Music: Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective
Find the breezy sounds of Belize in Loring Park. A gentle swirl of Afropop, pan-Caribbean beats, and reggae, the sound bubbles with undulating guitar, polyrhythmic hand-drumming, and the singing of Palacio, who “is blessed like the reggae mystics with the kind of deep, soulful voice that the ancestors select to convey their wisdom” (Boston Globe). This nine-member ensemble preserves the rhythms and culture of their ethnic community, the Garifuna, whose members descend from shipwrecked slaves.
Movie: Magnificent Obsession
In this classic film, Bob Merrick (Rock Hudson) is a millionaire playboy whose life is saved in the hospital over that of a beloved doctor because the necessary medical equipment is only available to Merrick. While trying to make amends for his arrogance, he alienates the doctor’s widow (Jane Wyman) with his largesse. She teaches him her late husband’s philosophy of giving anonymously and often. 1954, U.S., color, 16mm, 108 minutes.
DJ: Bill Kubeczko