What a pleasure and honor it was to work with Mississippi Teachers at the Whole Schools Institute in Meridian, Mississippi July 19, 20 and 21. 3 hours a day for 3 days we worked on the workshop version of Nora’s Ark, the jazz musical by myself and Clifford Carlson. Some folks started out with a lot of experience such as Karen, singer and music teacher from Nora Davis Magnet School in Laurel. But there were others who never did anything like this before. Most hands went up at the end of the 3 days when asked, “Who feels like they could put on a jazz musical like this with their class?” So now we can’t wait to see how things unfold. Where will the next Mississippi production of Nora’s Ark take place? Thanks to Sonya Robinson, my partner teaching artist. We couldn’t have done it without you. And thanks to the Mississippi Arts Commission. I’m honored and thrilled to be a part of this great gathering of teachers and artists!
Evan Christopher, clarinetist from New Orleans, and I had a ball playing a duo concert in the historic Riley Center. What a hall…look Ma…no microphones!
Teachers arrive at Riley Center, Meridian, Mississippi
Mississippi bluesman LC Ulmer sets the tone for the Institute
Teaching Artist Sonya Robinson kicks off Nora’s Ark Workshop
LC Ulmer and Eli Yamin at the Riley Center
Bugsy finds her character
Teachers in Nora’s Ark Workshop
Mississippi Teachers at Nora’s Ark Workshop
Eli Yamin and Evan Christopher in concert at the Riley Center
Eli talks to the audience, “Jazz is like teaching, improvisation on a theme.”
Evan Christopher wails on the clarinet
Eli Yamin and Evan Christopher jam with Cadillac Bill and John at Riley Center
Eli receives book on Mississippi music from teacher at Institute. That’s Elvis Presley and B.B. King on the cover of the book!
Eli Yamin catches the spirit. Photo by Melissa Morano
Why do I LOVE the blues so much?
It’s the universal language of the heart. It brings people together and makes them happy. It’s full of passion, spirit, harmony, melody and rhythm. So much RHYTHM!
We spent the final week of the tour giving workshops and concerts in Santiago and around Santiago. What a gas it was connecting with all the jazz and blues people. Here are a handful of our new friends. Te quiero con locura!
Eli Yamin gives workshop at Pro Jazz, Santiago, Chile
Eli Yamin Blues Band Workshop becomes a Hootenany!
Bob Stewart sheds light on the blues at workshop at Pro Jazz, Santiago, Chile
Kate McGarry goes for deep soul at Pro Jazz, Santiago, Chile
LaFrae Sci activates the shuffle at Pro Jazz, Santiago, Chile
Eli Yamin with George Abuhele Bus, Director of Pro Jazz, Santiago, Chile
We had an equally ecstatic time at our workshop and concert at Universidad Mayor in Santiago, Chile. These young people are so receptive for blues rhythm. There was so much joy in the room. Check it out…
South America's leading jazz and blues aficionado, Jose "Pepe" Hosiasson in his Attic Jazz Laboratory
My new friend from Santiago, 79-year old pianist Giovanni Cultrera, told me, “jazz is the most important contribution to world culture.” When I asked him why, he replied, “because it’s universal expression. It comes from the mental pain of the slaves. Everyone one experiences mental pain sometimes and jazz provides the release.”
Giovanni Cultrera jamming in his home with Eli Yamin, Santiago, Chile
Bob Stewart, Kate McGarry, LaFrae Sci, U.S. Ambassador to Chile Paul Simons and his wife-Victoria Cardenas Simons, Eli Yamin
This band was a dream to be on the Rhythm Road with. Such high artists. Teachers, Players. Always embodying the full spirit of the music. The month was manna from Heaven. Thank-you Bob Stewart, Kate McGarry and LaFrae Sci. May our musical offering resound through the spheres and bring happiness and understanding in it’s path. May our friendships create lasting growth and support throughout the years to come. I love you madly!
Eli Yamin Blues Band in Chile-Bob Stewart, LaFrae Sci, Eli Yamin, Kate McGarry
Curico was also hit hard by the Earthquake. We can only imagine how unsettling this is to the residents here.
Cracked wall in Curio
Crumbled roof in Curico
Church in Curico
After taking this all in we arrived at the Library where our concert was to take place. Next door to the library was a building full of music…
Fundacion de Orquestas Juveniles, Curico, Chile
We were surprised to find students in the First Lady of Chile’s Program, Fundacion de Orquestas Juvenile. Modeled after El Sistema in Venezuela, young people all over the county are studying strings. We were especially touched when the students came by our soundcheck to play us a couple of songs including a soul stirring Chilean folk song. Here’s a clip of these amazing young people. The importance of their music making in the wake of the earthquake couldn’t be more clear…
Teacher-Marivaldo, LaFrae Sci, Jorge Martins-director of Corpos Percussivos and students
Last night was an amazing experience. We performed for students, diplomats and friends of the American Bi-National Center in Recife. This is a place that teaches classes in English. Of course, we saw it as the perfect opportunity to invite the Maracatou kids from Corpos Percussivos. We were so knocked out to perform two songs with them in the concert: Billie’s Bounce by Charlie Parker and the traditional John Henry. John Henry was through the roof. I don’t think we’ll ever again to perform that song without the power of the Maracatou!
Drums of Maracatou
Eli Yamin Blues Band performs with Maracatou from Corpos Percussivos
Eli Yamin performs at ABA, Recife
Student from Corpos Percussivos
Student practicing with gift from drummer LaFrae Sci
Eli Yamin Blues Band and Corpos Percussivos at ABA, Recife
On Tuesday, we spent the day at the Recife Conservatory which has been teaching music to generations of Brazilians for many years. As a matter of fact, many of the current teachers were once students at the conservatory which makes the place more then a school. It is a family. We felt right at home.
Bob Stewart and students from Recife Conservatory
In the workshop we gave our overview of the Blues as a Healing Song.
Guiding question: How does the blues give us a way to express deep feelings and be comforted by the rhythm and the community we are in? How can we use both our voice and instrument to experience the deep soul and sustenance of the blues?
First we performed Sweet Home Chicago by Robert Johnson and the traditional spiritual Trouble of the World and asked the audience for observations on what they heard. Their observations included the instruments, the feeling, the form, the improvisation and feeling of the music we had played.
Then Kate led the group in call and response blues singing…from a moan, to a hum to a shout.
This was followed by LaFrae teaching everyone the shuffle and feeling the doodle aah (see Blues Band in Romania for video on this)
Then Bob wordlessly communicated the harmonic structure of the blues.
Finally, I led a call and response improvisation with singers and instrumentalists on stage. This climaxed in a grand performance of Night Time Is the Right Time by Roosevelt Sykes.
Then, we topped things off by teaching the words of Healing Song by myself and Clifford Carlson from the jazz musical, Message From Saturn. We sang the chorus in English and, for the first time, in Portugese. It was a magical moment.
In the evening we played our first full concert in Brazil and were enthusiastically received by students, teachers and the community. What a phenomenal community of great listeners and musicians!
Eli Yamin says "clap your hands"
Bob Stewart wordlessly demonstrates blues harmony. All hands on!
Nora's Ark Workshop, University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Oxford, Mississippi
The trip to Mississippi was amazing. The photo above captures the sheer joy we felt at the culmination of the workshop performance of Nora’s Ark, the jazz musical by Clifford Carlson and me. Judi Holifield, Director of Whole Schools Initiative, sponsored by the Mississippi Arts Commission, brought me down to University of Mississippi at Oxford, MS to give workshops and perform for teachers. These are teachers empowered and inspired by art ready to change and uplift the world!
Bill Strickland inspired us!
July 12th I arrived in Oxford to participate in the retreat. Setting the tone for the week was the magnificent keynote speaker, entrepreneur, social activist, artist, visionary, author, jazz leader, Bill Strickland. In addition to hearing his keynote address and receiving this signed copy of his book, Make The Impossible Possible, I got to spend some time talking with Bill about making positive change in the world for ALL people through art.
The following day, workshops began with “Music As a Container.” In the workshop we explore how music gives us a chance to express “unspeakable feelings,” as well as stories, culture and community. I found participants, teachers from throughout the state of Mississippi, wonderfully engaged and warmhearted in the workshop. “Music as a Container” was inspired by a collaboration I had years ago with Dr. Abigail McNamee of Lehman College, City University of New York.
Janice from B.B. King Museum and teachers in workshop
In the afternoon, it was time for the Blues Immersion Workshop. We sang Leadbelly’s, “Good Morning Blues,” and the teachers wrote blues songs based on this model. Then it was time to head over to the Nutt Auditorium at Ole Miss where I was joined by the great clarinetist Evan Christopher from New Orleans for a duo concert. What a great way to warm up an audience–teach ‘em workshops all day long first. Just a great vibe…
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I Want To Be A Teacher is on my new CD, You Can’t Buy Swing, available on www.eliyamin.com, www.cdbaby.com or itunes.
The day after the concert, blues historian Scott Barretta and aficionado Thomas Henry Freeland IV gave me some tips on how I should go to Clarksdale. Before I knew it, I was on my way to the Mississippi Delta, birthplace of the blues. In Clarksdale, you can feel the spirit of the blues elders all over the place. It’s in the dust, sky, trees and wind…
Fabled blues crossroads, Clarksdale, Mississippi
Delta Blues Museum, Clarksdale, Mississippi
When I arrived at the Delta Blues Museum, eight or nine youngsters had gathered in the basement for blues class with veteran blues man, Bill “Howlin’ Madd” Perry. Before I could count to four, I was in the mix, helping the young piano players. Many thanks to Bill for such a warm and energized welcome. You made me feel completely at home.
Eli Yamin and Bill Perry
After the class, we headed over to Morgan Freeman’s blues club, Ground Zero. Bill was playing along with his son, Bill Perry Jr. on piano and their group. What a fantastic sound. Completely modern yet absolutely from the roots. I was knocked out to sit in the band and completely floored when Bill said, “There is no way you don’t have a least SOME Mississippi down in ya’ playing the blues like that. That ain’t no New York blues!” Thanks Bill for the sweet compliment. You guys are holding it down. Can’t wait to see you up here in New York at Terra Blues!
Bill "Howlin' Madd" Perry performs at Ground Zero, Clarksdale, Mississippi
Eli sits in with Bill "Howlin' Madd" Perry Blues Band at Ground Zero
Mr. John Billington, founder of Delta Blues Museum Education Program performs
I drove back to Oxford blasting one of the CD’s I bought at the Delta Blues Museum, Muddy Waters Greatest Hits, of course. What a night it was.
The following day, I was joined by a brilliant angel, newly located to New Orleans. The great singer and teaching artist, Sonya Robinson. She conducted her own workshops and partnered with me in the Nora’s Ark workshop. Thanks for your great partnership Sonya!
Sonya Robinson, teaching artist extraordinaire
Sonya and I joined forces to lead a nine-hour workshop production of Nora’s Ark, the jazz musical by Clifford Carlson and me. Check out the following clip and see what a wonderful job these professional educators do in leaping into the risk taking and soul expanding world of jazz drama. Many of the teachers plan to return to their schools throughout Mississippi to stage Nora’s Ark with their students. We are eager to see the results…
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After all this, I’m truly excited for the future. So many teachers being creative and spirited. Young people picking up the ball and running with it. One of the teachers in the Nora’s Ark workshop brought her 17 year old son, Chris. He made for a terrific Mr. Cheetah in the production and went home with new found interest in blues men Albert King and Muddy Waters and jazz in general. Hats off to you-skies the limit Chris!
You can also see photos below of myself with Bill Perry Jr., a wonderful young blues and jazz pianist from Clarksdale. Look out for this fiery young man. And, myself with the director of the Thacker Mountain Radio Show on Mississippi Public Radio. Thanks for having me on the show. What a great feeling–words and music, perfect together.
Big thanks to everyone at the Mississippi Arts Commission and Whole Schools. You are through-the-roof fantastic. Thanks a million for doing what you do. Together we are making the impossible possible. More art, more kids, more creativity, more humanity, more learning, more healing, more joy!
Hope to see you soon!
Eli and Bill Perry Jr., blues and jazz pianist from Clarksdale
Director of Thacker Mountain Radio Show and Eli
Eli with Chris, who played Mr. Cheetah in the Nora's Ark workshop
