"UNDERTONES" is a prequel to a larger musical work by composer Ashby Anderson acknowledging Richmond's African Burial Grounds.The hour long work will premier in 2015 marking roughly the 150 year end to the civil war and slavery.
Contained in the prequel "UNDERTONES" is "The Devil's Half Acre" - a tone poem about the atrocities that occurred at the Lumpkins Slave Jail- just mere feet from the African Burial Grounds. The 10 minute performance presented here was captured live during the final rehearsal of Anderson's masterwork at his studio in Shockoe Bottom. This symbolic work uses music to relieve the negative energy that still permeates the environment in Richmond Virginia regarding slavery and the civil war. This work seeks to foster knowledge and inspire discussion so that insight may be fully gained by those seeking to understand the historic truths evident in the soil of Richmond Virginia.
The first version of this work was published in 2006 as a movement of the Historic Richmond Jazz Suite which was composed, orchestrated and conducted by pianist Ashby Anderson and commissioned by Meet The Composer and the Jazz Composers Alliance Inc. The second version was commissioned for Civil War and Emancipation Day on April 6, 2013. This version has a narrative by Sekou Shabaka that poetically outlines these atrocities at different points in the composition. In this version Anderson has recomposed his work for a live performance without piano or drum set but with a sonic palette of african percussion, three trombones two trumpets, tenor saxophone, upright bass ,griot and conductor. The work was performed live by the 12 member Afrikan Arkestra on what remains of this historical site in RVA.
from
UNDERTONES,
released September 2, 2015
2013 Version
Sekou Shabaka: Narrative
African Percussion, Leroy Craddock,Larry Boone, Rolando Howard
Trombones: Ben Al-Mateen, Ballard Midyette, Charles Newton
Trumpets: Drew Anderson, Mary Lawrence
Tenor Saxophone: Kevin Simpson
Upright Bass: Michael Hawkins
Composer, Arranger and Conductor: Ashby Anderson
2006 Version
Kelli Strawbridge : Drums
Michael Hawkins: Upright Bass
Ashby Anderson: Piano
Mark Ingraham: Trumpet
Kevin Simpson: Tenor Sax
Sam Savage: Trombone
Kevin Davis: Percussion