Freedom Center’s Textural Rhythms event melds jazz, art, and networking

While checking out the Freedom Center’s latest exhibit, Textural Rhythms: Quilting the Jazz Tradition, attendees can enjoy hors d’oeurves, guest speakers, and the jazz stylings of Premium Blend. The event is sponsored by the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.  The event is June 24th in the Freedom Center’s Grand Hall, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.Jeremy K. Smith, a member Mayor Mallory’s Young Professional’s Kitchen Cabinet, collaborated with Freedom Center staffers Charles Davis and Jackie Wallace to plan the evening. Networking is key to Smith’s vision for Textural Rhythms. “I wanted to bring together some organizations that don’t typically work together,” said Smith. Co-sponsors include Mayor Mallory’s YPKC, the League of United Latin American Citizens-Cincinnati, 100 Black Men of Greater Cincinnati, and the National Black MBA Association, Cincinnati Chapter.Smith notes that many quilters find pattern inspiration by listening to jazz as they work. Attendees will find similar inspiration in the sounds of Dayton-based Premium Blend, a popular regional performing group that combines jazz with R&B and rock.WCPO’s Jennifer Moore will emcee. Guest speaker Dr. Tammy L. Kernodle, Associate Professor of Musicology at Miami University, specializes in music of Africa and the African diaspora; her presentation will highlight the connections between quilting and jazz music, and the significance of each in the African-American community. Admission is $20; please visit here to purchase tickets. Textural Rhythms: Quilting the Jazz Tradition runs June 15-August 14 at the Freedom Center.For more information go here.Writer: Elena StevensonSource: Jeremy K. Smith, Mayor Mallory’s Young People’s Kitchen Cabinet