VOL. 4 TRACK LISTING
- Best Me (America SCORES Atlanta)
Written and performed by Chris Henderson and the students of Carter G. Woodson Elementary School
- Decomposers and Producers (America SCORES New York)
Written and performed by The Great Unknown and the students of PS 171 Patrick Henry Elementary School
- The Night of the Rapping Dead (America SCORES Los Angeles)
Written and performed by Claudia Brant the students of Charnock Elementary School
- Money (America SCORES Los Angeles)
Written and performed by Da Internz the students of Braddock Elementary School
- We Are The Future (Chicago)
Written by The Legendary Traxster, Tia London, Jessie Black, Darilyn Monroe, Debbie Spencer and the students of Chalmers Elementary; featuring Tia London, Debbie Spencer & Darilyn Monroe
- We've Got America SCORES (America SCORES St. Louis)
Written and performed by Odie Blackmon and the students of Garfield Elementary School
- Let's Party (America SCORES Dallas)
Written and performed by Dondria and the students of Stevens Park Elementary School
- The Ballad of David Hayes Hammer (Milwaukee)
Written and performed by The Great Unknown and the students of Hayes Bilingual School
- What Will Power It All (America SCORES New England)
Written and performed by The Great Unknown and students of Franklin D. Roosevelt Middle School
- I Was Born In Ohio (Cleveland)
Written and performed by The Great Unknown and the students of Willow Elementary School
- Heart Rhythm Luv Sound (America SCORES Washington, D.C.)
Written and performed by The Great Unknown the students of MacFarland Middle School
ASCAP and America SCORES teamed up again last fall to present its songwriting mentorship program, ASCAP Songwriter Residency @ America SCORES, in Atlanta, St. Louis, Los Angeles and Chicago. The Songwriter Residency, now in 10 cities, gives ASCAP songwriters and composers a platform to give back in their local communities by engaging and inspiring inner city school kids through songwriting, recording and film scoring.
ASCAP selects its talented members, ranging from rising stars to Grammy Award-winning artists, to collaborate with SCORES kids over three two-hour sessions: co-writing a song during the first two sessions and recording it in a professional studio during the third session. ASCAP's songwriters have been very enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with the SCORES kids and support their local communities, and the Songwriter Residency has been a very effective addition to America SCORES' year-round, nationally acclaimed programming agenda of engaging and inspiring kids in under-served neighborhoods.
To further support the program, ASCAP produces a special compilation CD of the songs created, which is distributed to each of the schools involved, as well as to music industry decision makers. Click "Listen Now" to hear Volume 3.
- America SCORES is a national youth development organization with more than a decade of experience in fighting the toughest problems that face our nations kids today. The ASCAP Songwriter Residency brings songwriters and composers into their program.
- More than 15 million children are left unsupervised every day after school.
- 1 in 5 kids in the US are overweight or at risk of obesity.
- 1 in 3 fourth grade students across the nation reads below grade level.
- Students who spend no time in extracurricular activities are 49% more likely to use druds and 37% more likely to become teen parents than those who do.
- Youth who volunteer just one hour a week are 50% less likely to abuse drugs, alcohol, or engage in destructive behavior.
The fall 2009 program featured a diverse group of music creators and an animation filmmaker who visited schools in Atlanta, St. Louis, Los Angeles and Chicago.
In Atlanta, Grammy Award-winning songwriter and recording artist Johntà Austin (Mary J. Blige’s “Be Without You,” Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together”) and chart-topping songwriter Cri$tyle “The Ink” Johnson (Mariah Carey’s “Touch My Body,” Natasha Bedingfield’s “Angel”) led classes at Carter G. Woodson Elementary School.
In St. Louis, Grammy Award-winning producer Alonzo “Zo” Lee, Jr. (Ludacris – Release Therapy, Usher – Confessions, Chingy - Jackpot) led classes at Nance Elementary School and Americana folk singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier (Mercy Now - appeared on a score of year-end "Best Of' lists including The NY Times, LA Times and Billboard) led classes at Walbridge Elementary School.
In Los Angeles, Grammy-nominated songwriter Erika Nuri (Fantasia’s “When I See You,” J. Holiday’s “Fatal”) and songwriter/producer David “DQ” Quinones (Kristinia DeBarge’s “Sabotage,” and Beyonce’s “Hello”) led classes at Palms Elementary School.
Also in Los Angeles, composer Shawn K. Clement (Quantum Quest, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, American Idol) and animation filmmaker Roger Blonder worked with a group of students from Palms Middle School to create a short experimental film which Clement then developed sound designs and created three different film scores for the film to illustrate to the kids how different music brings out the different emotions of the final film.
Hip-hop artist Psalm One (critically acclaimed debut The Death of Frequent Flyer released on Hip Hop Giant Rhymsayer's Entertainment) led classes with a group of boys and girls from Pope Elementary School in Chicago.
Special thanks to Icon Studios in Atlanta, Shirk Music & Sound and PJ Loughran in Chicago, The Village in Los Angeles and Shock City Studios in St. Louis for generously supporting the program by donating free studio time, and to Blue Microphones for providing four of its award-winning microphones for the Los Angeles sessions with Roger Blonder and Shawn Clement.
What ASCAP members said about the program:
“I am proud to be able to support the children in my community by participating in ASCAP’s songwriting mentorship program. It has been an incredible experience teaching the students about music, and writing and recording a song with them. More importantly, I feel like I have inspired them and exposed them to a positive, safe alternative to violence, drugs and the other daunting problems they face every day.”
– Alonzo “Zo” Lee, Jr.
“I was thrilled to get the invitation to work with the ASCAP/America SCORES program. I wouldn’t feel right if I wasn’t able to use my talents to inspire or teach. Not many kids get the opportunity to express themselves in a way that makes them feel great. I certainly feel honored to be working with America SCORES and ASCAP. Let’s make some beautiful music!”
– Psalm One
“When I was young, I didn’t have anyone to inspire me creatively. It wasn’t until I was encouraged to explore my creative side that I discovered my musical talents. This ASCAP/America SCORES program is so important because it shows kids what goes into making a song. So many young people are interested in being an artist, but don’t really know how to write a hit song. It’s great for them to know how creative they can be.”
– Johntà Austin
“I think this opportunity is important because it shows the kids the true origin of the songs they love so much. It also exposes them to opportunities behind the scenes that are important to what they see on TV, hear on the radio, or even see at concerts. I know when I was in school music gave me another option and later in life I was able to experience so much, all because of my passion for music. Writing is therapeutic and can give a child the chance to say things and express themselves about things that they may not be able to tell their parents or friends.”
– Cri$tyle “The Ink” Johnson
“I started writing poetry when I was 12 years old. The first song that I got recorded by an artist, when I was 18 years old, was a poem that I turned into a song. I am extremely excited to share my experience with the kids and I hope that I can be an inspiration to all of them.”
– Erika Nuri
“I’m looking forward to teaching kids that they have their own voice inside them, and they can find it and trust it. That each of their voices matters, that each is important.”
– Mary Gauthier
“This program is amazing. It’s awesome to see how the students really light up and work together in a positive way. You can really see them learn and have fun at the same time. I’ve enjoyed working with the ASCAP/America Scores project immensely. I wish that they had a program like this that lasted throughout the school year. It’s amazing to see how it makes the kids think and create beyond their normal activity.”
– Shawn Clement
America SCORES is a national youth development organization with more than a decade of experience in fighting the toughest problems that face our nations kids today. Founded in 1999, America SCORES is the country's only after school program that combines soccer, poetry and service learning into a single holistic experience for inner-city youth. Serving over 4,500 children a year, in 14 cities across the country, America SCORES provides crucial programming every day during after school hours when juvenile crime rates triple. Using teamwork as the unifying value, America SCORES inspires youth to be engaged students, life-long readers, and agents of change in their communities. America SCORES' unique model for addressing student health and achievement has positive outcomes for kids. Participants show significantly improved physical fitness. School attendance rates go up when America SCORES is in-session and students report increased self-confidence after just one season in the program. America SCORES has been recognized for excellence by the National Education Association, Reading is Fundamental, Charity Navigator, the Centers for Disease and Control, and the 2008 Coming Up Taller award of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. www.AmericaSCORES.org.
The ASCAP Foundation funds the ASCAP Songwriter Residency @ America SCORES. The ASCAP Foundation, a public charity dedicated to supporting music education and talent development, is supported by contributions, bequests, and grants from ASCAP members, other Foundations and the general public. We welcome your contributions which are tax deductable to the full extent allowed by law. www.ascapfoundation.org
