Wednesday, August 17, 2011

A Musical Journey with Russell Campbell

The torrential rain storm could not keep Russell Campbell’s fans from attending his set at 18th Street Lounge (ESL) this past Sunday evening. Also known as DJ Mate Masie, his entire two hour mix compelled us to feel as if we were all dancing on the edge of our own record. A record that Russell had brilliantly created with music he chose to play - or music that chose him.

One thing you should know about Russell is when you first see him on the dance floor, he exerts a radiant energy that puts you in a trance. Allowing for the music to move him, his motion is fluid. Once he stops to take a break and you have the chance to talk to him, you realize that not only is there deep sincerity, but patience and understanding as well. This appropriately explains Russells’ choice for the name Mate Masie, which originates from the West African Adinkra symbol and is interpreted as, “You understand what you hear.”

Much like a composer creates a story with her score Russell has created his own, bridging two of his many passions: music and dance. Humbly, he realizes that he was not alone in this creation; who he is today stems from his true roots.

Born in 1983 and raised in Silver Spring, MD, Russell was exposed to music from all genres at an early age. Coming from an extensive, talented musical family, Russell’s grandfather, Bill Campbell, played tenor with the legends (– The Intruders, James Brown and Etta James, to name a few), his grandmother, Pauline Campbell, sang at the Good Hope Methodist Church and also played the Hammond B-3 organ, and his father, Vincent Campbell Sr., is a vocalist who plays bass guitar.

Though Bill Campbell would not all allow for Russell to take part in his band (Russell recalls a conversation where Bill told him, “You aren’t old enough”), when it came to music, he was Russell’s greatest inspiration. A WWII veteran, he spoke very little and the two were able to communicate through music. Both playing the saxophone, his grandfather would play notes or patterns which Russell would then mimic. This was one of many lessons that Russell learned from his grandfather, and mimicking sounds would help him much sooner than he thought.

After learning from his grandfather that he was not allowed to play with his band, Russell was determined to make music a personal goal. He spent many hours in the family room, which was set up like a small studio, where he would play the piano, drum set and saxophone. In middle school he auditioned for the school band and for two years mimicked the sounds from those around him. He finally confided in his conductor that during all of this time he could not read sheet music. Instead of being upset, his conductor only challenged him more, asking him to play the bassoon. During his high school years, Russell was not only an incredible athlete on the field but simultaneously played percussion in the drum core.

Once Russell turned 16, he hit the ground dancing. “Music and dance, that’s what I did.” With his collection of records expanding along with an interest in becoming a DJ, Russell was soon introduced to house music. House music is a style of electronic dance strongly influenced by disco with elements of soul and funk. It originates from a Chicago nightclub, otherwise known as The Warehouse which was popular from 1977 to the mid-80's.

Russell received his first house record from DJ Black Caesar and being a B-Boy from Silver Spring who usually danced to funk, he assumed he would not care for it. However, when the needle hit the vinyl and the sounds of ‘We Lift Our Hands in the Sanctuary’ played by Una and DJ Oji and ‘Love and Happiness’ by India MAW rattled his eardrums, he was hooked.

In his early twenties, Russell started spending more time at Club Red, where the party ‘Underground Soul Solution’ was held. Each night, Club Red was a new experience for Russell. He was overwhelmed that there was a room full of people who were moving together and no one was stealing the spotlight, as b-boys have a reputation of doing. He suddenly felt the need to experience this feeling more and more – to see how other people lived their lives and why they danced the way they did. He soon came to accept that breaking was not the only dancing style. Those moments triggered a new energy in him, and soon he too was dancing with the wave of others. He was able to release his emotions through dance and accept his feelings, as well as accept what others were feeling. After all, the mentality of dancing with an open mind and spirit are vital to growth in the musical and dance world.

It was here at the Underground Soul Solution where Russell first met the infamous DJ Sam “The Man” Burns. Through the years, Russell had been influenced by Sam by watching and listening to him mix. Russell quickly learned that Burns had the musical ability to emotionally release those who were open, thereby allowing the music to take them for a ride.

The more time he spent listening to DJs and dancing, the more he learned how a crowd reacts to music. He now knows how to take control of the room and how to tell a story differently each time, even if the same track is played. Russell explains that house music is a way to express yourself and allows you to keep yourself in a place of understanding, hence DJ Mate Masie. As he explained, “the people are counting on you to keep the energy up and to keep them engaged.”

Advice Russell gives for those in the musical industry is that it is essential for musicians to do their research. “It’s your goal to actually be the researcher so you can play the songs or the tunes that people can feel parallel to.” This research will provide the knowledge that eventually helps musicians relate to the crowd as well as the ability to keep themselves in a place of understanding - that way, they are not solely playing but also teaching.

Russell embraces change. He sees this not only in the beat of music, but also in plants, animals, people and life. How fitting his response, when I asked him what his favorite season is and he replied with, "fall".

Russell has evolved since the beginning of his musical and dancing career and continues onward. And I for one am excited to watch this evolution – a man who not only lives a legacy but shares it.

A sample of DJ Mate Masie's music from last Sunday at ESL....

Russell Campbell is an acting artistic director, teacher, performer and producer of films with Urban Artistry.


-mea

Monday, March 21, 2011

First USA champs & first female champs at Juste Debout 2011- House Dance







Urban Artistry (www.urbanartistry.org) is proud to announce Artistic Director's LaTasha Barnes and Oluwatoyin Sogunro as the first USA team and the first female team to take home 1st place in the world championship for House Dance in the 2011 Juste Debout competition (http://www.juste-debout.com). Led by mentor Junious "House" Brickhouse (Founder/Executive Director of Urban Artistry), these girls did an amazing job bringing home the title for the Assassins Crew/Urban Artistry family.

See their wonderful performance at the Paris de Bercy stadium in France March 7, 2011at the link below.
http://canalstreet.canalplus.fr/danse/juste-debout-2011/juste-debout-2011-finale-house-dance

Tasha and Toyin can be found at Dance Bethesda on Thursday and Sunday evenings, along with the rest of the UA family who have taken up residency at the local downtown Bethesda studio since early Fall 2010. The dance company provides a range of urban dance education classes for all ages and all levels to enjoy at only $10 per class. Join them every Thursday at 8227 Woodmont Ave #2B, Bethesda, MD 20814 to learn more about these amazing dance styles, their history and the communities they serve.


6pm Breakdance (bboy/bgirl) w/ Russell "Ironman" Campbell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkcPFt77seM


7pm Hip Hop/Popping w/ Rashaad Pearson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ctuYjmFNRg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsQAfL-PCX0


8pm House Dance w/ Junious "House" Brickhouse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JU0wYIbOfc

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

International Soul Society Festival 2011




Join Urban Artistry for the 3rd Annual International Soul Society Festival held April 10-17, 2011 at various venues throughout the Nation’s Capital, USA.

MISSION STATEMENT: The International Soul Society Festival is a global initiative to gather practitioners and enthusiasts from across the world in celebration of urban dance, music and arts culture.

HISTORY: The International Soul Society Festival was founded by a society of soulful creatives in the Washington, DC Metro Area and their affiliates both locally and abroad. Initially sponsored by a small grant from the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County the event grew to serve over 600 local, national and international guests in the first two years alone. Bringing artists together from Memphis, Seoul, New York, Sofia, Stuttgart, San Francisco, Cape Town, Phoenix, Helsinki, Atlanta, Copenhagen, Montreal, Philadelphia, London, Baltimore, Stockholm and everywhere in between this unique festival creates an opportunity for cultural ambassadors from many backgrounds to find a mutual respect for one another through the competition, performance and education of urban dance, music and arts culture.

The festival is organized annually by a carefully chosen group of industry professionals who graciously donate their time and experience to help further this global initiative and the mission of the Urban Artistry Project.

Urban Artistry, an International Culture and Education Project based in the DC Metro Area is a 501(c)(3) non-profit collective of dancers, artists, historians, musicians, folklorists and documentary filmmakers on a mission to preserve and continue the practice of urban dance, music and arts culture. They are known for providing authentic, focused and professional events, competitions, performances and educational programming to those who seek knowledge and understanding of the rich traditions behind the ever-changing movement found in urban arts communities. Their works reflects on the roots of popular dances such as hip hop, house dance and breakdance by bringing attention to movements that came before these trends in genres such as Tap, Lindy Hop, Traditional Jazz, African, Latin and Martial Arts.

Noteworthy performances for the group include: The US Embassy, Sofia Bulgaria; SADE Festival, Helsinki Finland; World Dance Coliseum, Japan; The Conservatory of Korea, Seoul, Korea; Ill-reality Theater Productions, Philadelphia PA; House Dance International, NYC; The Kennedy Center, Washington DC; The Harman Center for the Arts, Washington DC and The BreakFestival in Los Angeles, California.

Friday, January 7, 2011

28th Annual CHOREOGRAPHERS’ SHOWCASE 2011




28th Annual CHOREOGRAPHERS’ SHOWCASE 2011

This annual adjudicated showcase brings together leading young choreographic talents from Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC in an intriguing mix of original works.

Sponsored by the Clarice Smith Center in partnership with the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission.

Location: Dance Theater of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
University of Maryland Stadium Drive, College Park, MD 20742

Cost: $25

Time: 3:00pm and 8:00pm

http://claricesmithcenter.umd.edu/2010/c/performances/performance?rowid=11183

Hip Hop Jam w/ TWB & UA at THE ARC




Hip Hop Party & Jam Session with Urban Artistry & The Washington Ballet at THE ARC

http://www.thearcdc.org/partners-programs/washington-ballet

Location: THE ARC 1901 Mississippi Ave SE Washington DC

Time: 7:30pm to 10:30pm

Cost: $10 adults and $5 for youth!

All ages and levels are welcome to attend, parents are encouraged to join in too!

KAGRO-DC's 22nd Annual Scholarship Award Banquet



Urban Artistry will be performing at KAGRO-DC's 22nd Annual Scholarship Award Banquet in honor of the organizations many scholarships awarded to high school students this year.

When: Sunday January 23 at 8pm

Where: The Ukrainian National Catholic Shrine
4250 Harewood Rd. NE Washington, DC 20017

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Korean-American-Grocers-Association-of-Greater-Washington-DC-KAGRO-DC/177088485637259#!/event.php?eid=120935884638306

The event is free but you must pre-register by January 15th. Each year over 500 guests show up to join our celebration and unfortunately we've had to turn people away in the past without proper registration, so please get your registration in early as possible as seating is limited.

Please RSVP with Peter Cho, our Executive Director or Gary Cha, our President.

Peter Cho: packcorp@comcast.net or 202-725-5940
Gary M. Cha: Yesorganic@aol.com or 703-927-9507

If you're interested in sponsoring our event, please contact Song Park, at sparktrek@hotmail,com or 703-717-5058 to request our sponsorship kit.

On behalf of the 22nd Annual Banquet Steering Committee, Executive Directors of KAGRO-DC, we look forward to having a ton of fun with you.

Please join KAGRO’s page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Korean-American-Grocers-Association-of-Greater-Washington-DC-KAGRO-DC/177088485637259

Mighty 4 Harrisburg Pennsylvania 1-vs-1 "1,000"



Urban Artistry is headed to MIGHTY 4 PA... 1/16/2011

Mighty 4 Harrisburg Pennsylvania Bboy/Bgirl "Break Dance Competition

Judges: Trac 2- Star Child La Rock
Aby- The Bronx Boys Crew (TBB)
JoJo-C0-Founder of Original Rock Steady Crew
...
Hosted By: Guerrilla Funk (Will) Zulu Nation Va

Dj Skeme Richards

Place of Event:
Camp Curtain Gymnasium
2900 N 6th St
Harrisburg, PA 17110-2106

Cost: $10.00

Time:
3pm- 9pm

Any More Mighty 4 Update go to
www.mighty4.com
www.harrisburgcitybreakers.com

Dr. MLK Performance Celebration in Rockville 1/17/11



The Mayor, Council of Rockville
Rockville Human Rights Commission
in celebration of:
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday on Monday, January 17, 2011

Richard Montgomery High School
http://www.rockvillemd.gov/parks-facilities/rmhs.htm

12:00pm

Featured Guest:
Maureen Bunyan, news broadcaster and anchor for ABC 7, 6 p.m. weeknight news.

Performances:
Vocalist Desiree Ellis
Urban Artistry
Soul in Motion and Body Moves Contemporary Dance Company
Capital Focus Jazz Band
Yellow River Art Ensemble
Soulfuldisiac

A community reception will follow the program.

Admission is FREE.

Wheelchair Accessible.
Sign Language Interpreted.

Call 240-314-8316 for more information.

http://www.rockvillemd.gov/events/MLKday.htm

NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo Jan 15/16 2011



http://www.nbcwashington.com/station/community/NBC4-Health-And-Fitness-Expo-2011.html

Join Urban Artistry at the Dance MetroDC booth at this year's NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo 2011. Admission is FREE to the public both Saturday and Sunday at The Walter E. Washington Convention Center – Halls B & C 801 Mount Vernon Place NW Washington, DC from 9am to 5pm.

Performances by Urban Artistry both days at 3:30pm or stop by the booth to meet the artists and pick up fliers for upcoming classes, performances and events!

DCist Article about recent show at BlankSpace SE




HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Urban Artistry started off the new year with a new work by Artistic Director Toyin Sogunro and performers Rizqi Rachmat, Baronhawk Williams, Kaye Love and Russell Campbell. Check out the recent article in DCist about the event and other arts events here in DC!



http://dcist.com/2011/01/arts_agenda_170.php