Juba’lee Legacy, a multi-media musical extravaganza recorded at Dartmouth’s Alderney Landing Theatre as a finale for African Heritage Month will be featured on Eastlink TV on Saturdays at 8 p.m. during the month of March.
The presentation of the Black Cultural Centre of Nova Scotia and Brookes Diamond Productions will also continue to be streamed for a limited time at Jubalee.ca.
Juba’lee Legacy draws on the original Juba’lee show that was part of the millennium celebrations of 2000 and the long-running Nova Scotia touring production DRUM! Celebrating 400 years of Black heritage in Nova Scotia, the show also highlights a message of inclusivity and anti-racism, and the connections between the region’s founding cultures.
“While this show fits right into the theme of African Heritage Month for this year, I think it is time we celebrate the importance of the diversity that exists in Canada as a country and I think this show does a great job of highlighting that,” said Juba’lee’s executive producer and executive director of the Black Cultural Centre, Russell Grosse in the announcement of the broadcasts.
With a skilled band led by musical director Doris Mason, Juba’lee Legacy features a cast of top Nova Scotia talent including actor/singer Jeremiah Sparks, North Preston’s Reeny Smith and Mahalia Smith, soul powerhouse Dutch Robinson and spoken word artists Allysa Flint and Damini Awoyiga.
The program also includes performances by Mi’kmaq singers Hubert Francis and Trevor Gould, fiddlers Shannon Quinn and Anna Ludlow, Iranian musician Mohammad Sahraei and piper Ryan Fraser, among many others.
Visual elements for the show were created by multimedia artist Wasko AV, using images crafted by celebrated Millbrook artist Alan Syliboy.