Connect with us

Arts and Culture

Wynton Marsalis Takes Concertgoers Through a Symphony of Blues

Published

on

By Breanna Edwards, The Root

Taking their seats, the symphony orchestra begins with a wave of the conductor’s baton, led by the cheerful sound of the piccolo and the rhythm of the drums—which the program notes is supposed to signify the American Revolution and the birth of the possibility of the blues.

</div>

On Wednesday night, the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Md., played host to Wynton Marsalis’ Blues Symphony for hundreds who turned out—filling the expansive hall all the way to the balconies—to witness the premiere of the award-winning musician’s ambitious journey to chart the history of the blues throughout America.

No ordinary piece of work from the renowned trumpeter, the six-movement piece, a fusion of different types of music, bestows the feel of the blues, all through the use of orchestral instruments.

Of course, Marsalis isn’t the first to fuse different genres of music together, but what makes his piece unique, he says, is his insider knowledge of both classical and jazz.

“I think I may be the first one who really is in the inside of jazz and the inside of classical music the way I’ve been since I was a kid,” Marsalis told The Root Tuesday during a dress rehearsal before the performance. “People have tried to put the two forms together, but I’m trying to be inside of the actual reality of it from a jazz musician’s perspective.”

Wynton Marsalis playing with his quintet. CHRIS BURCH

Wynton Marsalis playing with his quintet. CHRIS BURCH

The piece was years in the making, Marsalis having partially unveiled it in 2010 with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. However, the commitment required significant rehearsal time to pull off with an entire 100-piece symphony orchestra, often a luxury for a top-tier professional group, thus delaying the work’s premiere.

With Marsalis partnering with the Shenandoah Conservatory, its symphony orchestra and Washington Performing Arts, the debut was finally made possible. The piece was made part of the orchestra’s curriculum, allowing for the grueling practice needed to see the symphony’s full potential. Even as the musicians practiced, the piece was edited here and there and fine-tuned. Marsalis is under no impressions of grandeur. Music to him is living and ever ongoing.

“Every piece is ongoing,” Marsalis said. “I work on the pieces, and they come and we continue to work on them and they improve over time.”

Even with this symphony, which he worked on for years, he wrote it in such a way as to allow some other musician down the line to be able to learn and take from him.

“I put enough of the ideas down to give them just a blueprint. It covers a wide range of music, from church music to Brazilian choro to Cuban danzón to ragtime to different types of jazz … spiritual … New Orleans counterpoint,” the nine-time Grammy Award-winning artist said. “[There are] many different questions in it.”

Many different questions, and many different answers, and as the audience sat there Wednesday in the vast hall listening to the students play for a little over an hour without a pause between movements, they were transported to the streets of New Orleans, Cuba and Brazil, even to the streets of New York, for which the sounds of bustling traffic came through via the orchestra.

Jan Wagner conducting the Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Blues Symphony. CHRIS BURCH

Jan Wagner conducting the Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Blues Symphony. CHRIS BURCH

It begs a mention that before the orchestra wowed the audience, Marsalis brought out his quintet, consisting of Walter Blanding (tenor saxophone), Dan Nimmer (piano), Carlos Henriquez (bass) and Ali Jackson Jr. (drums), to start the show with a bang. They blew through piece after piece in a full set lasting about an hour, with Marsalis engaging the audience, at one point even leaving the stage to play among the attendees.

When the show was over, some 1,800 people rose to their feet, whistling and cheering. The students in the orchestra had done Marsalis proud; but of course, he had expected no less with the work they put in.

“For me it’s a learning experience, I want [the students] to enjoy themselves,” Marsalis said. “I want them to feel great about all the experiences they have in music ….They practiced a lot [and] I’m pleased with the effort.”

“The type of respect they’ve shown me and that they’ve shown to the music, and the seriousness they’ve brought to it? Yeah, I’m proud!” he added.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Art

Wonder Woman (or at Least Her Artist) Visits Cartoon Art Museum

Cartoon enthusiasts, graphic novelists and folks from all over the Bay Area braved the rain to meet Wonder Woman – or at least the first woman to draw her – at the Cartoon Art Museum Saturday and Sunday. The occasion was a pop-up Women’s Comic Marketplace, and Trina Robbins, the first female illustrator of the feminist icon, was on hand along with 20 or so exhibitors whose work reflected the rich variety of styles and subject matter in women’s comics today.

Published

on

Trina Robbins, the first woman to draw Wonder Woman, with some examples of her cartoon art. (Photo credit: Jessica Christianson)
Trina Robbins, the first woman to draw Wonder Woman, with some examples of her cartoon art. (Photo credit: Jessica Christianson)

By Janis Mara
Bay City News Service

Cartoon enthusiasts, graphic novelists and folks from all over the Bay Area braved the rain to meet Wonder Woman – or at least the first woman to draw her – at the Cartoon Art Museum Saturday and Sunday.

The occasion was a pop-up Women’s Comic Marketplace, and Trina Robbins, the first female illustrator of the feminist icon, was on hand along with 20 or so exhibitors whose work reflected the rich variety of styles and subject matter in women’s comics today.

“We love comic books. We are vibing out,” said Valaree Garcia of San Francisco, who attended the event with her partner Sunday. “Every single booth is amazing, every woman is telling her story her own way.”

Exhibitor Avy Jetter of Oakland displayed her indie comic “Nuthin’ Good Ever Happens at 4 a.m.” which offers an Equal Opportunity look at the world of zombies, with an all-black cast of undead.

Around the corner at another table was cartoonist Jules Rivera, a surfer who detailed her dive into the largely male world of surfing in one of her first zines.

“I was already an aqua creature. I grew up in Orlando and had always lived on the beach,” Rivera said. When she moved to California, becoming a surfer came easily.

Rivera took over the decades-old Washington Post cartoon strip “Mark Trail” in 2020. The conservation-minded but rather conventional male character quickly got a makeover.

Rivera said, “I made him hot. They always intended him to be hot, they just went about it the wrong way.” In her zine, “Thirst Trapped in a Cave,” Rivera depicts Trail in a series of seductive poses she describes as “pinups.”

While many of the exhibitors create material intended for adults, Jen de Oliveira, a Livermore resident, is the co-creator of Sunday Haha, a free weekly comics newsletter for kids.

Children were much in evidence at the event, grouped around a table in the back industriously coloring and drawing, gathered in front of a big screen in another room watching (what else?) cartoons, sprawled on the floor reading (what else?) comic books.

At 4 p.m., the event adjourned to the library for tea with Robbins and Marrs.

Sitting at a round table sipping tea and eating gingersnaps, the two shared stories of their lives in the comics field.

Marrs, a Berkeley resident, created the comic book series, “The Further Fattening Adventures of Pudge, Girl Blimp,” which was nominated for an Eisner Award in 2017, the highest honor bestowed in the comic book world.

In 1972, Robbins, a San Francisco resident, wrote and drew a short story called “Sandy Comes Out,” starring the first lesbian comic-book character outside of pornography. Shifting gears, she began drawing for DC Comics in the 1980s, and since then has authored several books and continues to write and draw comics.

“Lee Marrs and Trina Robbins talking about feminism, and the younger artists writing graphic novels about their lives – you don’t have to create a universe. You don’t have to make up a planet” the way traditional cartoonists have done, said Ron Evans, chair of the museum’s board of trustees, who was on hand for the event.

“It’s what you experience, and it’s much more relatable,” Evans said. Reading about common experiences in graphic novels and cartoons can make people, especially young people, feel less alone.

“In school you’re taught to write about what you know, and that’s what they’re doing. It’s cathartic, and who knows? Maybe it will help other people.”

Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.  All rights reserved.  Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Continue Reading

Art

MoAD Fundraiser Features One-Man Show, ‘Thoughts of a Black Mad Hatter’

On Saturday, March 25, the Museum of the African Diaspora is featuring a special one-night-only performance by Black dandy Michael Wayne Turner III called ‘Hat Matter: Thoughts of a Black Mad Hatter’ as the highlight of its casual spring fundraiser. Hat Matter uses movement and dance, accompanied by original classical string music, to explore the headspace of an American Black dandy in a one-man show of hip-hop theatre, comprising poems, stories and monologues.

Published

on

Michael Wayne Turner III as the Black Mad Hatter. Photo montage courtesy of MoAD.
Michael Wayne Turner III as the Black Mad Hatter. Photo montage courtesy of MoAD.

On Saturday, March 25, the Museum of the African Diaspora is featuring a special one-night-only performance by Black dandy Michael Wayne Turner III called ‘Hat Matter: Thoughts of a Black Mad Hatter’ as the highlight of its casual spring fundraiser.

Hat Matter uses movement and dance, accompanied by original classical string music, to explore the headspace of an American Black dandy in a one-man show of hip-hop theatre, comprising poems, stories and monologues.

The play explores the thoughts of a Black man living a precarious existence, oftentimes forced to deal with warring identities placed on him by the oppressor, in much the same way that W.E.B. Dubois spoke of the double consciousness and schizophrenic social nature of the so-called “negro” a century ago, wrote JR Valrey for the S.F. Bayview last summer when Turner was performing in Oakland.

The very fashionable Turner is a classically trained thespian and award-winning poet. Turner has shared stages with the likes of Beyoncé, Daveed Diggs and the Kronos Quartet, to name a few. He is a winner of “The Moth Story Slam” and triple award-winner at the International Conference of Performance Art and Creativity.

The event, from 6-8:30pm, takes place off-site at The Taube Atrium Theater (nestled inside the San Francisco War Memorial) at 401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco and starts with a reception before the show and is followed by a Q&A between the artist and Martin Luther.

Tickets are $95.

Continue Reading

Arts and Culture

African American Vintners Showcased in Black Vines Event

Black Vines: A Toast to Black Wineries, Black Art and Black Culture held their 12th anniversary event on Saturday, Feb. 25 at The Bridgeyard, near the Judge John Sutter Regional Shoreline in Oakland. It is the longest-running African American winemaker showcase.

Published

on

Winemakers and vintners at Black Vines included Free Range Flower Winery, Wachira Wines, She Wines, Vintnoir, P. Harrell, and Bass Note Sangria, among others.
Winemakers and vintners at Black Vines included Free Range Flower Winery, Wachira Wines, She Wines, Vintnoir, P. Harrell, and Bass Note Sangria, among others.

By Carla Thomas

Black Vines: A Toast to Black Wineries, Black Art and Black Culture held their 12th anniversary event on Saturday, Feb. 25 at The Bridgeyard, near the Judge John Sutter Regional Shoreline in Oakland. It is the longest-running African American winemaker showcase.

Hundreds of guests gathered to celebrate and enjoy a live jazz band while sampling wines and buffets of gourmet bites throughout the venue.

The brainchild of founder Fern Stroud, the event is designed to both promote and support the Black wine experience along with good food and great music.

Stroud, a former Silicon Valley technology professional says, “Black Vines, is a way to bridge gaps and build lifelong ties between community, business and the arts while we celebrate Black excellence.”

Proceeds from the event supports the nonprofit think tank, BlackFemaleProject.org.

Stroud was also excited to announce a new partnership with Alaska Airlines. In the new “Wines Fly Free” program, guests were able to bring cases of wine on their flights back home for free. Also, the McBride Sisters wines are now a featured option on flights with Alaska Airlines.

A.T. Howe, founder of Bass Note Sangria at the Black Vines: A Toast to Black Wineries, Black Art and Black Culture 12th anniversary event. Photo By Carla Thomas

A.T. Howe, founder of Bass Note Sangria at the Black Vines: A Toast to Black Wineries, Black Art and Black Culture 12th anniversary event. Photo By Carla Thomas

Paula Harrell, left, owner of P. Harrell Wines with staff at the Black Vines: A Toast to Black Wineries, Black Art and Black Culture 12th anniversary event. Photo By Carla Thomas

Paula Harrell, left, owner of P. Harrell Wines with staff at the Black Vines: A Toast to Black Wineries, Black Art and Black Culture 12th anniversary event. Photo By Carla Thomas

Wachira Wines staff pour samples of wine at the Black Vines: A Toast to Black Wineries, Black Art and Black Culture 12th anniversary event. Photo By Carla Thomas

Wachira Wines staff pour samples of wine at the Black Vines: A Toast to Black Wineries, Black Art and Black Culture 12th anniversary event. Photo By Carla Thomas

Winemakers and vintners at Black Vines included Free Range Flower Winery, Wachira Wines, She Wines, Vintnoir, P. Harrell, and Bass Note Sangria, among others.

“We see this event as an extension of their collective and independent outreach efforts to increase awareness, visibility and market demand for these labels. Our core mission is to provide a tasting experience unlike any other. There has been a steady loyalty factor born out of our Black Vines annual event.”

Additional Black Vine partners include Wine Direct, an industry-leading direct-to-consumer platform; the NAACP x BeyGOOD Black-Owned Small Business Impact Fund for winery empowerment, and She Can, which provides grants and services via the McBride Sisters wine brand.

For Stroud, building economic pathways in the industry will strengthen the business of Black vintners, and ensure sustainability for their community.

“These strategic alliances further establish our desire to provide a consumer touchpoint for wineries to be introduced to a new consumer base. The future success of wineries, going forward, will be heavily dependent upon the experiences created for new potential customers.”

For every event, Stroud, says spreading love is key. “With all that we do for Black Vines, love is at the heart of it, and we want our guests and patrons to feel every bit of that.”

For more information visit: www.BlackVines.net

Continue Reading

Subscribe to receive news and updates from the Oakland Post

* indicates required

CHECK OUT THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE OAKLAND POST

ADVERTISEMENT

WORK FROM HOME

Home-based business with potential monthly income of $10K+ per month. A proven training system and website provided to maximize business effectiveness. Perfect job to earn side and primary income. Contact Lynne for more details: Lynne4npusa@gmail.com 800-334-0540

Facebook

Trending