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Three Men In A Row IMANI PRESENTS 3 MEN IN A ROW! Sound vibration takes on many forms, when it is expressed through our creativity. Some artists express themselves vocally - while others use instruments or, even, their feet. Whatever the medium is, if you listen very carefully, the message is clear. And, I had the opportunity to witness an event that cultivated an eclectic amalgamation of such sounds. 3 Men In A Row, presented by Imani Enterprises, took place at the popular Trane Studios on Thursday, November 18, 2004. Heading the event was London, England native Anne-Marie Woods, founder of Imani Enterprises and a well-known face in Toronto's performing-arts community. A multi-faceted artist (song, dance, acting, writing, spoken-word, theatre, etc.), Anne-Marie Woods initiated the night's production with pieces of wisdom, by performing original spoken-word and song (accompanied by Baby D on acoustic guitar). The end of Woods' presentation coincided with the intro for Baby D's solo performance - in which the reggae "SingJay" (singing deejay) mixed smooth vocal-chord vibration over music driven by the strumming of guitar chords. Baby D then followed Woods' suit, by blending the end of his set with the introduction of Da Original One (who beat-boxed his way onto stage). Da Original One, an Ottawa-born Trinidadian, is the proud creator of If Yuh Heard Spread De Word - a debut spoken-word album. Firmly staking his claim as one of the "3 Men", he performed his signature style of hip hop-infused spoken-word, with crowd favorites like Mama Wouldn't Buy Me A Drum Machine. In keeping with the event's routine flow, Da Original One was joined by Jugular, a fellow "beat- boxing sensation". The two comrades went back and forth in harmony, like a DJ with two turntables switching back and forth on the cross fader. Jugular then took control of the mic, beginning a riveting one-man show of sound theatrics - which included oral simulations of a drum set and two turntables. His performance was culminated by the sudden bass that generated from the tap-dance footwork of David Cox, who used Trane Studio's hardwood floor as a plateau to create original mixes of musical combinations reminiscent of an "ole-skool" hip-hop drum sample (or a popular nite-club remix). As Cox stepped up to the stage and broke into his routine, his face clearly revealed the message that he was trying convey, but more powerful was the delivery of sound felt as the dancer's feet graced the floor. Bringing the event to a symbolic close, all of artists returned to the stage for a joint performance - bringing together each sound element to create one harmony - and setting the pace for the next eagerly-anticipated event by Imani Enterprises. For more info on upcoming initiatives, contact Imani Enterprises at (416) 706-7694. Bless, |
