David Jonathan & The Inner City Bedlam concert will conclude Black History Month celebration

Performing at Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center

√ Concert is finale of month-long series of Black History Month events hosted by Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center

The Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center’s month-long Black History Month Celebration will conclude with a performance by a jazz band from Western New York.

On Saturday, Feb. 25, from 7-9 P.M., David Jonathan & The Inner City Bedlam will perform in the atrium of the Niagara Falls Underground Heritage Center, 825 Depot Ave. W. The band will sing songs off the recently released album, “400.” A press release noted, “Themes from the album reflect upon the 400th anniversary of the transatlantic slave trade and pay tribute to a diverse array of music styles from Black and brown communities.”

“I don’t see our music as just entertainment,” said Paul Cameron, the band’s manager. “For me, it’s more than that. It’s also educational. It’s also empowering. And it’s also inclusive. We ask you to come in. We ask you to share love, to be loved, and to be understanding. But you have to listen. If our music can help open the eyes of our listeners, that’s what we want.”

David Jonathan, the band’s singer, songwriter and drummer, said he uses music to discuss topics such as Black history, social justice reform, dealing with anger from past atrocities, and finding joy. He sees the concert as a way of continuing the Heritage Center’s discussion on those same topics.

“We know we have to use our music to get to the soul of most people, especially for people who don’t understand the plight of the Underground Railroad or Black history for that matter,” Jonathan said. “So we use this music and we use these original compositions to bridge that gap to somebody who maybe doesn’t understand who wants to understand.”

Tickets for the event are $15. Attendees can register on the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center’s website or call 716-300-8477.