Author Archives: Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

Homegoing: Roy Campbell & Amiri Baraka

Photo courtesy of Arts for Art, Inc.

Photo courtesy of Arts for Art, Inc.

Roy Campbell was a warrior and hero in our New York City music community. He carried his armament (the trumpet, flugelhorn, flutes) wherever he went, and he went wherever he was needed. He was for the music, he was for his brothers and sisters. He was concerned about the next generation. But he didn’t want his peers to be forgotten. He didn’t want the History of this music, which was born out of struggle, to be forgotten. His music was not born in a university, but came from the struggle that he endured every day as a black man and as a human being trying to rise up and raise up.

Valerie Campbell-Morris, Roy Campbell’s sister, requested that at this time in lieu of flowers they would ask that any donations be submitted to Arts for Art in memory of Roy S. Campbell, Jr.

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Update: Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign

Free Marissa AlexanderCourt Upholds Marissa Alexander’s Bond Release;
Activists Call for Angela Corey to Stop Harassment

 

Today, the court upheld Marissa Alexander’s bond release, which means she is allowed to continue her house arrest and remain with her children and family until her new trial begins on March 31st.  State Prosecutor Angela Corey filed a motion alleging that Marissa Alexander broke the conditions of her release by making unauthorized trips outside her home. Yet, Alexander’s legalteam presented proof that the Correctional Service Counselor who supervised Alexander’s house arrest authorized every trip listed in the State’s motion and the Counselor asserts that Alexander is not in violation of her release.

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ROY CAMPBELL, Jr, 1952-2014

Just as we are about to transmit this newsletter, we learned of sad passing of Downtown trumpet giant Roy Campbell, Jr. Mr. Campbell was born in LA in 1952 but raised in New York. Besides trumpet, Mr. Campbell played flugelhorn, pocket trumpet and flutes. Roy was a longtime friend and collaborator with William Parker, both are founding members of Other Dimensions in Music as well as members of Mr. Parker’s Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra.
Mr. Campbell led several bands of his own including the Akhenaten Ensemble, who were always a highlight of the Vision Festival. Other high points for Mr. Campbell’s playing include his work with Matt Shipp, Jemeel Moondoc, Charles Tyler, Whit Dickey and Dave Douglas’ Triple Trumpet Band. More recently, Mr. Campbell soared with work in Marc Ribot’s Spiritual Unity and a co-led band with Burton Greene. My favorite group that Roy Campbell has long worked with is the Nu Band with Mark Whitecage, Joe Fonda and Lou Grassi. Each of their half dozen discs are extraordinary.
One of the things I dug most about Roy is when he would emcee at the Vision Fest or even at his own gigs. He had a wonderful sense of humor and his occasional political rants were always charming. I am shocked at hearing of his passing since I just saw him a couple of months ago and he looked the picture of health. I would like to raise a toast to Mr. Roy Campbell, Jr., one of Downtown’s most distinguished musicians and sweetest spirits.

– Bruce Lee Gallanter, Manny ‘Lunch’ Maris, Chuck Bettis, Mike Panico

Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

I still can’t believe it that Roy passed away last Thursday. Because last Monday I jammed with him at Michael Wimberly’s event at the “Evolving Music” concert series. I enjoyed his trumpet playing.

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Concert Review: Mem Nahadr..there seems nothing she can’t sing. At times delicate and soft, and other times powerful and indomitable. And always beautiful.

Date: December 5, 2013
Venue: Silvana (NY)

Silvana, a new venue in Harlem owned by the same people who own The Shrine is becoming the new scene for fine music in Harlem.  One can hear some marvelous music every night. One such night happened when Mem Nahadr and her band performed.

Mem Nahadr – (also known as M. Nahadr, “Madwoman” and simply “M”. The name NAHADR meaning “Divine LIght’) – is an internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter, performance artist  film composer, author,  independent filmmaker and multidisciplinary video/sonic visionary. Some of her work includes the performance of Butterfly (by Yoko Kanno and Chris Mosdell) for the soundtrack to Cowboy Bebop , a musical compilation entitled: Eclectic Is M, her Off-Broadway performance art piece  Madwoman: A Contemporary Opera, and her new Modern Opera entitled: Femme Fractale: An Opera of Reflection.

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Musician issues: copyright, activism, and making a living in the age of streaming – Future of Music Summit 2013

Text by Adam Witkowski

(Adam Witkowski is Local 802’s director of organizing. Sign up for the latest news about copyright issues at www.copyright.gov/newsnet.)

Photo courtesy of Allegro

Photo courtesy of Allegro

Now in its 12th year, the Future of Music Coalition recently convened its annual summit on the scenic Georgetown University campus in Washington, D.C. The two-day conference brought together people from all walks of the music industry for interviews, workshops and panel discussions focusing on a broad range of issues affecting musicians and the music industry as a whole.

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