CityPlace hosts an inaugural block party, Nina Simone returns to the big screen, and a constitutional expert reminds us how far we’ve come. Plus, jazz phenoms Domi and JD Beck and more in your week ahead.
WEDNESDAY TO SUNDAY
What: Screenings of The Amazing Nina Simone
Where: Lake Worth Playhouse’s Stonzek Theater, 713 Lake Ave., Lake Worth Beach
When: 1 p.m. Wednesday, 6 p.m. Friday, 3 and 5:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday
Cost: $9
Contact: 561/296-9382, lakeworthplayhouse.org
One of the singular figures in the long arcs of both popular music and civil rights, Nina Simone has lost none of her cultural influence since losing her life at 70 in 2003. The North Carolina native with a distinctive contralto voice and a piano style rooted in the classical rigor of J.S. Bach, Simone had all the ingredients for a successful career in jazz—or “Black American music,” in less genre-driven terms—from an early age, forging a career through standards a la Billie Holiday. As a civil rights activist in the 1960s, Simone pivoted to a more militant approach in both politics and music, resulting in fiery bromides such as “Mississippi Goddam” and her unforgettable take on the ‘50s chestnut “Sinnerman.” The Amazing Nina Simone, released in 2015, uncovers myriad facets of the “High Priestess of Soul” through interviews with more than 50 relatives, contemporaries, and academics. Wednesday’s screening will feature a discussion following the film.
THURSDAY
What: CityPlace Community Block Party
Where: Rosemary Avenue in Downtown West Palm Beach, between Fern and Hibiscus streets
When: 4 to 8 p.m.
Cost: Free
Contact: cityplace.com
If you’re looking for a single destination to sample a smoothie shot, consider buying an electric car, and learning about Palm Beach County history all in one place, CityPlace’s inaugural Community Block Party is just such an occasion. A multifaceted showcase of the retail and dining district’s newest and most enduring assets features live entertainment, children’s activities, and culinary samplings from at least eight of its vendors, who are set up in booths in the district’s main drag, which will be closed to vehicular traffic. These include a food collaboration between Fuku and Aioli, the opportunity for personalized denim styling with Evereve, a special Anthropologie pop-up with LOGAN TAY, and an exploration of Rivian’s electric vehicles. Other free food and drink samples will be offered from Pura Vida, Moxie’s, and BuddhaBerry (the latter in collaboration with The Salty Donut). Participating businesses will contribute 10 percent of their event-day proceeds to Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts.
FRIDAY
What: “Created Equal: America’s 250-Year Constitutional Journey”
Where: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at FAU, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton
When: 2 p.m.
Cost: $20
Contact: 561/297-6124, fauevents.com
It was Thomas Jefferson’s most enduring assertion from the Constitution: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal …” All men, and women, of course, were not equal when quill met parchment in 1776 in the former British colonies, but Jefferson’s declaration laid the aspiration that eventually came to fruition over the course of generations and centuries. Constitutional law expert Akhil Reed Amar (pictured above), author of Born Equal: Remaking America’s Constitution, 1840-1920, will explore how legal apparatuses, including the guarantee of birthright citizenship through the Reconstruction Amendments, increased autonomy for more people in the American democratic experiment. As Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University, Amar will present a deep dive into the topics he knows best, and will conclude with a panel discussion that perhaps wraps his insights into today’s constitutional challenges.
What: Opening reception of “Gathering”
Where: Resource Depot, 2508 Florida Ave., West Palm Beach
When: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free ($10 donations appreciated)
Contact: 561/882-0090, resourcedepot.org
This solo exhibition from South Florida artist Kristin Miller is predicated on the universal idea of gathering, which permeates through nature—whether it’s twigs for a nest, clouds in the sky, or people for a celebration. Befitting Resource Depot’s focus on reusability and sustainability, Miller’s mixed-media work utilizes found ephemera in her abstract assemblages of fabric and watercolor on paper, which bridge gaps between two- and three-dimensional art. Be the first to experience the artist’s latest work—she has previously been shown at the Boca Raton Museum of Art and the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County—while enjoying a hands-on art activity and light refreshments. Guitarist Jakob Takos, who performs self-described “sunshine soul” music, will provide additional entertainment. The exhibition runs through Oct. 22.
What: Domi and JD Beck
Where: Culture Room, 3045 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale
When: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $40.85
Contact: 954/564-1074, cultureroom.net
French keyboardist Domitille Degalle and American drummer JD Beck, both still in their early to mid 20s, are nonetheless longtime veterans of their instruments, having started in music at 3 and 5, respectively, earning them status as bona fide child prodigies. Much of the music world has been eager to work with them, and their collaborations speak to a versatility that spans jazz, post-rock, and hip-hop: Herbie Hancock, Snoop Dogg, Mac Demarco and Anderson .Paak, Busta Rhymes. For his interview with them last month, the influential music educator and YouTuber Rick Beato posed the question, “Are these two the future of music?” Domi and JD Beck’s concerts, supporting material from their 2022 debut Not Tight and their latest release WHO ASKED?, feature the musicians/composers as a stripped-down duo whose grooves, swirling textures, and various musical colors often capture the feeling of a full orchestra from their minimal instrumentation.
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