Daniel Bernard Roumain’s DBR Lab
Featuring Malena Grosz, Adele Etheridge Woodson, Jedd “Rellian” Greenhalgh, Lady Caress, Sarah “Saza” Kent, and Jordan Klitzke
With a post-performance discussion moderated by composer and National Sawdust Co-founder and Artistic Director Paola Prestini
6pm doors • 7pm show
About
Daniel Bernard Roumain presents DBR Lab. As a 2018-2019 Curator, Daniel Bernard Roumain highlights the composer’s role as mentor in the premiere of these climactic new works.
Known for his signature violin sounds infused with myriad electronic and urban music influences, Daniel Bernard Roumain understands the influence mentorship can have on one’s composition. While attending high school he played in jazz orchestras which backed such American music icons as Dizzy Gillespie and Ray Charles. After graduation, DBR studied under Pulitzer Prize winning composer William Bolcom. These experiences have gone on to inspire projects like DBR Lab.
DBR Lab is a collective and experience in which contributors, working side by side with Daniel Bernard Roumain, design musical, spoken word, beat boxed, theatre, and dance pieces that are published, performed and toured. Throughout the development process DBR Lab members meet and have creative conversations with established artists in the field including luminaries such as Helga Davis, Ron K Brown, Martha Gonzalez, members of Anda Union, Skyler Badenoch (CEO of the Hope for Haiti Foundation) and many more.
DBR Lab is managed by Malena Grosz and works in close collaboration with SOZO Artists. The program is currently in residence at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University.
Don’t miss this incredible debut of burgeoning artistic talents nurtured by one of the great minds of today!
Daniel Bernard Roumain, composer and violinist
Malena Grosz, artist and producer
Adele Etheridge Woodson, composer and performer
Jedd “Rellian” Greenhalgh, composer and performer
Lady Caress, performance poet
Sarah “Saza” Kent, choreographer and dancer
Jordan Klitzke, choreographer and dancer
Tickets
The Artists
Daniel Bernard Roumain’s acclaimed work as a composer, performer, educator, and activist spans more than two decades, and he has been commissioned by venerable artists and institutions worldwide. “About as omnivorous as a contemporary artist gets” (New York Times), Roumain is perhaps the only composer whose collaborations include Philip Glass, Bill T Jones, Savion Glover, and Lady Gaga.
Known for his signature violin sounds infused with myriad electronic and urban music influences, Roumain takes his genre-bending music beyond the proscenium. He has won an Emmy for Outstanding Musical Composition for his work with ESPN, been featured as a keynote performer at technology conferences, and written large-scale, site-specific music for public spaces. Roumain earned his doctorate in music composition from the University of Michigan, is currently Institute Professor and Professor of Practice at Arizona State University, and is creating the musical score for The Just and The Blind, a collaboration with BAMUTHI commissioned by Carnegie Hall.
For over 10 years, nationally recognized poet Lady Caress has dedicated her life to the art of communication as both a poet and public speaker. As a National Poetry Champion in 2010 at Pi Kappa Delta, Lady Caress has designed and executed public speaking and poetry workshops for various organizations. She has been featured at over 150 colleges and universities all over the country with her unique beatbox storytelling show. Seen on BET at the 365 Black Awards and Season 4 of Verses and Flow on TVOne, Lady Caress is truly a dynamic performer.
Adele Etheridge Woodson is a junior music major at ASU. She has actively practiced music for thirteen years, composing, playing violin, and collaborating. In her first semester at university, Adele composed and performed in her own solo show. Since then, she has completed several large projects, including a sound installation for an art museum, a London internship, performances in Nashville, and a hip-hop string quartet.
Sarah “Saza” Kent is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of EPIK Dance Company (est 2007), a group of artists who combine street and concert dance styles with elements of hip-hop theatre, spoken word, media, and song to tell stories and spread a message. She received her MFA in Dance from ASU and travels nationally choreographing, teaching, performing, and emceeing.
As an MFA candidate in theatre, arts entrepreneurship, and management at ASU, Malena Grosz’s research explores the intersection between underground party culture and creative community development. She is launching the Party Pro Toolkit, which shares best practices and stories through podcast interviews with party professionals in New York, Detroit, and Phoenix. Malena aims to cultivate community through creative nightlife experiences, creating a platform and safe space for expression, collaboration and celebration.
Always fascinated by subconscious communication, Jordan Klitzke researches the human experience through choreography, teaching, and dramaturgy. He received his MFA in dance from ASU and was recently executive director/company manager of Ate9 for the 2018–19 season. Jordan holds a BA in Biology from Gustavus Adolphus College and studied at the Professional School of Dance in Mazatlán, México. He was the resident choreographer of the National Contemporary Ballet of Ecuador in 2015–16, and continues to travel to Latin America for choreographic and cultural exchange projects.
Jedd “Rellian” Greenhalgh is an award-winning classical composer and violinist turned pop artist, songwriter, producer, DJ, and LGBTQIA+ activist. His debut album I Am Not Sorry features beats, lyrics, and performances made entirely of his own design, with a stylistic combination of elements from top 40 pop, electro/house rap, and music of the runway.
