As part of the 2009 International Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis, the Red Bull Music Academy put together a creativity workshop session featuring ?uestlove (the drummer for The Roots) and jam-jazz-folk legend Bela Fleck. During the weekend presentation at Ardent Studios, Quest addressed a series of questions from moderator Lucia Kaminsky about both his personal background in music and the state of the music industry over the 22 years in which The Roots have been together. Now, if y’all haven’t ever heard Quest talking about anything before, you really ought to listen: he offered up to the tightly-packed audience a lot of good insights and information. His insights are always on point and on time.

One of the pieces of his dialogue that stood out was his ability to recognize and connect the similarities between folk music and hip-hop music. There remains, for whatever reason, a sense of separatism between these two types of traditional music, mainly because of the impact that mainstream/commercial success has left on them. As Quest pointed out, he saw the Dylan documentary Don’t Look Back, and recognized a key event in Dylan’s history that rang true to him. “When Dylan went electric in ’64, people wanted to kill him. They were angry.”

Prefacing with an explanation about first-timer Nas’s Illmatic‘s traditional street credibility vs. Puff Daddy & Biggie’s almost purely commercially-intended first album Ready To Die, Questlove fast-forwards from Dylan to what he referred to as “the funeral for hip-hop”, the infamous 1995 Source Awards (in which Notorious B.I.G. won “Best Lyricist” over Nas). Though this may seem like a stretch to the untrained, make no mistake that each of these events carried the same weight for their respective music communities. Quest clearly illuminated, by example, the passion with which proponents of traditional folk music seek to protect themselves from the demons of commercialization and its undeniable similarity to the passion with which proponents of traditional hip-hop music are loathe to embrace the commercial aspects of rap.

The fascinating two-hour session wound down with a question and answer session followed by a jam between Bela Fleck and ?uestlove (see the video) which was nothing short of spectacular. The Red Bull Music Academy-sponsored event drew a crowd of nearly 90 people and was followed at Senses Nighclub in Memphis with a three-hour DJ set by Questlove.

Ok, Memphis artists: here’s your chance to get a cut-rate band registration for the 2009 International Folk Alliance Conference. If you can high-tail it downtown on November 12th to the Memphis Music Resource Center on South Main, you can get a special discount. And let me tell you — it’s so worth it? You’ve been hearing for the past couple of years about this amazing conference. Now you have an opportunity to participate at this special rate. More info is where? After the jump!

Memphis, TN –Memphis bands who intend to apply for the International Folk Alliance Conference can save a few bucks by visiting the Memphis Music Resource Center. The Memphis Music Foundation will offer half-priced band registration to acts who visit the Resource Center on Wednesday, November 12. Bands can also express their interest in being part of the Foundation’s official Memphis music showcase that will take place during the conference.

Who: Memphis Bands
What: Half-priced band registration for the 2009 International Folk Alliance Conference
When: November 12, 2008 from 8:00am – 9:00pm
Where: Memphis Music Resource Center, 431 South Main Street, Ste. 201

Scheduled February 18-22 at the Marriot Hotel in Memphis, the 21st Annual International Folk Alliance Conference consists of four days of industry workshops, panels, exhibits, showcases, and outreach concerts for members of the international folk music and dance community. Memphis music and music businesses will be showcased at the 2009 conference through the Memphis Music Foundation. The Foundation’s Memphis Means Music presence will include an official Memphis music showcase, VIP Party and exhibition space to promote the local music industry. The strategy is part of the Memphis Music Foundation’s Ambassador program, which takes Memphis talent to major entertainment industry events to advance Memphis music and position the city as an independent music center.

The Memphis Music Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to working with the community to cultivate a viable, economic engine for Memphis by providing musicians and the music industry with resources and opportunities for growth and independence. The Foundation‘s anchor program, the Music Resource Center is an interactive, living library that offers a dedicated staff, tools and resources to help area musicians and music professionals be successful in the business of music. The Foundation is funded, in part, by public and private funds provided through Memphis Fast Forward, a plan for economic growth and prosperity in Memphis and Shelby County. The Foundation is a part of the Memphis Economic Development (MemphisED) Plan, designed to ensure that Memphis/Shelby County has a strong and diverse economy. MemphisED is part of a broader growth initiative called Memphis Fast Forward, which also includes programs advancing workforce/education, public safety, and government efficiency. ]]> http://loudersoft.com/3961/memphis-music-resource-center-folk-aliance/feed/ 0