Annotations for Performance: Song

Opening performance

I know how it feels – Nina Simone

We welcome you. This is an original song written and produced by Esther Obediah

Song - Way Maker

Song - I worship you Almighty God

The traditional Greek song – Κοιτα με γλυκια μου αγάπη (Look at me my sweet love, is merged with Deep in Love. Aggelos chose to create and Amane in this fusion. Amanes is a distinctive type of monodic, heavy, and drawn-out lamenting song, sung in the “eastern” manner which is rooted in Byzantine music. For a period of time during the Ottoman era Amanes was not sung. It took its name from the frequently repeated exclamation “aman” (meaning “mercy, pity”). From a musical perspective, amanes follow their own specific technique. To deliver a single distich, the performer may extend the song for as long as five whole minutes.

Song - Mercy Mercy Me

Song - Down by the River

Song - A change is going to come

Song - Sinner Man

Song - Work Song, Nina Simone

Original song by Mc Yinka, Song - Χαιρετισμός (Salutation)

This performance stitches together a powerful symbolic tapestry, with the intersection of Nina Simone’s Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child. A song heavily emotionally charged, with a melancholic undertone, together with the diasporic lament of abandoning home of Από ξένο τόπο (From a foreign place), and together with the urgent directness and rhythm of rap, all foregrounding themes of loss, exile, and endurance. At the background of this performance, the projection includes clips from the trip the Døcumatism team made to the forgotten village in Avato in Northen Greece, where Black Greeks have lived for hundreds of years.

Song - They don’t really care about us. Original song by Adedeji.

Song - Morenike. Original Song by Adedeji.

Song - Wade in the Water

Medley of songs

Here we witness a fusion of Nigerian praise-and-worship traditions with gospel. This is a reflection of the long, intertwined history of West African musical spirituality and African American Christian expression. Polyrithms, call and response, mixture of Yoruba and Igbo dances as well as gospel harmonies and improvisation.

Song - Oh, Happy Day

This live action was a theatrical workshop in form of a game, put together by director Eleni Mavridou, actor Samuel Akinola and musician Giorgos Mavridis. 6 children from the 26th primary school of Kypseli with the help of their art teacher Eirini Bazara participated in the workshop in which poetry was merged with Greek folk songs and West African songs and drumming.

Steven Aderinto performs soul and gospel songs on the rooftop of the City Hall of Athens. One of the songs he sings is: Sam Cooke’s A Change is Going to Come.

This performance was put together by four dancers and performers (Jessica Anosike, Grace Nwoke, Demelza Okoji and Maria Sackey) guided by the instructions of dance anthropologist Natasha Martin. It was a fusion of body percussion, singing and afro dance

This performance took place in the neighbourhood of Kypseli, on the terrace of a local bookstore called: Literature House. Mc Yinka was inspired by poetry and improvised using rap. He also performed two of his original songs.

The final live action of the all day event was a musical encounter of Greek folk music with, soul, R&B and rap. Eleni Nzanga, Grace Nwoke, Steven Aderinto, and Mc Yinka performed blending seamlessly their distinct musical styles.