(E) Don’t miss out on our new concert series “Global @ Deichmanske” – in an old and beautiful library in the heart of Grünerløkka – presenting music from around the world. Virtuoso musicians Javid Afsari Rad and Kaveh Mahmudiyan got a standing ovation when inaugurating the season opening with music rooted in classical Persian traditions.
Next concert brings a totally different but unique style: We proudly present Sheldon Blackman unplugged! He’s music is deep and thought provoking and at the same time uplifting and irresistably danceable. His songs defy genre, but have been described by Sheldon as “reggae and calypso meet jazzy blues”.
September 10 @ Deichmanske bibliotek, Grünerløkka, Schous plass 10 / 2 pm / free entry
Sheldon Blackman ble født inn i den musikalske kongefamilien i Trinidad & Tobago. Hans far, Ras Shorty I, skapte den nasjonale musikalske stilen Soca og grunnla familiebandet The Love Circle. Sheldon tok over ledelsen av bandet da hans far gikk bort, samt startet en solokarriere som i dag har en katalog på fem studioalbum utgitt over en tiårsperiode. Blant disse finner vi de to siste “Up Close” og “Håp” som ble spilt inn med hans norgesbaserte backingband The Soul Rebels. “Håp” reflekterer Sheldons særlige fremtidstro på mennesket, som har en tendens til å smitte over på publikum. Dypest sett speiler hans musikk den unike mangfoldige kulturen og musikalske arven som er utviklet i Trinidad & Tobago, som en del av den koloniale fortiden og med uttrykk som har utviklet seg fra urfolk og ankomsten av europeere, afrikanere, indere og kinesere, hver folkegruppe med sin egen kultur.
I de siste fem årene har Sheldon vært bosatt i Oslo hvor han har satt opp en av byens mest dynamiske og spennende scene – Open Xpressions – som fungerer som en arena for utveksling av kunstneriske og karrieremessige erfaringer mellom artister, showcaser og performancer med nye og etablerte artister.
Sheldon har også dukket opp i musikalske teaterproduksjoner som i Nordic Black Theatres “The Harder They Come”, basert på den klassiske Jamaicanske filmen, “Legends” – et stykke som hyller Bob Marley og Peter Tosh og i musikalen “Hair” i Trondheim. Etter å ha tilbrakt noen måneder i Trinidad i 2014 og 2015 beveget Sheldon seg mot sine distinkte Soca-røtter, inviterte bandet over fra Oslo til nyinnspillinger – resultatet vil bli utgitt i løpet av året.
(E)
Sheldon Blackman never fails to make people dance, sing along and feel uplifted! Sheldon was born into the musical royal family of Trinidad & Tobago. His father, Ras Shorty I, created the national musical style of Soca and founded the family band The Love Circle. After his father passed on, Sheldon led the Love Circle as well as starting his own solo career. Over the last decade Sheldon has released five albums, the two most recent are “Up Close” an acoustic album, and “Hope”, which was made with his Oslo backing band, The Soul Rebels. “Hope” reflects Sheldon’s very positive belief in the future of mankind, love and human nature. Reflected in the music is the unique diverse culture and musical heritage developed in Trinidad &Tobago as part of its colonial past. It has evolved from it’s indigenous peoples and the arrival of Europeans, Africans, Indians and Chinese, each with their own culture .
For the last five years Sheldon Blackman has been a resident of Oslo, where he has set up one of the town’s most dynamic and exciting open stage project called “Open Xpressions”. The project includes information and discussion forums for aspiring artists, showcases for established artists and an open stage for artists of all kinds.
Sheldon has also appeared in musical theatre productions in Oslo. Nordic Black Theatre’s “The Harder They Come” based on the classic Jamaican film. “Legends” – a theatre tribute to Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, and a long running production of the musical “Hair” in Trondheim. After spending some months in Trinidad in 2014 and 2015, Sheldon is making moves towards his Soca roots. His band and sound engineer spent two weeks with him in Trinidad recording and performing and are looking forward to release soca inspired material in 2016.
