Sankofa Strings (Special Event)

Sankofa Strings (Sule Greg Wilson, Rhiannon Giddens and Dom Flemons) explore the world of the black string band. Before the Blues--and electricity--turned the world of popular music upside-down in the early 20th Century, communities made their own music, playing for parties, dances, corn shuckings, funerals, baby namings and you-name-it. The power to create was in the people's hands. Black string bands--a nearly forgotten legacy--played for frolics, parades, square dances, and were vital parts of their people's lives, into the 1950s.Sankofa Strings is a trio of African American artists in love with self-made music. Armed with fiddles and banjos, bones and drums, Sankofa Strings finds that "Old Time" sound, rejuvenates it, and makes it live again. Their repertoire explores the full breadth of the string and vocal traditions of the Americas, Africa and Europe: string band standards, classic and country blues, hokum and anonymous folk songs, Celtic ballads, West African melodies and more. "Sankofa" is an Akan (West African) concept of knowledge, spirit and history. Literally, it means to "Look back, and Retrieve." It is a reminder that true progress does not abandon the past, but constantly draws upon the works and wisdom of those who came before.The concert will be filmed by a crew who are making a documentary on jug band music.Admission is $20, but $15 for members of FSGW, Baltimore Folk Music Society, Archie's Barbershop Music Society, DC Blues Society, members of the Seekers Church, Oberlin alumni, and also all students. Sankofa Strings will also be providing the music for the FSGW Dance at Glen Echo's Spanish Ballroom on Sunday, February 26.