Award-winning poet and music gladiators Dasan Ahanu and Tai Allen will present a concert tribute to icons Gil Scott Heron & Oscar Brown, Jr., Saturday, February 21 at Beyu Caffe’s jazz club in downtown Durham, NC.
“The Originals: Gil Scott-Heron & Oscar Brown, Jr.” honors the poetry and jazz aesthetic of these ascended masters and their contributions to American culture. Backed by a seasoned band of musicians, Allen and Ahanu have traveled the country paying tribute to and presenting such iconic works as “Home Is Where The Hatred Is”, “Revolution Will Not Be Televised”, “Brother Where Are You,” and “Sixteen Tons.”
Their most recent stops were in Jersey City, NJ and Springfield, MA — now they’re bringing the movement to Durham.
“‘The Originals’ is a celebration of the vision, power, talent and influence of two artists I consider to be critical to what contemporary Black artists are doing today,” said Ahanu. “Beyu Caffe has been open to jazz and spoken word since its opening and, as a Black-owned venue, it is the perfect place for us to celebrate these two legends.”
Both Ahanu and Allen are experienced performers, published poets and award-winning musicians in their own right. Allen has headlined such venues as the historic Apollo Café and BamCafé, while Ahanu has been featured on TV One’s Verses & Flow and NPR. As life-long educators and honored mentors, they both actively work to celebrate the rich legacy of these masters who came before them, as well as empower artists emerging after them.
“The Originals: Gil Scott-Heron & Oscar Brown, Jr.” takes places Saturday, February 21 at Beyu Caffe located at 335 W. Main Street, Durham, NC, 27701. Allen and Ahanu will perform two shows — 8:00pm and 10:00pm. Tickets are $15 per show. To purchase tickets online, or for more information, visit beyucaffe.com.
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About Tai Allen
Tai Allen is a respected creative who excels in multiple disciplines. The Brooklyn-based creative director is a poet who sings over music he has produced. His poetry has been published in noted tomes (Bomb and African Voices) and his music has been heralded by such publications as SoulTracks, Uptown Magazine and CentricTV. He has headlined such venues as BAMcafé Live in Brooklyn, Nighttown in Rotterdam and the American Jazz Museum’s Blue Room in Kansas City. He also co-hosted the main stages for Art of Cool Festival in Durham and curated and hosted Brooklyn’s Restoration Rocks block party three times within the past five years. In 2010, Allen’s album Easy Readin’ was awarded “Album of The Year” by the National Poetry Awards. He is a member of the National Black Writers Conference Steering Committee and has also served as the Conference’s Poetry Cafe host. Allen is also creative director for Arts+Crafts, where he curates the annual Tap+Cork Brooklyn Beer & Wine Fest, and creates performance opportunities for emerging artists, deejays and poets.
About Dasan Ahanu
Dasan Ahanu is a public speaker, organizer, workshop facilitator, poet, performance artist, songwriter, playwright, writer, educator, recording artist, and loyal Hip Hop head born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is one of the founders of Black Poetry Theatre (BPT) where he is a writer, director, producer, and cast member. Dasan is also the founder of the Jambalaya Soul Slam and coach of Durham, NC’s own Bull City Slam Team (BCST) that competes regionally and nationally. A supporter of youth arts and poetry, he has worked with the Sacrificial Poets, the Triangle’s youth spoken word organization. He is a resident artist at the Hayti Heritage Center in Durham and an Assistant Professor of English & Creative Writing at Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, NC. Dasan is also a proud member of the Black Jedi Chapter of the Universal Zulu Nation.