UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY Sweet Honey In The Rock

Sign Language Interpreted Friday Evening, January 8, 1993, at 8:00 Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

EIGHTEENTH CONCERT OF THE 1HTH SEASON 22ND ANNUAL CHOICE SERIES 'Top Music: When a Revival Becomes a Dr. Reagon's latest undertaking, co-spon­ Call To Political Arms" sored by the Smithsonian and National by Douglas S. Barasch Public Radio, is "Wade in the Water," a reprinted by permission from The New York 26-hour series on 19th- and 20th-century Times (November 1, 1992) African-American sacred music to be broadcast in 1994. They stand out vividly against a black Sitting in her office at National Public background, draped in rich earth tones and Radio, Dr. Reagon talked about her music royal blues like jewels in a crescent-shaped as an expression of the spiritual and polit­ diadem. Bernice Reagon, the founder and ical themes of her life; these were nurtured artistic director of the a cappella ensemble throughout her youth in the Mount Early Sweet Honey In The Rock, rises from her Baptist Church in rural Georgia, where her seat and glides regally to center stage as if father was pastor, and later tempered in the summoned by a higher power. She is in the furnace of the civil rights movement. In throes of a Pentacostal gospel tune, and the 1961, as a junior at Albany State College, audience - diverse in age, gender and Dr. Reagon was suspended from school for race - has become the enrapt congregation. taking part in local demonstrations that As she sings out "In the morning," the grew into what became known as the audience responds in a crescendoing wave: Albany Movement. Later that year, she "When I rise...." Suddenly, she stops the was arrested during a protest march. She audience and exclaims, "That was in har­ spent two weeks in jail, leading other mony! I'm going to write home about that!" protesters in freedom songs. She says she The group's concerts have been de­ emerged with, literally, a "new voice." scribed by reviewers, fans and Sweet Honey She emerged, as well, to become a itself as a ritual, a revival, a mass meeting leader in the Student Nonviolent Coordi­ and a call to political arms. "The power of nating Committee. With her former hus­ that many great singers singing at once, a band, Cordell Reagon, she formed the cappella, is undeniable," says the singer Albany Freedom Singers, which performed Bonnie Raitt, an admirer who has shared a for black and white audiences around the bill with the group at political rallies. "The country to galvanize support for the civil depth of where they're singing from, polit­ rights movement. ically and personally, is just unmatched." Sweet Honey In The Rock was formed Indeed, for the last 19 years, in this in 1973, an outgrowth of a vocal workshop country and abroad, audiences have been at the D.C. Black Repertory Theater in stirred - "whipped up," as the group's Washington. The group's name, explains leader puts is - by the powerful voices of Dr. Reagon, comes from a spiritual that these five black women, whose songs are tells of a land so fruitful one could get deeply rooted in traditional forms of black honey from a rock; for her, the name also music....(Their latest album, In This Land, evokes the strenngth and sweetness of the was released in September.) black woman. Dr. Reagon, who is 50 years old, has In the nearly two decades since Sweet been the guiding spirit of Sweet Honey Honey's formation, there have been more since its inception. She holds a doctorate than 10 albums, a Grammy Award and 20 in history and is a curator at the Smithson- singers who have been part of the ensemble ian Institution's Museum of American His­ at one time or another. All the members tory, as well as a recipient of a MacArthur of the group have professional careers; as a "genius" grant. Her work, her music and result Sweet Honey primarily tours on her life have been devoted to the preserva­ weekends. Dr. Reagon works 60 hours a tion of black oral culture. week for the Smithsonian, holds weekly Under her direction, the Smithsonian rehearsals for the group at her home in has established a program in black American Washington and has raised two children, culture and has published books, released both now in their 20's. The group member recordings and sponsored conferences, ex­ Ysaye Maria Barnwell, 46, another resident hibitions and folk festivals on the subject. of Washington, holds a doctorate in speech pathology and has completed postdoctoral our community - as a tool to educate," says studies in public health. Also trained as a Ms. Barnwell. "We are a voice for the classical violinist, she has recently become community." a full-time musician, composer and teacher Alice Walker, who has followed the of vocal workshops. Carol Maillard, 40, group since its inception, describes that who lives in New York City, teaches voice voice as "uncompromising. Sweet Honey and also conducts vocal workshops. Aisha has kept the flame of struggle bright for Kahlil, 38, and Nitanju Bolade Casel, 39, many of us during a long period when we who are sisters, have formed a company have really felt under siege by the estab­ that teaches traditional music and dance in lishment." Washington. At the end of a day that began before Dr. Reagon likens the group's concerts dawn, Dr. Reagon's immense vitality is to spontaneous compositions woven from striking. "I feel directly responsible for the songs performed on a given evening. whether in the 21st century certain infor­ From night to night, the repertory changes; mation about my people will be known to each concert is "programmed" by a differ­ my people and whether they will have what ent member, and only she knows which they need to survive," she says. "It's still a songs will be sung during a concert. Dr. racist society." But her message is not Reagon says the practice draws on one she limited to blacks. "You really do have to learned as a child at church, where a song change what's in the general culture," she leader would begin to sing and the congre­ continues. "So anything I do is both for gation would simply join in. At other African-Americans and for the larger cul­ times, members might lead the singing. ture." "The songs came from everywhere," she recalls. About The Artists Sweet Honey's concerts draw on the same kind of spontaneity and spirituality. The concept and leadership of the "We're actually creating something in the group rest primarily with Bernice Johnson way that I understand ritual and ceremonies Reagon, who, as vocal director of the D.C. to be," she says. "You know the structure. Black Repertory Theater, founded the You know what you have to do, but it group in 1973. Reagon began her work as doesn't exist before you do it - and once a socially conscious artist in 1961 during you do it, it's gone. You never repeat it." the Albany, Georgia Civil Rights Move­ Sweet Honey's repertory encompasses ment campaign. She continues her work as gospel, spirituals, work songs, jazz, blues, a solo performer, lecturer and scholar of reggae, calypso, traditional African songs African American community-based cul­ as well as those of the civil rights move­ tural life and history. The musical and ment. The group also performs composi­ political groundwork set by Reagon is con­ tions by its members - often in traditional stantly expanded by the other singers who styles (like Ms. BarnwelPs lament "When join her on SWEET HONEY IN THE I Die"). And there is at least one rap song ROCK's stages. Twenty African American in the repertory, including "(Woman women singers have lent their voices over Should Be) a Priority," the ensemble's the past seventeen years so that there could answer to rap's misogyny. Sweet Honey has be a SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK. a concert-ready selection of more than 100 Ysaye Maria Barnwell, who brings to songs. the group an extraordinary vocal range These songs address a range of contem­ (bottom and top) and has composed some porary issues, from racism and feminism to of its most popular songs, joined the group international economics and AIDS (as in in 1979. In her first year with the group, the mournful "Patchwork Quilt"). Since Barnwell provided leadership to the devel­ 1980, their concerts have featured a sign opment of the group's practice of making language interpreter (usually Shirley their concerts accessible to the hearing Childress Johnson). "All of us understand impaired and Deaf communities. An expe­ the power of music to be very functional in rienced choral director, she currently con- ducts choral workshops based in the Afri­ in 1980. She works, through local produc­ can American song and singing traditions ers, to make deaf and hearing-impaired for exploring singers, while also pursuing communities aware of Sweet Honey In The an acting career. Barnwell also holds a Rock. A professional sign language inter­ doctorate in speech pathology and a post preter, she conducts workshops and gives doctoral degree in public health. From this lectures and has worked to ensure minority reservoir of experience, she administers and representation in the sign language inter­ implements community-based projects in preter networks. health, computer technology, and the arts. Nitanju Bolade Casel, since her ar­ rival in 1985, has brought the group ever expanding riches in vocal work in African About Roadwork... traditional repertoire and rhythm styles, gospel, and jazz singing and arranging. Founded in 1978, Roadwork is a non­ Bolade Casel has extensive training, re­ profit, community-based cultural organiza­ search, and teaching experience in African tion. It aims to provide women of diverse derived traditions, belonging to those pi­ racial and ethnic backgrounds with oppor­ oneering communities of young African tunities to express their own cultural per­ Americans who during the late sixties and spectives. Roadwork also takes an active seventies led the way toward the redefini­ role in community projects that promote tion and accessibility of African expressive progressive thought through cultural ex­ culture within the U.S.A. She also serves pression. Roadwork has represented Sweet with her sister Aisha Kahlil as co-director Honey In The Rock for thirteen years. of FIRST WORLD PRODUCTIONS, a Roadwork has presented concerts, fes­ cultural and educational organization in the tivals and tours for over a decade, featuring performance arts. artists such as Sweet Honey, Holly Near, Aisha Kahlil joined the group in 1981. Toshi Reagon, Alice Walker, Elizabeth As an experienced singer in jazz, gospel, Gotten, Moving Star Hall Singers, Cris and African traditional styles, she has Williamson, Buffy St. Marie, Pat Parker, moved the group into experimenting with and many others. In more than 100 na­ vocal improvisations. She is Sweet Honey's tional and international tours, Roadwork strongest blues singer, a genre of song she has brought the power of women's artistry had not explored before coming into the to more than half a million people in North group. She also expands the group's reper­ and South America, Japan, Europe, the toire with her innovative compositions. Soviet Union, Australia, Africa, and the She is co-director, with Nitanju Bolade Caribbean. Casel, of First World Productions. "Sisterfire," Roadwork's open-air festi­ Carol Lyn Maillard, an original mem­ val celebrating the diversity of women's ber of Sweet Honey In The Rock, is a culture, attracted thousands of people to versatile actress and singer. Her profes­ Washington between 1982 and 1988. The sional career began at the D.C. Black festival emerged as part of a women's cul­ Repertory Company while she majored in tural network created in the 1970s to violin and drama at Catholic University. establish institutions dedicated to produc­ Her television credits include the PBS ing women artists. "Sisterfire" offered in­ American Playhouse production of "For novative programs such as the Deaf Colored Girls..." Carol directs choral Women's Culture Stage in 1987 and a groups in New York City, her current workshop with Palestinian and Israeli home. She is mother to one son, Jordan women in 1988. "Sisterfire" provided a Maillard Ware. stage for emerging artists including Tracy Shirley Childress Johnson joined the Chapman and Urban Bush Women early group as official sign language interpreter in their careers.