Welcome to Philadelphia Jazz Project
Shamika Byrd - Sacred & Soulful
May 24, 2015
The 7 x 7 Venice Island Concert Series takes place at the new and beautiful performance facility: Venice Island Performing Arts & Recreation Center in Manayunk. This series introduces the artists and the audience to a must-see Philadelphia area venue. It is through these kinds of efforts that we support and enable the Philadelphia Jazz music scene to thrive into the future.
The third performance in the series features the remarkble voice of vocalist/actress, Shamika Byrd. Byrd fell in love with traditional gospel music as a child at the Temple Baptist Church of Chester, PA. There, she was exposed to the Gospel greats which included: Shirley Caesar, The Clark Sisters, John P. Kee and James Cleveland. Though Byrd went on to explore other religious denominations, her passion for traditional Gospel music remained. It was in college, that she began to understand how her church music education, as well as the classical principals she learned at Eastern University, were bridged together by the genre of Jazz. It is this synthesis which spawned the idea for for her upcoming concert, Sacred and Soulful.
Sacred and Soulful is an event intended to creatively walk the audience through the music of the African American diaspora from slavery to the present. The concert will include field hollers and chants, along with traditional Gospel, Blues and Jazz for a joyous, all encompassing experience for the listener. Songstress, Byrd will be joined by a strong-armed, rhythm section of keyboards, drums, bass and percussion. There might even be a violin or two in the house as well, and finally, count on there being some other sure-fire vocalists to be on hand to help raise the roof!!
Coming Thursday, June 25th at 8pm
Shamika Byrd - Sacred & Soulful: A Journey
Venice Island Performing Arts and Recreation Center
7 Lock Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19127
Tickets: $15 in advance / More at the door
Philadelphia Jazz Project recently spoke with Shamika Byrd about her work.
PJP: Briefly describe your musical direction?
Byrd: My direction for this project is simple, elegant, gospel/jazz fusion. I’ve wanted to be a part of a sacred jazz experience for some time now. So, it is quite the privilege to be co-producing with the Philadelphia Jazz Project.
PJP: What and whom are pivotal musical influences on your creative approach?
Byrd: I’d say that the Baptist church and the Negro spiritual are my two main influences. Both integrate the sacred and soulful aspects of the African American experience. I grew up on gospel and it influences everything I do and the Negro spiritual speaks to me as a result.
PJP: How do you manage the task of creating and encouraging fresh, new, forward moving musical ideas, while simultaneously exploring, celebrating and documenting the past?
Byrd: I think a litera
l approach works. It sounds silly, but by simply including something old, as well as something new and the result
will be the balanced marriage you seek. It is also helpful to be open to the ideas of others: the youthful and the seasoned.
PJP: When listening to your music, what advice would you give to audiences to aide with greater understanding and enjoyment?
Byrd: I would say don’t think more than you feel, or you will miss what the music is trying to give or teach you. This is a valuable lesson for myself as well.
PJP: Why Jazz? When you could be doing anything else, why Jazz?
Byrd: Jazz is a free spirit just like me.
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Coming Thursday, June 25th at 8pm
Shamika Byrd - Sacred & Soulful: A Journey
Venice Island Performing Arts and Recreation Center
7 Lock Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19127
Tickets: $15 in advance / More at the door
