Art Is Illumination: Soul of the Movement

On Friday, October 8th, the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra premieres their newest musical offering, Soul of the Moment, a jazz oratorio inspired by the songs of the Civil Rights Movement and the speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra featuring Faye Carol, Kenny Washington, Jeannine Anderson, Howard Wiley Friday, October 8, 8PM
Jewish Community Center of San Francisco
http://www.sfjazz.org/concerts/2010/fall/artists/shelby.php

Marcus invites his Rooftop family to come for a great evening of music, as SFJAZZ presents MSJO's premiere performance of Soul of the Movement.

Listen closely, and you may hear Marcus Shelby's work with his Rooftop students woven into the fabric of this new composition. Over the past three years of Shelby's residencies at Rooftop, kinders learned about Ruby Bridges and 6th graders wrestled with Mingus' The Fables of Faubus. Together, we remembered the 50th anniversary of the Little Rock Nine and school integration. We celebrated the inauguration of President Obama, as we searched for meaning in the words of Dr. King.

Marcus writes about the inspiration for his musical composition in the composer's notes for the CD.

The inspiration for Soul of the Movement arrived as a part of a personal journey to learn and understand the principles of the Civil Rights Movement. I wanted these principles of commitment, courage and creative love-force to be alive in my life today. I also wanted to share the stories of the Movement in a personal creative way through music. My research included learning about my family's history of activism during the Movement, and collecting and connecting these experiences to my own two children and to the many other school children with whom I work...

It's significant to me that children like Emmett Till, Ruby Bridges, the Little Rock 9, the Birmingham four, and many other children were a part of the Movement. I think of my own young daughters and their potential to do great things in this world when I think of Emmett Till, and when I recall Rosa Park's reply when she was asked why she didn't simply give up her seat on that day on December 1, 1955. She said, "I thought about Emmett Till, and I couldn't go back.

Dear Marcus —
We thank you for sharing your art and your commitment, courage, and love-force with the children of Rooftop School. We look forward to the premiere of SOUL OF THE MOVEMENT.