Lyrics Lounge Goes to BET’s 106 & Park

We Got the Livest Audience Around? Lyrics Lounge!

Lyrics Lounge: Session XVVII

April 8, 2011

The unbelievable, INCREDIBLE truth is that we go hard at Lyrics Lounge! Last week our youth had the chance to attend a live tapping of BET’s 106 & Park. That’s right! We got to see Rosci and Terrence up close and personal. Some of the other celebrity guests included: Jim Jones, Swizz Beats, Jada Kiss, and Styles P. It was a special Freestyle Fridays event that featured the culminating battle between Moon and Blind Fury, two finalists who were vying for the winning crown and all the bragging rights they could eat.

This special exposure was reserved for Lyrics Lounge participates who:
•    Maintained at least a 70% grade point average.
•    Had attended at least 6 previous Lyrics Lounge session.
•    Had exceptional behavior during program and in school.

Pictures from the Event!

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Lyrics Lounge Discusses The Works of Curtis Mayfield

Lyrics Lounge: Session XVVI

April 8, 2011

There are a number of “unsung” heros in the world of music production and composition. During the 1960s and 70s, the late Curtis Mayfield enjoyed a vast career as one of the premiere composers for black films. One of his more critically acclaimed scores is the soundtrack to the highly successful film Super Fly (1972). At our last session, Lyrics Lounge participants had an opportunity to screen Sparkle, the 1976 Harlem-based film about the rough lives and careers of fictional singer Sparkle Williams and her family and friends. Our theme was “Honoring the Past: Legends in American Music.” The soundtrack album for Sparkle was released and performed by Aretha Franklin, written and produced by Curtis Mayfield. The original track listing is below:

1.    “Sparkle” (4:13)
2.    “Something He Can Feel” (6:21)
3.    “Hooked on Your Love” (5:00)
4.    “Look into Your Heart” (4:04)
5.    “I Get High” (4:11)
6.    “Jump” (2:19)
7.    “Loving You Baby” (3:48)
8.    “Rock With Me” (3:11)

Paper or Plastic | Hardware or Software: Lyrics Lounge Talks the MPC with Too Deep

Too Deep, The HippieHoodlum, came through to Lyrics Lounge to talk about the facts and fictions of hip hop music production.

Lyrics Lounge: Session XVV

March 25, 2011

Roger Linn. Some people have deemed this man a saint for one reason: He was the architect and engineer behind the  design of the Music Production Center or the “MPC.” Originally called the “MIDI Production Center,” the MPC is a popular and well respected series of electronic musical instruments originally designed by Roger Linn and produced by the Japanese company Akai from 1988 onward. Equipped with his vintage MPC 2000XL, ultra-versatile artist and producer  Too Deep came by Lyrics Lounge to share a few artistic words of wisdom with our family and to demonstrate how to create music on the MPC. After performing a few numbers from his much anticipated debut album release The Hippie Hoodlum, ETC-ers rocked out with the traditional Lyrics Lounge open mic, freestyling to some of Too Deep’s original beats.

Say Cheeze: Pics from Too Deep’s Visit!

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Lyrics Lounge: Building Contact Mics with Suzanne Thorpe

Award-winning electro-acoustic flutist Suzanne Thorpe stopped by Lyrics Lounge to teach youth how to build their own contact microphones.

Lyrics Lounge: Session XVIV

March 18, 2011

There is a certain sense of power that comes with designing your own musical instruments and creative devices. It’s one thing to hold a mic It’s another thing to clinch the mic that you wired and bought the parts for. That’s something totally different. On Friday, March 18,  team Lyrics Lounge had a opportunity to custom-build contact microphones with expert electronic musician Suzanne Thorpe. After a quick trip to Radio Shack to purchase the necessary materials, we rolled up our sleeves and received a quick course on transducers and electromagnetic fields. Then, we were off! There were soldering irons and wire strippers all over the place. At the end our youth had the opportunity to test their microphones. Believe it or not, there was no open mic last week. Nevertheless, Lyrics Lounge continues to be the place where the bar is raised through the roof.

Say Cheeze: Pics from Suzanne’s Visit!

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Know Thy Lyrics: Lyrics Lounge Talks to Songwriter Stori James about Music Publishing

Stori James stopped by the Lounge to talk about being a signed songwriter.

Lyrics Lounge: Session XVIII

March 11, 2011

From time to time it’s a good idea to research the songwriters who write your favorite tunes. These days a quick Google search can help you find information on the creators who worked behind the scenes to develop most of your iPod’s content. Consequently, our theme for last week’s session was “Know Thy Lyrics: Songwriting and Publishing Workshop.”  It turns out that songwriting can be quite a lucrative field, and signed songwriter Stori James came by Lyrics Lounge to explain how she has created a profitable business out of writing song lyrics. A member of the Sony/ATV Music Publishing family, Stori talked to ETC youth about music publishing and the importance of building strong relationships in the music business. She also performed some of her new material for our group and explained a bit about her writing process to the audience. This week the open mic was dynamic! There were a few battlers in the crowd, a handful of soulful singers, and much much more. Missed it? 😦

Check Out the Pics from Stori’s Visit!

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School Daze After School Days: Lyrics Lounge on Music and Cinema

"Good and Bad Hair/Whether you're dark or you're fair/Go on and swear/See if I care/Good and bad hair..." - Bill Lee

Lyrics Lounge: Session XVII

March 4, 2011

Without question, great cinema would not exist without great musical accompaniment. Think of your favorite scene from your favorite movie. Right at the moment when the lovers begin to kiss or the case is finally solved, consider the music that’s playing in the background. A great film score can sometimes make or break a film. To support our claim, at our last Lyrics Lounge event, ETC-ers watched School Daze, the 1988 film musical by renowned director Spike Lee. Our theme for the day was “Music in Cinema.” Youth were asked to pay close attention to the score and to identify elements that best resonated with them. The original soundtrack (track listing below) for the film was produced by Bill Lee. At the end of our meeting, we ended with the traditional Lyrics Lounge open mic. Fantasic!

Track listing

    1.    “Da’Butt” — E.U. – 5:14
2.    “Perfect Match” — Tech & The Effx – 6:03
3.    “Be Alone Tonight” — Rays – 3:56
4.    “Straight And Nappy” — Jigaboos & Wannabees Chorus – 6:08
5.    “One Little Acorn” — Kenny Barron/Terence Blanchard – 2:20
6.    “I’m Building Me A Home” — Morehouse College Glee Club – 2:45
7.    “I Can Only Be Me” — Keith John – 3:17
8.    “One Little Acorn (Piano Solo)” — Kenny Barron – 1:21
9.    “Be One” — Phyllis Hyman – 4:36
10.    “Wake Up Suite” — The Natural Spiritual Orchestra – 3:40
11.    “We’ve Already Said Goodbye (Before We Said Hello)” — Pieces Of A Dream – 4:11

Strive ‘Til I Rise: Genesis Be Talks Social Entrepreneurship at Lyrics Lounge

Lyrics Lounge - "Strive 'Til I Rise or Until I Stop Breathing!" - Genesis Be

Lyrics Lounge: Session XVI

February 18, 2011

There are a number of artists out there making music. However, there aren’t as many artists who use their fame and resources to change the state of our world. However, the recent surge in the field of social entrepreneurship has caused the entertainment world to more closely examine the impact that music media has on the world. More and more musicians and entertainers are becoming ambassadors for social justice and activism in a number of ways.

On Friday, February 18, Lyrics Lounge explored the topic “…”. Emcee and social activist Genesis Be stopped by the Lounge to discuss her career and the ways in which her social efforts have influenced her artistic goals. She explained that social entrepreneurship is simply helping others through the creation of your own business. She also talked to the youth about her new movement STIVE: Systematic Transformation Reversing Ignorance Via Entertainment.

Students rocked out to the traditional open mic at the end. Rockin’!

Check Out Genesis Be’s Smash Music Video for Single “I Don’t Discriminate”!

Lyrics Lounge Talks Kraftwerk & Electronic Musik

Lyrics Lounge - Ich liebe musik bei Lyrics Lounge!

Lyrics Lounge: Session XV

February 11, 2011

Düsseldorf? Is that a kind of cheese? Where do you buy it? What does it do? It doesn’t take batteries? No seriously,  Düsseldorf is the  German birthplace of Kraftwerk, an electronic music band  formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970. When with asked the students in Lyrics Lounge about electronic music, they described it as Techno music. They did not realize that making music with electronics was the beginning of Techno pop and similar genres. On February 11, Lyric Lounge explored the topic “Electronic Music Appreciation + Krafterwerk” to introduce students to the origins of today electronic music scene and the digital instrument industry. We screened a documentary entitled Kraftwerk and the Electronic Revolution.

World Traveler: Lyrics Lounge Talks International Music

Lyrics Lounge - Songstress Chanda Rule came through to talk about jazz and being a world-traveling musician.

Lyrics Lounge: Session XIV

February 4, 2011

It is not uncommon for an American artist to go to Europe or Asia and make a name there. He or she maybe relatively unknown in the United States but will be famous abroad. This reality speaks to the importance of American music around the global. It also speaks volumes about the importance of diversifying your brand as an artist. There is nothing wrong with writing a few songs in another language or creating your tunes for more than one kind of audience. At our last Lyrics Lounge event, we talked to songstress and world-traveler Chanda Rule. Chanda performed a number of phenomenal songs accompanied by Steve Wallace. Then we discussed her travels and her experiences working in the music industry. Our theme for the day was “International Music: Get Out, No Limits On You.” At the end we rocked out the our WHAT? Of course, we rocked out with the traditional Lyrics Lounge open mic. 🙂

Pics From Chanda’s Visit. Smile!

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Before The Music Dies: Lyrics Lounge on the Future of the Music Industry

Lyrics Lounge: Session XIII

January 28, 2011

Is the integrity of the music business suffering due to the commercialization of art in culture? Many fans and music practitioners believe that it is. In a world where the proliferation of original music content is overwhelming, why does it seem as if the major radio channels, music charts, and music stores reflect such limited diversity? Today artist who sell stay in rotation for months (and even years). Subsequently, some believe that defining a successful artist in terms of “dollars and cents” compromises the true value of the music industry and makes it impossible for new artists to rise.

To discuss this issue, Lyrics Lounge screened Before the Music Dies (2006), an independent rockumentary directed by Andrew Shapter. The film critiques the American music industry and the increased commercialization of the art of music over the past thirty years. The film features interviews and performances from musicians such as Doyle Bramhall II, Erykah Badu, Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews, Branford Marsalis, Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt and My Morning Jacket.

Our theme of the day was ” Get Rich or Die Singing.” The students rocked out to the open mic at the end. Fortunately, the tone of the film did not dampen their rhymes. ‘Til next week.