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‘Cruz,’ 1960s poetry, jazz sessions for the kids, and baking at the PMA
The BSR Weekly Arts and Culture Roundup, February 2-8, 2023
Kyle V. Hiller
This week opens Black History Month, and there are a few events coming up this week to start the celebration. The Barnes jams with the dynamic Sistahs Laying Down Hands Collective as part of their PECO First Sunday, UPenn hosts a conversation about 1960s Black poetry and its impact and relevancy in today’s world, and the PMA gets into the kitchen with Chef Kyle Cuffie-Scott.
Also, be sure to check out the screening of Cruz, and the young adults out there can level up their music skills with getJazzed events happening around the area.
Chef in Residence with Kyle Cuffie-Scott
Friday, February 3, 11:30am-2:30pm
Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia
Chef Kyle Cuffie-Scott, known as the founder of Darnel’s Cakes, comes to the PMA for an afternoon of baking. Darnel’s Cakes, just north of Old City, raises awareness about HIV/AIDS and supports local and national organizations that are at the forefront of fighting the virus, disease, and its associated stigmas. The event is free with admission.
getJazzed Day
Saturday, February 4, 1:30pm
Community Music School, 775 West Main Street, Trappe
Sunday, February 5, 1:30pm
Settlement Music School’s Mary Louise Curtis Branch, 416 Queen Street, Philadelphia
Saturday, February 11, 1:30pm
Community Music School, 1544 Hamilton Street, Allentown
For teens looking to get a little more musical exposure and practice, Berks Art, Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest, getJazzed, and other community music schools in the region are hosting an afternoon of clinics and jam sessions with professional musicians and educators from across the region. The event is free with donations suggested, and it is geared towards children aged 12-18 who have some experience with playing instruments.
Cruz
Saturday, February 4, 3pm and 7pm
ArtYard, 13 Front Street, Frenchtown
ArtYard is screening this feature-length documentary that tells the story of a Rarámuri family from Mexico in search of justice while living in exile under the threat of death after their land was taken from them by drug traffickers because they refused to grow opium poppies. The double screenings will each be followed by a conversation with the filmmaker, Teresa Camou Guerrero.
First Sunday with Sistahs Laying Down Hands Collective
Sunday, February 5, 10am-4pm
Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia
PECO and the Barnes kick off February with their First Sunday series as usual, but they’re celebrating Black History Month with percussion performances by the Sistahs Laying Down Hands Collective, led by New York native and Philly transplant Karen Smith. With a lineup including a tribute to Nina Simone, interactive story time with dancing and songs, and original music with poetry, you can start the month experiencing “the power of rhythm.” As with all First Sundays, the Barnes is free, giving you the chance for a full afternoon at no cost. Be sure to register in advance, space is limited—registration opens Thursday at 10am.
The '60s at Sixty: Protest Poetry Takes Center Stage
Wednesday, February 8, 4:30pm
Streaming online
Join in conversation with Karen Brown from the Negro Ensemble Company and playwright Cris Eli Blak about how Black artists and poetry from the 1960s—sixty years ago—played monumental roles in shaping art and culture in the US. Penn Live Arts hosts the free event.
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