Blues Guitarist Visits Powell Elementary
 Hurricane Wilson plays the guitar as students and teacher Stacie Shumake dance. |
 Hurricane Wilson takes a look at the book Powell Elementary students will be reading about the Blues. |
January 28, 2009 - While dance teacher Stacie Shumake encouraged her students to feel the beat of the music, visiting blues guitarist Roger “Hurricane” Wilson strummed and crooned Monday afternoon at Powell Elementary School.
“My creative movement classes, my dance ensemble, as well as an art and dance class are all working with Hurricane this week,” said Shumake. “I’m asking them to think about how the music makes them feel, how it makes them want to move.”
Principal Jimmy Sposato explained that Wilson’s visit is part of a Blues in the School project, linking the North Carolina blues tradition with reading, writing and art performances at the gifted and talented magnet school.
Listen to Principal Jimmy Sposato and
Guitarist Hurricane Wilson talk about
Blues in the School.
8 minute mp3 file
Sposato says the Blues in the School project will connect with the school’s One Book, One School project this year where the entire school will read and discuss the story, Yesterday I Had the Blues, by, Jeron Frame. Powell teachers will integrate the blues musical genre incorporating the music, artwork, dance and history developed during the blues guitarist’s one week visit.
“We’ll have a performance at the end of this week to display the work that’s been created while Hurricane visited,” said Sposato. “This will build into One Book, One School which is part of a month long study of the children’s book that links colors and feelings.”
Roger Wilson’s visit to Powell came about with the help of Ira Planer who is a Powell Elementary parent and a partner in Burriss Amps. Planer is interested in introducing children to the art of live music and wants to see the Blues in the School program made available to more schools.
“There was life before rap,” explains Wilson. “Music came from the heart originally. Blues is music about human emotions. When you hear a real blues man give the definition of blues, it’s just basically a good man, feeling bad.” The music helps dispel those feelings.
Powell’s One Book, One School project will conclude with a student performance led by Media Specialist Jessica Gill and Drama Specialist Marta King. The performance is scheduled for 7 p.m., Thursday March 19 and 2:15 pm.., Friday, March 20. The public is invited.
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