It’s been 50 years since the historic elections of mayor Carl Stokes and congressman Louis Stokes. To celebrate that landmark event, emcee Chen Lo and Cleveland poet, author, speaker will serve as creative director and community leader Basheer Jones will perform as part of in Soul Science Lab’s Soundtrack ’63, a live, multimedia musical performance and “artistic retrospective” presented by University Hospitals.

The show features “a wide array of popular spirituals, protest songs, hip-hop, jazz, funk, soul and popular 20th century music prior to, during, and following the revolutionary year 1963.”

Musical director Asanté Amin will conduct the 18-piece orchestra and dynamic vocal chamber.

The event will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15, at the Cuyahoga Community College Metropolitan Campus Auditorium. Admission is free but RSVPs are requested.

Youtube video

This article appears in Aug 23-29, 2017.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.