The Youth Musical Peace Initiative is an educational program that spreads the message of peace and non-violence, as exemplified by the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, to the public through music and the arts in the language of today’s youth.
Youth Musical Peace Initiative Vision
The vision of the Youth Musical Peace Initiative is to be a stimulus for peace in our world. Through musical programs and school presentations sharing the message of Dr. Martin Luther King, young people will use their own authentic voice to offer peace and non-violence as a conscious choice in a violent society. Through our youth demonstrating unity and diversity, a powerful demonstration of inclusiveness can be observed with these endeavors and can serve as a tremendous inspiration for our community. The voice of peace by our youth is vital to our future.
Freedom RidersVocal Ensemble
The Freedom Riders Vocal Ensemble is a musical group of young seasoned vocalists and musicians proclaiming peace and the message of Dr. Martin Luther King through music and audio/visual presentation. For the last few years great attention and expense has been put into arranging peace songs from the past known to adults into a more modern, funky musical genre. After professionally recording these tracks, the presentation of these songs by up and coming young vocalists from all walks of life is a powerful, passionate combination.
"I Am Somebody" School Presentation
“I Am Somebody” is a educational school presentation presenting the life of Dr. Martin Luther King and his message as inspired by Mahatma Ghandi. It includes music, audio/visual and an emphasis on self esteem, regardless of race, belief or economic status.
New Orleans Children's Peace Chorus
The New Orleans Childrens Peace Choir is a group comprised of 7-12 year olds that performs songs of peace and inclusivity. The goal is to show an adult population the beauty of our children showing unity without constraint through music.
New Orleans Partners
Many local businesses and individuals have volunteered to help the YMPI cause:
Calvary Methodist Church, Dryades St New Orleans (rehearsal space)
Rabadash Recording Studios, Covington (production, engineer)
Dirk Billie Enterprises (video and editing)
Ray Hoese, (script for “War What Is It Good For?” music video)
Faye Hill & Assoc., Dallas TX (national social media campaign)
After the completion of many recording hours and ample production, our foundation for the success of YMPI has been built. We now anticipate the following steps:
- Auditions of Vocalists. (Solo and ensemble work with working knowledge of harmony). Participants must also be passionate about the need for peace in our world.
- Accruement of PA, microphones, keyboards, etc.
- Rehearsals of YMPI vocalists and featured youth instrumentalists
- Replacing Jeff’s lead vocals on previously prepared tracks with YMPI vocalists in recording studio.
- Videotaping and editing a promotion video featuring YMPI’s strengths, purpose and different musical genres.
- Completion of YMPI website, Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter promotional materials.
- Social Media campaign to prepare the way for appearances, tours, school programs, etc. and to encourage fund raising.
- Educational consulting towards the creation of a school program exploring the life of Dr. King, civil rights, non-violence and the need for this work in the world today.
Jeffery Spence, Director
A veteran of 45 years in the music business, Jeffery Spence is an international entertainer, arranger, producer and minister of music. For the last 10 years, he has created and developed projects that spread peace and positivity in the world through music. He studied jazz at Loyola University and University of New Orleans in the late 80s. In 2018, Jeffery moved back full-time to New Orleans. He has personally funded Youth Musical Peace Initiative for the past 3 years.
Jeffery’s Latest Projects
Positively Swing: http://www.positivelyswing.net/positively-swing-60-second-promo/
GratitudeRoad Studios: https://www.facebook.com/GratitudeRoadStudios/
Collaborators
Curtis is the founder and director of Casa Samba, the first School of Samba in Louisiana and the Southern Region. Born and raised in the carnival traditions of New Orleans for the first 20 years. He was introduced to Brazilian percussion in 1979 by Airto Moreira, world renown Brazilian drummer for Miles Davis. He later studies percussion with Bill Summers, percussionist for Herbie Hancock; Munyungo Jackson, percussionist for Stevie Wonder; and Ron Powell, percussionist for Sergio Mendez & Kenney G. just to name a few.
Since 1988 he has studied with many Masters of Samba percussion, who is known in Brazil as Mestre de Bateria (Maestro of the percussion band). Curtis has studied at some of the top Samba Schools (carnaval groups) in Brazil with Mestres like Mestre Marcoa of Salgueiro, Mestre Jonus of Mocidade and Mestre Ailton of Mangueira just a few of the ones a long list of the very best. He has studied exclusively with master Brazilian folkloric and percussionist, Jorge Alabe from Rio de Janeiro in self supportedresidency endeavor for over 15 years. In the past five years, he has also studied with master percussionist Marcio Peters from the world famous Brazilian Samba School, Ile Aye in Salvador Bahia.
In 2004, Curtis paraded with the percussion group for Salgueiro in Rio de Janeiro carnaval, thebiggest carnaval performance in the world. In 2009, he gave a workshop to members of ILE AYE on Samba from Rio de Janeiro. In addition to all this, Curtis Pierre is a teacher of the Afro Brazilian martial arts Capoeira Angola for over 20 years. He was taught by his master teacher of Capoeira Angola, Cobrinha Mansa of Salvador Bahia.
Since 1998,CurtisPierre “The Samba Man” has conducted his interactive Brazilian drumming programs at workshops, schools, museums, performing arts centers, libraries, conventions, festivals, and team-building events from California, Oregon, Washington & Washing D.C., New York, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Virginia, Arizona, and internationally in Brazil, Mexico, Japan and Korea.
Steve started performing professionally in Austin Texas in the early 1970’s touring across the country playing his guitar and singing with recording acts like Rufus Thoman (Stax Records), ZZ Hill (Malaco Records), Eddie Kendrix (Motown Records), G.C. Cameron of the Spinners (Motown Records) and many others.
After touring for many years all over the United States and abroad and opening up for acts like Ray Charles, Billy Preston, and Stevie Wonder Steve settled down in Oklahoma City and has been recording and playing locally. Over the past three years Steve has been involved in the Oklahoma Blues Society, hosting the monthly blues jam and working closely with the Blues Societies annual toy drive and preparing for our next venture blues in the schools. Blues is truly a American art form that the next generation not only needs to know about, but needs to know the influence it has had on modern music.