Funk diva Betty Davis to be celebrated at free, 8-hour ‘Wall to Wall Women of Soul’ festival on April 1 – New York Daily News

Betty Davis — the groundbreaking funk diva who influenced a era of genre-defying performers corresponding to Joi, Erykah Badu and Janelle Monae — is among the many checklist of Black feminine singers to be celebrated this weekend throughout a free marathon live performance occasion.

The “Wall to Wall Ladies of Soul” competition, set to happen within the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Area (2537 Broadway, at ninety fifth Road) on April 1, will run from 3 to 11 p.m. and have performances by new and notable artists paying homage to the trailblazers who got here earlier than them.

Each in-person and live-stream tickets are freed from cost.

Music by pioneers corresponding to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Aretha Franklin, Leontyne Worth, Etta James, Mavis Staples, Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige and Chaka Khan shall be offered stay on the occasion by a complete of 70 performers.

Tony Award winner LaChanze, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter J. Hoard, playwright and poet Liza Jessie Peterson, and vocalist Nona Hendryx are amongst these confirmed for the celebration.

Curator and producer Monique Martin says Hendryx — a founding member of iconic Seventies group Labelle — truly got here up with the thought to incorporate Davis within the “Ladies of Soul” lineup.

“I, myself, didn’t know quite a bit about her music… her music was not performed in my dwelling,” she stated of the artist, who died last year at 77. “She was unsung for positive. So I’m actually excited for folks to see how Nona will honor her legacy.”

Martin additionally stated it was a no brainer to work with Symphony Area to make this yr’s competition open to the widest potential attain.

“There’s some considering within the trade that if we do stay streaming [events], folks received’t come they usually’ll keep dwelling. However that’s not true,” she stated, noting that individuals like having decisions now that the pandemic is over.

“I’m comfortable that individuals in all places can see this unimaginable present that includes essentially the most badass unimaginable musicians and poets paying tribute to some actually nice ladies,” she concluded.