Tribe UNCOVERED- A Reinterpretation of A Tribe Called Quest, Turner Hall Ballroom, 1/20/17

photo by Stephen Bloch

Music is a great uniter.  Regardless of age, race, gender, religion, or social-economic class, music can make us move, groove and rejoice in a way that no other medium can.  Music in many ways separates us from the animals, as we can dance, bop, sway, smile and simply bask in its glory like no other species on the planet.

Good music proved to be the ultimate vehicle to unite people when the Alverno Presents "Uncovered" series made its triumphant return on a relatively balmy Southeastern Wisconsin Friday evening. Moving from the Pittman Theater on Alverno's campus to the Turner Hall Ballroom in downtown Milwaukee seemed like a wise and progressive choice.   With a strong crowd in attendance, Tribe UNCOVERED delivered an evening of unique performances from some of Milwaukee's hottest musicians.  

Curated by Klassik, and produced by esteemed Alverno Presents arts aficionado, David Ravel, Tribe UNCOVERED showcased the vibrant musical arts scene in Milwaukee. Klassik, an experimental hip-hop/r&b performer, curated the performance and held down the lion's share of the vocals for the evening.  Joining Klassik, was an all-star cast of fellow Milwaukee stand out musicians such as: Jay Anderson and Foreign Goods, X, Somata, Chris Rosneau, WTCA, AR Wesley, DJ Jordan "Mathatter" Lee, Old Man Malcolm, Deb.On.Air, Mike Regal, Strehlow and Christopher Gilbert, among others.

photo by Will Piper

At the heart of the performance was the emphasis the musicians had on recreating the dynamic samples and grooves that drove the music of A Tribe Called Quest, but with a unique touch, paying homage to Milwaukee. The band assembled by Klassik was white hot from the opening moments of the evening.  "Excursions" kicked off the show with masterful interplay between the singers, MCs, deejays and house band.  Jay Anderson's saxophone solos and grooves soared throughout the evening,  Other highlights included Chris Roseneau's compelling guitar work as a backdrop for Klassik' vocals on "Electric Revolution," the lyrical interplay between the MCs on "Can We Kick It" and the jammed out rendition of "Jazz (We've Got It)."  The show culminated with all performers on stage for a roaring rendition of "Scenario."

Reinterpreting A Tribe Called Quest proved to be a very natural task for Klassik and his ensemble, creating a remarkable night of music bringing community together.    

Check out the video below of Scenario:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mWvYu2ebCw&feature=youtu.be