No Tears Suite: Live from New Orleans

Over five years in the making, but through a robust partnership with the internationally distributed non-profit Oxford American magazine, a global audience is now able to connect with the story of the 1957 Desegregation Crisis of Little Rock Central High School in an amazing new format.

 

The project began in 2017, with the preparations for the 60th Anniversary of the 1957 events. As the National Park Service, Central High School National Historic Site, the City of Little Rock, the Little Rock School District, Little Rock Central High School, and a range of other partners were planning, Oxford American presented the committee with an idea to collaborate with renowned Jazz musicians and composers to develop a musical tribute to the story of the Little Rock Nine by commissioning a new suite of music inspired by Melba Patillo Beals’s memoir, Warriors Don’t Cry.

The music was composed over a period of 18 months, by Arkansas resident Christopher Parker and Kelley Hurt, from Memphis, and premiered as a free concert on an outdoor stage during one of the evenings of the three-night commemoration in 2017. The musicians also presented a masterclass to Little Rock Central High School Music students, and a public panel discussion on the intersection of Jazz and civil rights.

 

The success of this event led to a follow-up concert in the Spring of 2019, where their inspiring music was expanded and re-orchestrated by Grammy-nominated bassist and composer Rufus Reid. His new arrangements were performed by the Arkansas Symphonic Orchestra in addition to the seven-piece jazz ensemble. Two public performances ensued, including a free concert in the auditorium at Central High School: two masterclasses for high school music students; and another panel discussion.

These events once again were so well received and succeeded in reaching new audiences that an immediate follow-up collaboration began with the goal to take the music and the educational message to other communities via a multi-day residency project. Oxford American’s Executive Director, Ryan Harris, the composers/musicians (Kelley Hurt and Christopher Parker), and the artists worked with Central High School National Historic Site’s staff to submit a proposal for a grant from the Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative (LMDI) to secure funds to provide musical workshops, give educational presentations, and perform shows at two new locations outside of Little Rock. The Grant was approved and Fayetteville, Arkansas, and New Orleans, Louisiana were selected as the two outreach host communities.

 

Using connections and additional resources, venues were secured to host performances in connection with the 63rd Anniversary of the 1957 events. Just as things were all coming together, the world had to adjust to the challenges of facing a global pandemic. The partnered organizations worked with LMDI facilitators and revamped the program to a virtual format.

 

As the September and November performances approached, there was some apprehension at how large of an audience the performances would reach. More than 3,000 people viewed the series of events through multiple platforms (Facebook. YouTube, and Zoom). The virtual workshops presented in partnership with Philander Smith College (a Little Rock-based Historically Black College) as well as the live programs connecting to the inspiration and relevance of this story reached several thousand participants.

Oxford American, New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, and Central High School National Historic Site were grateful to have the support of LMDI to provide this opportunity and have been inspired to continue to share this music and its long-reaching inspiration to an even wider audience in the future.

The recording of the panel discussion, Jazz and Civil Rights: Then and Now, is on YouTube and Facebook.

The recording of the concert presentation is also available on YouTube and Facebook.