NEWBURGH – One might think a concert that combines gospel music with Jewish Klezmer tunes is bit unusual, but Aquanetta Wright of Newburgh, also known as the Ferry Godmother, is bringing both genres together for a concert tomorrow (Sunday) at the oldest African American church in the Hudson Valley – AME Zion of Newburgh.
Wright says there are parallels between the African American and Jewish experiences throughout history and music is a universal language.
“Let’s get together and learn about each other because that is the foundation,” Wright said. “We need to learn about each other’s cultures, traditions, religions, and after we do that, then I can fully embrace who you are as a person and love you as I love myself. The destiny of blacks and Jews were intertwined. In the 1960s Jews were propelled into the civil rights movement with the belief that Jews and Blacks shared the same agenda in America, living in a society of religious, ethnic, and racial barriers.”
Sunday’s concert, at 4 p.m., is a fundraiser for the nine free summer waterfront concerts Wright holds each year. Tickets for this weekend’s event are $40 in advance or $50 at the door.
