Tamar-kali at Weeksville Heritage Center

Tamar-kali (photo courtesy and copyright Flaming Yoni Productions)

The Black Rock Coalition Orchestra program, “Nina Simone: American girl, World Citizen,” is playing to rave reviews from Lincoln Center Institute’s Summer Session Week 1 participants. If you want to hear more from musical director Tamar-kali, she’s got a gig this weekend, and the venue is as fascinating as the artist and her sextet.

Founded by James Weeks only eleven weeks after New York State abolished slavery in 1838, all but forgotten by the mid-1950s, and ‘rediscovered’ in 1968, Weeksville was the second largest known independent African American community in pre-Civil War America. Today, the Weeksville Heritage Center maintains four historic Hunterfly Road Houses, each furnished to interpret Black life as it was in the mid-1800s, early 1900s and early 1930s. Preserved for future generations, they are a testament to the nearly-forgotten community that prospered there. The Center is open for both public and school tours, and offers a variety of public programming.

(Photo courtesy and copyright Weeksville Heritage Center)

Which brings us full circle. Tamar-kali is performing as part of the Center’s Salon Series on Saturday, July 11 at 6:00pm. The gates open at 5:00pm, and there’s a suggested donation of $5 (no advance tickets). Bring a blanket and plan on arriving early to get yourself a good spot on the lawn. If you get hungry, a food vendor will be on-site as well. What a great way to spend a summer evening!

Here’s how to get to Weeksville Center.

Tamar-kali website
Black Rock Coalition website
Weeksville Heritage Center website