To date, Liner Notes has had exceptional shows at the Intersections Festival (premiere, March 2012))and at the Dunes (April 2012).

LINER NOTES: The Series!
Friday, August 10 & Saturday, August 11, 2012
8pm each night

Atlas Performing Arts Center.
1333 H. Street NE
Washington, DC 20002

$15 in advance, $20 at the door

All ages! Quality music and theatrical experience for the whole family!
Our series will also feature shows in November, January and April.
More details to come so be sure to sign up for our newsletter or check back here.

SEE YOU IN AUGUST!

About Liner Notes:

Remember the booklet that came with your music vinyl, CD or cassette? Where you could discover influential genres and personal statements of artistic expression? In the age of digital downloads, dynamic performer Paige Hernandez brings liner-notes back – LIVE!

Collide with hip-hop’s past and present when performer/lyricists Paige Hernandez, Baye Harrell and jazz vocalist Akua Allrich join the The Corner Store Jazz Trio for a unique multimedia experience.

The Cast of Liner Notes at the Dunes

Lyricist/Director/Producer

Paige Hernandez  is a multifaceted artist, who is known for her innovative fusion of poetry, hip hop, dance and education. She has performed on many stages throughout the country including Arena Stage, Folger Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Fulton Theatre, Manship Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse and many others.  Her fans and supporters include the Obama children, U.S. Secretary of State, Timothy Geithner and the Huffington Post, who recently named her  a “classroom  hero”. With her company B-FLY ENTERTAINMENT, Paige has toured her children’s show Havana Hop and her one woman show, Paige in Full: A B-girl’s Visual Mixtape throughout the country.www.paigehernandez.com  www.paigeinfull.com

Lyricist

Baye Harrell is an actor, educator, producer, and one-half of the hip-hop theater duo Hueman Prophets.   As an emcee, he has become a fixture within his hometown of Washington, DC, serving his artistic vision of bridging the theater and hip hop communities.  His talent has taken his group across the country and has been the opening act for such notable artists as Questlove of The Roots, Common, Trey Songz, and Dead Prez. He continues his mission as an ambassador to the Hip Hop Theater community with his latest project “The Answer”, an audio drama which is currently featured on WPFW 89.3  www.twitter.com/bayeharrell

Vocalist
Jazz vocalist and DC-native Akua Allrich has proven herself to be a musician of extraordinary talent and crowd-moving passion. With finesse and charisma, this vocalist, composer and teacher, has successfully etched out a place for her unique musical expression, electrifying audiences with sold-out performances. The launching of her freshman album, A Peace of Mine, in 2010, earned the young artist’s music and performances international attention. In 2011, Allrich signed a distribution deal with Japanese record label AGATE/Inpartmaint Inc. The CD was released in Japan in May of 2011. Music-lovers from around the world have expressed their excitement for Allrich’s new brand of music. www.akuallrich.com

Double Bass

Kristopher Funn was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland and currently resides outside of DC with his beautiful wife and their awesome dog. After graduating from Howard University with an honors degree in computer science, Kristopher decided to pursue a career as a professional jazz musician. He has performed and toured internationally to every major jazz festival in the world with artists such as Kenny Garrett, Christian Scott, Nicholas Payton, Jeff Majors and Pharaoh Sanders.  Kristopher has also appeared and written songs on several recordings including the upcoming Christian Scott album due in April 2012. He continues to perform in the Washington D.C. area while touring with the Christian Scott Quintet. www.funndamentals.com, www.cornerstoremusic.com

Drums

John Russell Lamkin, III is a native of Baltimore Maryland. He began playing drums at the tender age of four. John attended The Manhattan School of Music in New York City and later, Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. John has been recognized by, toured, played and recorded with a number of exceptionally talented recording artists including  Donald Harrison,  Najee,  Michael Henderson, Kenny Garrett, Christian Scott, Chick Corea, the late great Lionel Hampton, the late great Abbey Lincoln, and many others. John maintains a deep respect and appreciation of those who’ve set standards in the music world.

Guitar

Angelo Hernandez “StrumminSoulSince66”  is a native Baltimorean  who has been playing guitar for nearly five decades. Angelo performed on local TV and co wrote the theme for the show “For Real”. He was also a member of several bands including: The Assembly, The Essence, Traidwynn Act1 /Nuevo and Racehorse.  With Traidwynn, Angelo incorporated original compositions and Latin grooves in over one hundred performances opening for artists Al Green, Norman Connors and Parliament/Funkadelic. Angelo is currently a guitarist with Ethnick Media on projects such as Bossabang!, Humanidad, Havana Hop, Imagination Stage’s Zomo the Rabbit and John Henry. Angelo is excited to perform with The Corner Store  as part of this year’s Intersection Festival.

Video/Projection Design

Tewodross Melchishua (TSC, That Soul Cinematic) is a filmmaker, animator, visual artist, vj and educator. He has produced visuals and video projections for hip-hop based theatrical productions, Paige In Full and Galactic Ritual: A Hip-Hop Theatre Experience, and others. Recently, he curated the hip-hop based exhibition, M3: MCs, Mics and Metaphors which was exhibited at Flashpoint gallery and Busboys and Poets (DC). He also co-wrote the multimedia performance, and created videos and video projection for Nacirema. He also created produced video remixes and served as a VJ for Shaolin Jazz – the 37th Chamber project (a mixtape of Wu-Tang Clan with Blue Note and other jazz musicians) produced by Gerald Watson and DJ 2-Tone Jones. Tewodross or “Tee” as he affectionately called, received his BA in Art/Photographic Media from Morgan State University, and an MFA in Imaging & Digital Arts from UMBC. He currently serves as an associate professor and program coordinator of visual communication and digital media arts program (VCDMA) at Bowie State University, where he also teaches courses in hip-hop studies and contemporary (underground) art/design, animation, cinematography, design and new media. www.vimeo.com/channels/thatsoulcinematic and @soulcinematic

Blaine Menelik (Projection design assistant) Blaine focuses her talents in video projection/design, digital media, motion graphics and web design. She completed her B.S. degree in Computer Technology with courses in visual communication and digital media arts. She previously assisted Tewodross Melchishua with video projections for Nacirema, a multimedia performance part of Source Theater Festival as well as Liner Notes, as part of the Intersections New America Arts Festival at the Atlas Performing Arts Center.  www.msmenelik.tumblr.com www.twitter.com/BMenelik

Herbert Scott (saxophone) Herbert Scott is a saxophonist from the Washington D.C. area. As a student Herbert participated in various arts programs including the Patricia M. Sitar Center, the Levine School of Music, Duke Ellington High School for Performing Arts and The Washington Jazz Arts Institute. Herbert has also competed scholastically and professionally in the Rose D’Amour Scholarship, a Laurel Fund Scholarship recipient,Ken and Sandy Beal scholar recipient second place in the Levine School of Music annual concerto competition, and the most outstanding musician award in high school. Herbert has completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Studies from Michigan State. http://herbspiceandcinnastix.blogspot.com/

DeAndre Shaifer (piano) DeAndre “Dre King” Shaifer, originally from Gary Indiana is a multi-talented instrumentalist/composer/producer. Dre earned a bachelors degree in Jazz Studies from UDC and has since developed into a successful producer having worked with Raheem Devaughn, Kindred the Family Soul, Wale, Fat Joe and Raekwon. Dre currently lives in Dallas Texas with his lovely wife of 3 yrs, Lauren. www.twitter.com/dreking

Past performers with Liner Notes:

Saxophone (Intersections)

Dr.  William E. Smith (W.E.S.) is a musician/producer/educator. He has recorded and or performed with many notable artists: Hezekiah Walker, Fred Hammond, James Moody, Donald Byrd, Cynda Williams, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Malcolm Jamal Warner, Wayna, Mike Phillips, Aster Aweke, Gigi.  He has released five albums with his jazz group The W.E.S. Group and as a solo artist W.E.S. He continues to produce and record music for other artists as well and creates music for TV and film. He is a published author (Hip Hop as Performance and Ritual) and the Music Industry and Ethnomusicology coordinator at North Carolina Central University.

Piano (Intersections)

Sam Prather is an exciting and multifaceted musician from Washington DC. Sam has developed a reputation in the local music scene performing and producing with all types of acts. On the funk/soul side Sam has worked on keyboards with YaMama’Nym, 76 Degrees West, and Brandon Combs while on the jazz side he has graced the stage with Heidi Martin, Warren Wolf, Antonio Parker, and Joey Omicil.  Sam graduated from UDC where he studied piano with Allyn Johnson and is currently in the Graduate program at Howard University where he plays in the Jazz Ensemble, and studies piano with Charles Covington.

Technical Director (Intersections)

Ayesis Clay is a proud graduate of North Carolina Central University where she received her BA in Theatre. An actor in the Washington, DC area, Ayesis also is the Theatre Department Chairperson for the Center for the Visual and Performing Arts in PG County, Maryland and sits on the county’s Theatre Advisory Board. During her time at the CVPA of PG County, Ayesis has had the opportunity to work in a number of capacities such as directing, scenic design, light design and operator, company management, and House manager. Presently, she is the touring stage manager for the critically acclaimed show, “Paige in Full”.

Developed by the Wolftrap Institute for Early learning through the Arts

November 14, 2011 – November 20, 2011

 What if you were invited to dance for the President? You’d want it to be the best dance ever! Come meet young Yelia who visits her grandmother in Cuba to add a salsa flavor to her own hip-hop style! The audience gets to dance along in this dynamic participation play where one actress creates three generations of lively women. Journey with Yelia as she discovers the fun of her multi-cultural heritage.

Monday, November 14, 2011 at 10:30 AM & 12:00 PM
Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at 10:30 AM
Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at 10:30 AM & 12:00 PM
Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 10:30 AM
Friday, November 18, 2011 at 10:30 AM & 12:00 PM
Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 10:00 AM & 11:30 AM
Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 2:30 PM

Best for ages 2 – 5

Tickets $8

Groups of 20 or more, $5

Buy tickets here!

CURRENTLY ON TOUR!

A visual mix tape (a blending of  poetry, dance, media and music) that tells the tale of a multicultural girl’s journey through hip-hop to self-discovery.

Booking information, reviews and more at the PAIGE IN FULL WEBSITE or get a sneak peek through the PAIGE IN FULL PRESS KIT.

Sister and brother share a tiny stage in the hour-long production, Hernandez‘s chronicle of growing up with a mixedrace identity. As she chats to the audience and executes urban-cool hoofin‘ routines, and he generates beats andsampling at a table behind her, their mutual respect reverberates in sync with their enthusiasm for hip-hop. Such pointed moments will prompt theatergoers to ruminate a little about identity politics and the molding of the self in a multicultural world. Chiefly, though, Paige in Full‖ will leave audiences hoping more work by Hernandez  and Nick tha 1da, too — comes along soon.

– Celia Wren, The Washington Post

The multi-layered story sparkles with contemporary urban flair, tantalizing terms and expressions, and move yo body rhythms in this beat-filled portrait of an artist as a young girl. Totally at ease and in command of her material, Hernandez shows how hip-hop and dance shaped her earliest memories and became the bedrock of her existence. It‘s stunning… In another innovative segment, she depicts ―B‘More‘s‖ neighborhoods in ―haiku‖, reflecting diverse sights and sounds in just a few well placed words, inflections, even mimicry. She just nails it. Throughout, Hernandez is mesmerizing and leaves you wanting more.”

– Debbie Minter Jackson, DC Theatre Scene

The verdict: Paige Hernandez represents the truest voice of what hip-hop theatre can be for our generation: nonlinear, dynamic, personal, intense, community-oriented in content and tone, and fondly nostalgic. The distinct moments of Paige‘s life in this 60-minute act allowed us a window into all of our own lives, love, loss, triumphs and missteps, all with a hip-hop lens through which to examine them. There is no doubt in my mind now that #hiphoptheatreisreal and that #visualmixtapesdoexist.‖

- Simone Jacobson, Couch Sessions

Paige‘s is pure hip hop. She breathes it. It‘s a part of her DNA. She can connect the songs and the culture to her entire being. More importantly, she can explain it to the rest of us. She is beautifully articulate in her storytelling… she is enticing in her mastery of her body and movement. This performance is a delight.

– Genevieve Williams, Discovery Theatre

Growing up multi-cultural AND multi-talented! - Lancaster New-Era

Hernandez is a prominent face of hip-hop culture‘s innovation- Christie Matherne, DiG -Baton Rouge

Irresistible and Infectious! – Winston-Salem Chronicle