Music
Friday, October 01, 2010Planting Seeds
by All For Africa Share this article:
When asked about these gratis showings up, John Legend notes wryly, “Don’t get used to it”.The reason for all of this ink is the release of their new collaboration, “Wake Up!” Released September 21, 2010 on GOOD Music and Sony Music, the music was produced by Legend with Roots band members Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson and James Poyser, and features guest appearances by CL Smooth, Malik Yusef, Common and Melanie Fiona, among others.
Inspired by the surge of political and social energy surrounding the campaign and consequent election of Barack Obama, Legend and the Roots began work on “Wake Up!” in 2008. The tunes are primarily soul music covers from the turbulent, racially charged late 60’s-early 70’s. Legend and ?uestlove see some similarities in what is happening now.
“You would think now that we have a black president, everything’s all good, but there has been more racial tension than ever before,” said Legend in a recent issue of Billboard. “A lot of people feel like they’re losing gripof what America used to be…they long for a traditional America. You see that conversation, that battle, being held in America right now. So it feels like these songs are super relevant, even more so than in 2008.”
Tracks for the album range from Marvin Gaye’s “Wholy Holy” to the Curtis Mayfield-penned “Hard
Times” as well as the Bill Withers Vietnam era number, “I Can’t Write Left Handed”. The title
song, “Wake Up Everybody” from Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes features Common and Melanie Fiona and elsewhere in the album are appearances by CL Smooth. Feature and co-writer credits go to to Malik Jusef on “Little Ghetto Boy (Prelude),” one of the albums original tracks.
The weaving of all the soul classic covers with a collaborative original or two is what John Legend and ?uestlove are hoping we are all listening to. Said ?uestlove, “When I was a kid listening to the stuff we cover on ‘Wake Up!,’ I was two or three years old. My mom and dad and sister constantly fed me music, and that planted the seed.”
Planting 1 million seeds is exactly what the two maestros will be helping to do on October 4th at
the “International POP Festival” to be held at Slate on 21st Street in New York City. With production by OKAYAFRICA, John Legend and ?uestlove will be joined by the host of the POP Festival and star of the Broadway musical FELA!, Sahr Ngaujah. Other cast members/dancers from FELA! will also be appearing, along with Bajah + the Dry Eye Crew from Sierra Leone.
The October 4th “POP Festival” will benefit All For Africa’s Palm Out Poverty Initiative, which is continuing its goal of planting 1 million oil palm trees in Ghana and Cameroon. Even before these trees mature, NGOs and partner not-for-profit organizations will benefit in myriad ways. The Palm Out Poverty Initiative is designed to create agricultural jobs while also developing large scale physical infrastructure and social programs including schools, medical centers, recreational facilities, employee housing and clean water. As well as providing direct positive local and regional impact, the Palm Out Poverty Initiative is expected to create $700 million dollars in long term funding generated through the production and sale of palm oil. These funds will be utilized to develop programs, build capacity and create long-term sustainability for community level projects in clean water, community health, education, energy, micro-financing and skills training/livelihood creation. The benefits of this unique revenue model are expected to last for more than 30 years.
Planting seeds together, whether metaphorically or physically in Africa, John Legend, ?uestlove and All For Africa will get together on October 4th. Whatever emerges from their collaboration is yet to be realized but it will be extraordinary to watch the growth -- whether it’s oil palm trees, new albums, great musicians coming together or all three.
About All for Africa: All for Africa is a 501 (C) 3 organization that takes a collaborative approach to poverty reduction by working with the private sector, NGOs and civic organizations. Together they foster projects that generate economic and social benefits in the communities in which they work. Projects focus on agriculture, clean water , community health, education, energy, environmental impact, micro-financing and skills training/livelihood creation.
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