Obasi Akoto and Band Shine at Caton Castle for Contemporary Arts Fundraiser
It was a festive night at Caton Castle on Saturday Dec. 7th for the fundraiser concert for Contemporary Arts, Inc., featuring Obasi Akoto. Red poinsettia bouquets graced tables covered in black tablecloths, and guests were dressed in their finest, enjoying soul food dinners with elaborate cocktails. I was there with Tyrone Crawley, representing the Baltimore Jazz Alliance. Caton Castle, located off Hilton Avenue on the west side of town, was a fitting venue for this event, as it is one of Baltimore’s long-time jazz venues since it was established by Ron Scott in the 1990s.
Barbara Grubbs, co-founder and CEO of Contemporary Arts, Inc (CAI), spoke to the audience and shared how the organization is bringing on more women as leaders, more young people, and Latin American musicians. Contemporary Arts, Inc. is a major entity in the Baltimore jazz scene, and many of our greatest jazz musicians got their start in the CAI summer jazz camp. Akoto spoke and shared how Carl Grubbs, who founded CA with Barbara, was his mentor and guide when he first came to Baltimore. CA president Fred Cager also spoke before the concert began.
Besides Akoto on bass, the band included Tim Green on alto sax, Amin Gumbs on drums, and a young pianist who just came to town, Aiden Francia Cotter, studying jazz at Loyola University. The tunes they played included Wayne Shorter’s “Lester Left Town” and Kenny Garrett’s “November the 15th.” They also played Akoto’s fast and furious original, “Wicked Grin.”
The concert featured vocalist Anna-Lisa Kirby, Akoto’s wife, resplendent in a gold sheath and duster. She fervently sang a stirring composition by Akoto, “A Speck of Dust,” inspired by a quote from Carl Sagan. A memorable line was “On the surface we are different; there are many of us, but in our hearts, we’re all the same.” Another memorable line, from the waltz song “Until,” by Sting, from the film, Kate and Leopold: “If I caught the world in an hourglass.” Kirby also gave a lusty rendition of “Dre’s Blues.”
I was able to stay only for the first set; I had to leave before hearing the outcome of a raffle conducted between sets. But it was nevertheless a very enjoyable time, and I was glad to have been part of the event in support of three very valuable members of the Baltimore jazz community – Akoto and his band, Caton Castle, and Contemporary Arts, Inc.
–By Liz Fixsen
Liz Fixsen is a jazz aficionada and ubiquitous presence in the Baltimore jazz scene. She is also a jazz vocalist and pianist who performs in a few venues in Howard County. She edits and writes for the Baltimore Jazz Alliance newsletter and serves on its board of directors.