Spotlight shines on African American tradition, new choir director

Keith McCutchen had big shoes to fill Saturday night. \nMcCutchen debuted as the new director of the African American Choral Ensemble at the 13th-annual "A Potpourri of the Arts," following in the footsteps of James Mumford, the man who had been identified as the group's director since 1983. McCutchen had to prove himself not just to the ensemble as its new director, but also to the audience of more than 500, most of whom were familiar with the renowned Mumford's work. \nThe African American Arts Institute, currently directed by Charles E. Sykes, began the event in 1993 to bring the African American tradition of performance to the Bloomington campus and community. The theme of this year's performance, which took place at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, was "Seeing is Believing."\n"'Potpourri' was created to illustrate the diversity of styles presented by our three ensembles and to showcase our talented student performers through individual ensemble performances," Sykes wrote in the program that was provided at the event. \nDressed in all black, McCutchen took the stage along with the choir members, who wore their traditional black choir robes with multicolored paneling, to perform their first number, "Hold On" by Jester Hairston. Several other pieces followed as the group quickly shifted gears from solemn spirituals to fast-paced medleys. \nSenior Calvin Carrington and sophomore Shilan Douglas brought soul-powered solos to the group's repertoire. As the duo's \nperformance progressed, audience involvement increased as some clapped and waved their hands in response to the lyrics of the songs. The African American Choral Ensemble also incorporated lighting effects and movement in a way that had not been done in prior years. A small jazz band backed the singers on pieces such as "Spiritual Medley," arranged by McCutchen.\nThe next performance was a change in genre and energy for the audience members. The African American Dance Company, directed by Iris Rosa, performed several dance numbers with an all-female dance cast accompanied by one percussionist. The mood for their pieces started off on an energetic and light note but, by the end, had shifted to a more serious tone. \n"I found the dance company's performance to be very entertaining. I enjoyed the show and was really into the African-style dance movements," said Junior Kareem Harris during the intermission following the dance portion of the event. \nWhen IU Soul Revue hit the stage, it brought a burst of enthusiasm with a colorful infusion of sparkling dresses and silk vests and ties. A jazz band made up of horn and rhythm sections backed the group, which consisted of five men and six women. The ensemble, directed by Nathanael Fareed Mahluli, performed Motown hits such as "Mr. Big Stuff" and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours," which got some audience members out of their seats and dancing. \n"Soul Revue kept my feet tapping and my hands clapping," senior Jordan Braithwaite said. \nHighlights of the group's performance included a solo by junior Tony Cusic.\n"This has been a great start to the year," Cusic said after the show. "There's a lot of talent this year and a lot of growth. It finally felt like a family event"