The acclaimed Marcus Shelby Quartet come from California to perform music inspired by Harriet Tubman’s life during a public performance on Saturday, May 20 at 7pm. The quartet will perform “Harriet Tubman and the Songs of Freedom” at Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery, 4225 New Bridge Rd. in Vienna, MD. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs and a picnic dinner if you like. Wine will be available for purchase.
The concert will include spirituals and freedom songs, as well music that Shelby composed for his Harriet Tubman suite. Shelby has extensively researched and developed music that pays homage to Harriet Tubman, inspired in part by her use of music to communicate secretly as she led her missions to freedom. Her musical tools included field cries, works songs, and spirituals. Shelby has created original compositions, rearranged and re-orchestrated spirituals, freedom songs and blues songs that illuminate the history and story of Harriet Tubman. Listen to samples of the music.
A fixture of the San Francisco blues and jazz scene, Shelby has been voted best jazz musician by numerous Bay Area publications. His work and music has focused on sharing the history, present, and future of African American lives, on social movements in the United States of America, and on early childhood music education. His quartet also performed in Cambridge, MD, in 2013 as part of the events commemorating the 100th anniversary of Tubman’s passing.
For the 2017 performance, the quartet features Tiffany Austin on vocals, Gaea Schell on piano, Tim Angulo on drums, and Marcus Shelby on bass.
Tickets cost $10 per person at the door. All proceeds from this event benefit the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center.
In case of bad weather, the concert will be moved to the Dorchester Center for the Arts, 321 High St., in Cambridge, MD. Watch for updates on the Harriet Tubman Byway’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
While you’re at Layton’s Chance Winery for the show, try the special commemorative wine the winery created in honor of Harriet Tubman. “FREEDOM” is an off-dry blended red wine made from grapes that were native to the area during the Harriet Tubman era.
The Marcus Shelby Quartet will also perform on Friday, May 19, for attendees of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Conference. The performance is limited to conference attendees.