The greatest reward a teacher can receive from his students is that they exceed his expectations and do work that is inspired, inspiring, and truly reverses the student/teacher dynamic by teaching the teacher something new. I am exceptionally fortunate to have had that experience many times over as a teaching artist for Art for Progress. Two examples that stand out in my mind are: the band Statik Vision and Humanities Prep junior and chanteuse April T.

The members of Statik Vision have been studying with me for almost four years, beginning while I was at Bronxdale High in the Bronx. When I left Bronxdale and came to Humanities Prep in Chelsea, it was important to me and to AFP to continue to provide opportunities for learning to former AFP program participants who wanted to further develop their musical education. Jason McFarlane and Ramond Moreta were students in the same building as Bronxdale (Christopher Columbus HS Campus) who gravitated to the Bronxdale after school program when principal John Chase asked that the program be made open to the entire campus. Upon setting up shop at Humanities Prep the following year, I invited them and a number of other former AFP students to make the trek to Manhattan to attend sessions after-after school. They began to come regularly, and to bring friends who were both talented and eager to learn, and formed a band, T-10. I helped coach the band’s rehearsals, while also allotting time to give lessons in guitar and bass technique, jazz theory and improv, and vocal exercises and techniques.

As time has passed, that band morphed into Statik Vision, with new members Alex Romero, and another old Bronx student of mine, Gabriel Ogbenayya assuming guitar duties, while T-10 guitarist Raymond took over the drum throne. The band is also working in another of my former students, Celeste P. on vocals for future shows. What has struck me as most significant as I work with this group of very talented, very driven young people, is how humble and eager they are to absorb more. While they are developing strong opinions on music and life, they do not seem to close themselves off to opposing viewpoints, and are willing to let their opinions evolve without losing their sense of identity. Each person is different, of course, but the music they make together reflects a group dynamic that places the sound they are creating together above the needs or ego of any one member, and the results are staggering. Each member is of a different ethnicity, which we openly discuss, and is a source of inspiration, but the music more clearly reflects the individuality of the members, and defies expectations in the best way possible. The most accurate description I can give of their sound is indie rock with heavy metal attitude, but they are constantly surprising me. I can’t express enough how proud I am of this group of young people and how honored I am to be referred to as their mentor when they introduce me to new friends. I must mention also that I recently helped them get a gig at the Shrine World Music Venue in Harlem, and after a raging set of blistering rock music, was invited to close the show with them singing “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire. Good times indeed.

Meanwhile back at Humanities Prep, upon preparing for our mid-year talent showcase, I became aware that one student is showing promise I have not seen in a singer in years. April T is a junior, performed two numbers in the show, including a very challenging jazz standard. When April came to me at the beginning of the last school year and asked if I could teach her to sing, I asked her to sing for me a little. She asked me to come into the hallway, away from everyone in the classroom, and told me she could only sing in Spanish. I said that was ok, and she proceeded to sing, very timidly, but mostly in tune, a song I didn’t know in Spanish. Afterwards I gave her some words of encouragement and asked her to work with me on some vocal exercises. All I can say is, as soon as she started working on her voice in earnest, and we established what her comfortable range was, she ran with the ball like a bat out of hell. She began by singing Lana Del Rey songs. I was not yet familiar with Lana Del Rey, and I have to admit that I love the songs, but I like April’s versions better than Lana’s. Upon realizing that I had a significant talent on my hands, I suggested she begin to work on jazz standards, which are generally challenging for new singers. What I learned is: when I ask April to learn a song to sing; she comes back to me with such a deep and nuanced understanding of what she’s heard, that I need to be completely inside the song in order to be prepared to help and guide her. April listens the way I wish all musicians did. She employs an acute sense of detail to her exploration of a song that does not stop with pitches and articulations, but reaches to the soul of the intention behind the lyrics and melody. It is as though she embodies the song as if it were her own. I even asked her to learn a country song, just to see what would happen, and damned if it didn’t sound like she’d lived in Texas wearing cowboy boots her whole life.

I can’t express enough how lucky I feel to be able to work amongst, and to be looked up to and to guide students who are so talented, eager, and humble. Keep your ears out people!

I also want to mention that the rest students at Humanities Prep who worked so hard over winter break preparing for their talent showcase, which was presented on Friday Feb 27. There was an eclectic variety of offerings for this show, as always, ranging from original hip-hop, to pop hits, to indie classics and even jazz standards. Some examples include Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature”, Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird”, and Etta James’ jazz/blues classic “At Last.” Some pieces were performed solo or with guitar accompaniment from yours truly or one of the many other capable musicians at the school, however, especially exciting were the ensemble pieces which gave the students an opportunity to perform in a group setting together, and feel what it’s like to “be in the band”.

Until next time…