Asian Improv aRts, Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center, and Oakland Asian Cultural Center present:
"Diaspora Tales #2: 1969"
An interdisciplinary work featuring music by the
Francis Wong Unit, spoken word by A.K. Black, dance by Lenora Lee and media design by Olivia Ting.
“1969” reflects upon the Third World Strike at UC Berkeley and Wong's family history from the period.
Friday, April 23rd, 8pm
Saturday, April 24th, 8pm
CounterPULSE
1310 Mission Street (at 9th Street) San Francisco, CA 94103
Admission - $15 general, $10 for CounterPULSE members and students
Tickets - visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/99078 or call (800) 838-3006
Venue information - visit www.counterpulse.org
More information - visit www.asianimprov.org, www.franciswong.net
call Asian Improv aRts (415) 908-3636 or email Lenora@asianimprov.org
www.asianimprov.org
www.apiculturalcenter.org
www.oacc.cc
Originally commissioned in Fall 2009 by the Oakland Asian Cultural Center with a grant from the East Bay Fund for Artists of the East Bay Community Foundation
Supported by Grants for the Arts/San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund, San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco Foundation, California Arts Council, Zellerbach Family Foundation and Generous Individuals.
THE ARTISTS
Few musicians are as accomplished as
Francis Wong, considered one of "the great saxophonists of his generation" by the late jazz critic Phil Elwood. A prolific recording artist, Wong is featured on more than forty titles as a leader and sideman. For over two decades he has performed his innovative brand of Asian American jazz/creative music for audiences in North America, Asia, and Europe with such with such luminaries as Jon Jang, Tatsu Aoki, Genny Lim, William Roper, Bobby Bradford, John Tchicai, James Newton, Joseph Jarman, Don Moye and the late Glenn Horiuchi. But to simply call the Bay Area native a musician would be to ignore his pioneering leadership in communities throughout Northern California. Wong's imaginative career straddles roles as varied as performing artist, youth mentor, composer, artistic director, community activist, non-profit organization manager, consultant, music producer, and academic lecturer. www.franciswong.net
A.K. Black (spoken word artist) was born and raised in the Bayview Hunters Point community of San Francisco and began rapping in 1987, as a means of expressing his opinions on the many ills that plague inner-city communities. A.K. broke onto the Bay Area hip hop scene in 1991, when his insightful raps helped him take second place in an Environmental Rap competition. He went on to be a main spokesperson for the Eco Rap program, encouraging Bay Area rappers to help bring about awareness to the hazardous conditions that exist in many inner city neighborhoods. For the past eleven years, A.K. has performed throughout the United States and Europe, appearing with such artists as Pearl Ubungen Dancers and Musicians, Piri Thomas, Quincy Troupe, Genny Lim,
Francis Wong and Midnight Voices. www.akblack.net
Lenora Lee (dancer / choreographer) is a native San Franciscan and has been creating and performing work in San Francisco and New York since 1998. For the last 12 years she has been an integral part of the Asian American contemporary dance and creative music communities, as choreographer, dancer, and Managing Director of Asian American Dance Performances, as dancer and taiko artist with Gen Taiko, as Co-Artistic Director for the Red Jade Collective, as artist-in-residence at the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Northern California, the Chinatown Beacon Center, and in the SFUSD, as Co-Artistic Director of Lee & Wang Dance, and most recently as Project Manager for Asian Improv aRts. Lenora has directed, choreographed, and produced her own works performing nationally and internationally.
www.LeeWangDance.org
Olivia Ting (media designer) is fascinated by the dichotomy of a medium that can be simultaneously documentary and fictional. In her video work, she explores memory reconstruction; the layered composition of the photo and video collage allowing for concealing and revealing of footages and still image. Olivia has done design work for San Francisco Dance Center, San Francisco Performances, Kunst-stoff, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Johnson & Johnson, Olgilvy & Mather, Sheraton Hotel, and Nokia among others. www.olivetinge.com
THE PRESENTERS
Asian Improv aRts’ (AIR) mission is to produce, present and document artistic works that represent the Asian American experience. With a unique and active network of professional and emerging musicians and artists, community organizations, and activists, AIR has consistently produced or facilitated cultural events of the highest quality that have brought international attention to the Asian American arts movement in the Chicago and San Francisco Bay Areas. In addition, AIR provides critical technical assistance, advocacy, production support, mentorship and networking to artists and arts organizations through its Community Arts Development Program and the California Asian and Pacific Islander Arts Network. www.asianimprov.org
Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC) supports and nurtures the artistic endeavors of the San Francisco Bay Area Asian Pacific Islander community. Through collaboration, sponsorship, producing and presenting, APICC supports the development and growth of multidisciplinary art. We empower the diverse voices of our community to reflect their unique experiences as Asian Pacific Islanders living in America. www.apiculturalcenter.org
The Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC) builds vibrant communities through Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) arts and culture programs that foster intergenerational and cross- cultural dialogue, cultural identity, collaborations, and social justice. OACC was founded in 1984 by a coalition of volunteers who recognized the need for a strong artistic and cultural force in the Chinatown area. Since opening its own facility in 1996 in the heart of Oakland’s Chinatown district, OACC has presented countless high quality cultural programs. www.oacc.cc
Cost: $10-15