Tuesday, January 10, 2012

STREET MUSE PROJECT: A DOCUMENTARY PROJECT EXPLORING THE CULTURE OF STREET AND PUBLIC MUSIC THROUGHOUT THE WORLD FEATURING GULL


The Street Muse Project has launched a Kickstarter for their latest endeavor which seeks to document street performances in Africa.  Says Len Albright, urban sociologist and half of the team behind the project, "We see music as a way for people to form an emotional bond with another person. We see this emotional bond at the heart of cross-cultural learning and compassion. The history, politics, and humanitarian crises of many East and West African nations are very complex and challenging.  Through the sharing of music and musicians' stories, the Street Muse Project will offer all who participate a way to form an emotional bond and starting point for learning and engagement. The stories and music of individuals can lead us all to broader themes of humanity.  We see value in the power of music to inspire learning."

His collaborator on the project is dynamic multi-instrumentalist Gull (Nate Rappole).  Over the past 5 years he has been performing as a street musician across the United States and Mexico and is known for the percussion project that involves the simultaneous playing of the drums and guitar.  In the Spring of 2011, Nate was joined on a tour of the American South by Len Albright, who had recently completed a PhD in urban sociology. They discussed the possibility of interviewing musicians on the streets in other parts of the world and how the sharing of this could open pathways for creative politics and experiences across the globe.  The Street Muse Project was born.

You can learn more about the project, watch Gull in action, and donate at the Street Muse Project Kickstarter.  Gull will also be performing a special "virtual busking" countdown at iconic New York City spots in the hours leading up to the end of the Kickstarter campaign this Friday and Saturday.  Keep track of him and watch him play via his Facebook page.

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