Charles Hazlewood: Trusting the ensemble

TED.Com is a remarkable website that is devoted to spreading worthy ideas.  It is a non-profit organization that is making a huge impact in the collaboration of design, technology and entertainment.  It offers the top world-changing innovators from around the globe.  This particular post of speaker Charles Hazelwood is very intriguing.  He is an acclaimed conductor and used his profession to illustrate trust.  He begins speaking and prompts violinists to play.  They enter from different areas of the room, creating a surround sound.  This was used as an icebreaker.  Everyone was pleasantly surprised and it unified the audience.

Mr. Hazlewood talks about how important it is for him as a conductor to trust his ensemble.   He even has to trust himself.  He must trust that his instruction during rehearsal was sufficient and that he is exuberating the right body language.  He has to have enough control to direct, but not too much control that the ensemble cannot flow.  He used an excellent example given to him early in his career.  If you hold a bird too tightly, you will crush it, and if you open your hand too wide, it will fly away.  This is a perfect analogy for a conductor to follow.

He spoke of a remarkable experience in South Africa, where he overcame adversity through the power of music, which taught a life lesson about trust.  The choir was comprised of mostly black singers with a handful of whites.  One of the white members was a former South African Police Officer.  Understanding that police were charged to go into the black communities and aggress them, created a lot of intensity in the room.  Mr. Hazlewood overcame this distrust by singing, singing and singing some more.  This process developed trust and blossomed new relationships.

He also revealed a very inspirational project that was developed because of his daughter that suffers from Cerebral Palsy.  ParaOrchestra was created for disabled musicians.  These musicians have the opportunity to do what they love through this initiative.  There was a left-handed pianist that played beautifully and even used humor to tell about his condition, that he was born with one hand.  Some other musicians create music electronically.  One man interviewed was a former trumpet player that was left paralyzed through a road accident.  He expressed the joy he feels creating music and would take the ability to play his trumpet again, over the ability to walk.  This was hard to imagine, but it illustrated how important music is to a person.

The conductor also told of a story of a Prince that declared the musicians’ families were no longer welcome in the castle.  They were sent away.  The conductor illustrated how music was used to show the Prince their anger for his decision.  Conductor Hazlewood directed the ensemble to play a beautiful piece.  Just as you were completely engaged, one by one, members of the ensemble stop playing and walked off the stage, until they all disappeared.  Conductor Hazlewood re-entered the stage and informed the audience that the Prince soon allowed the musicians’ families to return.

This was very inspirational as a musician.  It was very informative and the music played by the Scottish Ensemble made it even more intriguing.  It illustrated how music can be used to develop trust.  It was also thought provoking and challenging.  How are you using your talent to help people or enhance their lives?

namVe

The National Association of musicians, vocalist and entertainers is a very important organization in the music industry.  It offers a comprehensive benefits program to aid those of us working independently.  It provides such benefits as:  Prescription Drugs, Financial Counseling, Health Care Counseling, Roadside Assistance, Dental and Vision Programs, Artist Insurance, Hospital Indemnity, Critical Care, Accidental Coverage, Life Coverage, and an Internet Shopping Mall.  These are invaluable benefits.  The average musician, vocalist or entertainer works independently and does not have these benefits, nor are they able to afford them on their own.  I know numerous uninsured musicians and vocalist that could really benefit from taking advantage of being a member of this organization.  Healthcare costs are astronomical and almost unaffordable on your own.  This organization shows the benefits of being part of a large network.  They are able to offer these benefits because of the numbers they offer to various companies.  They are able to negotiate lower costs for their members.

Every independent musician should have artist insurance. This insures classical instruments and equipment, studio liability, tour coverage and liability, special events, and musical instruments and equipment.  The lack of these benefits could destroy a musician. Just imagine playing independently and there is a power surge that destroys your $3,500 Motif XF8.  The average musician lives paycheck to paycheck in this economy and would not have the money saved to purchase another keyboard or could afford to wait until it was repaired.  I actually know a musician that had the misfortune of this experience.  He has not been able to have it repaired yet.  Fortunately he does have another keyboard, but an instrument of this caliber lets other musicians know that you are knowledgeable of a good instrument, and you care enough to invest in a good instrument.  I guess it shows a certain status as a musician.

NAMVE also is an advocate for issues in the music industry, such as budget cuts for Art Programs and Funding, Health Care, Social Security, and Medicare. These are all issues that will have a huge impact on our industry and it is important to have a voice.  Musicians, vocalist, and entertainers have the same concerns and face the same issues as other working Americans.  However, it is even more crucial because if you work independently, you are not paying into Social Security and not eligible for Medicare, unless you have an eligible spouse or another type of job on the side. 

The average musician, vocalist and entertainer do not have steady work.  They are working diligently to sell themselves to have more bookings.  They may travel from city to city, or state-to-state, and some even travel out of the country, completely on their own.  This organization can provide invaluable assistance and has inspired me to create a local organization to help the people I know.

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Katt Williams

I had the opportunity to attend a comedy show last night, in the great city of Jackson, MS.  I was very surprised and elated, because we very rarely get these types of headliners.  I’m not sure if it’s because of the negative image that is etched in people’s mind of our past, or if they think we’re so far behind in time, that we don’t know who they are.  Whatever the reason, I am grateful we were chosen.

                                             Google Images

Katt Williams is one of the most renowned comedians of this time.  He is known for making light of the truth of things that aren’t usually spoken about.  His trademark is his style.  He dresses somewhat like a “pimp” and wears his hair permed, and it’s usually the prettiest in the building.  I had the privilege of being center stage on the second row of the venue.  Katt was in rare form.  He entered the stage and immediately jumped off and ran around the venue, getting up-close and personal with the audience.  He had a very nice black and purple silk blazer, black silk pants, and some gray Nike tennis shoes that lit up like Sketchers.  Ironically we did not see his signature hair.  Instead he wore a purple fury Kangol hat. 

His show was just as ironic as his well-manicured hair being covered.  He spoke in duration about the tragic death of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson and his predator, Dr. Conrad Murray.  He couldn’t quite fathom the idea of paying a doctor $150,000 per month to administer a drug that according to the defense, Michael Jackson was able to administer to himself.  It just didn’t add up to him.  He also spoke about how America is slowly wiping out its enemies, with the deaths of Sadam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden, and Khadafy.  An idea that seemed impossible ten years ago. 

Katt is also known for making light of a favorite pass-time, smoking marijuana.  This time the only mention of smoking was when he was comparing religions and said it went along great with meditation like certain religions.  In his religious comparisons, with one eyebrow raised, he endorsed Jesus Christ!  He also spoke about homosexuality being in the bible, but he excused the lesbians, because they weren’t mentioned in the bible.  He told of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and how homosexuality was being practiced in both of those cities and God burned them both down.  Katt also spoke adamantly that the apocalypse is coming in 2012.  He warned everyone to find a significant other, and get their finances in order, a strong resemblance to Y2K.

The show was funny, but it had a political and almost spiritual undertone that made us laugh, but think as well.  It wasn’t the usual weed-smoking, permed hair, pimp-style dressing Katt that preceded him.  He made us realize he does believe in a purpose and he has decided to use the stage as his platform.  I enjoyed it!

Sunday's Best Le'Andria Johnson

                                                                                               Music World Gospel

Reading the articles Gospel stardom a bumpy road for Le'Andria Johnson written by Jonathan Landrum and Sunday Best's Le'Andria Johnson has a Testimony by Bob Marovich, gives you a depiction of the life of an upcoming gospel artist, but it also took me back in time.  Le’Andria Johnson was the winner of a BET series called Sunday Best, hosted by Kirk Franklin and had a panel of gospel Grammy award winning legends, Mary Mary and Donnie McClurkin.  The season that Le’Andria was on Tina Campbell was out having a baby, so Yolanda Adams took her place.  I actually had an opportunity to attend several tapings during that season.  I attended the taping for a friend, Dathan Thigpen, who actually made it to the finals.  I did not realize what a blessing it would be to attend.  This particular season another contestant, 80 year old Elder Goldwire, electrified the stage, as well.  This made it a very tough competition.

Le’Andria stood out.  There was something on the inside of her that drew you in.  You could always tell that she was singing her story.  She would ignite the crowd and the judges to the point where taping would have to stop and the people would just have to praise God.  She not only had the stage presence, but the honesty the sincerity and the humbleness was all over her.  I was there to support my friend, but she quickly made me a fan.  This admiration only grew after hearing her story. 

She arrived at the audition wearing socks and flip-flops.  She described the other contestants were dressed up and she literally wore what she had.  She was a twice-divorced, single mother of three, who had struggled financially to the point of foreclosure.  She didn’t even have a car to get to the auditions.  A close friend encouraged her and the rest is history.  She is human and has struggles like the rest of us, but she is still striving to achieve.  She has lost a great deal, but slowly gaining so much more.  Her new album "The Awakening of Le'Andria Johnson" was released mid-September and has topped Billboard’s Gospel Album Charts for the fourth time in the last five weeks.  If you ever have an opportunity to see her live, please do.  You will be blessed!

iChanged

Steve Jobs

1955 - 2011

Apple's Founder

October 5 marks a day of triumph for the heavens and a day of apprehension for the rest of us, as we learned of the passing of Steve Jobs.  It also marks the two-year anniversary of my father's death, so somberly I sit. 

I was given an assignment to post an industry-related blog for class, and I was moved to say something, because Steve Jobs truly changed the entertainment industry, especially music.  Simplistically, as you go throughout the day, count how many white earbuds you see attached to an iPhone, iPod or an iPad.  I realize that Steve Jobs never knew my name or the effect that he has had on me, and  so many more, but he really changed our lives.  He has provided an example to all us to follow our dreams, and if we truly believe in something, enjoy what we do, and pour ourselves into it, we can achieve!  I am so motivated by his life.  He started out in the garage and developed a world-changing product, which virtually ended up in our garages.  Apple has touched so many lives, and changed the way we socialize and do business.  I am a student at Full Sail and every student enrolled on campus or online has an apple computer, because of the advanced technology and dependability it provides. 

“Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being”.  

This statement speaks volumes about what he meant to the world.  I remember travelling abroad to Spain and the people requesting that we send back iPhones.  They were very expensive to obtain, but they wanted them very badly.

Steve Jobs created an opportunity for those in the music industry to be seen and heard.  He launched the iPod in 2001, he bound it to iTunes, the first easy-to-use software for managing your digital music collection, which had debuted earlier that year. 

This invention changed the music industry in the aspect of giving the aspiring artist a chance to get his music out there, without a major record deal.  It changed the music in the sense that it gave the consumer more power in the way they purchase music.  The consumer can choose to buy a single, as opposed to buying an album full of filibustering songs.

I admire him also because, he showed us how to survive, even when your world has crumbled.  He built Apple and had a power struggle with his Board and was fired.  He gave a commencement speech and stated how devastated he was, but  he was determined and driven by the passion still inside him.  He started NeXT and acquired Pixar and ten years later joined forces again with Apple.

I pray for his family’s strength.  I can’t even imagine the loss they must feel, and I pray that Apple can continue his vision.  RIP Steve Jobs, hence iChanged.

The Williams Brother New Release

The Williams Brothers are celebrating 50 years in the music industry.  Originally they started off as The Little Williams Brothers.  They are just a very talented family.  I think of them as the Jackson's of Gospel music.  I often reflect back on their talented brother Frank Williams.  He had such an anointing that is carried throughout the family.  You also have to mention Huey Williams, their brother of The Jackson Southernaires, when you think of the talent in the family.  I know them personally through my husband "CC", who is their bass player for recordings.  I must say that the first time I went to the studio, I was a little nervous about how they would act, or react to my being there.  You must understand that I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of different celebrities, including Shaquille O'Neal, Warren Moon, David Hollister, Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne, Vanessa Williams, Rick Foxx, Kurt Carr, Dottie Peoples and Johnny Gill just to name a few, so by no means am I an amateur of being around a star.  I guess it was the close encounter, their greatness and talent and being confined in a small space together that made me nervous.  I must say I had no reason to be nervous.  They are the nicest, down-to-earth people and they made sure I felt right at home.  Did I mention how humorous they are?  Well I can't think of a group that deserves more.  Please get the new release and support the legendary Williams Brothers!  Mississippi's own!

Move in Me by The Williams Brothers (Hubby on bass)