Global African Music Festival Series

Dr. Karlton E. Hester, Artistic Director

The Santa Cruz Global African Music Festival is an annual event that features world-class artists in various genres of Global African Music. The initial festival took place in April 2002 at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and featured artists such as the Eddie Gale Quartet, Hotep Idris Galeta (South Africa), the Sam Rivers Trio, Thomas Mapfumo, Mamadou Diabate (Mali) and Hesterian Musicism with guest artists Obo Addy (Ghana) and Nelson Harrison. The Global African Music Festival Series is part of a larger project proposal entitled Rebuilding Global Community Through the Arts. Another of its sub-components is the Encyclopedia of Global African Music.

Current Festival:

• 2003 (Randy Weston, Dr. Donald Byrd, Ensemble Tartit, Manjou Kone, Henri-Pierre Koubaka, Domu Africans, and other artists and presenters TBA)

Past Festivals:

• 2002 (Twins Seven-Seven, Nelson Harrison, Hotep Galeta, Eddie Gale Quartet, Thomas Mapfumo, Sam Rivers Trio, Mamadou Diabate, Obo Addy, and Hesterian Musicism)
  

During his time as Herbert Gussman Director of "Jazz" Studies at Cornell University (1990 - 2001), Dr. Hester organized 9 annual "jazz" festivals at Cornell University and started the Annual Cornell University "Jazz" Festival series. He brought such renowned artists as McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Cecil Taylor, Steve Turre, Jaki Byard, Randy Weston, Billy Taylor and other artists to the Cornell University campus. The guest artists performed with the students, and presented clinics and lectures. Typically invited guest artists worked directly with the student ensembles for 1 or 2 days prior to the performances, often presenting their own original compositions. Please select one of the links below for an overview of all festivals, or to see the events and guest artists presented for each year.

Past Festivals and Events:

• Overview (1992-2000)
• 2000 (Pamela Wise, Akua Dixon, Adela Dalto, and Hesterian Musicism*)
• 1999 (Randy Weston, Wendell Harrison, Donald Byrd, and Hesterian Musicism)
• 1998 (Billy Taylor Trio, Donald Byrd, Makanda McIntyre, Mike Woods, and Hesterian Musicism)
• 1997 (Steve Turre, Akua Dixon, Samite Mulondo, Charles Tolliver, and Hesterian Musicism)
• 1996 (McCoy Tyner, Wendell Harrison, and Hesterian Musicism)
• 1995 (Toshiko Akiyoshi, Pamela Wise, Nick Mathis, Cecilia Smith, and Hesterian Musicism)
• 1994 (Donald Byrd, Charles Tolliver, Cecil Taylor, and Hesterian Musicism)
• 1993 (Joe Henderson, and Hesterian Musicism)
• 1992 (Jaki Byard, Victor Goines, and Hesterian Musicim)

* Members of Hesterian Musicism between 1994 and 2000 performing at the above events: Karlton E. Hester (Musical Director, flutes, saxophones, synthesizers, composer); George Barron (saxophone); Janet Barron (vocal); Phil Bowler (double bass); Marc Dresser (double bass); Arthur Fuller (percussion); Jamie Baum (flute); Bill Johnson (trumpet, fluegelhorn); Maurice Haltom (percussion); Steve Marra (trap drums); Nick Mathis (vocal); London McDaniel (guitar); Kamau Seitu (percussion); Cecilia Smith (vibraphone); Edward Biko Smith (percussion); Sera Smolen (cello); Patti Weiss (violin).