Gerald Law II and the Clutch and Zoe McCray bookend a strong weekend of Black expression in Orlando

This weekend is a fitting musical launch for Black History Month with two consecutive days of expression that’s not just incidentally Black but proudly and intentionally so.

On Saturday, Feb. 6, local jazz group Gerald Law II and the Clutch will kick it off at the Dr. Phillips Center’s Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater. More than just musical selections from Law’s latest two companion albums (From G to You: Vol I & Vol II), this program will notably feature selections from “Who We Are,” a multimedia project by Gerald and brothers Joel and Jamiel that frames African-American culture through the perspective and voices of its people.

To optimize safety, the night is a two-show stand with seating in either single, spaced-out gallery seats or tables for four. Tickets for the 7 p.m. show and the 9 p.m. show are both currently available.

Then, on Sunday, Feb. 7, local singer Zoe McCray — a member of the Voices of Liberty singing group at Epcot — will manifest the Black voice in her own soprano at Timucua Arts Foundation. Titled “Blackbird” after the Beatles classic that McCartney wrote during the Civil Rights movement to honor Black women, her recital — accompanied by pianist Jessica Raspolich — will be devoted to classical composers of color and arias written with a Black woman as the narrator.

To maximize viewing opportunities while maintaining safety-minded capacity, Timucua will offer donation-based tickets to the in-person performance as well as a livestream of the event. Show begins at 7:30 p.m.

If you go out, respect everyone’s distance, for all our sakes.

Follow Bao on Twitter (@baolehuu)
Email Bao: baolehuu@orlandoweekly.com

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This article appears in Feb 3-9, 2021.