Gerald Alston, Lead Singer of The Manhattans

wil be featured in the Closing Ceremony of the the 16th Annual African Diaspora Film Festival on December 14, 2008 New York, November 19, 2008 ADFF 2008 now offering an excellent line up of films from all over the world focusing on the richness and diversity of the human experience of people of color is proud to announce that legendary Manhattans lead singer GERALD ALSTON will perform a live performance at the 16th Annual African Diaspora Film Festival Closing Ceremony to be held at Cowin Center, Teachers College, Columbia University (525 West 120th street @ Broadway) starting at 3:00pm. The 16th Annual African Diaspora Film Festival (ADFF) to be hosted by ADAORA UDOJI — Co-host of WNYC The Takeaway with John Hockenberry will feature a comprehensive quality program for an afternoon of celebration and entertainment: To begin the afternoon, the winner of the competition for the Best Film Directed by a Woman of Color will be screened. The winning film is selected by the audience among 12 full-length feature or documentary films in the competition. The program will continue with a concert featuring GERALD ALSTON of the MANHATTANS and special soul/rock guest artist DEREK McKEITH. The concert will be followed by a catered reception. The cost to attend the entire event film screening, concert and catered reception is $50 per person. As any R&B enthusiast will attest, the name Gerald Alston has always been synonymous with soul, elegance and sophistication. Gerald Alston and the Manhattans enjoyed enormous success in the 70s and 80s with songs such as: There’s No Me Without You, Wish That You Were Mine, Hurt, We Never Danced To A Love Song, Don’t Take Your Love From Me, I Kinda Miss You And It Feels So Good To be Loved So Bad. Their 1976 single Kiss and Say Goodbye was both a number one R&B and Pop hit. The Manhattans won a Grammy in 1980 for the big hit Shining Star. During the ADFF 2008 Closing Ceremony, GERALD ALSTON will perform some of these hits and will also perform songs from his new album Gerald Alston Sings Sam Cooke. With the musical freedom of Jimi Hendrix, vocals that are reminiscent of Prince and the experimental boldness of Outkast, vocalist/songwriter/producer DEREK McKEITH is a package complete with creative foresight, lyrical honesty and natural showmanship. The African Diaspora Film Festival presents an eclectic mix of foreign, independent, classic, and urban films that focus on the humanity of people of color across the world through an extraordinary range of subjects and artistic approaches. This 17-day event showcases 70 to 90 films every year, including numerous US and NY premieres. Created in 1993 by ArtMattan Productions, a company that produces a collection of programs and events promoting Afrocentric theme cultures, ADFF has long been delighting audiences with US and world premieres of independent films, including features, documentaries, animation, and shorts. The 16th Annual New York African Diaspora Film Festival is made possible thanks to the support of the following institutions and individuals: ArtMattan Productions; Organization International de la Francophonie, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 2008 Award; The Office and Diversity and Community and the Office of Outreach and Innovations at Teachers College, Columbia University; the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; New York City Council Member Inez E. Dickens; New York State Senate Representative Bill Perkins; the French Cultural Services; The Swiss Consulate; The City College of New York Adult and Continuing Education department, LOreal USA, The Village Voice; WNYC, and public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. Festival web site: http://www.NYADFF.org