Featured photo: Kevin Collins and Friends play every Tuesday night at the Flint Development Center. Shown l to r: Kyle Canjar and Rich Small on guitar, Oscar DeLeon on Percussion, James Bryant plays bass, guest Al Smith on drums, Zeg Hill on sax, guest Blu Mykals also on sax, Sherwood Pea , sax and Nick Pena plays horns and everything else.
Story and photos by L. M. Land
The one-year anniversary of Baba Kevin Collins and Friends playing primarily jazz at the Flint Community Development Center (the old Bunche Elementary) is Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Currently beginning at 8 p.m, a lineup of the Flint area’s finest musicians plays until 10ish.
You don’t have to live in the north end to attend, but it is so refreshing to have good live music close to home. It is a safe environment to hang out, meet friends, eat good tacos and hear positive music. Admission is $5. Doors open at 7:30, the show starts at 8 p.m., and you can order tacos until the band is done playing.
Collins told the Courier that of his one-year journey “it has been a pleasure, but also with challenges.” It started with only a few people in attendance, and now over 60 people come to listen. Collins explained he has been “Watching it, nurturing, planning and putting it together and having some help from the community, helping us get it involved and getting it out there.”
Another challenge was “getting the music right, making sure we had the right musicians” according to Collins. The core musicians selected are Baba Collins on percussion, Rich Small on guitar, James Bryant playing bass, Sherwood Pea and Zeg Hill on sax and Nick Pena playing horns and everything else except keyboards, which are currently played by Steve Boone.
“I want to create something that is kind of different.” explained Collins. “It’s in the beginning of the week, you know, it’s a day that most people say, ‘Oh, I’m not going to be able to go out, or that’s too late for me.’”
“We also like to welcome musicians to come in,” said Collins, “because this area has a significant amount of talent when it comes to our musicians.”
Gwen Pennyman-Hemphill will sing if she’s in the house. Tracy Triplett has joined in, as well as Phillip Young and Marc Nunn. Guest musicians are unplanned so there is always a pleasant surprise every Tuesday.
Several technical upgrades have been made in the last year. The sound system is updated and there are sound engineers and video live streaming to NYC and around the world. In the works is a channel that locals can also access to watch from home.
“Our organization, the African Drum and Dance Association, are trying to present something that is beautiful culture for the community. It’s a community event where you can come in, you can enjoy yourself, you can have clean fun, and you don’t have to be here all night. I tell everybody, ‘support local musicians”.
Other musical treats are planned for summer.
Collins has many more musical projects planned to keep you listening all summer long. As he explained: “My job is to serve the north end of Flint”.
Projects in the works are:
A Summer Music Festival in Max Brandon Park, featuring various artists and styles of music.
Children’s summer program for six weeks beginning June 20. The summer program is free, 8:30am – 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday
Cossan Festival on June 25 featuring West African master dancer Marie Wells plus others for workshops and a concert.
On September 16 will be an African Ball at Genesys Banquet Center! Wear your African attire and join in!!
November 11-13 is the annual Kuungana Dance and Drum workshops conference.
November 12 is the annual Kuungana Concert.
An after-school programs for children to learn to play musical instruments is free to attend.
Kuungana dance and drumming for all ages continues. Classes are free.
Baba Collins is also currently recording two CDs. One is jazz, and one is West African percussion.
Baba Collins is also honored to teach and perform this summer for very special artists for the Emerging Young Artists with Disabilities Program (VSA) at the John F. Kennedy Center in Boston, Massachusetts.
To keep up to date on all the events, see http://www.addpaflint.org/events or Facebook: Kuungana African Drum and Dance Company.
