Doors at 6:30pm | Guest Speaker at 6:45pm | Show at 7:30pm
Celebrating The Harlem Renaissance and Langston Hughes during Black History Month.
In honor of Black History Month join us for a unique multimedia tribute to Langston Hughes on the 100th anniversary of his first poetry collection, The Weary Blues. This off-Broadway-style production brings together some of Portland’s top entertainers for an evening of jazz, performance poetry, and historic visual projections.
Headlined by award-winning poet Emmett Wheatfall and a jazz quartet led by drummer Christopher Brown featuring pianist Darrell Grant, trumpeter Noah Simpson, and bassist Garrett Baxter, the performance will feature iconic Hughes works including The Negro Speaks of Rivers, The Weary Blues, I, Too, Sing America, and The Dream Keeper, accompanied by live music in the style of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Eubie Blake and others of the Harlem Renaissance era.
Historic photographs and art from the Harlem Renaissance will provide an immersive backdrop, creating an evocative experience that will draw the audience into the era’s cultural richness and the lasting impact of Hughes’ work.
For those interested in learning in depth about the history of the era, Maude Hines, Professor of English and Chair of Black Studies at Portland State University, will offer a 30-minute pre-show talk at 6:45pm, Jazz Rhythms in Harlem Renaissance Poetry.
Presented by Jerry Jazz Musician Experiences in partnership with the Oregon Music Hall of Fame, this production promises a thoughtful and unforgettable evening connecting music, poetry, and history.