Russell Gulley Trio concert a hit at local school
By Staff
From staff reports
Belgreen High School students were treated to the Russell Gulley Trio in concert on Feb. 14. Gulley is involved in the Alabama Council on the Arts Rural School Touring Program and the Approved Artists Roser for the Art in Education Program.
Students were involved in audience participation songs led by the entertainers and learned lyrics an rythums to "Jumbo", "She Caught the Katie", "Take This Hammer to the Captain", and "Mojo Working."
The trio presented a program with a deep southern mix of folk, blues, jazz, and rock-country music. Gulley, lead vocalist and acoustical guitarist, was accompanied by Mark Robertson who sang harmony and played the bass guitar. Doug 'Blind Willie' Jones also harmonica playing. The band presented selections reminiscent of the Muscle Sound of Sounds of the 70's and 80's.
Robertson gave a short lecture about the guitar, the most popular folk instrument of the entertainer due to the affordability and portability of the instrument. A short enterntaining session on one guitar with a resonator plate was given followed by an illustration using the bottleneck slide which many guitarists use to mimic the singing voice. Future guitarists in the audience were very appreciative and cheered on the demonstration.
Mr. Jones entertained students with a presentation of folk harmonica music based on diatonic scale which uses the breath in a "blown out" style and the harmonica blues style using the breath "drawn in" followed. Jones' harmonica playing during the concert was captivating and students came away with dreams of becoming the next great harmonica player n the area.
Students were in the preparation of the concert through lesson plans suggested by Gulley and the Alabama Council on the Arts. Mrs. Hardin taught blues, jazz, and folk selections of music as well as the call and echo son "Jumbo." In eh reading and fine arts classes, Hardin's students were assigned writing lessons to prepar a story for submission to Mr. Gulley which would inspire a folk song. Trent Edward's story about a man's horse being stolen was selected, and Gulley composed "Fred and White Lightening" which tells the plight Fred had to go through to get his horse back.
The students and faculty enjoyed the concert and the trio was well received by all. "I highly recommend that schools get involved in the Rural Schools Touring Program," Hardin said. "This program is available through the Alabama Council on the Arts and requires very easy and doable lesson plans that work in any classroom setting."
