NETWORK TO FREEDOM

This special community performance in celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will take place at the B&O Railroad Museum on Monday, January 15, 2024 at 7:00 PM. The concert will include selections by prominent African American composers such as Florence Price, Duke Ellington, and Carlos Simon, as well as the world premiere of a new work by BSO Artistic Partner Wordsmith.

Commissioned by the Baltimore Symphony, Wordsmith’s powerful new work, in his words,

"Explore[s] the beginnings of American Railroading at the B&O, its impact during the civil war, how it shaped our economy and the roots of the Underground Railroad. The birth of a new way to travel is documented through intimate storytelling, narration, spoken word, powerful choral arrangements, and a cinema worthy score. Unearthed stories from Henry Box Brown, William & Ellen Craft, and more shine a light on the traumatic ordeal’s slaves had to endure to prove their freedom. The B&O Railroad is not just a landmark; it holds a treasure trove of stories that have shaped our country!"  

Please join us for a reverent, uplifting, and moving performance paying tribute to Dr. King’s message of equality and unity.

Artists
Jeri Lynne Johnson, conductor
Wordsmith, spoken word artist
Further vocalists TBA

Repertoire
CARLOS SIMON "The Block"
ELLINGTON (arr. Henderson, red. Blanchard) Three Black Kings
     III. Martin Luther King
BONDS Montgomery Variations
     VI. Lament
     VII. Benediction
STILL Symphony No. 1, "Afro-American"
     I. Longing: Moderato assai
PRICE Symphony No. 3
     III. Juba: Allegro
WORDSMITH Network to Freedom (world premiere, BSO commission)

For three riveting performances on August 11th (8pm), August 12th, (8pm) and August 13th (3pm), Baltimore Rock Opera Society, a local theater community, New Song Academy Community Learning Center, and Award-winning artist, Wordsmith present, The Purple Tape.

Performed at New Song Academy, 1530 Presstman St, Baltimore, MD- 6th, 7th, and 8th graders of New Song Academy will be performing an original play written by participating students, in collaboration with Wordsmith.

Imagine a modern day take on the hit musical Hamilton mixed with the TV series The Get Down but set in Baltimore in the 90s and incorporating classic 90s rap hits from Wu-Tang, The Notorious B.I.G., 2PAC and LL Cool J. The students of New Song Academy will rap their way through a summer day as they go on a hunt for a rare copy of the famous Raekwon album. Only 10,000 cassettes were printed guaranteeing it would only fall into the hands of the most devoted Raekwon/Wu-Tang fans. The search for the purple tape ends up being a lesson in Hip Hop History as the students realize the culture of Hip Hop is a way of living. This show is both an educational partnership along with heartwarming hip-hop entertainment. Buy a ticket today and support amazing community art, the youth of Sandtown Winchester and the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop!

“The goal was to create an original play that celebrated the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop, so I wrote a play based on Raekwon's "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx" aka the Purple Tape. We want the kids to take ownership of the piece so that they have the ability to change dialogue, names and actions as we progress to a full blown show," said Wordsmith.

Concerts for the Human Family, a new artistic collaboration led by The Episcopal Church and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry that explores “the powerful intersection between art, justice and faith,” will launch May 22 with a free digital broadcast filmed at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral.

The inaugural concert, which pairs pianist, composer and musical director Kory Caudill of Nashville, Tenn., and Baltimore-based hip-hop artist Wordsmith, will provide an uplifting journey through the human experience of love, grief, loss and hope – a musical commentary on social reckoning in the United States and a pandemic that has touched every corner of the world. The concert was filmed with special care to follow all safety guidelines outlined by the CDC.

Amplifying the work of local musicians in multiple cities, Concerts for the Human Family will feature original music and unique voices that span genres and cultures. Events are designed for audiences of all backgrounds and will take place in traditional concert venues, as well as landmark spaces across the U.S. affiliated with The Episcopal Church. The May event also incorporates From Many, One, an Episcopal project encouraging storytelling and conversations across difference.

“Concerts for the Human Family takes us to the powerful intersection of art, justice, and faith,” said the Rev. Stephanie Spellers, canon for evangelism, reconciliation, and care of creation in The Episcopal Church. “We know music is a catalyst for movements, so we began dreaming: What if diverse groups of artists made conscious music together in our holy spaces? How would that inspire us to pursue beloved community?”

In early 2019, a team of professional musicians, artists, creatives, mainstream music industry executives and church leaders gathered to begin dreaming about what such an initiative might look like. Drawing on The Episcopal Church’s vision for Becoming Beloved Community, which advances racial reconciliation and healing in and beyond the church, Caudill and his team began to shape a musical journey intended to stir listeners.

In addition to concerts, the music will be made available through albums featuring guest artists, musicians and producers. Each recording shares sacred stories of human experience from multiple perspectives, many of which originated from powerful conversations around reconciliation.

“This music is about the creation process as much as it is about finished albums or live events,” Caudill shared. “It’s about the conversations we have with one another, the trips we make to each other’s hometowns to learn about who we’re creating with, and the in-depth research into the topics we write about.”

Caudill continued, “We’re getting to know some incredible musicians who have important stories to tell. This project allows these folks’ art to reach large audiences without having to overcome typical hurdles associated with the music industry. Our only guideline is that we don’t record anything unless it has meaning.”

While spiritual in nature, the recordings and concerts are designed to resonate with audiences across faith traditions and those who claim no religious affiliation. Among the first musical releases due out in May 2021 is a collaboration between Caudill and Wordsmith. Topics covered in the album include Wordsmith’s personal experiences with racial profiling, the 2005 killing of British teen Anthony Walker, and Caudill’s prayers for a forgotten Appalachia.

Additional events are planned throughout the year, with the hope of launching hybrid/in-person events beginning in late fall 2021. For free tickets and more information: https://events.episcopalchurch.org/concert-series/

Wordsmith's non profit, Rise With A Purpose, Inc., is pleased to present “MOVE FOR HUNGER COMMUNITY LUNCHLINE” Initiative.

“Move for Hunger Community Lunch line" is an initiative that will provide a supplemental food program for the Baltimore City homeless population. For the past three years we have been doing weekly pop ups at Penn North located by Enoch Pratt Library and Arch Social Club. We distribute homemade soup, meats, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, cakes, hot chocolate, fruit, snacks, music and our Baltimore Blessing Bags (Toiletry items, socks and water) and more to the homeless community in west Baltimore City.

Our goal is to turn our pop ups into a community lunch line. A network of volunteers is being developed to produce cultural dishes representing their heritage, so our displaced population can enjoy foods naturally fit for restaurants or foreign landscapes. Rise with a Purpose, Inc. wants to provide cultural acceptance through food while delivering those in need home cooking from around the world.

The lunch line is being held each Friday from 1pm-2:30pm. Public trash cans/dumpsters are accessible for clean-up and social distancing can be executed.

We will require all attendees to position 6 feet from food pans and everyone will be served by Rise with a Purpose, Inc. volunteers adhering to CDC guidelines for COVID-19 safety. Signage will be largely marked above each food pan describing the dish so most attendees will be able to read it from 6 feet. We welcome attendees to find a place to sit, eat and listen to music from our Rise with a Purpose playlist.

Half of the residents in Baltimore City live below the poverty line while a third of the kids in the city live-in low-income households. Rise with a Purpose, Inc. will utilize partnerships with Project Plase and People Encouraging People to circulate the community lunch line flyers and online newsletters, while person to person outreach in poverty stricken areas of Baltimore City will remain our focus leading up to a monthly community lunch line. Further social media outreach will come in the form of posting the event on RisewithaPurpose.com and live streaming via Facebook.com/RisewithaPurpose

As we progress, Rise with a Purpose, Inc. ultimate goal is to provide entertainment, healthcare connections, PPE and work opportunities for the homeless. The community lunch line would morph into a yearly Community Festival embodying the aforementioned. Whether displaced or a squeegee kid it’s common to see half-built drum kits and vocalist on random blocks playing music throughout the day. Why not give these kids a platform to showcase their talent each year while enjoying good food from a community that cherishes them? 
 

Theatre is a collaborative art form which combines words, voice, movement and visual elements to express meaning. The field of theatre encompasses not only live improvised and scripted work, but also dramatic forms such as film, television and other electronic media.

Having a consistent theater program that empowers the youth to not only explore acting, but playwriting, set design, staging, audio and lighting in a predominantly black community is important to the next generation of black leaders, while providing a safe space to be creative. Public schools in Baltimore City do not offer Theater, Music or Dance music in their academic curriculum. To combat this shortfall, Rise with a Purpose would like to provide the underserved youth of Baltimore and abroad a lasting place to pursue Theater. Studies have proven children receiving theater and musical instruction have increased verbal intelligence. 

Theater can help children develop empathy, emotional intelligence, and social skills. Students can learn to understand others' emotions by acting out scenes with peers. It can also expose kids to new vocabulary and ways of communicating. Children can learn to communicate in a variety of unique ways through the arts of dance, acting, and music. Theater gives kids their own, unique voice. They can express themselves using different facial expressions, voices, tones, and body language. Furthermore, it can teach kids to trust their ideas. Taking risks in class and performing for an audience can help kids develop confidence.

We will offer a challenging curriculum in the fields of acting, performance, song creation, staging, audio/live sound, lighting, set design, costuming/props, dance and a master class focused on generating income as an independent actor, playwright or musician.

All theater classes, workshops and concerts have the dual ability of an in-person or virtual experience. A significant investment in audio, camera equipment, live streaming software, mobile stage and professional lighting are important to delivering pristine audio and video during performances and to students living in other states and abroad.

Our current students performed in 2 original plays in 2023 and were featured on major press outlets like WBAL TV and WYPR! 

WWE - Bianca Belair Entrance Theme Song "We Do It Better" 

AMC - Preacher: Season 4, Ep. 2 "Talking to the Most High"

Netflix - Russian Doll: Season 1, Ep. 2 "Get What You Love"

Netflix - The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Season 3, Ep. 6 "Never Be the Same"

France TV - Skam France: Season 2, Ep. 1 "Happy Hour the Universal Blackout"

NBA 2K21 Next Gen Soundtrack/Game "Fill the Space" and "Energy" 

ESPN - Sportscenter in Review "Eye for the Spotlight"

ESPN - College Football Plays of the Week "Eye for the Spotlight" 

Kawasaki - Z800 Commercial "As the Art Fades Away"

NFL Network - Top 100 Players of 2015 "On My Job"

Red Bull - BC One World Dance Finals "On My Job"

3 Seconds Behind the Wheel - PSA "Traffic Jammin"

Hollidaysburg - Movie "Happy Hour the Universal Black Out"

Nintendo - Mad World "Death & Honor"

RoadTrip Nation - Ready to Rise Documentary "Living Life Check to Check" and "Gems of Wisdom"

WORDSMITH ALBUMS

Bittersweet (2021) - Hip Hop/Pop/ House

Progressions (2021) - Vocal Jazz

Baltimore Revisited (2020) - Hip Hop/Jazz/Baltimore Club

Perspective Jukebox (2017) - Hip Hop/Pop - Winner Best Rap/Hip Hop Album 16th Independent Music Awards

Apt. 507 (2015) - Hip Hop/Jazz

The Blue Collar Recital (2013) - Hip Hop

King Noah (2013) - Hip Hop

Vintage Experience (2010) - Hip Hop