Everyone is invited to take part in a four-day community experience centered around two live performances by the. culminates Suite without tears in Fayetteville, AR and Tulsa, Oklahoma, September 23-26. All events are free to attend – registration information and event times will be announced in early September. The event is a collaboration with Fayetteville Roots, the University of Arkansas Center for Multicultural & Diversity Education, Oxford American, Vernon AME Church, and the Woody Guthrie Center.
Events begin in Fayetteville on Thursday, September 23, with an evening community workshop and panel discussion at the Fayetteville Public Library, moderated by staff from the University of Arkansas Center for Multicultural & Diversity Education. On Friday, September 24th, musicians will be the Suite without tears The ensemble will host a morning music master class at the Fayetteville Public Library for the University of Arkansas and local music and jazz students. That evening that Suite without tears is listed in the Fayetteville Public Library.
On Saturday, September 25, for the 64th anniversary of the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School, the event will be relocated to Tulsa at a community spot at Vernon AME Church in Tulsa’s Greenwood Community. Hosted by Rev. Robert Turner, the potluck will be an outdoor affair on the Vernon AME lawn followed by a performance by Suite without tears in the historical sanctuary. On Sunday, September 26th, a panel discussion and workshop on “Teaching Truth to Power” will take place in the Woody Guthrie Center.
Originally presented in 2017 by Oxford American, No tear suite written by Little Rock jazz pianist Christopher Parker and singer Kelley Hurt, is a monumental ode to the Little Rock Nine and was listed on the Central High School National Historic Site to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Little Rock Central High School’s integration. In this reprisal, Parker and Hurt are supported by five extraordinary jazz artists, including GRAMMY-winning jazz drummer Brian Blade as well as Bobby LaVell (tenor saxophone), Roland Guerin (bass), Marc Franklin (trumpet and flugelhorn) and Chad Fowler (baritone and alto saxophone ). The suite recognizes the sacrifices and continuous work of all those who work for a more just and equal society.
“At the Multicultural Center and Student Affairs we are very excited about this collaboration, which commemorates the Little Rock Nine and celebrates the courage and dignity of these young leaders who work for justice in education,” said Leslie Yingling, Assistant Dean of Studies and Deputy Chancellor for Academic Success and Multicultural Initiatives, Student Affairs Department. “This is a dynamic series of programs and events that provides wonderful opportunities for our students and the community to honor the rich voice of jazz music in civil rights activism, past and present.”
“I am humble that the Suite without tears and residency programs will be launched in Fayetteville and Tulsa in 2021, particularly in collaboration with such significant partners, “said Ryan Harris of the Oxford Americans. “Although we could never have imagined that we would present this project five years after its conception, No tears’ The lingering pull suggests a deeper meaning in the message of the music – one that goes beyond mere entertainment. The power of the suite lies in its ability to connect the past with the present. The programs bring communities together in a non-threatening way – using story and music in this case – to facilitate the sometimes difficult personal reflection and conversation about civil rights that can inspire us all to move forward towards equality. “
“The Suite without tears I was instantly drawn to it because it has the ability to tell the story of Little Rock Nine through songs. It was immediately clear to me that Chris Parker and Kelley Hurt and the Oxford American team had created an important musical narrative about the Little Rock Nine and their heroic efforts to desegregate Little Rock Central High School in 1957, critically important for only the Little Rock community, but will affect northwest Arkansas and beyond, “said Bryan Hembree, co-founder of Fayetteville Roots and director of arts and culture for the U of A Center for Multicultural and Diversity Education.
“I am honored that Vernon AME will host this concert in September and work with so many community partners and organizations. Music is a healing balm and has been an important pillar of our church from our earliest congregations until today. The tone and timbre of Suite without tears will resonate in our sanctuary and ward, “said Turner of Vernon AME.
“Woody knew the power of building a positive, supportive community. We are proud to partner with our friends from Arkansas and Greenwood to unite our communities and honor the young freedom fighters who fearlessly incorporated Central High School, ”said Deana McCloud, Woody executive director of Guthrie Center.
A comprehensive event schedule and details on ticket sales will be published in early September and can be found at fayettevilleroots.org. In addition to the collaborative presentation organizations, this free series of events is made possible through the collaborative support of the North Arkansas Jazz Society, the Greenwood Cultural Center, and the Fayetteville Public Library. Suite without tears‘s creation and ongoing artistic presentation is supported by these generous funding agencies: Stella Boyle Smith Trust, Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative, National Park Service, and Central High School National Historic Site.
over The Oxford American: The company founded in 1992 Oxford Americans is a nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to explore the complexities and vitality of the American South through exceptional writing, music, and the visual arts. Visit OxfordAmerican.org for more information.
About Fayetteville Roots: Fayetteville Roots is a 501 (c) 3 organization with a mission to connect the community through music and food. We host the Fayetteville Roots Festival, operate Roots HQ (a historic Fayetteville Square venue), sponsor support opportunities for musicians and the music community, and run year-round music and food community and education programs in northwest Arkansas and beyond.
About the Woody Guthrie Center: Opened in 2013, the Woody Guthrie Center features state-of-the-art exhibits, an extensive outreach and educational program, and a series of concerts to bring his legacy to Tulsans and those who make pilgrimages to a destination for Woody Guthrie fans around the world. The center is more than a museum; Instead, it is a research center for inspiration. By providing examples of Guthrie’s ability to use his creativity to express the world around him, we hope to encourage others to find their voice and through their educational programs to explore the power that lies in the creative process. For more information, please visit www.woodyguthriecenter.org.
About the Church of Vernon AME The Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in 1905. It’s the only black-hand standing building on Historic Greenwood Ave from the Black Wall Street era and one of the few buildings left from the worst racial massacre in American history. To this day, the Historic Vernon AME Church is a visual reminder of the massacre and rebuilding process.
Via the University of Arkansas Center for Multicultural & Diversity Education The Center for Multicultural and Diversity Education at the University of Arkansas is a student-centered, multicultural, intersectional space that affirms differences and explores common humanity through cultural celebrations, cross-cultural public events, arts-based outreach, educational forums and partnerships, diversity education and social Justice.
