
Pro musicians, students, teachers, and fans came together at the world-famous Apollo Theater on February 12, to celebrate a new education initiative based on the award-winning documentary feature film, Take Me to the River.
The brainchild of director/producer Martin Shore, the film chronicles a project that spans generations, races, and genders to create a new music collaboration centered around the Memphis music scene. And this event did the same.
Emceed by Shore, and producer and musician Lawrence Boo Mitchell, the evening brought its cross-generational theme to life with a fresh spin on timeless songs performed by classic Memphis artists like William Bell; Bobby Rush; Otis Clay; and Stephanie Bolton paired with young hip-hop and rap artists including Frayser Boy, Al Kapone, Tori WhoDat; and more.
The evening began with remarks from Berklee President Roger H. Brown. Berklee City Music a nonprofit education program that enables youth from underserved communities to develop musically, academically, socially and emotionally, primarily through the study of contemporary music has partnered with the film to develop educational materials based on the film.
Our collaboration with Take Me to the River and these legendary musicians has enabled us to bring history to life for our Berklee City Music students in terms that they not only understand but celebrate. We are excited about this partnership and the opportunities it will continue to bring to students across the nation through our PULSE program and our friends from Take Me to the River, Brown shared.
Highlights of the event include the opening act Music with a Message, a student band from Berklee City Music Network (BCMN) partner Renaissance Youth Center, which got the evening off to a rocking start with fresh instrumentals and vocals. The group was followed by alumni band from BCMN partner STAX Music Academy, the Bromfield Trio, made up of a three-piece outfit that easily filled the room with its solid rhythm section and expert vocals.
Then the evening took a turn into a classic era with a twist. Longtime background and feature singer Stephanie Bolton so smoothly delivered hits I Can't Stand the Rain, and Tired of Being Alone with a fantastically energetic pairing on the latter by rapper Tori WhoDat. WhoDat's rap break brought a fresh spin to the song and introduced the evening of collaborations.
Hip-hop artist Al Kapone got the crowd of students and fans on their feet with his delivery of Brand New Jewelry, and The Music. And then the legendary Otis Clay took the stage. Announcing that he was now 82 years old, this master performer delivered the song Precious, Precious with a soulful energy, and then shared the stage with young rapper Uriah Mitchell for an outstanding version of the classic, Trying to Live My Life Without You, complete with clever rap break.
Bobby Rush then captivated the audience with his duet with Academy Award-winning rap artist, Frayser Boy. The two performed an updated version of Push and Pull. Then Rush stole the show with a solo harmonica and vocal rendition of an hysterical Hoochi Coochi Man.
Next William Bell took center stage and sang a velvety vocal version of Knock on Wood followed by the classic I Forgot to Be Your Lover, complete with rap break by a returning Al Kapone.
The festive evening closed with a crowd-rousing performance: a world premiere arrangement by Berklee harmony faculty George Russell Jr. and Berklee staff member Renese King of the classic song Wish I Had Answered, which was commissioned by Berklee to share with the world through the Take Me to the River Education Initiative. It was performed by the Music Unites Pepsi PS 153 Chorus and the Music Unites Youth Choir with directors Arielle Hyatt and Charlie Adams, plus King, who got the crowd on its feet and singing along.
The Take Me to the River Education Initiative, which has been piloted in New York City public schools, was developed in conjunction with Berklee City Music.
The initiative helps students:
Make cross-curricular connections in music, the arts, history, social studies, civics, and media studies, specifically as it relates to the Civil Rights movement.
Develop skills in music analysis and creativity, music performance and composition, critical thinking, communication, and political analysis.
Accommodate a variety of learning styles.
Engage in inquiry-based and experiential learning.
With this guide, students will learn the significance of inter-generational and inter-racial collaboration, the historical context of the Memphis music scene in its heyday and today, and the ways in which individuals make an impact on music, culture and history.
For more information and to download the curriculum free of charge, visit tmttreducation.com.
Most recent headlines
13/03/2025
TAG Video Systems and Harmonic Partner to Deliver Enhanced Real-Time Monitoring ...
13/03/2025
DigitalGlue Invites NAB Visitors to Experience New Features in Managed Storage P...
13/03/2025
FOR-A America Theme - Connecting the Present, Building the Future - Comes to Lif...
13/03/2025
CTIA, the wireless industry association, has named former FCC Chairman Aji Pai as its President and Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1. He replaces Mere...
13/03/2025
he National Association of Broadcasters is urging the FCC to end its investigation of that controversial CBS interview with Kamala Harris stating there is no ...
13/03/2025
MIAMI CBS News & Stations continues to expand its use of augmented and virtual reality technologies with the planned launch of an augmented reality/virtual real...
13/03/2025
Srividhya Srinivasan, co-founder and chief customer success & innovation Officer at Amagi, tells TVBEurope how staying ahead of the latest trends is essential f...
13/03/2025
WASHINGTON FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the agency has launched a massive, new deregulatory initiative that could potentially subject virtually all ...
13/03/2025
SUNNYVALE, Calif. SDVI has announced that it has integrated its Rally media supply chain management platform with the Spectra Vail multi-cloud data management s...
13/03/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has announced that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted a waiver of its local ownership rules to permit Gray Media to acqu...
13/03/2025
TV Tech: What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trends at the 2025 NAB Show?...
13/03/2025
Watch Student Naomi Soleils Folk Pop Performance on The Voice The songwriting major sang Stars by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals during the blind auditions.
...
13/03/2025
Here is your host, Patrick Kielty!
Shake your Shamrocks, Patrick Kielty will be...
13/03/2025
This St. Patrick's weekend, RT invites you to celebrate all things Irish, showcasing the very best of Irish sport, entertainment and live coverage from the...
13/03/2025
What's next in AI is at GTC 2025. Not only the technology, but the people and ideas that are pushing AI forward - creating new opportunities, novel solution...
13/03/2025
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
By combining T-Mobile's robust network, Thal...
13/03/2025
Bundle up - GeForce NOW is bringing a flurry of Blizzard titles to its ever-expanding library.
Prepare to weather epic gameplay in the cloud, tackling the genr...
13/03/2025
AI is leveling up the world's most beloved games, as the latest advancements...
13/03/2025
PC game modding is massive, with over 5 billion mods downloaded annually. Mods p...
12/03/2025
O Spotify acaba de lan ar o relat rio Loud & Clear deste ano, uma vis o transpar...
12/03/2025
Spotify acaba de presentar el informe Loud & Clear de este a o, una mirada trans...
12/03/2025
Ramadan, a period of profound spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide, is a time for fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Enrich your experience thi...
12/03/2025
Spotify has just unveiled this year's Loud & Clear report, a transparent loo...
12/03/2025
More than 70% of FAST programming has been produced since 2010, according to new Gracenote report
NEW YORK March 12, 2025 Gracenote, the content data busin...
12/03/2025
GEONA, Nev. Independent digital and linear advertising rep firm Viamedia will adopt cloud-based ShowSeeker Pilot as its primary ad campaign and order management...
12/03/2025
BRUSSELS Mediagenix has announced that Wael Yasin has joined the company as sales director Central Europe....
12/03/2025
LONDON A new study highlights opportunities for shoppable TV and the massive impact online consumer spending is having on the economy, with Omdia predicting tha...
12/03/2025
CUPERTINO, Calif. Interra Systems has announced that Comcast Technology Solutions has integrated recent updates to BATON Version 9 into its operations....
12/03/2025
Nevion announces new 400G addition to its eMerge SDN media fabric offering
Brie Clayton March 12, 2025
0 Comments
High-capacity switch enhances existi...
12/03/2025
DaVinci Resolve Studio Delivers Cinematic Sound for Adam Bol
Brie Clayton March 12, 2025
0 Comments
Feature film relies on DaVinci Resolve Studio for ...
12/03/2025
SVT Leverages Ateliere Live to Pioneer 100% Software-Defined Production at Rally...
12/03/2025
Berklee Awards Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to Four Organizations A total of $17,000 will be distributed among the Boston-based nonprofits.
By
Madd...
12/03/2025
TVBEuropes Jenny Priestley sits down with new SMPTE president Richard Welsh to discuss his aims for the organisation going forward, its efforts to attract a you...
12/03/2025
The new process has significantly enhanced operational efficiencies, with automation freeing up creators to concentrate on higher value tasks
By Matthew Corrig...
12/03/2025
Jellyfish Pictures, which has offices in London and Sheffield, said it has been battling hard in the face of strong headwinds over the last 12 months
By Jenny ...
12/03/2025
Visit Booth #W2213 to Experience the Latest in AI-Driven Content Discovery and Workflow Automation
Bitcentral, a leader in media workflow solutions, is set to ...
12/03/2025
CHICAGO Jeff Lilly has been named WGN-TV director of technology effective March 17, 2025, according to Ric Harris, WGN-TV vice president and general manager....
12/03/2025
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. A new study from LG Ad Solutions indicates that consumers want more features that would allow them to shop for products on the connected T...
12/03/2025
BOTHELL, Wash. The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and the Video Services Forum (VSF) will once again present...
12/03/2025
PHILADELPHIA Comcast announced that it has upgraded Xfinity Internet speeds for more than 20 million customers for no additional cost....
12/03/2025
Create with Maxon: Cinema 4D Fundamentals Workshop - March 12-14
Brie Clayton March 11, 2025
0 Comments
Makin' Waffles with Elly Wade
During Marc...
12/03/2025
Ottawa, Canada - March 12, 2025 - Ross Video is pleased to announce the appointment of Aaron Tunnell as Business Development Director, Cloud Solutions, reinforc...
12/03/2025
12 Mar 2025
VEON to release 4Q 2024 trading update on 20 March 2025 Dubai, 12 March 2025 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a global digital operator, today confirms ...
12/03/2025
Getting set for the Winter Olympics: Inside SVT's ongoing software-based pro...
12/03/2025
THE PLAYERS Championship 2025: AI Commentary, Shared-Reality Viewing at COSM, La...
12/03/2025
Seamless SMPTE 2110: A Discussion on Making the Move to IP Less Painful Leaders from Netflix, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, LinkedI, and Megapixel address ...
12/03/2025
Opening Doors of Perception: Meta's Ajit Ninan on Rethinking AR/MR Perceptua...
12/03/2025
With the 2025 Formula 1 season set to begin in Melbourne on March 16, Sky Sports is gearing up to deliver its most comprehensive F1 coverage yet. Following a th...
12/03/2025
Unicanal and Trece TV revolutionize Digital TV in Paraguay with Rohde & Schwarz ...
12/03/2025
Honoring Service, Celebrating Sport: Rohde & Schwarz UK Sponsors NavyFit Rugby D...