The Brooklyn Historical Society is proud to announce Brooklyn Beatmakers, a showcase with headliner The New School Sun Ra Arkestra, led by 22-year Sun Ra arkestra musician, master jazz trumpeter, and music director of Sistas’ Place, Ahmed Abdullah!

Joining the Arkestraʼs “21st century, interplanetary sound and philosophy” made famous by the legendary composer-bandleader Sun Ra, will be emerging songwriter and emcee Imani Kairee, the dub diva Honeychild Coleman, and the Bushwick teen hip-hop collective Nine 11 Thesaurus.

The New School Sun Ra Arkestra “represent[s] a milestone in the legacy of Sun Ra,” says Mr. Abdullah. “Given the opportunity to study both the music and philosophy of Sun Ra, the New School students have created their own unique ensemble sound…their performance will astound you.”

The BHS oral history team will be on hand to gather audience membersʼ and artistsʼ Brooklyn stories, and invite anyone to come and record their own personal Brooklyn stories, reflections, thoughts, or questions. The documented afternoon will be used for the BHS iTunes podcast available at www.brooklynhistory.org, and added to the BHS oral history archives.

Produced in partnership with Brooklyn-based Horse+Dragon NYC, the BHS Brooklyn Beatmakers showcase is a celebration of local style and sound, and a part of the 2010 Make Music New York festival, a live, free musical event across the city that takes place the first official day of summer each June 21.