Spring Break
URI gets 'Afro-Semitic Experience' in Multicultural Center
Mark Scialla
Issue date: 1/29/09 Section: News
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The band tuned and played their instruments softly as they waited for the small audience to appear in the Hardge Forum from the dreary winter weather. Once the audience settled in, Director of the Multicultural Center Melvin Wade addressed the gathering and introduced the band.
As Wade named the musicians, each played a small riff on their instruments as a way to welcome the spectators. One by one they gave a musician's hello to the audience: Baba David Coleman tapped his drums, Warren Byrd played a melodic piano riff and David Chevan jammed on the bass.
Chevan holds a Ph.D. in musicology, Coleman is a Yuroban priest and Byrd is a pianist and composer. The group started as a duo 11 years ago in Connecticut and expanded to six members. The band brings together many musical backgrounds and attempts to bridge cultural gaps. Amy Olson, director of Hillel, requested the three present members to appear after seeing them perform at a similar workshop.
"This is a much less formal event than what is going to happen tomorrow," Chevan said before handing out the band's cache of percussion instruments such as drums, maracas and bells to the audience.
Before the first song began Chevan explained the piece as an invocation to God. The song, Slakah Lanu, began with the bass, then the piano and then percussion. It seemed as though the band created the song as they played.
