Red Sahara Collective Brings the Musical Heat in Songwriting Workshop

By Tessa C. Smith

“You have the voice of an angel,” Briana said. Another student cried during Sabrina Clery’s rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” “That’s what a song can do. That’s the power of music,” Clery responded. On November 19th Artsmith brought in singer/songwriter and co-director of Red Sahara Collective, Sabrina Clery, to teach a songwriting workshop at Wings Academy in the Bronx. She facilitated the session with support from guitarist/composer Vita Tanga, who also co-directs the group, and collective member, percussionist Manny Montanez. Clery dissected the songwriting process and talked about the business side of the music industry.

Artsmith programming focuses mainly on the visual and literary arts, but the coordinators look for opportunities to incorporate the students’ interests – like their love of music.

But it’s not an easy task getting a group of 7 to 12 year olds inside on a sunny Saturday in November when it’s 63 degrees outside.

“You never know how they’re going to come in,” said volunteer literacy instructor Shannon McGinnis. “But it’s always a great day. You always leave feeling that something was accomplished.”

Clery started with breathing and clapping exercises to get the kids focused and ready to participate. The students took turns talking about why they like music. Almost all of them mentioned the emotional connection it stirs up. “When you think about it you’re first musical emotions are very early in life. Somebody was showing me a video of a baby clapping to music [in the womb], Tanga said in a post workshop interview. “It’s incredible that [this connection to music] is there in all of us and we just have to dig it out, Tanga added.

“Rap,” “R&B,” “Metal,” the kids shouted out when Clery got to the section on rhythm and music styles.

Clery introduced vocabulary like refrain, hook and bridge – song elements the young music consumers know experientially – and explained how songwriters, vocalists and producers combine those elements to make a song sound cohesive and familiar to audiences.

It’s incredible that [this connection to music] is there in all of us and we just have to dig it out. - Vita Tanga

“I was blown away by what I experienced,” said major Artsmith donor Nyssa Pitts Morais, who intended to sit in on the workshop as a silent observer. “I know [Artsmith president], Tricia, is well-connected and a lot of people love to help students from a nonprofit perspective, but the caliber, the detail, the creation, the energy of this was top notch. To have live music and for [Sabrina] to really share her process and be interactive with the children was phenomenal. I found myself joining in.”

The organization’s homegrown appeal and focus on cultivating future leaders’ self-expression and critical thinking skills through the Arts are key factors in Pitts Morais’ decision to support Artsmith’s efforts.

“After the [presidential] election it is even more apparent that the Arts is needed to bring back the humanity and connectedness in our country.  I think the critical ‘call to action’ is that we need art programs that are nurturing and socially relevant, [programs] that promote national/global understanding and shared experiences,” Pitts Morais added via email.

Artsmith and Red Sahara’s common interest in helping students fashion their unique creative approaches made the collaboration an easy alliance.

“We try to teach things that transcend art,” said Artsmith volunteer Riley Burke, a psychology major at Columbia University. “We talked about the election, which was an important conversation just to let them debrief and share things that they’re feeling.” And I think it’s really good to be exposed to things like that from a very young age and to discover your voice.”

During her talk, Clery, an alumna of NYU’s Music Business Masters program, emphasized that following a commercialized formula would impede the students’ sense of innovation. And industry experts’ methods don’t always circumvent the unpredictability of the industry. “You never know. Some songs are the ones we figure, that one’s not going to make it, but it could be the one that actually takes us to the top,” she said.

In addition to performing covers of “Hallelujah” and Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song,” the trio shared, “Fyah” an original composition, giving the students a glimpse into the multi-genre music the collective is known for. The students listened attentively and even requested an encore performance of “Hallelujah.”

Red Sahara, currently a 22-member consortium of musicians, has performed at various events and venues in the Tri-State area including Café Wha, Groove, Le Pescadeux, and Toshi’s Living Room in New York City. Keep up with them at www.redsaharacollective.com. They have performed with prominent musicians, but Clery insists that name dropping does not fit in with the collective’s mission “to bring music back to its essence.” And that means valuing and supporting the work of lesser-known artists too. “If you leave here with nothing else just remember that songwriting is something that is personal. You’re putting your personal ideas and principles into songs,” Montanez added.

After the workshop, students got a chance ask additional questions and play the congas and guitar.

___________

Tessa Smith is an Antiguan-born, NYC based writer and supporter of the Arts. Follow her on Instagram @thefringes for more of her work.