...OUT & ABOUT April 2006 - The 15th Annual Val Johnson Concert will be held Sunday, May 7, 2006 at 4:00pm at Redeemer’s A.M.E. Zion Church, 110 Whiting Street, Plainville.  The Senior Choir is sponsoring the event to honor the late Val Johnson, who served as the Redeemer’s pianist, organist, choir director, and Minister of Music for fifty-six years.  Her good works and love for music still abound in both the church and the community and are expressed in the joyful performances of the many talented musicians in our program.  This year’s performers will be Nzinga’s Daughters, Rhonda Baldwin, Practicing Umoja, Kristen Broderick, Voices, Bill Beverly, Hank Bentley, and the Redeemer’s Mass Choir.  Come join us for this wonderful evening of music and song.  Admission is free, donations  are gratefully accepted. Call (860)747-1808. June 2005 - Nzinga's Daughters opened for the last day of the Hartford Jazz Festival. July 2005 - Nzinga's Daughters presents "Music from the African Diaspora" was performed at the Bushnell in Hartford, CT on July 30th.  This concert was produced by Gail Williams ad her daughter Dayna Snell, leader and assistant, respectively of Nzinga's Daughters.  Musicians that were brought in from New Jersey and New London included Bob Snell and his Latin All-Stars and Amizade.  There was a combined choir made up of individuals from various churches in the area.  The choir's attire was made by Adalaide Mensah of Ghana, West Africa.  Nzinga's Daughters met Adalaide when they traveled to Ghana in February, 2005.  The choir was accomapnied by the Kwanzaa Community Pit Band.  There were Praise Dancers, African Drumming and song with Practing Umoja, Niki Mathis Afrikan Jazz and of course Nzinga's Daughters.  There was also a tribute to Doris Allen and the Motivations from the 70's.  All was presented to a full house and was made possible by a grant from the Evelyn Preston Memorial Fund and additional funding from The Community Foundation of Greater New Britain.  This was a free concert open to the public.

Nzinga's Daughters reached back and pulled out something that was hidden in their back pocket.  They recently performed at the Quartet Club in New Britain, CT and this time they did R&B.  You got it!  Good old R&B dance music.  They played for the Visiting Nurses Association of Central Connecticut's - 200th Anniversary shin dig.  They added Hank Bentley, saxophonist and Stella Lewis Drummer. A good time was had by all.  Gail, Taffie & Hank Bentley played with Sam Kimble and Friends for many years playing dances from Maine to New Jersey.

September 17, 2005 - Nzinga's Daughters sang for Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, the President of The Republic Sierra Leone.  The President and his dignitaries were in Farmington, CT to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Connecticut Freedom Trail and to remember the Amistad and the Mendi people who who lived in Farmington until their departure back to Africa and in particular to remember Foone, one of the Mendi who drowned in the Farmington River in 1841.  This took place in the historical First Church of Christ.

September 17, 2005 - Nzinga's Daughters opened for the Many Colors of a Woman concert at Weaver High School in Hartford, CT.  This is an annual event produced by Nicki Mathis and features women musicians, poets and story tellers.

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