The Electricity Voice – a Masterclass with Nawroz Oramari.

On 11th November 2023 we were visited by Iraqi-Kurdish singer Nawroz Oramari who gave a masterclass on the voice then spent the afternoon making music with some of the Alchemy artists. Nawroz was born in Kurdistan in the rural area of Zakho where he says he learned to sing from the goats and sheep by copying their sounds to entertain himself, as there was little to do and no electricty. He was a talented singer as a child and even featured on national radio. He became a non-violent freedom fighter, singing to keep people’s spirits up during Sadam Hussein’s regime. He was arrested and suffered greatly, and much of his family lost their lives. He came to the UK as an assylum seeker in 1989 and has lived in London since. He is still singing, and is also an activist working to educate young people that they should challenge oppressive systems of control. You can hear his story in detail in his BBC radio interview “How I Sang for my Freedom” here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1k2z.

Nawroz did a fantastic masterclass for us at the Goldsmiths CCA. He sang for us and told us a little about his life, how expressing himself as a teenager meant that his life was in danger, and how he uses his voice to sing to his body to heal himself when he’s unwell, which is something his father used to do. He also told us about his ‘electricity voice’ technique where he sings straight to the hearts of listeners. The technique works by allowing emotion into the voice, singing ‘through the eyes’ and pouring emotion through the sound, connecting to the people in the room. He showed us how he uses a ‘yodelling’ method to create the slides the cuts in his voice which is creates the distinctive Kurdish sound, but can also be heard in lots of traditional music around the world, including the Middle East, Asia and Europe. He also explained how different scales tell different stories and create different emotions.

Kenny (as you can see from the video!) was blown away by Nawroz’s voice and spent the afternoon singing with him. You can hear them working together here on Kenny’s song Never Give Up. Nawroz brought in harmonies and invited Kenny to expand his voice even further, and work on his dynamics (loud and quiet) sections.

You can see how Nawroz listens to Kenny and sings at the same time, supporting while giving space. Much of what he is doing is improvised. He also helps Kenny where to feel the resonance in his chest and his head with some simple gestures. Towards the end of the day, Reese, Taiwo, Kenny and mentor Andrés gathered in our main Alchemy room, joining Nawroz as he sang a traditional Kurdish song, adding guitar, harmonies and clapping. There are incredible stories in all of the voices in this video, and the connection between all of them in this moment was so inspiring to see. All cultures, genders and ages can intersect to make something beautiful happen, and music as always acts as the most incredible bridge, not to make everyone the same, but to build new rhythms and melodies out of everyone’s differences.

Nawroz will join Alchemy Artists in the Goldsmiths Music Department on Saturday 9th December at 2pm for FREEDOM! An Alchemy Showcase of some of the new music and spoken word that has been created at Alchemy this term. The event is free and refreshments will be provided. 

Thank you to the Goldsmiths CCA for including us in their residents scheme and giving us the space to make these masterclasses possible. 

Alchemy Is…

Goldsmiths University can seem like a bit of a labyrinth, even to me, and I’ve been here since 2003 when I was a student, then a music technician, then an associate lecturer, and since 2017 the founding director of Alchemy. Sometimes you find a new door, you open it and there, inside, is a sort of new dimension, usually in the form of an individual who has a role that you hadn’t previously imagined, and a new set of possibilities opens up. Some of these roles are new, others have been there for a long time and you have just never crossed paths. One such new ‘dimension’ that became part of the Alchemy map is Michael Eades, who is head of Civic Engagement, who let me know about the Civic Catalysts fund, which supports projects that connect academic research and community outreach. I applied for the funding with support from Julian Henriques’ Sonic Street Technologies research programme (another incredible dimension) and the Albany arts centre in Deptford, who have both been fundamental supporters and collaborators of Alchemy, both key to its continuation, particularly through the pandemic (we delivered online for a year) and the university’s recent financial challenges. We also had support from Michael Eades/ Civic Engagement in shaping the project and encouraging us to think about how the funding and focus would be most useful to Alchemy’s development, offering something that we don’t already have in place.

Six years into Alchemy, we are beginning to step out of what has been an intensive incubation period; we are starting to grow in reach and visibility. I am often in a position where I need to explain what Alchemy is to someone one who has never heard of it, and it’s a fascinating process to find the right language for it, and of course every time I do explain it concisely, or attempt to, I learn more about what it is, what it isn’t, and what it could be. The easiest thing, of course, would be to bring people into the space, to meet the team and young artists, to see us working, hear the sounds and see the space. It became clear that we needed something tangible that we could put in people’s hands that would explain what Alchemy is from a range of different perspectives. After all, I know what it is to me and what I have learnt through the process of delivering it, but what does it mean to others? It requires a collective voice to answer that question.

So, that became our title: Alchemy Is… and because there’s a lot to say, we thought that a book would have a lot of potential to show some of the writing as well as behind the scenes images, lyrics and poetry. I invited Alchemy participants / artists, Alchemy Masters, mentors, teachers, academics, and project partners to contribute a short piece of text that tells what Alchemy is from their perspective. To give the book a feel of the vibrancy and energy of Alchemy, I commissioned visual artist Chiara Ambrosio to make portraits of each contributor and deliver the overall layout and design of the book, with the hope to make the book into an interpretation of the space, giving the reader a sense of the feeling and experience of the project.

Zoe

Entries for the book began to roll in over the summer of 2023, each one a surprise, a celebration, an affirmation. As I write this, I am on my way to Goldsmiths where I will meet Kieron Morris, ex-Alchemy participant and now Alchemy Mentor, and director of the Rezon8 youth project that focuses on supporting young people’s mental health through creativity. He is submitting the final entry before the book goes into its final stage of layout and gets ready to go to print. I had a meeting with Kieron yesterday, and we talked about exactly this: both for Alchemy and Rezon8, those of us who are part of it understand what it is, what it means for the community, what is learnt, but how do we communicate that?

Breathe (by Refrain, Alchemy Master)

There’s no danger making change we wager
speed accelerating
waiting for our gain to take us
We make a leap of faith
and hope the best will come to break
The seal of poverty
The pool of riches god forsaked
()
I could have sped up slightly
But I chose the patience rightly
This place of alchemy
I kept it close
it held me tightly
like an alchemist, they taught the ways
Respect the cause
()
We are revolutionaries
We don’t play to pause
But like lead to gold
We Transform
Are thoughts are bold
And yes We freestyle
We purposely forget to fold
Know my past and you can understand
I know the code
But know my graft and you can understand
I’m in my mode
All these lessons
All these blessings
I can’t even fathom
I’m just grateful for this place
that we can call our sanctum.

——

This is what the process or making the Alchemy Is… book has done for us; it has taken our many voices and formed them into a choir. And, speaking of music, musical creativity is fundamental to Alchemy, of course, and so the book wouldn’t be complete without a mixtape of music and audio from Alchemy artists. Format? We had a fascinating masterclass with NX Records and Kit Records director Richard Greenan, who releases music on vinyl and cassette. The cassette tape appealed to me (as a child of the 80s!) but I was pleasantly surprised to find that some Alchemy artists really liked the idea of a cassette mixtape release with a digital download code for online streaming. I’ve been thinking a lot about visibility and music does have that ephemeral quality that exists in the moment but vanishes like smoke… so the idea of having the music held inside a physical object made sense.

Time is a Wonderful Thing by Kenny, from the Alchemy Is… Mixtape:

Contributors have been paid for their entries thanks to the Civic Catalyst Fund; this reinforces our anti-oppressive ethic of equity and value. Contributors will also receive a free copy, and the original portrait made of them by Chiara Ambrosio.

Jake Armstrong, Teacher (extract from his Alchemy Is… entry)
Addey & Stanhope Secondary School

Alchemy has been life-changing for the young people involved; not only the young people from Addey and Stanhope that have actively participated in the programme but so many other young people from the local community. Alchemy is a family. They support each other. They pick each other up when down. They celebrate the highs. They are outstanding musicians and young creatives. If ever there was a programme that I would be most proud of being a part of, it’s Alchemy. Support. Get involved. Do whatever you can to keep this incredible, life-changing programme going.

The book will be launched at The Albany in Deptford on 13th March 2024. If you would like to reserve a place, or would like to learn more about the Alchemy Is… book or anything else Alchemy related, E-mail me at m.kirkpatrick@gold.ac.uk.

 

I’ll leave you with the closing paragraph of my introduction to the Alchemy Is… book:

I have infinite gratitude for the people who have made Alchemy possible; the team, past and present who attend every week and give everything that they have, the people who have supported with space, kindness, funding, or advice and constructive criticism, and of course all of the participants. We are in the process of better understanding how to make Alchemy sustainable in the long term, and this includes looking into how we can better evidence and evaluate the impact of what we are making. This book, thanks to Goldsmiths Civic Engagement, is part of that process. There are so many stories we can tell, and what you see in this book is a small snapshot of what Alchemy is today. It is not simply a celebration of what we have done, but what can be done, and hopefully a source of inspiration to others who would like to do something similar.

 

Alchemy Is… contributors include Mikey Kirkpatrick, Lara Pereira, Esther Sayers, Kirsty Collander-Brown, Miranda McVicars, Andrés Peña, Jake Armstrong, Yasmin Ali, Kocoa Brown, Martin Vito, Zoe Olajide, Joshua Hunt, Rofeda Bougaga, Moziah DeRoche, Kieron Morris, Shavelle Jones and Alinda Petek plus lyrics and music from many more…

 

 

 

Killer Mike and Mobo Unsung at Marshall Studios – Alchemy Field Trip

On Friday 3rd November, Alchemy Artists, Masters and Mentors were invited to Marshall Studios in Milton Keynes to meet Killer Mike from Atlanta. We got that and so much more…

We took a coach from Victoria, travelling with members of Brixton’s Raw Material, making new friends and connections. Before Killer Mike came onstage, we had a talk from Wizdom from Mobo Unsung and two artists who were mentored through the Mobo Unsung process, Genesis and Crae Wolf. 

These are some of the gems they dropped for us…

Genesis talked about the importance of networking, even if it seems fake, or like a transactional relationship. They said they that networking is really about building a community around what you really love. He also talked about getting help from the right people; “You rob banks with bank robbers” – as in, do the job with the people who can do what they are supposed to do! Managers sort e-mails and organise things, agents get the shows, and artists make the art. 

Crae Wolf who describes herself as a goth rapper and rockstar, said that the most valuable thing you can have is information, like knowing the difference between making something available and releasing something properly.  She also said to be prepared for your sound to change when you figure out who you are as an artist, but above all: knowledge is power. Her story is that she started out singing, “I thought I was Beyonce or something”, then moved on from there; she started rapping, doing freestyles on Instagram – and people started making noise about it. She said she was shy when she began, but her confidence grew over time. Her advice was to “follow your sound and follow your audience”. She also said that not everyone should have a say in what you do, but to be open to receiving advice.

Wizdom asked the question: How do you know you’re doing better than before? He talked about ‘finding your tribe’ by going to events by people who make similar music, attend open mics and perform as much as possible. He said that there are 10 stages to building your career as an artist, and that the first 5 are:

  1. Recognising you are talented 
  2. Being self-defined artist
  3. Performing (stage or online)
  4. Recording 
  5. Entering the emerging artist stage (lots get stuck here…)

When Genesis meets new artists from the perspective of a booking agent he asks himself:

Are they building a community around what they do? 

He advises that artists consider “why do people like me and what I do? Your duty as an artist to figure out who you are. Think about what it is that draws people in…” He also said… “If you’ve made one great track you can make more. It might be old to you but new to everyone else!” On the subject of making money, he said it’s all about community, community, and that most of his money has been made through selling merchandise and hard copies of music (not streaming). 

Next, Killer Mike was in conversation with Genesis.

More gems were dropped as we listened to tracks from his album Michael. Killer Mike talked about philosophy, family, music, faith, and the divinity inside and outside of us all. I have a purpose and I don’t know what it is…but I have a purpose”, he told us. When creating something, ask yourself, “does it move you?” He talked about his hometown with affection, saying that the city is another character in the story of this album and he gives voice to it. Genesis jumps in with another statement around intention behind making music… “stop trying to make art go viral, start making art that’s vulnerable…”

Killer Mike told us that he wanted to give us an album experience (rather than a hit single experience), he said  “I want your mind to show you the visuals of the audio… the music’s peaks and valleys, problems and resolutions. He self-funded the album and then it came out on Loma Vista, the same label as 2Pac. He was hugely inspired by 2Pac’s tracks, like Brenda’s Got A Baby, which you can definitely hear as you listen to his Michael record:

He talked a lot about vulnerability and the heart… “I want my music to hit the art part of your heart, I want to pierce your heart more than I want to control your mind”. He said that he sees divinity in every person, and told the young people in the room never to quit even if you feel like it and that “there is something bigger out there that is also in us and if we spend more time with that divinity, there will be less violence”. 

Omar (aka Refrain), one of the Alchemy Masters, asked him about how to keep inspired during difficult times. He said that it’s important to show up and keep working no matter how you feel. “If you’re feeling shitty, make music about feeling shitty. You are an artist, and you have obligation to make art”. 

His album is personal, beautifully produced, fusing an old-school hip-hop sound with a gospel sound, and led by his love for his mother who had him when she was a teenager (he had a chain around his neck with a photo of his mum inside a medallion). She introduced him to music and made it a possible future for him by letting him go and see live music from a young age. She believed in him, and he is full of gratitude for her, and sadness too, for losing her. 

Seeing a wise, talented male role model talk about love and vulnerability in such a way was inspiring and a gift for all of us.

“Do I feel like quitting sometimes? Absolutely. Am I ever gonna quit? Absolutely not”. 

After the event, Alchemy artists Refrain and Ibz Mullah talked to Channel 4 about why it’s important for there to be spaces for young people to be creative, and why it’s beneficial for mental health, community and cutting down on violence. 

Thank you to Marshall, Mobo Unsing and Killer Mike for this opportunity. 

Follow: 

@marshallamps

@rawmusicmedia

@mobo.unsung

@fardawizdom

@genesiselijah

@craewolff

@killermike

@goldsmithsalchemy

Alchemy Sessions – now live!

Thanks to Zoe, the first of our Alchemy sessions is live! The first session features Alchemy songwriting, bass and creative music making mentor Chevelle Frazer-Rose performing her song What I Prayed For. You can watch the video here:

Chevelle is a professional artist and musician showcasing her original material in the soul jazz music scene as well as working as a session bassist and vocalist for UK jazz and Black music artists across London. Performing at well renowned venues and events such as The Royal Albert Hall Festival, FivePoints Presents and Sofar Sounds shows, she teaches 1-2-1 bass guitar and acoustic guitar lessons. As a singer-songwriter and mixing engineer she teaches knowledge of music production using Logic Pro X for students EP projects, encouraging self-produced projects and collaborations. Chevelle also offers 1-2-1 vocal and performance technique sessions while mentoring students in the studio, guiding them through the process as their first experience with recording engineers and session musicians. Her 1-2-1 small group songwriting sessions include ‘live set workshops’ – workshopping 15-25 mins sets for live performances and group band workshops.

You can follow Chevelle on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/chevellefrazerrosemusic.

Filmed and edited by Zoe Recorded by Chevelle Frazer-Rose Mixed and mastered by Mikey Kirkpatrick

Alchemy Masters start their year by teaching Goldsmiths Education students

This week Rofeda (pictured), Moziah, Joshua and Omar kicked off their year as Alchemy Masters, performing their original music and poetry for Goldsmiths Education students (Understanding Learning Module) where they talked about their experience of the education system and the benefits of musical creativities for mental health.

WDN RAW

We have teamed up with WHAT DOES NOT (WDN) to open up more performance opportunities to Alchemy artists – and opportunities for audiences to experience their power and talent! They run a monthly RAW event where people and performers speak on a theme. Last night the theme was STIGMA and took place at The Ministry. The subjects that rose from this were mental health, gender, motherhood, race, homelessness… our very own Y.A Poet talked about overcoming serious health issues and taking the lead in her life again, and her mentee Tendo talked about his experience of being stopped and searched, and the unforgiveable racism he experienced. Following that, Alchemy artists headlined with a powerful set of original tracks, members of the UYT Collective led by King Vito Speaks. It was the first of many collaborations with WDN, we can’t wait for the next one!

A Big Conversation at The Albany

Last night at The Albany in Deptford the Lewisham community came together for A Big Conversation to discuss how creativity is beneficial for mental health – a research project that Rofeda Bougaga is involved with – a recent new member of Alchemy – a very talented all-round creative who is working towards her own solo show this July. She performed some of her poetry live, and Moziah performed three songs. It was such a supportive and talent-filled night. Kieron Morris is involved too… so much great work going on… we <3 The Albany!

A Big Conversation is a youth-led research and development project connecting four youth arts organisations across Lewisham to explore the value of the arts and creativity in supporting young people with their mental health, wellbeing and happiness.

Rofeda performing at A Big Conversation
Moziah performing at A Big Conversation