What is anticipated to be an extraordinary evening of homage to both Black History Month and the legendary international star, Josephine Baker, is scheduled for Monday, February 4th, at 7 P.M., when Gelan Lambert, Miami-born star of the Broadway musical hit, FELA!, will be guest speaker at the World Erotic Art Museum. Lambert, who plays the role of JK in FELA!, (which opens a limited run, Tuesday, March 19 – Sunday, March 24, at the Adrienne Arsht Center) will be speaking on the dichotomies of two very different personalities – Josephine Baker and Fela Kuti in a presentation entitled The Bottom, The Derriere and The Nyash. Lambert views the way they both lived their lives as a tonic to their fans and a scorn to their critics. “Both of their spirits live on,” declares Lambert,” Changing our schooled way of seeing movement and hearing music – One with a beat, one with a banana”.
Fela Anikulapo Kyuti, was a rugged in-your-face rebel who remained in his native Nigeria although he was pressured all of his musical life by music producers and promoters to relocate. Fela was a musician and composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights activist, and political maverick. “Imagine Che Guevara and Bob Marley rolled into one person and you get a sense of Nigerian musician and activist Fela Kuti” said the Herald Sun. When he passed away on August 3, 1997 from Kaposi’s sarcoma which was brought on by AIDS, more than a million people attended Fela’s funeral.
Josephine Baker was born in America and later to become an expatriate living in Paris. Long before she was to become the toast of Paris, via her provocative “Banana Dance”, Baker had made her electrifying presence known as the star of the Follies Bergere. “La Baker,” as she was soon to be known, experienced a dismal childhood as she fought racial bigotry and segregation. In September, 1915 at 19, she left New York for France. Her personal conflict for her love of Paris and loyalty to her country, are best expressed by her emotionally conflicted signature song, “J’ai Deux Amour,” (“I Have Two Loves”).
The Bottom, The Derriere and The Nyash will appear at the World Erotic Art Museum on Monday, February 4th, at 7 P.M.. The World Erotic Art Museum is located at 1205 Washington Avenue. Open Monday-Thursday, 11 A.M. to 10 P.M.; Friday and Saturday, 11 A.M. to Midnight. Tickets are $15, no one under 18 admitted. For tickets and information please call (305) 532-9336 or visit www.weam.com.
