Fuasi Abdul-Khaliq

Lifelight Productions & Publications

The Ebony Big Band
S4S-Player
We are located in Berlin, Germany and we are an organisation whose purpose is to disseminate the history of Jazz or African American Classical Music, which began in the early beginnings of the 20th century to the present day. Our mission is to perform music from African American, as well as, African Diaspora composers from around the world.

The beginnings of Jazz, as we know it today, coincided with the Marcus Garvey movement, W.E.B. Dubois’s Pan African Movement and the development of African American Literature known as the Harlem Renaissance. The Ebony Big Band shares the story of the emergence of African-American culture between the time of the Harlem Renaissance and the end of WWII (1920’s -1970). The place in America where all this happened was Harlem, New York, specifically the area in Harlem known as “Jungle Alley” and more specifically in the Cotton Club where only white patrons could enter the Cotton Club while all the service and entertainment was provided by African Americans.
Through the musical sounds of such greats as Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Fats Waller, Fletcher Henderson, Jimmy Lunceford, Benny Moten, Charles Mingus, Horace Tapscott, Gerald Wilson, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and others our story will be told not only through the music but also through narration, dance and a multi-media presentation of pictures and videos.

We are inquiry about the possibility of sharing our-stories with you and your music community. We are an organisation of 18 musicians (instrumentalist), 3 singers and 1 dancer. I have included a link to a short video of our show for your viewing.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/blkgsw61nk7eutt/EBB%20Urania%202016.mov?dl=0

The Ebony Big Band, led by the director and curator Fuasi Abdul-Khaliq, performs and shares the story of the African American’s struggles and achievements during the time of the Harlem Renaissance to the end of WW2 (1920s -1970). Along with slides, video clips and narration, they perform works from the great African American composers and big bands of that era such as, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, Anna Mae Winburn, Benny Moten. Also represented are the great singers of this time such as Herb Jeffries, Al Hibbler, Jimmy Rushing, Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holiday, and Lena Horne.


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Freitag 26.02.2016 um 20:00 Uhr
Humboldtsaal der Urania Berlin,
An der Urania 17, U-Bahnhof Wittenbergplatz

SWING-GALA-SHOW THE EBONY BIG BAND
Musik-, Gesang- und Tanz-Show mit 20 Mitwirkenden und Leinwand-Projektion, anläßlich des "Black History Month"
Musical Director: Fuasi Abdul Khaliq
Eintrittspreise: 29,-/ 26,-/ 22,- EUR

Das Allstar Orchestra of Black Music spielt die größten Hits der afro-amerikanischen Swing-Ära im original Sound der berühmten Orchester von Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Fats Waller, Fletcher Henderson, Jelly Roll Morten and Benny Moten.

Mit Moderation, Gesang, Tanz und Multimedia-Show wird die Geschichte des Swing & Jazz von der Harlem Renaissance bis zum Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs (1920 -1950) in einer Show im Stile des "Cotton Club" erzählt.

Der freundlichen Unterstützung der US-Botschaft anlässlich des "Black History Month", der in den Vereinigten Staaten alljährlich im Februar gefeiert wird, ist es zu verdanken, daß diese seltene Gelegenheit, einige der besten in Europa lebenden afro-amerikanischen Musiker, Sänger und Tänzer des Swing & Jazz gemeinsam auf der Bühne zu erleben sind.

Garant für die hohe Qualität dieser Show ist der afroamerikanische Musical Director und Saxophonist Fuasi Abdul-Khaliq.

Moderation & Gesang: Love Newkirk / Gesang: Yamil Borges & Keith Tynes / Tanz: Robert Coverton / Piano: Reggie Moore / Bass: Daryl Taylor / Drums: Philipp Bernhardt / Bariton-Sax: Miriam Kaul / Alt-Sax: Willie Pollock,
Mike Segal / Tenor-Sax: Fuasi Abdul-Khaliq, Herbie H. Hart, David Beecroft / Posaune: Baron Arnold, Robert Gutowski / Bass-Posaune: Otwin Zipp / Trompete: Philip Sindy, Johannes Böhmer, Christian Grabandt



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Ebony Big Band
AgustineDaniel Allen Oberto 3Daryl
Eric VaughnFuasi 5


Keith & Yamil 6Herbie Hart
Keith3Philip
Luiz LAORob Gutowski


Wille 2fuasi_eboni_8fuasi_eboni_12Robert FlyingYamil Borges sings copy

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The Ebony Big Band (EBB), sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Berlin and the Werkstatt Der Kulturen, performed for 250 people at the Werkstatt Der Kulturen for International Jazz Day on April 30th, 2013 as well as in 2014.   We had two wonderful singers in the persons of Yamil Borges and Keith Tynes and along with a slide presentation we shared the stories of some of the greatest musicians, singers and composers between the time of the Harlem Renaissance and 1945. We celebrated such greats as Benny Moten, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Waller, Lena Horne, Flecther Henderson, Anna Mae Winburn, Jimmy Lunceford and Count Basie.  EBBjazz-day-logo2014
EBB full band IJD Logo
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EBB Nicolas sings4


Ebb with Yamil Ella in BK



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EBB mike solo 2EBB herbie & miriamEBB Miriam on bari solo


EBB fuasi on sop

EBB Baron solo
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EBB front viewEBB Chriatian G solo with bandEBB fu, willie, mike 2EBB brass plus reedsEBB Fuasi & Lester Yound