Flushing Town Hall Puts New Twist on an Old Favorite

Flushing Town Hall is launching an all-new series this fall. Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups will feature solo musicians of different practices and cultural identities performing in collaboration.

The series has been curated by acclaimed trumpeter and composer Frank London of The Klezmatics, who has himself performed in Flushing Town Hall’s original, large-scale Global Mashups series that is such a hit among Flushing Town Hall’s devoted global music fans.

“The artists in this series all represent the beautiful diversity that makes New York City such a vibrant place. It’s no accident that these concerts are taking place in Flushing, Queens - one of the most culturally & linguistically diverse locations on the planet,” says series curator Frank London. “Audiences can look forward to enjoying phenomenal, world class performers whose music is tied to their traditions but simultaneously modernized and fused with other musical elements that expand their borders.”

“This new, intimate configuration of one of our most beloved programs is so exciting. Frank London has put together an incredible lineup for these intimate Mini-Global Mashups,” says Flushing Town Hall Executive & Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek. “We look forward to this celebration of global music and to continue welcoming back the audiences we have so deeply missed.”

This fall, Flushing Town Hall is increasing its in-person audience capacity to 50% and adhering to the city’s vaccine mandate for performance venues, while simultaneously continuing to livestream for audiences at home.

The Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups series kicks off in September with Haiti Meets Middle East on Sunday, September 12 at 1:00 PM ET, featuring Emeline Michel and Dan Nadel. Each artist will perform their own 20-minute set and then collaborate for a third. This concert is also accompanied by jazz pianist and composer, Yayoi Ikawa.

Haitian songstress Emeline Michel is internationally acclaimed for fusing pop, jazz, and blues with Haitian compas and rara music to create joyful and deeply moving, musical experiences. Michel sings in Creole, French, and English. Hailed by The New York Times for “a voice serene and warm like the breeze,” she is an accomplished performer whose previous appearances include Carnegie Hall and the New Orleans Jazz Fest and performances across the globe—from the stages of Montreal and Milan to Tasmania to Zimbabwe. Michel’s musical life began in a church gospel choir in Haiti before studying at the Detroit Jazz Center. She is now based in New York City, where she runs her own production company, Production Cheval de Feu. She is a Red Cross Ambassador.

Israeli-born and New York City-based guitarist Dan Nadel combines flamenco, jazz, and Middle Eastern influences. He is a solo performer, as well as a bandleader and collaborator with the multinational, neo-Balkan group Tavche Gravche. He is a graduate of The New School’s BFA jazz program and a former guitarist with the IDF Air Force Band. Nadel has performed with many world-renowned artists, among them Chico Freeman, Dave Liebman, Yael Naim, Gabrielle Stravelli, and Audrey Majzlin.

The series will continue throughout the fall, with a new Mini-Global Mashup each month: On Sunday, October 10, Balkan Roma Meets Ukraine with Eva Salina & Peter Stan and Zhenya Lopatnik. On Sunday, November 21, Yiddish Meets Argentina with Lorin Sklamberg and Sofia Rei with accompanist JC Maillard. On Sunday, December 12, US-Africa Meets China with Newman Baker and Fei Fei Yang with accompanist Zhihua Hu.

Each month’s Mini-Global Mashup performance will be followed by a Q+A conversation between the artists and audience hosted by Frank London or other special guest moderators.

For the series’ full schedule and to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/mini-global-mashups