University of New Orleans students Colette Wiliams and Alexey Marti will perform next week at the German embassy of Niedersachsen in Berlin for the “Jazz in the Gardens of the Ministries” music festival.
Williams, an African diaspora dancer, and Marti, an Afro-Cuban percussionist, will serve as cultural ambassadors as they take part in an exhibition of music and dance that focuses on the African roots of Congo Square on October 21. 2011 NEA Jazz Master Delfeayo Marsalis will be one of the featured performers. During its eight-day visit to Germany, the group will also travel to Wolfsburg to perform at the Phaeno Science Center.
Colette Williams is an interdisciplinary studies major in arts education and Africana studies. For the past eight years, she has studied a variety of dance styles and she currently teaches African dance for Kids Play NOLA, a nonprofit organization that brings free arts education to children and young people in New Orleans.
Alexey Marti, a native of Havana, Cuba, is a jazz studies student. Raised in the Afro-Cuban drumming tradition, he has performed in venues and festivals around the world. He performs regularly with Bill Summers, Los Hombres Calientes and his own group, Urban Minds.
“300 years of music and culture will be present in Germany next week,” said festival producer Thomas Gerdiken. “I wanted German audiences to experience the rich history and significance of African music on the development of jazz and blues, while showcasing young, up‐and‐coming talent and the best music that New Orleans has to offer.”