There’s a time to dance, a time to sing,” quotes Darryl Tookes from the opening lines of his song “Forever Free.”
The song will set the stage for his “Arts-in-the-Heart” concert performance with the Javacya Elite Chamber Orchestra on Thursday, Feb. 24. Tookes will perform alongside his four children, Christian, Tessa, Channing, and Ryan. He felt the opening lyrics captured both the healing powers of live music and audiences’ longing for togetherness as theater spaces reopen their doors.
“When I wrote that all those years ago, we hadn’t experienced COVID-19, a two-year shutdown, or losing close friends and family,” notes Tookes. “It has a new meaning now.”
Music has always run deep in Tookes’ family roots. His maternal grandmother, Benveneta Washington was a Broadway star. His parents encouraged his interests in music from a young age, providing him with a piano to practice his gift — Tookes only has to hear something once to be able to replicate it. Now, he’s proud to share the stage with his children and their talents.
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