Funny how sometimes we realize how our dreams become experiences that come full circle. Who would of thought that an act of kindness on the part of Angela Wellman, almost 20 years ago would lead to the making of a short documentary film on her creation as the Founder and Director of the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music. I always say, "you don't always have to know where you're going in order to get to where you need to be". When you put a lot of good energy into what you love, the Universe will conspire to manifest your highest ideals.
It was 199?, I was standing in a very long line at "Concepts Cultural Gallery" in downtown Oakland with my young son thinking that my name was on a guest list to see the "Sun Ra Archestra", featuring Sun Ra himself. The lines were long, the show was a sell out and anticipation was in the air. All the real hip patrons of jazz were there for the show of all shows.
Out of what appeared to be nowhere two women were standing before me offered to usher my son, Hasani and I in to a front row table right smack in front of the stage while others waited in the longest line hoping to get in. Some of the local bay area great musicians performing with the Archestra were, Cash Killian, India Cook, Kamau Seitu... to name a few. The Archestra performed and after a few songs into the show, one of the women, who got me in, Angela Wellman, picked up her horn and went on stage. I had no idea who this person was, but she blew the roof off the mutha. I was like WOW! It's not every day you come across a musician who spots a single mother and her child and manages to get you front row seats. It was my son's very first jazz concert. After that time, we'd spot her around Oakland all the time at the grocery store or the Berkeley Flea Market and different festivals. My son always referred to her as "the Lady with the Horn".
After years of experiencing Angela's music around the Bay Area, our paths started crossing quite frequently over the past two years. I'd heard she started the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music and I started attending some of her Sunday afternoon concerts and Monday night jam sessions. At other times, I would see her at Peet's Coffee & Tea on Fruitvale Avenue in Oakland.
Let's talk about Divine timing. After we received the "Music" genre with the theme of "Hope", I immediately tried to contact her. I just had a feeling again, just like I did with "Stick & Pound", that we (It Donned On Me) could pull off something absolutely fabulous...and we did.
In the past it was fairly easy to contact Angela Wellman. We'd spoken on the phone and emailed a few times. But this time it was not the easiest thing. So I called a few of musicians
friends to see if they could contact her directly, but no one could. So I just went to the Conservatory. It was closed. I was anxious before my meeting with the crew later that evening and just decided to stick a note on the door. My cell phone rang within the hour, right after I'd ordered my cup of tea at Peet's. It was the Horn Diva herself. The trombonist hails from Kansas City, has performed with McCoy Tyner big band, Joe Williams, Al Gray, Slide Hampton and many more. http://www.angelawellman.com/about.htm
I was so delighted. I explained the process to her and she was in agreement with having a documentary done if we pulled the music genre.
Would you believe that later that evening in a round table discussion of our esteemed team, I presented a pretty good layout of who Angela Wellman was and how the Conservatory had been a dream of hers, I introduced her into "the mix" and from there it was on.
From there I scheduled a shoot for noon the next day and the rest is "HerStory".
For more information on Oakland Public Conservatory of Music visit:
http://www.opcmusic.org/
