Of the more than 300 Make Music New York concerts held on the summer solstice, the Kalimba/Mbira Jam in Union Square might have been one of the more quiet, yet mystical celebrations in the city.
Make Music New York Day saw a whole bunch of ways for New Yorkers to enjoy free live music on June 21 — from Mozart in Midtown to Gamelan in Rockaway Beach; accordions in Prospect Park to electric guitars at Central Park’s Strawberry Fields; jazz in the Bronx to the sounds of Broadway in Bella Abzug Park.
But the Kalimba/Mbira Jam at Union Square Park saw a gathering of the instrument’s devotees (and newbies) led by an expert of the genre, Kevin Nathaniel, who was assisted by Hasan Bakr and Saco Myoji.
“They call me a master,” Nathaniel says, “but I call myself an enthusiast. I have been making them, playing them and teaching them for over 30 years.”
About two dozen players gathered in a circle in Union Square Park to play the simple instrument known as a Kalimba or Mbira, depending on where you are in its African country of origin.
Nathaniel is right at home in Union Square Park, as he and Myoji can be found there most afternoons playing for whoever stops by.
“We sit and play and create a magical environment,” he says. “We start and we just don’t stop. We want people to feel a sense of peace.”
The two-hour jam on June 21 took place in a spot shaded from the sun but still feeling the effects of the temperature that registered in the 90s. That didn’t stop some of the players from getting up and dancing, and there wasn’t one participant who didn’t spend a whole lot of time smiling.
After chatting a bit about the instrument, Nathaniel and company would set up a basic rhythm and participants would take turns standing up and soloing. The diversity of the group perfectly echoed the current concept for the park.
“The theme for the week is Unity in Union Square,” Nathaniel explains, while standing in front of a sculpture by Pasha Radetzki titled “Love-Ego = LOV.”
“There was a real sense of unity here today”, he adds. “A very strong feeling of oneness and camaraderie was in the air.”
Email Nathaniel at kevinmbira@hotmail.com if you are interested in participating in future events. You can also follow him on Instagram @kevinnathanielhealing.
