Rhythm in the Kitchen 2007/11: Check back soon for event images! The Second Annual Rhythm in the Kitchen Festival artistic directors - William Hooker and Bob Kalin March 29 - March 31, 2007 The Hell's Kitchen Cultural Center Inc. presents its second annual "Rhythm in the Kitchen" music festival celebrating the artistic talent residing in New York's most vibrant neighborhood. The three-day concert series will be held at the Metro Baptist Church on 410 West 40th Street (just west of 9th Avenue) from March 29th - March 31st. "Rhythm 2" builds on the success of last year's inaugural concert series, which received accolades from critics and audiences alike. Wire magazine said the festival "offered three nights of music with a sense of purpose and community" and "[brought] innovative music back to the neighborhood that was once the center of jazz in New York City." This year’s eclectic array of musical styles range from Latin rhythms to electronica and will be performed by such noted musicians as Sayuri Goto and Benny Powell, Alex Garcia, J D Parran, and Michael Marcus, among many others. One of the festival's highlights will no doubt be the "Symbol of the Unconquered," a silent film by Oscar Micheaux, a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance. The screening will be accompanied with live music by the William Hooker Quartet. "While most of the city's venues present music from around the country and all over the globe, our festival spotlights the amazing musical talents who live right here in Hell's Kitchen. Many of the performers have international reputations and have toured extensively but they often don't receive the same attention on their home turf. We want to change that," says Hooker, a free-jazz drummer and music educator. He and Bob Kalin, a longtime neighborhood housing organizer, founded the nonprofit Hell's Kitchen Cultural Center in late 2005. The 'Rhythm in the Kitchen' 2007 Line-Up  Artists' Biographies Thursday March 29 8 pm: Alex Garcia's AfroMantra (Alex Garcia – drums; Ole Mathisen – saxophone; Pablo Vergara – piano; Waldo Chavez – bass; Aryam Vazquez – percussion) 9 pm: Michaël Attias Quartet (Michaλl Attias – saxophones; Russ Lossing – piano; Sean Conly – bass; Satoshi Takeishi – drums) 10 pm: Matt Lavelle's Spiritual Power (Matt Lavelle – bass clarinet/trumpet; Michael T.A. Thompson – drums; Hilliard Greene – bass) Friday March 30 8 pm: Bob Feldman & 30J (Bob Feldman – tenor saxophone; Tony Romano – guitar; Matt Lavelle – trumpet/bass clarinet; Ken Filiano – bass) 9 pm: Mike Freeman Zonavibe (Mike Freeman - vibraphone; Little Johnny Rivero - congas; Maximo Rodriguez - bass) 10 pm: J D Parran and Ensemble Helacious (J D Parran - bass sax; Peter Zummo – trombone; Kevin Norton – vibraphone/percussion) 11 pm: Dick Griffin Duo (Dick Griffin - trombone; Warren Smith – drums) Saturday March 31 8 pm: Noah Creshevsky (composer) and Beth Griffith (soprano) 9 pm: Michael Marcus & Magic Door (Michael Marcus – clarinet; Aaron James - bass; Jay Rosen – drums) 10 pm: The William Hooker Quartet (performance with film) (William Hooker – drums; Okkyung Lee - cello; Ras Moshe - tenor saxophone; Sabir Mateen - saxophone) 11 pm: Sayuri Goto Trio with Benny Powell (Sayuri Goto – piano; Benny Powell - trombone; Essiet Essiet - bass; Chip White - drums) For information about the festival, contact info@hkculturalcenter.org