So here we go:
PRE-CURSORS:
XSEED,
1997-1999
1997. After working for 4
years as part of Greenwood
Cultural Center and Higher Dimensions teaching/Fine Arts staff, we started work
on our first full book musical, “A Song of Greenwood,” and at the same time started a Hip-hop
group called XSEED. We wrote and performed original material; live rap and
vocals with full choreography. 2
of the numbers we wrote for XSEED had a life beyond the group.
THX to the Members of XSEEDJay Wilder, (Emcee, Lyrics) Starr Fisher (Lead Vocals) , Stacy (Melton) VanHoose, Danniel (Wormuth) McKnight, Rachel
Okotie, Nicole Smith, Jerome Johnson (Choreography, Lyrics) Tim Long (Artistic Director/Producer) Quinton Davis (Live Sound Engineer), Jennifer
(Smothers) Montgomery
(Administration.)
The songs “Misfortunate” and “Wade” were first
written for XSEED and demoed, but never performed. Original versions were produced by Tim Long & David
Holmes. Lyrics by
Jerome, David Holmes and Jeremy Griffin.
JUMP
IN THE WATER, 1999 - 2002
2 years later in
1999, our initial public
introduction of “Roofless” was a CD project & 30 min stage performance we
called “Jump in the Water” based on the lyrics of “WADE” one of the overarching
concepts of the project (realizing
that strength is found in facing your fears… the waters are troubled, but
there’s purpose in the water...so jump in and get yours.) You can also hear us trying to develop our own unique musical language: part rap, part chant, part vocals... strong on rhythmic counterpoint & melodies somewhere between early African-American spiritual and work song and current R&B trends of late 90's. Body Percussion was added in the live version of Wade...and the "Roofless" musical voice really began to gel.
The project
brought together some great Tulsa talent, many of whom joined the initial
“Roofless” cast 2 years later.
Take a listen to
our original version of “WADE”
THX to the “JUMP IN THE WATER” Recording Cast:
THX to the “JUMP IN THE WATER” Recording Cast:
AnnaMaria
Pasley-Horn, (Vocals), Byron
Davis (Vocals),
Resistance (emcees): David “ShoTyme”Holmes, Adrian “Reverse” Friday, William
“ Reborn” Hagens, Jr. Jeremy “Quest” Griffin, Jerome Johnson (emcee), Charles “E.ON” Perry, Jr. (spoken word), Tryone Wilkerson (Storyteller), Tim Long, Keyboard solo.
Additional
Vocals : Janet (Smith) McCarty, Tyffny (Johnson) Ware, Adrian Friday, Tim
& Jerome,
Produced by Tim
Long, Jerome Johnson & David Holmes, Mastered by Adrian Friday. Engineering assistance from Quinton
Davis and Tim Kennard, Forrest Productions.
THX to the “JUMP
IN THE WATER” Live Performing Cast: Tyffny (Ware) Johnson, Janet (Smith)
McCarty, AnnaMaria Pasley-Horn, Tiffanie Porter, David Holmes, Adrian Friday,
Robert Tyler, Jerome Johnson.
Music
arrangement & Direction by Tim Long, Choreography by Jerome Johnson, Body Percussion Choreography by David
Holmes.
Major supporters
to the project: The National Endowment for the Arts through the Oklahoma Arts
Council, Kim Johnson
at the African-American Resource Center at Rudisill Regional Library, Bishop
Gary McIntosh and the
Greenwood Christian Center.
Big thanks to Chris Freihofer & Terry Martin at Dallas WaterTower Theatre for a major
booking that led to the Dallas “Roofless” booking the following year.
The "JUMP IN THE WATER" CD project included a 10-min spoken word original story we wrote for the project. Nationally recognized Storyteller Tyrone Wilkerson lent his skills as narrator. The piece remains a powerful example of his gifts.
The "JUMP IN THE WATER" CD project included a 10-min spoken word original story we wrote for the project. Nationally recognized Storyteller Tyrone Wilkerson lent his skills as narrator. The piece remains a powerful example of his gifts.
R.I.P. Byron
Davis and Tryone
Wilkerson. You are sorely missed our brothers.
CLICK HERE TO SEE PART II: THE ORIGINAL PRODUCTIONS
CLICK HERE TO SEE PART II: THE ORIGINAL PRODUCTIONS
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