5/1/21 O&A NYC SATURDAY MORNING CONCERT: Otis Redding (1966)

During the 1966 Stax/Volt European Tour Otis Redding was asked to host a very special episode of the teen dance show, Ready, Steady, Go! Continue reading

5/30/20 O&A NYC SATURDAY MORNING CONCERT: Otis Redding (1966)

Otis Redding, while visiting Europe for the very first time as part of the Stax/Volt tour, is asked to host a very special episode of The teen dance show, Ready, Steady, Go! The rest is history. Featuring Chris Farlowe and Eric Burdon (of The Animals).
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11/28/17 O&A NYC DANCE: Ailey Company To Dance George Faison’s Suite Otis At Gala

By Walter Rutledge

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will present an excerpt of George Faison’s masterwork Suite Otis at their New York City Center season opening night gala, Wednesday, November 29 2017. Choreographed in 1971 for the George Faison Universal Dance Experience the work joined the Ailey repertoire in 1977. 40 years after it’s Ailey debut Suite Otis continues to excite and entertain audiences with verve, aplomb, fleet footed technique and imaginative Archimedean storytelling.

The company will perform the finale section set to Otis Redding’s Tenderness. The full cast section reintroduces the dancers creating a visually exciting yet compelling epilog. Throughout the work Faison (the imperial storyteller) does what every choreographer should do- invites us into his vision and delivers with clarity, focus and impeccable choreographic timing.

Balletomanes still long for the return of old fashion honest storytelling- the hallmark of Ailey’s original company. In Suite Otis Faison’s articulate use of the dance narrative genre captures the majesty and universal humanity of both Otis Redding’s music and the black dance experience. This gave him a voice in an era when Black American dance and culture had started to becoming a global  force.

Suite Otis- George Faison

What Faison did (and continues to do) is to keep the dance/theatre aesthetic in the forefront of the arts conversation. Tenderness will be performed for one performance only on Wednesday, November 29 for tickets and a complete schedule of the five-week New York City season visit ailey.org.

11/27/16 O&A NYC SUNDAY AFTERNOON JAZZ CONCERT: Otis Redding, Sam & Dave- Live at Monterery Pop Festival 1967

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Otis Redding, and Sam & Dave perform live at the 1967 Monterery Pop Festival.
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