Shanta Nurullah

Description

Photo by Mariana Meraz

Shanta - Storyteller
From the moment she moves onto the stage, Shanta encircles her audience in an unforgettable experience of creativity and culture. Shanta’s performances feature not only stories, but also poetry, chants, and the spellbinding sound of African instruments. Melding the work of her own creative spirit with African folktales and contemporary African-American perspectives, Shanta’s stories stimulate imaginations and touch hearts. “Women of Spirit, Women of Power” celebrates the remarkable creativity and resilience which sustain women in the face of adversity. “A World of Stories” explores universal themes found in stories from around the world.

Shanta’s performances of stories and songs of African people have graced the stages of ethnic arts festivals, performing arts series, museums, churches, and virtually any place where people gather for enjoyment, information, community-building, and/or inspiration. Drawing from a large repertoire of stories, her performances evoke, surprise, and sometimes even tears. The art of storytelling is not reserved for young audiences alone. Shanta is a storyteller and musician who has found large and enthusiastic among college students, senior citizens, and families in her travels from Chicago to various parts of the country.

Combining original and world music with the spoken word, Shanta has been featured at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, and in China, India, Canada and The Yukon.

Work Sample

https://www.shantastoryteller.com/shanta-storyteller

"Baby Rattlesnake" 2014, 6 min. Family storytelling program at Old Town School of Folk Music

"Motherless Child", 2015, 4:33, studio recording, sitar solo interpretation of African-American spiritual

3Arts Award Video, clips of an interview explaining my approach to the sitar and a clip of a sitar performance

The work samples show my engagement with a family audience and my use of an Indian instrument to express my own ancestral music (spirituals, blues, jazz). These are the threads that have run through my entire career.

History

I have been performing for over fifty years as a storyteller and musician. After several years with Val Grey Ward's Kuumba Workshop and Phil Cohran's Black Music Workshop, I stepped out as a bandleader and a solo artist. I developed an affection for youthful audiences, spent years on the folk music circuit, co-founded two all-women's bands (Sojourner and Samana) and explored the folklore of the African diaspora. Currently, I lead the band Sitarsys, the Shanta Nurullah Trio, work as a solo storyteller, and, with Zahra Baker, in the duo ShaZah and the quartet Acclaim. In 2021 I received the 3Arts Award in the Music category.

Artistic Vision

Throughout my life I have tried to bring joy, inspiration, love, motivation and empowerment to other humans (audience members, students and associates) using my gifts of storytelling and music. As long as I continue to learn and grow, I hope to share with others the wonders of the world through art and culture.

Programs for Specific Audience(s) Expertise

I am able to tailor my programs to audiences ranging from preschoolers to senior citizens.

Traditional Folk/Ethnic Artform Statement

I am a traditional African-American storyteller, telling stories from Africa and Africans in the diaspora; reminding the generations of our heritage and traditions and pointing toward the future; informing other communities of our contributions and humanity; promoting peace amongst us all.