Ravinia 2024 Issue 4

MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO Meshell Ndegeocello has survived the best and worst of what a career in music has to offer. She eschewed genre for originality, celebrity for lon- gevity, and musical trends for musical truths. Fans have come to expect the unexpected and follow her on sojourns into soul, R&B, jazz, hip-hop, rock, all bound by the search for love, justice, respect, and resolution. Those sonic in- vestigations have defied and redefined the ex- pectations for women, for queer artists, and for Black music for over 30 years, and she remains one of few women who write the music, sing the songs, and lead the band. A bass player above all else, Ndegeocello brings her warm and me- lodic groove to everything she does. She has earned two Grammy Awards—most recently for 2023’s Omnichord Real Book , her debut on the Blue Note Label—among a dozen nomina- tions, and she has played alongside the Rolling Stones, Madonna, Alanis Morrisette, James Blood Ulmer, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Tony Allen, John Medeski, Billy Preston, and Chaka Khan. As for her own bass-playing influences, she credits Sting, Jaco Pastorius, Family Man Barrett, and Stevie Wonder. Ndegeocello is al- ways grateful for the opportunity to share the stage and believes music is a fellowship. She looks to spread that gospel with every creation and collaboration. Just days ago, Ndegeocello released her latest album, No More Water: The Gospel Of James Baldwin , on the centennial of the eminent writer’s birth. With No More Wa- ter , Ndegeocello embarks on a prophetic mu- sical odyssey that transcends boundaries and genres, delving headfirst into race, sexuality, religion, and other recurring themes explored in Baldwin’s canon. The album features frequent collaborators such as guitarist Chris Bruce, vo- calist Justin Hicks, saxophonist Josh Johnson, keyboardist Jebin Bruni, and drummer Abe Rounds alongside spoken word by poet Stac- eyann Chin and Pulitzer Prize-winning author and critic Hilton Als. Meshell Ndegeocello is making her Ravinia debut. MARTIN THEATRE 7:00 PM FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 2024 1:00 PM SUNDAY, AUGUST 11, 2024 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA JAMES CONLON, conductor In order of vocal appearance: ANDREA CARROLL, Ilia † SAMANTHA HANKEY, Idamante † ALEXANDRIA SHINER, Elettra † ANTHONY LEÓN, Arbace; Trojan Man † MATTHEW POLENZANI, Idomeneo RODRICK DIXON, High Priest of Neptune; Trojan Man MORRIS ROBINSON, Voice of the Oracle of Neptune DIANA NEWMAN, Cretan Woman # MADELEINE LYON, Cretan Woman # CHICAGO SYMPHONY CHORUS WALTER HUFF, guest director HARRY SILVERSTEIN, stage director MADELINE SLETTEDAHL, harpsichord / head voice coach / rehearsal pianist RACHEL TOBIAS, stage manager RACHEL GAROON, asst. stage manager MOZART Idomeneo, rè di Creta Overture Act One Act Two –Intermission– Act Three Sung in Italian with English supertitles Supertitles © 1997 Francis Rizzo † Ravinia debut # Ravinia Steans Music Institute alum Ravinia expresses its appreciation for the generous support of Premier Sponsor The Negaunee Foundation as well as the Mozart in the Martin Consortium . The Mozart in the Martin Consortium comprises Don & Susan Civgin, Howard L. Gottlieb & Barbara G. Greis, Chris & Elise Klein, and Betsey & Dale Pinkert. RAVINIA.ORG  • RAVINIAMAGAZINE 67 CHARLIEGROSS