PUTNEY-Next Stage Arts, 15 Kimball Hill, presents “Race & Song: A Musical Conversation,” by veteran musicians and storytellers Pamela Means and Alastair Moock, Saturday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m.
Race & Song is an exploration of history and current events “through the lens of race, using music as both catalyst and connective tissue,”described organizers in a news release. Drawing on their long-standing friendship, Means and Moock invite audiences into thoughtful, generous conversations about race, class, gender, and history “grounded in lived experience and brought vividly to life through song, storytelling, and images.”
In musical dialogue, Means and Moock share personal narratives alongside historical and family photos, weaving together songs such as “Wade in the Water,” “Freight Train,” “It’s a Mighty Long Way,” “This Little Light of Mine,” and Moock’s original “Be a Pain.” These songs — and the stories behind them — offer historical context while amplifying the artists’ individual perspectives, said organizers, “reminding audiences that music has always been a powerful vehicle for truth-telling and connection.”
Over the past several years, Means and Moock have brought “Race & Song” to audiences across the country, performing in theaters, houses of worship, libraries, senior centers, and schools — from elementary classrooms to colleges and universities. A hallmark of the program is the duo’s ability to meet audiences where they are, creating space for reflection, curiosity, and shared humanity.
Means says she has been compared to Tracy Chapman and Ani DiFranco, described as a cross between Suzanne Vega and Jimi Hendrix, and hailed as an heir to the legacy of Nina Simone. Curve magazine calls her “one of the fiercest guitar players and politically rooted musicians in the industry today.”
Moock is an award-winning singer-songwriter, Grammy-nominated, family musician, social justice and songwriting educator, and co-founder of the Opening Doors Project. The Boston Globe calls him “one of the town’s best and most adventurous songwriters,” and The Washington Post says, “every song is a gem.”
Doors open at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and $10 for livestream access at nextstagearts.org.
This performance is part of the Voices Rising series by the Opening Doors Project. Race & Song is funded in part by the New England Foundation for the Arts through the New England States Touring program, made possible with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the six New England state arts agencies.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.