“Gregory Stephen Ionman Tate (1957-2021), was an amazing son, brother, father, grandfather, uncle, nephew, cousin – a family man in the deepest African sense. A proud Harlem resident, he was also an invaluable friend, a generous mentor to many, and a gentle giant of Black radical thought and creativity. Please join us for this major celebration of Greg’s life and works.” – The Tate Family
Burnt Sugar/Danz was founded in 2002 by writer/musician/conductor Greg Tate and dancer/choreographer/filmmaker Gabri Christa as a radical melding of Christa’s profound relationship to movement and Tate’s equally rigorous approach to music. The collaboration they formed was rooted in the work of Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber, the sprawling band of virtuosos that Tate founded and co-led – a multi-generational ensemble inspired by Butch Morris’ CONDUCTION system for improvising orchestras. Burnt Sugar/Danz, which made its debut at SummerStage in Central Park that same year, draws upon the cream of the crop in New York City’s music, choreographic, and dance-performance talent to create innovative, never-before-seen works, live, and in real time. Adopting Morris’ baton gestures and hand-sign vocabulary to dance, Burnt Sugar/Danz presents an alchemical blend of spontaneously composed music and choreography. This 20th-anniversary celebration, held in tribute to Tate, includes guest appearances by Harriet Tubman, the avant power trio known for its deep fusion of soul, rock, and jazz; the Resistance Revival Chorus, a collective of more than 60 women and non-binary singers; the Bardo Steppers, a deep-funk second-line procession of drums and horns led by bassist Melvin Gibbs; and DJ Reborn, a trailblazing international DJ, sound collage artist, and arts educator, also the resident DJ for Ms. Lauryn Hill’s world tour and the founder of DJs for Justice.
Programming will kick off at 6:00PM with DJ REBORN and a Bardo Steppers processional.
Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage is one of New York’s most beloved, broadly accessible, free outdoor performing arts festivals. SummerStage presents free concerts in parks throughout the five boroughs. With performances in genres that represent the cultural fabric of New York City ranging from jazz, hip hop, Latin, global, indie and contemporary dance, SummerStage fills a vital niche in New York City’s summer arts festival landscape. Since its inception nearly 40 years ago, more than six million people from New York City and around the world have enjoyed SummerStage.