See Black Odes: A Reclamation Suite at ARCO on June 26.
Enjoy a performance of Black Odes: A Reclamation Suite featuring a Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra string quartet; Mark Lomax, II; and The Urban Art Ensemble.
In the 19th century, Black Codes were laws designed to restrict the liberty of Black people. They were heavily enforced shortly after the American Civil War, and ran the gamut of social and cultural wrongdoings: voter suppression, banning access to education, planting the seeds for the prison-industrial complex, and worse. The effects of such laws still resonate through the lives of every American today.
Black Odes: A Reclamation Suite is a passionate and antithetical shift in worldview from that reality; a musical, poetic, and visual celebration of a world in which the values of beauty, joy, and liberty are not only a goal, but a living reality. It is a multi-disciplinary expression of what it would be like to actually live fully in America’s promise.
The Urban Art Ensemble:
Scott Woods – Poet
Edwin Bayard – Tenor & Soprano Saxophone
Dr. William Menefield – Piano
Dean Hulett – Bass
Dr. Mark Lomax, II – Drum Set, Composer
DJ Krate Digga – Turntables
Tickets to Black Odes: A Reclamation Suite
$25 for Adults
Free for Students and Children
General Admission Seating
About Dr. Mark Lomax, II
Dr. Mark Lomax, II, is a critically acclaimed composer, drummer, educator, and author of the forthcoming Toward a Politics of Humanity. He is best known for 400: An Afrikan Epic, a 12‑album cycle with a curriculum and documentary that traces the Afrikan diaspora from pre‑colonial history through the Ma’afa and into an Afro‑futurist vision of healing. Supported in part by a Wexner Center residency, the project has been praised for its ambition and innovation, with Lomax describing it as a celebration of the resilience and creativity of Afrikan people.
A sought‑after lecturer, Lomax focuses on the socio‑political and spiritual dimensions of African‑American art and explores these themes in his TED Talk Activating the Transformative Power of Trust. Raised in a musical family and shaped by gospel and jazz traditions, he later earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in composition from The Ohio State University. His work spans collaborations with leading jazz artists, performances by major symphonies, and residencies with institutions such as the Cincinnati Symphony, all contributing to a body of music that is probing, relevant, and inspiring.
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ARCO Venue Details
Parking
Complimentary parking is available onsite.
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