Culture Picks: October 21

This week we’ve got it all — live and local plus spectacular streaming. What looks good to you?

The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine presents Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony
Now streaming
Artist in Residence David Briggs, renowned for his organ transcriptions of major orchestral masterpieces, presents the world premiere of his new arrangement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the “Choral,” joined by twelve singers from the Cathedral Choir, timpani, and percussion. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Beethoven’s all-embracing and sumptuous score as never before imagined: music mirroring the universality of the human spirit. The concert is a tribute to the NYC medical community and other essential workers.
Cathedral Choir of St. John the Divine, Kent Tritle, conductor; David Briggs, organ; Susanna Phillips, soprano; Kirsten Sollek, contralto; Bernard Holcomb, tenor; Joseph Beutel, bass-baritone
View the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine events calendar

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater presents Alvin Ailey’s Cry
Streaming now through Tuesday, November 2, at 7pm
Join us in celebrating the 50th anniversary of Alvin Ailey’s tour de force Cry with an encore streaming of a newly filmed performance featuring dancer Jacqueline Green. Mr. Ailey created the ballet as a birthday present for his mother and dedicated it to “all Black women, everywhere—especially our mothers.”
Stream Alvin Ailey’s “Cry” on Ailey All Access

Jazz Forum Arts presents the Alexis Cole Trio
Friday & Saturday, October 22-23, at 7 & 9:30pm
1 Dixon Lane, Tarrytown, NY
With her sophisticated style and deep contralto that Jazz Times called “smooth and dark as the richest espresso,” Alexis Cole is equally comfortable singing in hard bop settings as tackling Disney or Paul Simon’s material. She also happens to be the head of the Jazz Vocal program at Purchase College! For two decades, through 11 albums, she’s inhabited standards, especially blues and ballads, in the manner of Sarah Vaughan and Anita O’Day. An old friend of the Jazz Forum, Alexis remains an international attraction. Come see why.
Get tickets for Alexis Cole at Jazz Forum Arts

Jacob’s Pillow presents
Inside the Pillow Lab with jumatatu m. poe and Jermone Donte Beacham
Streaming begins Thursday, October 21, at 7pm
Inside the Pillow Lab is back, with special glimpses into the creative process from artists participating in the onsite Pillow Lab residencies. The most recent episode centers on new work by jumatatu m. poe and Jermone Donte Beacham. Choreographer and performer jumatatu m. poe is known for work that strives to engage and further dialogues with Black queer individuals, creating compelling and challenging work that recognizes History as only one option for the contextualization of the present. In the multi-year series Let ’im Move You, jumatatu m. poe and collaborator Jermone Donte Beacham distill decade-long research of J-Sette performance, a “high step” march popularized by the women’s majorette teams at historically Black colleges in the United States. An amalgam of the performance and complexities of Black joy, poe and Beacham investigate rhythm, pattern, and attention.
In August, poe, Beacham, and artist collaborators presented a site-specific iteration of the series through the works A Study and This Is a Success around the Pillow’s campus as part of Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival 2021. They continued development at the Pillow Lab from August 30 through September 10 with new components of the project before embarking on a five-city tour.
Watch “Inside the Pillow Lab” on YouTube

Celebrity Series of Boston presents the Charles Overton Group: Once More
Premiering on Thursday, October 21, at 8pm
Available on-demand until Friday, January 21, 2022
Harpist Charles Overton makes his in-person Neighborhood Arts debut with his four-piece group in this program entitled “Once More,” after his most recent album release. Count on some sophisticated and smooth atmospheric music encompassing jazz, original works from “Once More” and more recent compositions, and pop covers. Charles Overton shows off the surprising versatility of the harp: you’ll be amazed at his creativity in taking it to new and unexpected places!
View the digital concert featuring Charles Overton Group

Caramoor presents Celebrate Día de Muertos
Sunday, October 24, at 2pm
Grounds open at 12pm
Pop-Up Performance with INTEMPO at 1pm
Friends Field, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, Katonah, NY (rain or shine)
Caramoor collaborates with Mexico Beyond Mariachi to present this family-friendly celebration of the Mexican holiday Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Typically, the holiday involves the gathering of family and friends to pray for and to remember those who have passed, however instead of mourning, the day is filled with celebrations. The celebration will take place on Friends Field, and will feature traditional and regional music and dance performances. Appropriate for all ages, the event includes arts and crafts. Food — provided by Taco Guy — will be available for purchase. Hosted by Maricarmen Godoy. Bring your own seating.
Learn more about Caramoor’s “Celebrate Día de Muertos”

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Culture Picks is a weekly feature celebrating the performing arts. The arts are back and there is so much to take in, both live and virtual. Cultural connoisseur and PAC staff member Coni Guhl is here to help you sort through it all. Each week we will post her curated selection of events featuring the artists you know and love from The PAC Center Series, plus a sampling of stellar local experiences. Enjoy!

All times are EDT unless otherwise noted.