Andy Downing Editor, Columbus Alive @ andydowning33
Monday
Local singers recently produced a new version of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ with Maroon Arts Group
To mark Black History Month, the Maroon Arts Collective recently gathered a handful of Columbus singers to record a new version of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” sometimes known as the “Black National Anthem.” Contributors include: Renee Dion, Quan Howell, Najoura, T. Wong, Adria Shahid, and Schuyler Johnson.
“When I was re-imagining this great work by the Johnson brothers, my intention was (and is) to surround this beautiful melody with a synergistic gumbo that explores various expressions used by us blacks,” said Cedric Easton, musician and arranger of the project said in an accompanying press release. “The cornerstone of this arrangement is strongly influenced by our Black American rhythm and blues tradition. However, the arrangement includes various spices such as Afro-Cuban percussion, Brazilian guitar, and South African style choral singing. ”
Check out the collective’s musical gumbo in the video below.
