Colours of Ritual is a multidisciplinary, cross-cultural performance that melds live and pre-recorded music, dance and video incorporating Yoruba chants from the Afro-Brazilian Candomble ceremonies, the trance music of the Gnawa, from Morocco and mystical Sephardic music from North Africa. The performance reveals the sacred, ceremonial and communal nature of the rituals of people of color - COR, the acronym for Colours of Ritual, in Portuguese means 'color' and usually refers to people of color; COR in Latin means Heart. Musical arrangements by Mossa Bildner showcase magnificent invocations, sometimes in the form of a Piyyut (a liturgical poem from the Sephardic Jewish tradition) , sometimes in the form of Jazz, Funk and House Music, which are accompanied by tribal instruments,like the sintir (a 3-stringed instrument precursor to the bass), the kharakeb (metal percussion instruments which evolved into castanets) and drums playing homage to the gods and goddesses of ancient Africa. Innovative costumes designed by Zac Posen lend an otherworldly beauty to the visual component of the performance. The New Media Art created by Feedbuck/ Galore and Mossa Bildner serve as virtual 21st century altars were people sharing a common heritage can contemplate the universality of man's purpose. More info: http://coloursofritual.org
A short collage of exceprts from Mossa Bildner's performance of Michele Blondel's 'Harvest of My Tongue' as part of the Vision/RUCMA Series 2008. Location: Living Theatre NYC, Mar 16 2008.Michele Blondel - authorMossa Bildner - composerCharlie Gerrard - arrangerPersonnel:Hilliard Greene -- bassRoy Campbell -- trumpetRobert Brown -- saxophoneMossa Bildner -- vocalsMichael Wimberley - drumsJorge Amorim -- percussion
The Global Afro Latino & Caribbean Initiative (GALCI) & The Africana Studies Department of Hunter College present Colours of Ritual in Celebration of Black History Month at Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College in Jan 2007.
Video Installation by Mossa Bildner & Feedbuck Galore
