J Otis Powell

One of the very cool things about the Late Night series at the Dakota Jazz Club in downtown Minneapolis is its experimental nature. With the “prime time” sets typically offering high profile mainstream acts, the gloves come off at 11:30 pm and some of the region’s most innovative artists take the stage. Such is the case when Pangea World Theater presents The Ways Ensemble on August 4^th. Bringing “words, jazz and razzamatazz at the intersection of stories,” the ensemble appearing at the Dakota features storyteller Beverly Cottman, saxophonist Rene Ford, drummer Steve Hirsh, Tom Kanthak, spoken word artist Mankwe Ndosi, poet J. Otis Powell, bassist Michael O'Brien, and dance educator/choreographer Kenna Sarge. Photographer/broadcaster Bill Cottman and dancer Roxanne Wallace are also members of the full ensemble.

The Ways Ensemble is a group of multidisciplinary artists working toward an evening-length performance to be presented by Pangea World Theater this Fall as part of a performance art initiative known as Bridges. Using Open Space Technology to collaboratively create work for the stage, the Dakota gig will be a preview of the final work, serving as a cultivation for material for the full performance in October. Ten artists (including those performing on August 4^th) will explore and develop storylines and compose scenarios for a program using a theme of “Rivers” as a point of departure. When this same ensemble performed at Pangea a year ago, one ensemble member asked, “Are we remounting the same show?” The response-- “It's never the same river twice my brother,” became the basis for the River theme. This method of creating work is innovative, risky and democratic.

The Ways Ensemble

Beverly Cottman

Rene Ford is a Texas composer/performance artist. His work is about capturing the moment of creativity through jazz improvisation and collaboration with artists willing to freely blend their aesthetics with his. Heavily influenced by John Coltrane and Sun Ra, Ford has recorded a unique blend of free jazz and beat poetry Twin Cities’ artists J. Otis Powell, Mankwe Ndosi, Alicia Wiley, Jeff Bailey, Kevin Washington and Eliezar Frites-Santos entitled Unsentimental.

Steve Hirsh © Andrea Canter

Tom Kanthak

Mankwe Ndosi

Michael O’Brien studied bass with Anthony Cox and West African and Haitian percussion with Marc Anderson, earning a BA in Spanish at the University of Minnesota. Over the years he has appeared with a wide range of artists including Gene Pitney, Dave King, David Binney, The Jazz Mandolin Project, Peter Ostroushko, Christian Howes, Stephanie Nakasian, Roseanna Vitro, Bruce Henry, Harry Connick, Jr., Laura Caviani, Electropolis, Clay Moore, Kelly Rossum, Connie Evingson, and Prudence Johnson.

Michael O’Brien © Andrea Canter

J. Otis Powell works as a poet (writer), media producer, performance artist, producer and curator of performance events, arts administrator, educator and consultant in the Twin Cities. Trained from early childhood as an actor, Powell worked for two decades in black and conventional theater, film and television. J. Otis received his undergraduate degree in television production from Alabama A&M University where he minored in philosophy. He has published two books of his poetry, Theology (Traffic Street Press) and My Tongue Has No Bone (Porter Publishing), and numerous anthologies and in magazines. A recipient of a McKnight Fellowship and several Jerome grants, Powell was a founding producer on the award winning Write On Radio!, the Twin Cities literary connection at KFAI-FM in Minneapolis. He also worked as Communities’ Liaison & Program Director for Interdisciplinary Collaborations at The Loft Literary Center, the nation's most comprehensive independent literary organization.

Kenna Sarge

Pangea World Theater is committed to international works, styles and traditions that illuminate the human condition, end divisiveness and celebrate differences. Such will be the celebration when jazz meets dance and poetry at the Dakota, late on Saturday, August 4^th, with the preview performance of The Ways Ensemble.

The Dakota is located at 1010 Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis; www.dakotacooks.com. The Late Night series begins at 11:30 pm with a $3 cover.

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