Across Indiana

On this trip across Indiana we'll look at the others making music for the club. Will visit a country town where that's a little piece and a special treat will sit at the feet of a musical. Dr. David Baker. My heart is beating. I was shocked when I was coming. In African-American right. Forget about hind the scenes look at how he transformed his childhood memories into a sympathy for the ages. I'm just absolutely thrilled. Everything I read in my head was on the stage. Thank. This trip across India is made possible by the Arts Council of Indianapolis. Special funding for this episode is provided by Eli Lilly and. Garden Foundation. Thornberg LLP. And Aaron Copeland fun for music incorporated. It is the sound of looking back. Of youth who

echoes remembered by the years of wisdom. Of alleyways walk by greatness where children used to climb. And the autumn eyes reflecting on the shadows from the planets. It is a journey in the life of Dr. David Baker. An amazing man. With a remarkable gift. Person like his caliber is coming to see us. Yes a small drum sample and some leeway. So what does a legend with a bright smile and open friendly manner but behind the gentle exterior there is a mind feverish me working taking in every sight every sound everything that I come into contact with has an influence on me. You know sometimes it takes a lot happened to be synthesised but other times were able to utilize a

mood to play. Sometimes I discard it when your genius. Yeah yeah yeah. Dr David Baker has been commissioned by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra to compose an original work. What subject he's chosen growing up in the US right. For inspiration he's come to find a house to share the joy of musical discovery with Lawrence grandpa Clark's children of rhythm. It's a day that takes him back in time for strip away the adult veneer was once so very much like you know I'm a country boy from Indianapolis from a time when it was a bunch of fields where the streets are where I live we're still dirt dirt streets. All of this is a part of who I am when I get ready to write a piece for the novelist. I could play the twenty five thousand people but I kept them in the hands of the master. That's just some part of the problem or partly because it's home.

This is David Baker. As the world sees. Pulitzer Prize and Grammy nominee Emmy winner really get to be honored in 2007 by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as a living jazz legend. A man comfortable with hearing his works performed before audiences of thousands. But the private David Baker would tell you that he takes greater joy in having his works performed before intimate audiences. He's composed over 2000 works and he knows that musical scores like dancing shadows have a very singular origin before an audience of one composer need solitary time the time to be able to write uninterrupted. Now I put that on a piece of paper. I look at him with the side I turned it on so it makes a card to see if it's pregnant if it's capable of bearing fruit and you can tell pretty soon if this if you're running going to run up against a wall very

quickly with it. Then you let it alone and try something else. You know the melody I keep a metronome on all the time when I'm writing because it's so easy when you have to break up the writing stent. You write for two hours and you're going to go do other things for four hours. Now where was I with the time. All of a sudden you find that you made a disconnect. You written something that's unplayable at the tempo you've been writing and the one thing that's a common denominator to every composer. No that doesn't work is the none of the pencils have any fears let it be your most valuable asset is that is that he racer. You know I look at Beethoven manuscripts and you never saw so many scratches and he raises something that seems so effortless. I saw on the far side the melody to bump up up up up up up and it has popped up and then is bump up and finally you look at the last time and he says Eureka.

It's only a fool that goes in a straight line when the road curves. And sometimes when I'm riding the road curves and I have to go with the Muse most of the time I have to decide what is it capable of bearing has to touch me in some way because if it doesn't touch me how can I expected to touch an audience. Well that artist didn't help with the doors open. And it's up to you to find out how to tame the creative. The studios must do something. The hall is filled with the sound of not only those of Dr. Baker a man whose love of music inspired the commission of dancing shadow in his own. My husband passed away about two and a half years ago his name was Brian. He was quite interested in many forms of music and clothing and this just seemed to me

a unique opportunity to give something to us but also do it in memory of him. This is you personally. We have to bring out and to make it a balance and it's a very technical thing but behind of course my heart is beating that the 7 movement is a bit hurried in places like this place with the dog and yes to go pick when you're going to the extreme can you do it again the second will switch but you stay here and if you can't interrupt immediately forget that somebody can bring it you not only to think that I mean I just look back at the entire a lot of conductors and but I really and count as somebody who has a total vision and all of the gun insensitivities than I.

Have fallen in love Mario. Dispy nice tells about his life and about his about his mind soul and it's a very deep peace. And. Of course I want to. Understand what he means and bring it out and it was an absolute thrill for me. He not only is a jazz composer and performer but he is trained classically. He knows so much that he can put something down on paper that is kind of like a soundtrack for a film about memories of happy childhood memories. And then suddenly you get to this part after that has all happened and we've gotten to this

jazz section that is with all of us in the cellos and basses doing this plucked part which is called Pizza Katoh and it's a very jazzy rhythm. You know I work with a lot of orchestras and I've never seen that kind of empathy. In an orchestra where there is so much love between the conductor of the orchestra. And I just feel so privileged to be able to share in that kind of an experience. The piece went from his mind of the sword to paper and now it comes back from paper to life and that I have to chance to go in to. This room and this is an outstanding gift for me. And I only can say thank you. I know how it affected me and the fact that it's got some see a little bit of sadness in there but there's an awful lot of joy.

I'm just absolutely thrilled. I'm trying to keep from fainting right here. Now it. Was very beautiful. I don't know that I have words to describe it. It was everything I read in my head. Was on the stage the night. Life goes on even for legend. Oh yeah. No sooner has the applause for composer Dr. David Baker faded into memory then Professor Dr. David Baker takes his customary station before the next generation at the Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music ready to share them lessons that both music and life have taught him. And there's Thursday night it bears. Even a Grammy nominee can relish a little time spent with homespun musicians. The feel of jamming right in your own backyard. At one time Dr. Baker dreamed of being a famous trombone player. But a serious accident robbed him of the chance and turned that boyhood dream into a

memory as thin as a shadow and as untouchable as the wind. But then fate had a wiser plan for Dr. Baker. But what was the trombones loss was our gain. For it took him to a world of difference in the way. Those of teacher mentor. Friend. Composer. And dancer with dreams. And that has made all the difference. Did you know that it's the support of viewers just like you take that important step to membership that make shows like across Indiana possible. But then that's just part of the mission of WTI you to bring you the programs that matter to

southern Indiana and the folks at WTI you will be the first ones to tell you that they're mighty proud to do so if you're watching right now and you're not a member. Why not join the WTI you and across Indiana family and make that call right now 8 5 6 9 8 or 8. Or toll free 800. 9 8 7 9 8 4 8. The call takes only three minutes and you can pay by credit card check installments or payroll deduction if you work for you. You can become a member at the introductory level for only 40 dollars for a whole year. Or you can join in the $75 membership level or above and receive the WTI you two for one member card and both memberships come with a year's subscription to the program. So whichever level is right for you give us a call right now. You'll be helping all of us on across Indiana and WTI you to keep on telling the stories that matter most to you.

Those one of a kind tales about his great stay home. In the late eighteen hundreds. Some gentle country folk got together and named their town for the Latin word for. I love. Which is a pretty forward thinking thing to do because every Tuesday night nowadays. Said emotion is on full display in the form. Of. The blue grass music. This is a mo jam on a good summer's e. The crowd spills out into the street and people come from miles away. Reasons pretty simple for the motto of a mo jam is whatever life gives you to shoulder. It goes a whole lot better with a little music behind. There is joy. A novice on the job. She's also the mother of nine and grandmother of 11. So I guess she could use the breather. Gretta just got out of the hospital and Steve has Lou

Gehrig's disease. That's not stopping them from continuing the harmony that's been the hallmark of a life together. I mean him we've been together forty nine years. Gentle Ben has Parkinson's and still sings amazingly. And Aaron's not going to let a little arthritis keep him from the bowl with the best of them. Even if it hurts to hold the ball. What's epitaphs on that I'll be stuck where I will be able play other than he didn't and in fact. The whole town didn't let a little thing like that for NATO's stop him from coming to the game. Trees were down and you couldn't get into town. People parked their cars outside of town and walked into town to to jam. Yes it's pretty impromptu here and the camaraderie generated on stage spills over into everyday life in a big way. When something goes wrong a walk or an ls or something. They're just always there

for you and it's just kind of become a big family and you meet some pretty interesting. There's the Indiana Boys. Larry was the U.S. champion clogger back in 1986. Look to me like he hasn't lost a step. When I say clamor 13 I got to go into the bluegrass jam movie over there and watch the man and women dance and I think. Lance I want to do that. Nobody was around to teach Wooster how to play when he was a boy so he taught himself to play the bass backwards in the mandolin and guitar upside down. Ever since. Norine says she was born see me. My sister my B.A. made a failed bank to start saying and now normally he was only two years old when she first sat on the husband to be Noble's wife. Bates kept throwing them together for decades before they finally made it official and

got married on April Fool's Day. Almost 41 years ago. In fact a mo Jam has become quite the love nest. Like you kept saying well you might go away with somebody. For the record Helen and Gerald I met on August 1st of last year and tied the knot. Six weeks later and finally there's a band. She's already made a name for herself in the Midwest and South Plains. So it looks like the next generation of the haymow jammers is in pretty good. If textarea SLI small hand. So any Tuesday appliance tossing a few more things your way then you can juggle head on over to a moat for a little Spirit renew we change to. A splendid time is guaranteed for all. It's a blessing to say to take each and every one of them to make this go. And they're the ones that make it work. Not Bob and I we appreciate.

It Here is a very special treat some folks from the AA Modena and how you don't know they're here live in the studio playing that old time favorite the Orange Blossom Special Bob Marvin Larry David Joe and the beautiful Savannah. Take it away. Thank you.

Very good. I want to talk a bit with Savannah Nelson Mandela. When did you first pick that thing up and start playing. I was eight years old and I had started with my classical teacher. So I know how old are you now. I'll be 12 in March. Shellfish have been playing three to four years and you're that good. That's about more than I sure you know. Now but there you started playing violin and now you play fiddle. Talk a little bit about that. What's the difference there. My classical teacher. And had introduced me to filling. And when I started playing I knew I liked it. And I've been playing ever since 40 like so much about. And bluegrass music. What you like and you can have fun when you do it. And you know other people enjoy doing it. They get improvising kind of make your own make some of your own stuff up sometimes. Yeah that's pretty neat. Now you get to play another song force. Sure

police Now can these guys play with you too. OK let her go Boris and you know the lady. Thank ye. Atlanta. Hello. Larry. Let me in that. Cold. Way. Columba. Live. A. Long. Long. Long.

This trip across Indiana was made possible by the Arts Council of Indianapolis special funding for this episode is provided by Eli Lilly and Company. Garden Foundation. Barnes and Thornburg LLP and Aaron Copeland fun for music incorporated. Join us on a special across Indiana as we get inside the mind of musical legend Dr. David Baker. My heart is beating. I was shocked when I was gonna.

Forget about hind the scenes look at how he transformed his childhood memories into a sympathy for the ages. I'm just absolutely thrilled. Everything I read in my head was on the stage. I see this one. Chocolate Yeah. How is this a popular salad. How do you know any self just like it. And they I mean it makes you want to eat it. We have some like ritually that some people are really really into. We have just bizarre ones fresh cut grass which really smells like first paragraph. We have cinnamon

buns which makes you think you're reading their report and nobody listening and. The other probably is going to freeze over to them. But I do not know. There are different strokes for different folks. Chris first began experimenting with candles just a couple of years ago after six months of testing and perfecting his project. He fired up production of the sign Phil Campbell company. I'm kind of proud that in two years we pulled it together to where it is like looking back on it now I mean we started this company. We never made a candle for my wife.