Winner of the Angus Angel Award for Artistic Excellence
“Take ‘Old Man River,’” said Tayo Aluko, talking about the signature tune of the great singer, actor and activist for human rights, Paul Robeson, whom he portrays in his one man show, Call Mr. Robeson, at downtown San Francisco’s Phoenix Theatre this weekend. “The lyrics in that song are very profound in terms of Robeson himself. ‘He just keeps rollin’ along,’ yes; his memory survives. Then after saying Old Man River doesn’t plant the crops, ‘them that plants them is soon forgotten.’ ... Paul Robeson can still inspire people to shout out his name and the names of the forgotten, to know they’re not alone.”
Aluko was born in Nigeria, where he first sang in primary school choirs and went to boarding school in Britain at 16, then studied architecture. He will perform "I Got a Home in Barack: From Africa to The White House" at UNC Charlotte on Tuesday, March 2 at 5:00 PM in the Rowe Arts Room, 130.
Aluko will perform "Call Mr. Roberson: A Life With Songs" Saturday, March 6 at 7:30 PM at the Booth Playhouse (Blumenthal Performing Arts Center) in Charlotte.