submitted by Jo Ann Jaacks

LITCHFIELD – On Sunday December 3, at 4:00p.m., St. Michael’s Parish
welcomes a very special percussion concert featuring John Marshall and
Mark Ingram.

John Marshall (pictured), is an award winning Master Percussionist and
Teacher, who performs on hand drums including the West African djembe,
North African dumbek, Afro-Cuban conga, frame drums from around the
world, and North Indian table.  John performs on concert stages, radio,
television, and film both nationally and internationally. His music has
been featured on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, Echoes,
Hearts Of Space, PBS Television and the British Broadcasting Company
(BBC). Some performances include The New Jersey Chamber Music Society,
Taos Chamber Music Group, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Yale Guitar
Extravaganza, Music Mountain, Chorus Angelicus, Alice Tully Hall at
Lincoln Center, The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, and the United
Nations.

For thirty-five years Mark Ingram has been a virtuoso of the kalimba
family of traditional African musical instruments. These instruments are
the Kalimba, M’bira, Sanza,Rhumba Box and the African-American Marimba
Brett. As soloist and ensemble member, he has performed in concert
halls, museums, schools, colleges and learning centers of all kinds.
Mark has studied traditional balafon music with Chris Ibe’ of Nigeria
and studied balafon with Abo Sylla, who performed with Bola Afrique and
Les Merveilles D’Afrique. For seventeen years Mark has handcrafted and
performed on the ancient Afro-Asian styled bamboo flute. Along with John
Marshall, Mark Ingram was a member of the seminal percussion trio,
Rhythm Exchange which performed extensively in the Northeast and
released recordings featuring Mark’s original compositions.

The concert is open to the public with a suggested donation of $20 to
benefit St. Michael’s music program. A meet-the-artist reception will
follow.  St. Michael’s Parish is located at 25 South Street (Route 63),
just off the Litchfield green.  For more information, please call
860-567-9465.