A message of welcome from our Director:
I am blessed to have been exposed to musicians, who just to be around them, would keep me in a dreamlike state of curiosity, limitless potential, and awe. It’s something I felt around Yusef Lateef, Dr. Billy Taylor, Pat Martino, and now Juma Sultan.
These apprenticeships have always been periods of exciting growth for me as an artist and a person.
My work with Blues Alive strives to share with our student artists that transitory, yet tremendously empowering pillar of ancestral teaching known as the oral tradition.
We hope to share this experience with you and your students.
- Charlie Apicella, New York City, Nov. 6, 2021
Juma, Charlie, and Mayra collaborate with students in NYC schools
Mayra and the Mishpaka Drummers collaborate with 450 NYC 6th graders.
Field trip to Ibrahima’s shop in Brooklyn to pick up the drums he made for Blues Alive
Charlie, Juma, and Daniel discuss teaching in NYC schools
Charlie discusses the origins of Blues Alive
“Ancestral Voices of the Blues”
The mission of Blues Alive is to bring history and music to young artists. We tie African American studies, American history, and blues music together to empower and enlighten.
Our cutting edge approach is the only of it’s kind in that we bring the elder musicians, our Griots, into the classroom to convey wisdom through the oral tradition.
Our vision is to awaken our students as equal collaborators in the music we create together in the classroom. By providing workshops and performances we strive to entertain and engage with our student artists.
We pay homage to the musicians and Americans who paved the way before us by keeping the Blues Alive!
Would you like information about how to bring Charlie, Juma, Avery, and Mayra to your music camp or school?
Please submit an email message and we will respond to you within 24 hours.