Gospel Night in Tunis
The soulful sounds of jazz, gospel, and blues filled the Municipal Theater on September 9 with music by Manda Djinn.
The American Embassy Public Affairs office invited the duo to perform at the Festival de la Medina, a music festival held each year during the month of Ramadan. With a nod to Tunis, Manda kicked off the night with Dizzy Gilespie’s hit, “Night in Tunisia” to an ecstatic crowd. With the mood just right, music lovers clapped their hands to Manda’s beat and sang along to such classics as “Route 66.”
Reflecting her roots, Manda dedicated the second half of her show to African-American gospel and brought the crowd to its feet with an encore performance of “Oh Happy Day.” Born in Harlem, New York, Manda was surrounded by the greats of her day and paid homage to Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughn in two original pieces. Over all, it was a joyful evening of music and reflected the diversity of American music.