Barker has previously released six recordings as a leader. In 2016, Barker began writing for Chamber Orchestra. Barker’s wealth of knowledge was built through his association with countless incredible collaborators. Most notable musical experiences have been with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). As a charter member of the group, Barker first appeared in AACM productions with Joseph Jarman’s pioneering ensembles. He then went on to record and play with many members, including Dr. Muhal Richard Abrams, Amina Claudine Meyers, Anthony Braxton, Leroy Jenkins, Roscoe Mitchell, and Henry Threadgill. After moving to New York in the late 70s, Barker worked and recorded with Sam Rivers and Cecil Taylor. Thurman Barker became a Professor Emeritus of Bard College in Music/Jazz Studies in June 2021. He is a recipient of a 2022 NYSCA award for composition as well as numerous Meet the Composer grants.

Paul D. Miller, aka DJ Spooky, is currently Artist in Residence at Yale University Center for Collaborative Arts and Media (2023-2024, extended). He is a composer, multimedia artist, and writer whose work engages audiences in a blend of genres, global culture, and environmental and social issues. Miller has collaborated with an array of recording artists, including Ryuichi Sakamoto, Metallica, Chuck D from Public Enemy, Steve Reich, and Yoko Ono amongst many others. His 2018 album, DJ Spooky Presents: Phantom Dancehall, debuted at #3 on Billboard Reggae. Miller currently lives and works in Roscoe, NY.

ABOUT CATSKILL ART SPACE

Catskill Art Space (CAS) explores contemporary art practices of emerging and established artists. Through exhibitions, performances, classes, lectures, and screenings, CAS fosters creative community in the Catskills.

Established as Catskill Art Society in 1971, CAS reopened in October 2022 as Catskill Art Space following a major renovation and expansion of its multi-arts center, located in the picturesque hamlet of Livingston Manor in the Western Catskills. CAS presents a rotating slate of exhibitions, performances and other events featuring national and regional talents, alongside long-term installations of works by James Turrell, Sol LeWitt, Francis Cape, and Ellen Brooks. Learn more at catskillartspace.org.

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Notes to Editor

Event Date: February 17, 2024
African/America Composers, Then and Now, Thurman Barker from 4 – 5pm
Rebirth of a Nation, DJ Spooky performed by Kronos Quartet from 5:30 – 6:45pm
Address: 48 Main St. Livingston Manor, NY 12758
 

Long-term installations on view through 2027: James Turrell’s light installation Avaar (1976) and two site-specific wall drawings from Sol LeWitt, exhibited alongside solo presentations of established artists from the Catskills area, Francis Cape (through 2027) and Ellen Brooks (through 2027).

Instagram: @catskillartspace

For media inquiries, please contact:

Sally Wright, Executive Director
sally@catskillartspace.org 646-696-1044