Dr. Thokozani Mhlambi, a South African cellist and composer, will perform at Auburn Avenue on Saturday, January 13.
The 37-year-old musician from South Africa held an artistic residency at the prestigious Cite internationale des arts in Paris and had his music used as a soundtrack for an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Mhlambi is known for creative thinking when it comes to his performances, often incorporating art with music.
He recently completed an Artistic Fellowship at the University of Bayreuth, Germany, where he spent time composing new music and performing in cities such as Munich and Berlin, as well as collaborating with international musicians. The Atlanta performance will be his first in the city.
“The Atlanta show presents an explosive blend of conventional and nonconventional musical elements through the use of European classical and African traditions,” said Mhlambi in a press release.
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A coloring book celebrating Atlanta hip-hop could be on the horizon. Mekhi Baldwin, a locally based designer, recently created a coloring book featuring hip-hop artists such as Andre 3000, Big Boi, Childish Gambino, Goodie Mob, Gucci Mane, Killer Mike, Lil Nas X, Usher and 15 others.
“The coloring book is not a full representation of hip-hop music in Atlanta but features artists that I’ve enjoyed and who have had an outsized impact on the city,” he said. “I’ve drawn these artists myself using Adobe Photoshop and a Wacom tablet — no A.I., I promise — designed the book and worked with the printer to have them produced.”
To fund the launch for the coloring books, Baldwin has initiated a Kickstarter running through February 16.
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WABE has announced the second season of the original music series Sounds Like ATL, beginning January 27. The 13-episode, multiplatform show features intimate “unplugged-style” musical performances by Atlanta artists from across genres, plus exclusive behind-the-scenes conversations with the featured musicians.
“Atlanta has always been the place for music that breaks boundaries and defies genres,” said WABE Senior Vice President Alison Hashimoto in a press release. “Our goal with Season 2 of WABE Sounds Like ATL is to highlight the diversity of expression coming out of our community and connect audiences, locally and globally, with the musicians who contribute to Atlanta’s reputation as one of the world’s creative capitals.”
To kick off Season 2, WABE Studios and the High Museum of Art are hosting a night of art and live performances on Friday, January 26 at the High.
