Jordan: Amman Brings African-American History to Life

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 000380 SIPDIS STATE FOR ECA/P/PE/CU; NEA/PPD AGNEW; NEA/PPD JACZYNKA; NEA/ELA GREGONIS E.O. 12958, as amended: N/A TAGS: SCUL KPAO JO OEXC OIIP SOCI SUBJECT: Jordan: Amman Brings African-American History to Life Through Acclaimed Concert Series ¶1. Summary: Juilliard-trained, award-winning soprano Nicole Taylor opened PA Amman's celebration of African-American History Month with a highly-acclaimed series of concerts and workshops February 2-3. Explaining how "beautiful things come out of ugliness," Taylor performed African-American spirituals and folk songs for a variety of audiences, weaving in history and culture while introducing music new to most of her listeners. The highlight of her program was a spell-binding performance to almost 600 people at Amman's King Hussein Cultural Center, an event extensively and favorably covered in the local English- and Arabic-language press. Outgoing PDO Daniel Ernst, trained as a concert pianist, accompanied Ms. Taylor to great acclaim. End Summary. -------------- This Little Light of Mine . . . -------------- ¶2. To open African-American History Month, Juilliard-trained, award-winning soprano Nicole Taylor visited Amman, Jordan, from February 2-3 for a series of concerts and workshops. Taylor's program of African-American spiritual music was a new addition to the cultural menu of the Jordanian capital. During each of her performances, she described how slavery was an ugly period during American history, but noted that sometimes "beautiful things can come out of ugliness." At workshops for 300 private and public high school students at the King Hussein Cultural Center (KHCC) in Amman and 400 students at the private King's Academy in Madaba, Taylor gave background on slavery in the United States and explained how modern hip-hop and other American genres were rooted in African-American spirituals. She also gave a soulful performance of classical opera and African-American spirituals for a high-level audience at the Ambassador's residence, laden with enough emotion to reduce the Jordanian Minister of Tourism to tears. On February 3 she gave a master class to voice students at the National Musical Conservatory. -------------- . . . She Let it Shine -------------- ¶3. The highlight of Taylor's short tour was her February 2 performance at the KHCC. PA extensively publicized the event through its Facebook site; advertisements in local print and radio outlets; a text message campaign; and a conference call with local media in the days prior to the concert. A crowd of nearly 600 (capacity is 530) filled KHCC's seats, balcony and aisles to hear Taylor sing "Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho," "Lord, How Come Me Here?" and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hand." Taylor also surprised the crowd - to thunderous applause - with a selection of three traditional Arabic songs she had prepared prior to her arrival. Following the performance, veteran VOA/Radio Sawa correspondent Mahmoud Zawawi told us the program "was the best you ever organized and that I have ever attended," thanking PA Amman for bringing this "spot of American culture to Jordan." -------------- Swan Song -------------- ¶4. In his final program before departing for his next assignment, outgoing PDO Daniel Ernst accompanied Ms. Taylor throughout the program. Trained as a concert pianist, he wowed audiences with his masterful playing. -------------- Media Reaction -------------- ¶5. Jordanian Arabic- and English-language press extensively and favorably covered Taylor's KHCC performance. Al-Ghad, Jordan's leading independent Arabic-language daily, ran a February 4 article with the headline "Nicole Taylor Ignites the Audience at Al-Hussein Cultural Center with African Spiritual Songs." One audience member, quoted on the Arabic-language news web site ammonnews.net, said "her performance of African-American spirituals relayed a greatness of a people, a culture, and a struggle that merits respect and appreciation. Her performance was phenomenal." Jordan's official Petra News Agency covered the event and online news site Jordandays.tv uploaded segments of the concert during which Taylor sang Arabic songs. International news outlets Yahoo! News and AP also picked up the event. Following the performance, Taylor gave exclusive interviews to Al-Arab al-Yawm, Al-Rai and Al-Ghad Arabic dailies, and to the Star English Weekly. ¶6. Taylor's performance, photographically documented on the Embassy's Facebook page, was only the beginning of a full schedule of African-American History Month programs offered by PA Amman. These include a discussion, in Arabic, of the works of Toni Morrison; readings of the children's book "Black Women Freedom Fighters" to underprivileged and refugee schoolchildren in East Amman; performances in Amman and Irbid of the American hip-hop group AMMAN 00000380 002 OF 002 Havikoro; a film screening at the Royal Film Commission; and a DVC with civil rights lawyer and professor Michael Meltsner. BEECROFT