AfroSolo Arts Festival 2015 kicks off with a tribute to the drum and drummers--the driving force of all music. We'll be bringing on the beat with a concert on Saturday, August 1, 2015 from 1 pm to 3 pm in Yerba Buena Gardens located on Mission Street between 3rd and 4th Streets in San Francisco.  Our noted drummers are Linda Livingston and William (Bill) Norwood and their bands.  

 

On Saturday, August 8th, 2015, we will host our tenth annual free Western Addition Community Health Fair. It takes place at the Ella Hill Hutch Community Center, 1050 McAllister Street from 10 am to 1 pm.

 

On August 15th, we open our Visual Arts Exhibit in San Francisco's Main Library (100 Larkin Street). Curated by Melonie Green, the show is titled "Internal Reflections: A Look at Internalized Racism in the lives of Black People."

September 19th we will join with a number of organizations to host a conference dedicated to inspiring our youths to succeed. More info to come.   

 

I look forward to seeing you at the fesival!   

 

Sincerely,

Thomas Robert Simpson

Founder/Artistic Director 

A Tribute To Drums and Drummers

A Free Outdoor Concert in Yerba Buena Gardens   

 

When: Saturday, August 1, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm 

Where: Yerba Buena Gardens 

(Mission Street between 3rd & 4th Streets, SF) 

  

Admissions: Free and open to the public

No pets (certified service or companion animal excerpted)

 

Featuring: Linda Livingston and William (Bill) Norwood

 Presented in collaboration with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, AfroSolo Arts Festival presents its 15th free concert in Yerba Buena Gardens. Bring a lunch, a blanket and enjoy a wonderful afternoon of music.

 

Linda Livingston   

San Francisco Bay Area native Linda Livingston is a San Francisco State graduate, where she obtained her degree in Music. Ms. Livingston started playing the drums at 21 out of her search for something interesting to do. One day she ended up renting a set of Congo drums one day because she had been told that she had natural rhythm. She found this to be true. Soon afterwards, the Timbale and trap drums were added to her percussive repertoire.

 

Ms. Livingston has performed in the Bay Area and beyond for 40 plus years. She has played along side of Sheila E., Pete and Juan Escovedo and Lenny Williams to name a few. Ms. Livingston is currently a member of the band "D-Hook." Formed in 2015, the group focuses on smooth jazz and original compositions.

 

Ms. Livingston is also an actress, she is currently performing at San Francisco's Cyclone Warehouse, where she has a role in "The Emperor Jones" by Eugene O'Neil.

 

Ms. Livingston will be accompanied by Daryl Bishop on bass, Reggie Brown on rhythm guitar, Rodney Connor, lead guitar, Lorenzo Macon on drums, and George Stanley on saxophone.  

 

William (Bill) Norwood 

Mr. Norwood's career as a musician began at the age of 4, through the encouragement of his mother, Dorothy Norwood. Throughout elementary and high school he sang in choir ensembles and developed a proficiency with percussion instruments and drums.

 

His first professional engagement was performing in his church. That experience led to performing Jazz and other styles of music. He has performed with acts such as: Robert "Magic Man" Winters, The Gospel Hummingbirds, Lenny Williams, The Drifters, Robin Duhe (original bassist for Frankie Beverly) and others.

Mr. Norwood has recorded with many artists in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is currently involved in several projects such as "Top Shelf Classics" and is a principle musician and coach with "Industry Coach" for TIBC TV. Industry Coach is dedicated to using the principles of Gratitude and Peace in educating and promoting young talent.

 

Mr. Norwood will be accompanied by Lorenzo Hawkins on keyboard, Arlington Houston on bass, Morris LeGrande on guitar and Roussell White on trumpet.
Western Addition Community Health Fair and Family Day
"Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhuman."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

 

Inspired by Dr. Kings quote, we are determined to help build a healthy community that is fit and ready to enjoy all that life has to offer.  Whether you are 6, 10, 20, 40, 60, older or somewhere in between, your health matters!

 

 

 

When: Saturday, August 8, 10 am - 1 pm
Where: 1050 McAllister Street (Ella Hill Hutch Community Center)  

Admission: Free and open to the public  

 

More than 40 organizations are collaborating to offer free health screenings (e.g. vision, hearing, blood pressure, dental and fluoride varnish for children, and glucose), live music, resource information tables, information about how health care reform will work in San Francisco, and healthy food.  

 

 

Please join us!  

 

Some Participating Organizations:
AfroSolo Theatre Company

Avantifit Sports Medicine
Bay Area Black Nurses
Black Brothers Esteem/SF AIDS Foundation 
California  Pacific Medical Center
Kaiser Permanente
Maxine Hall Community Clinic
MoMagic
One Degree
Rainbow Grocery
SF Office of Citizen Complaints    

San Francisco  Recreation and Park (Hamilton Park)
St. Mary's Medical Center
The Garden Project  

Tzu Chi Foundation  

UCSF - Alliance Health Project

University of Pacific Dental School
University of San Francisco School of Nursing
Western Addition Family Resources Center
Westside Community Services
YMCA
Plus more
(List subject to change)  
AfroSolo Arts Festival 2015  
In Collaboration with the San Francisco Main Public Library 
present a Multi-media Visual Arts Exhibit 
 


What: Internal Reflections: A Look at Internalized Racism in the lives of Black people
When: August 15, 2015 - November 12, 2015
Where: 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco's Main Public Library
 (Artists Talk and Reception, August 18, 6 pm - 8 pm, 
   in the library's Hispanic
   Room)
Admission: Free




"Internal Reflections: A Look at Internalized Racism in the lives of Black People"

Internalized racism is unjustified prejudices endorsed by the dominant society about Black people that leads to feelings of self-doubt, disgust and disrespect for ones self and/or other Black people.

This year we explore the issue by curating a muti-media and multi-generational exhibition about the impact of internalized racism through the lens of the featured artists. Shame, anger, pain and confrontation about the day to day impacts of racism and how those impacts are internalized and fuel how we begin to see ourselves and other Black people.

Curator, Melonie Green asked artists ranging from writers/spoken word, sculpture, dance /theater and fine art   painters to create a solo piece and a collaborative piece with
another artists in the show.

Join us August 18th for Artist talk, presentation by LYRIC Youth and more!
It will take place at San Francisco's Main Public Library, 6 pm - 8 pm in the Hispanic Room.

Featured artists: LYRIC Youth Program, Karen Seneferu, Ain Bailey, Pr3ss Play Poets, Malik Seneferu, Melorra Green, Mel Simmons, Wanda Whitaker, #KissMyBlackArts Collective and  3.9 Art Collective.

Special Thanks to you: Jessica Allen, David Spain, William Rhodes, Red Poppy Art House and James Martin of New Conservatory Theatre. 

Project Empowerment:  
The Audacity to Succeed II 
September 19, 2015
  

AfroSolo will join other arts, civic, educational, governmental, private and non-profit organizations to host an education oriented "Black Family Day." The event promises to be empowering, informative and uplifting. The goal is to help motivate our young people to successfully make the transition from youth to adulthood.


AfroSolo will host a forum on "Young Black Men and the Law" and another forum that will be announced later.

Save the DATE!
More info to come.