Strike a Light are pleased to announce a new Black History Month project: Hidden Beach at the De La Warr with Yaaba Funk

Hidden Beach

For this new Black History Month 2021 project, Strike a Light are partnering with Hidden Beach, a Black and Minority Ethnic Hastings based music event production company to present Yaaba Funk and a day of events on 16th October 2021

Hidden Beach have a ten-year track record for staging African and Caribbean heritage music events around Hastings and Rother. Hidden Beach are producing two music events at the De La Warr Pavilion linked with celebrating Black History Month this October 2021.

With Strike a Light – Arts & Heritage, Hidden Beach, and manager Remi Vibesman have been invited by the De La Warr Pavilion to contribute to the diversity and inclusion of their programming. A recent Hidden Beach event on July 10th, 2021, at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill was a day long festival featuring a tribute to Fela Kuti the respected Nigerian political activist, band leader and composer who developed Afrobeat. It featured his band member Dele Sosimi & invited friends, and the event also featured the music of Cuban Buena Vista Social Club band with the Sambroso Noda & The Cuban All Stars.

Also, this year Hidden Beach have taken part in many local community engagement events supporting diversity and inclusion; Hastings Sanctuary Festival, Hastings Rocks, Hastings Pride, Frock up Friday, Rock against Racism.

Hidden Beach are planning a major festival next year “United Colors of Rhythm” featuring 10 bands and DJ events plus linked in diverse cultural events. Hidden Beach are developing audience development and inclusion events as a key part of future planning. Black History Month at the De La Warr with Yaaba Funk – This Yaaba Funk inclusion event is the start of this programme.

Black History Month at the De La Warr with Yaaba Funk

As we are emerging from the Covid pandemic it is increasingly clear that our society is more polarised and riven by divisions in culture, class ethnicity than ever. The Black Lives Matter movement became prominent during the pandemic, and this has opened a channel to challenging existing structures and supporting change. Therefore, this year, Black History Month it is more important than ever. We need to celebrate, share and educate, the importance and contribution that African Caribbean culture makes to our society to the widest possible audience.

Our Black History inclusion event builds on developing this music event Yaaba Funk at the award winning De La Warr, Bexhill. Strike a Light- Arts & Heritage will extend this event into the day by offering story telling and drumming workshops.

Book the event here! https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hiddenbeach-gw-jazz-present-yaaba-funk-live-afrobeat-hilife-tickets-165116990363?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&fbclid=IwAR1R8vU7_SsPmMqOcLrVQjaCF9AfCcmu2OOHpI8ivjES5gz55CjnGsfap-g

Our activities on Saturday 16th October 2021 include:

  1. Free for families- Storytelling (two sessions 1 hour each)
    Helen Macdonald (Yaaba Funk bandmember) performs her play with musical accompaniment of three jazz musicians about Billie Holiday, Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald called “Time Travelling with the Jazz Queens”.

Helen has done Storytelling with Yaaba Funk many times over the years including for the Sparks Children Festival. Story telling is a classic way to include children and the next generation in understanding different cultures. Up to 100 people.

More info: https://www.designmynight.com/london/whats-on/live-music/time-travelling-with-the-jazz-queens-by-helen-mcdonald

  1. Free for age 11 upwards- Drumming workshops led by Yaaba Funk (two sessions 1 hour long)
    The music of Yaaba Funk music is joyous and celebratory and great for dancing. The genre of popular funky afro fusion can have a wide appeal to a diverse range of ages, types of background and ethnicity.

Yaaba Funk grew from the 90’s and influenced from the music of Northern Ghana and current line up from 2006 have played widely around London and nationwide festivals. Up to 50 people.

More info: http://www.yaabafunk.com/wordpress/

  1. Reduced price ticket targeted at workshop participants and local youth projects.
    Hidden Beach will make 50 tickets available half price which will be distributed specifically to include people who otherwise could not attend this event because of barriers of price and also cultural unfamiliarity. These will be people who have attended the drumming workshop and youth projects and accessibility groups we are associated with. The aim is to broaden and diversify the audience for this and coming African Caribbean cultural events.

“Yaaba Funk starts with highlife, the more upbeat (and guitar-led) Ghanaian dance style, and brings in James Brown grooves, Sun Ra jazz, Parliament-Funkadelic jams, and more than a hint of mind-altering dub. Coming out of London’s multi-cultural Brixton neighbourhood, Yaaba Funk made its name at parties, dance clubs and festivals, mixing showmanship and social activism with a spirit of fun, recalling the 2-Tone movement of 30-some years ago and the Swinging London scene of the ’60s” Other Music Review

This event takes place at the De La Warr Pavilion the most prestigious cultural venue in Hasting and Rother and arguably the Southeast. This is therefore a great opportunity to present and showcase family friendly and inclusive African Caribbean culture.

Thank you to Chalk Cliff Trust for funding this project.

Chalk Cliff Trust