History. Boring.
Traditional presentation: Professor drones on at the lectern in the oversized college lecture hall.
History. Engaging.
Untraditional presentation: Jazz musician sits down with a group of about thirty people, his tools an acoustic guitar and a remote-controlled digital projector.
Ray Kamalay brought to life key events in the long fight for equality during his presentation at the Plattsburgh Public Library Tuesday evening.
The program, "Slavery, Haiti and the Roots of American Music: A Storytelling and Music Lecture," also traced the influence of African music on such American genres as jazz and blues. Ray interspersed his presentation by playing a few songs and riffs that illustrated his points.
Black slaves brought musical influences from their native countries. But due to discrimination black people were hindered from performing in public before white audiences. Minstrel shows, explained Ray, came about in part because white audiences would only accept black-faced performers in a comedic setting.
For more information about Ray, his research and music: www.raykamalay.com .
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