Ensemble Mik Nawooj, Breaking Barriers

Ensemble Mik Nawooj is, to put it simply, the bomb. A bay area treasure that has, under the direction of composer JooWan Kim, found a formula for successfully blending elements of hip hop, jazz, and classical music, while still maintaining a sense of absolute authenticity. But to say that EMN is breaking barriers is a bit of a copout, a generic slogan if not given the substance to back it up, so I decided it was important to relay that these cats are not just changing the musical world via their cross-pollination of genres; but are helping lay down groundwork for deconstructing stereotypes, generalities, and social sicknesses we have named racism and classism. By bringing together hip hop, which has predominately been a ‘peoples movement’ as a way to stand up against oppression, poverty, and violence and fusing it with chamber music, which has historically belonged to the wealthy, if not for any other reasons than accessibility, they have not just acknowledged the white elephant in the room but have afforded it a way out of the cramped little closet it has called home for generations. Ensemble Mik Nawooj bridges the gap between cultures that have often focused on their differences, rather than what they might have to offer to one another both as individuals and as a people. I found myself particularly inspired to write about EMN today as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. and all that his dream has meant for us as a society, as there is no pride in a world of inequality. If you are interested in learning more about EMN, please check out the links and videos below and once you are officially hooked, mark your calendar for their next show on FEB 1st 2014 at Awaken Cafe, where they will be performing alongside The Genie, an outstanding guitar looping innovator based out of SF. You can see some of his work here. Doors at 8pm. $10 cover.









