Nioka Workman

I am so excited about my new commission. Big thanks to the American Composer's Forum and Karen Charles. I look forward to creating music for Karen's new work Malignant. This piece emanates from Karen Charles' familial experiences with cancer, and the desire to inform people about and connect people to the ever present menace – Cancer. This dance will animate the journey that many take with cancer. Stay tuned!..

A most beautiful, historic library (Newark Public Library), if you are in Newark go in and visit. You will learn a lot. I had the honor of sitting on a very stimulating panel today with Amiri Baraka, Jeff Billingsly, King Downing, Bobby Jackson, Dorthaan Kirk, Gwen Moten and Junius Williams Sr.. We do need to come together and have more open forums....brainstorm on how keep our music alive and flowing.....Thx Sandra & Celeste!

Thanks family and friends for chillin' with us at the BAM Cafe Live 2/2 show featuring the Firey String Sistas!, Camille Thurman & Chris Eddleton! Packed house......It was exciting to share original music with you. We are working on recording soon....we'll need your support......stay tuned :-) xo

A big thank you and shout out to my new friends at the Puffin Cultural Art Forum for inviting the Firey String Sistas!. We had a brilliant time with you..... Family please check this place out if you can. The Puffin Cultural Forum, a project of the Puffin Foundation Ltd., is the gallery and performance space located at the site of the Foundation's administrative offices in Teaneck, New Jersey. Our work takes place at the intersection of the arts and the struggle for human rights as we seek to realize in our local community the Foundation's governing motto: "...continuing the dialogue between art and the lives of ordinary people". We deeply believe in the crucial role that the arts play in shaping our consciousness, and the role of artists as agents of social change.

Still smiling about a fantastic birthday celebration at the wonderful Bed-Stuy Cafe Sista's Place. Firey String Sistas!, E.J. and Antoinette. xo. Thanks for coming out to join us:-) Happy Holidays!!!!

This collection was designed especially for my dance and choreographer friends! TRACES from Mango Girl Publications is available now at CD Baby. Thank you for keeping the music flowing!

Wow what a festival....hats off to producer, artist Nicki Matis for keeping a fantastic music festival; Many Colors of A Woman running for 25 years! Umoja, young female jazz band, off the hook. Antoinette Montague, Nicki Mathias, the all star band and all of the lovely artist... Thanks for inviting the Firey String Sistas! Please support this festival in Hartford, Conn. as much as you can.......many blessings!

A big hug to my string sistas, Marlies, Micheal, Trey, Miho and the powerful young dancers for a second year at the Joffrey. Enjoy 2013!!!!

An incredible evening concert at Lincoln Center Outdoor Bandshell..several great singers in the industry including Melissa Manchester, Nona Hendricks and more. The band with stellar artists including Bernard Purdie and Jay Rodriguez were big fun to play with. Thanks to everyone that came out including my high school buddies! Big shout out to Archie Walker:-) Fantastic job. I am still singing Stoned Soul Picknic!!!!!xo

A relative of mine in conversation told me that he misses being in the service. A Navy Seal...in the Viet Nam War. I wrote this work for him. Military Man is on our CD soon to be released "Iron Blossom" featuring Hui Cox/Nioka Workman Project. (see music on the home page)

The prophet Brother Num's song "I Beg You Please" from his new CD Peace Signs worked so well for strings! Reggae and strings ..with Jazz and Funk........just love it. Tomoko, Jennifer, Kuriko, and Riza you rock! Next show Berkshires:-)

Hey Everyone,

I had the honor of accompanying harpist Riza Printup at a wonderful festival produced by the IWJ. Please support this organization. They are doing great things!


International Women in Jazz (IWJ) is a non-profit organization 501(c)3 and is committed to supporting women jazz artists and related professionals, and to fostering a greater awareness of the diverse contributions women make to jazz,worldwide.Through its programs, IWJ provides information and assistance to its members, thus standing dedicated to actively ensuring a place for women as a vital part of the past, present, and future of Jazz. ContactIWJ: 212 560.7553, www.internationalwomeninjazz.org

Support IWJ Efforts Save the Music. See Fundraising Campaign page. All Donations are Tax Deductible.

Make checks payable to International Women in Jazz
Mail to: International Women in Jazz. Park West Station, P.O.B 20674, New York, NY 10025

Sensual,,,sexual show..very feminine. Yes there were men in the band. Killin' musicians. Thank you for supporting live music from indie artists. Congrats Kelli. The show was sold out in one of my favorite places. Don't wait to buy tixs next time:-) Thanks Gwen, Alva, Angei......dinner was amazing. xo

Wow....a really wonderful experience. Dynamic string players, beautiful energy....fantastic crowd and big blessing from Brother Num..the original DubRastah:-) singing and playing drums! We will play again next month. Hope to see you there.

The coolist way to celebrate your birthday is to perform...okay, being pampered, having your champagne and cake works too! The Workman girls whooped it up at Rockefeller Center, singin', dancin playing, it was a star R& B band. Funk balladtress Angela Workman launched Moonflower, band with songs from her new CD. All in a gold lame dress for Valentine's day.......... don't miss the next show. It will be packed again, but we will save you a seat:-)

The Firey Strings Sistahs were invited to perform at the SMC Cafe last Sunday. What a treat! The pastor looked at me and said; "We are going to have some fun!" She was right. Dinner was delicious. The children did an excellent job serving. We had a big, warm, receptive audience for our Jazz standards. The highlights were Riza Printup's original tune; Along the Way, Charisa Dowe's arrangement of Amazing Grace (she sang and played) and Tomoko Omura's tribute to Micheal Jackson! St. Matthew's AME Church, Darrell, Chris and A&EC does a fantastic job with the children in Queens. There is an Educational Enrichment Program, Afterschool and summer programs that children in Queens can enroll in. The SMC Cafe is a fund raiser for all of these activities. Please visit www.artseducationcontinuum.org to find out more info. Visit www.fireystringscompany.blogspot.com for more info on Firey String Sistahs!

What a cool event hosted by Tom Blunt.....when harpist Riza Printup invited me to play, I did not know what to expect. I vaguely remembered the Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman soaps but the Meet the Lady show really brought me back! Louise Lasser is a very unique actress; sensitive and interesting. I can't wait to see the videos and movies again.....Kudos to Tom Bunt and staff. (Photo Credits Tom Hennings) Thanks Riza!!!!xo

Incredible!!!!!!! Big Congrats to Virginia Luque and Music for Life Org. for the New York Times interview. Also congrats for raising funds for the Children of the Night Foundation. It was a fantastic program for the holidays. Mozart and Danzon...lovely. I look forward to the next one. Cheers

Just a wonderful, creative, fun experience we had with the crew in Minneapolis. Big shout out to the staff, Noel for driving us everywhere,Kurt, Tru, Laurie, Pat, my new friends, Hui and my girl Leslie for an excellent time:-)

St. John's the Divine Church is one of my favorite in NYC.......first thing that hits you is the Frankincense, next are the cavernous ceilings. The Value of Water exhibit is fun. The artists have chosen separate areas of the church to display their work. The plastic bubbles were great, the Keith Herring exhibit was moving, the skulls- very Native American. The Value of Water will be up until March go and check it out if you can. We played for opening event. If you were there Thank you for coming!!!!!!

I can't thank James Keepnews, Gwen Laster and Damon Banks enough for a brilliant day in Cold Springs! The church is sweet. If anyone is lucky enough to be invited....go! See you at the next gig- Chapel of St. John's the Divine Church:-)

Newark, NJ
The Trilogy Opera Company
featuring the work of
Dorothy Rudd Moore

At Howard, Moore studied with Dean Warner Lawson, Thomas Kerr, and Mark Fax, who supported her decision to change her major to composition. The mathematical aspects of music especially appealed to her; she has noted that the logical structure of Bach and the inventiveness of Duke Ellington were both major influences. In fact, Ellington inspired the young composer's first work, "Flight," a solo piano piece that Moore wrote at age sixteen. Howard University's music school had a symphonic wind ensemble contest, which Moore and six male students entered, using pseudonyms as required to eliminate any bias in judging. Her piece, "Reflections of Life," won the competition and was performed in concert. Her Symphony Number One, also written for a student competition at Howard, received the prize and was performed by the National Symphony.

After finishing her studies at Howard, Moore went to France to study with renowned teacher Nadia Boulanger at Fountainebleau. She then returned to the United States, settling in New York City and studying composition with Chou Wen Chung. In New York, she met cellist Kermit Moore; they married in 1964. Their partnership has been described as one of mutual support and inspiration; indeed, Kermit Moore has commissioned and debuted several works by Dorothy Rudd Moore. In 1968 the Moores became founding members of the Society of Black Composers. "We felt that black composers didn't have any recognition," Dorothy Rudd Moore observed in Musical Landscapes in Color. "People now know about many of the [black] composers, and one of the reasons why people know is because of our organization."

Though Moore received a traditional musical education and admired the works of the great classical composers, she also grew up hearing rhythm and blues, jazz, and spirituals, and these have also influenced her work. Several of her song cycles are based on poems by black writers. Weary Blues, a piece for baritone cello and piano, is set to a poem by Langston Hughes. From the Dark Tower, a cycle of eight songs for mezzo-soprano, cello, and piano that was commissioned by Kermit Moore, sets to music poems by James Weldon Johnson, Arna Bontemps, Herbert Clark Johnson, Langston Hughes, and Countee Cullen. Moore has called the piece her "black power statement," in reference to the pain and anger she felt at pervasive racism and class privilege. "You want to put out positive energies," she commented. "With all the turmoil that was going on then, I knew that I wouldn't go out, pick up a gun, and kill somebody or anything like that, even though I was very sympathetic to a group like the [Black] Panthers...I made my statement in this way...I do not write music in a vacuum, but I was thinking that communicating my ideas and emotions about the world would make a difference."

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/dorothy-moore#ixzz1SCkgtyw8


I am a sub with this company. The singers are 'off the hook' as we in the hood say:-)

Thank Hui and Melodie for a beautiful video tribute to Frank Foster's music. (see YouTube link on gallery page)

Thanks everyone for coming out to Thelma Hill's Anniversary yesterday a Kumble Theater. It's always a pleasure working with Marlies Yearby. What a beautiful tribute to her mother! You go girl:-)

All of my years as a "New Yorker", I have never visited the Intrepid before. I do have military and ex-military men in my family. Memorial Day always meant BBQs and family fun.......I just played a classical trio gig on the Intrepid....very interesting venue......very somber ceremony for the soldiers past and present. It was quite a wake up call.....Anyway thanks Bounce...Gwen...Swag:-)

This place is Amazing! Please check it out if you can. To play in one of the rooms is an unforgettable experience, Thanks John, John, Carol and my new violinist friend:-)

We are working on an incredible new CD. I can't wait until you hear it...we are working on a sampler for 2011....stay tuned:-)

Never played at Crash Mansion before.....It's a nice little spot...Saundra and Jo created a really great atmosphere for the Carribean Soul Sessions , but the high point for me was playing with Num, Dub, Hui and the band......love dance world music. I hope all of my friends come back to dance with us next time! Peace and Blessings Num:-)

Avery Brooks has just released a long awaited CD called "HERE", with arrangements by Craig Harris. The 'partaay' happened last Friday at the Black National Theater (great place for any celebration) Avery's voice is just spectacular.....deep and rich and when he sings it becomes imprinted into your soul. Mr. Harris and the creator have an incredible master plan..... I am not sure people have experienced yet.....CD is available now!

Another treasure of Harlem is, the LonGar Ebony Ensemble lead by soprano Roberta Long (who proudly tells you that she is a strong and dynamic 89yrs of age), percussionist Yvonne Garner and violist Crystal Garner, these three women produced a very unique African-American tribute to President Obama at Symphony Space 11/22/10. The program consist of an opening ceremony with Babatunde Don Eaton and Jasmine Morris and continued on with orchestral suites- Freedom Suite (Edward Boatner), Fredome, Freedom (Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson....one of my fav.composers...what!) and Journey to Freedom (Julius Williams-professor of composition at Berklee College of Music). This is a very special treat, particularly for those who enjoy new music by African-American composers....try to catch this ensemble in action.

Violinist Gwen Laster and I will be playing at The Tea Series @Theaterlab on Nov. 14th at 2p for a double joint birthday celebration, cake , tea and music ......Firey String Sistah's doing it again!

A huge hug and kiss to my family and friends for coming out and 'whooping' it up! It was beautiful......stay tuned for more Firey String Sistah's in the summer. with the beautiful cellist Nicole Verderoso......cheers!