Martin Luther King Day Celebration
Three stars
Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center at the University of Indianapolis; Jan. 21

Several UIndy faculty members along with guests came together to celebrate Martin Luther King Day with compositions spanning a large timeline written solely by African-American composers. Baritone Derrick Pennix sang some arrangements of traditional spirituals, and newer compositions such as David N. Baker’s Early in the Mornin’. There were times when I wondered where his connection to the music was, but there were other times when the connection was undeniable, and quite moving as well. Repertoire from the 18th century made the program as well, with violinists Byron Plexico and harpsichordist Thomas Gerber playing Josephe Bologne’s Sonata III in G minor. This work, unfortunately, suffered from lackluster playing. The evening ended with more recent music, specifically three jazz tunes played by saxophonist Harry Miedema, guitarist Graham Case and bassist Fred Withrow.