Salon Series Voices of the Street Every Weekend in October at the Apollo Theater--This Weekend, Toni Blackman & Saddi Khali: Grown Folks

New York's world famous Apollo Theater today announced the return of the Salon Series, a month long run of four different programs spotlighting compelling new works, combining a variety of theatrical forms including music, theater, spoken word and poetry. During the entire month of October, The Salon Series will focus on Voices of the Street, artistic performances illustrating the wide ranging creativity in hip-hop culture. All performances will take place on the Apollo Theater Soundstage, an intimate space ideal for artists to cultivate their work.

Toni Blackman & Saddi Khali- Grown Folks

Performance dates: Friday, October 20th and Saturday, October 21st, 7:30pm
Ticket Prices: $15.00

Toni Blackman is an international champion of hip-hop culture, known for her irresistible and contagious performances. An award-winning artist, her steadfast work and commitment to hip-hop led the U.S. Department of State to bestow the title of U.S. Hip Hop Ambassador upon her, already serving in Senegal, Ghana, Botswana, and Swaziland where her residencies include performances, workshops, and lectures on hip hop poetry. She has shared the stage with the likes of Erykah Badu, Mos Def, The Roots, Sheryl Crow, and many others. Her first book, Inner-Course was released in 2003 (Villard/Random House). She is also the founder of Freestyle Union, a cipher workshop that uses free-styling as a tool to encourage social responsibility.

Saddi Khali is an established and respected New Orleans poet, rapper, songwriter, producer and photographer. He has been writing for 15 years and his writings have appeared in numerous nationally recognized journals and anthologies, including Dark Eros. Along with helping to drive the spoken word movement in New Orleans, he is a strong advocate of youth education through arts and media. The ultimate mix-master, Saddi refuses to be limited by genre. He is completing his debut album and working on his first book of poetry.

Together, Toni Blackman and Saddi Khali present Grown Folks, a new work that explores a creative playground for adults. In the world of Grown Folks, the words captivate like the groove. With provocative lyrical content, a dynamic stage show and roots as artist-activists, they speak to a demographic that has been ignored for too long. Performed with a live band and a DJ, the photography of Saddi Khali will serve as the backdrop. The general public is invited for a brief post-performance discussion on the future of hip-hop.

UPCOMING SALON SERIES EVENTS

DJ Spooky - Subliminal Strings

Performance dates: Friday, October 27th and Saturday, October 28th, 7:
Ticket Prices: $15.00

Special Guests:
October 27 - Haale and Yuri Lane with special guests
October 28th - The Ahn Trio

Paul D. Miller (aka DJ Spooky) is a conceptual artist, writer and musician working in New York. He is most well known under the moniker of his “deconstructed persona" DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid. Miller has recorded a huge volume of music and has collaborated with a wide variety of musicians and composers. His project, Subliminal Strings is a collaboration with a leading contemporary classical artist (past collaborations have been with Bora Yoon and Daniel Bernard Roumaine) to explore the intersection of classical strings and DJ technique. On October 28th, performing with DJ Spooky will be the vanguard of classical music, The Ahn Trio. Born in Seoul, Korea and educated at Juilliard in New York City, the Ahn Trio - consisting of sisters Maria, Lucia, and Angella - are redefining the art and architecture of chamber music, breathing new life into standard piano-trio literature. DJ Spooky will also weave into his work video art composed live. The piece will be a mix of heavy beats and string melodies.

About the Apollo Theater

Since 1934 when the Apollo Theater first introduced its world-famous Amateur Night, launching the careers of legendary artists like Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross and Lauryn Hill, the historic theater has been the nation's premier arena for emerging and established black and Latino performers. Based in the heart of Harlem, the national historic landmark hosts major concerts and special events and continues its tradition of discovering future stars in the syndicated television show, Showtime at the Apollo, which is taped at the world famous venue and airs weekly in over 150 markets nationwide, and the popular weekly stage show, Apollo Amateur Night. One of New York City's top tourist attractions, the Apollo Theater draws 1.3 million visitors annually. The Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit corporation.

Apollo Theater 253 West 125th Street New York, New York 10027