Alex Taite: Deep River – The Flow of Negro Spirituals Through Time – Albany, CA

Join Alex Taite – singer, composer, pianist, and Bay Area native – in a lecture/recital exploring the depths and beauty of the Negro Spiritual. He presents his own arrangements of some of his favorite spirituals, jazz standards, and other exclusively American selections, and interweaves a vivid historical narrative of American culture.

This 45-minute presentation explores how American music owes much of its existence to the trauma of those first enslaved people who were just trying to pass the time in the fields or lend some comfort in a dark room. An art form blending the rhythmic and emotional core from Africa with the religious and harmonic structure of the European colonizers. Born from burdens. Tempered by tragedy.

From the muck of kidnapping, oppression, indoctrination, and torture sprang forth this bloom of rich, uplifting, hopeful music. Music that evolved as time trampled generations of humans. This lecture recital will deepen your connection to history, and to your fellow humans. Concludes with a Q & A with the artist, followed by a reception with the artist.

Calliope is so grateful to the Albany Community Foundation for a grant in support of this work!

Artist Profile

A resident and native of Oakland California, Alexander Taite holds a Bachelor’s Degree

from Pepperdine University in music theory and composition with a main emphasis in

vocal performance and a minor emphasis in jazz piano.

Alexander has robust interests and musical skills including Opera, Choral, Spiritual,

Barbershop, Jazz, Blues, Renaissance/Baroque, Vocal Percussion and Hip-hop. He has

also studied classical and jazz piano since the age of 8, and has played in bands of varied

styles including jazz, funk, R&B, rock, hip-hop and pop.

In addition to singing with the San Francisco Opera Chorus every season since 2007, he

has sung roles with The Berkeley Opera Company, San Francisco Parlor Opera, Opera

Parallèle, Livermore Valley Opera, Island City Opera, Philharmonia Healdsburg, Pocket

Opera, Walnut Creek Festival Opera, and The Berkeley Chamber Opera.

In 2015, Alexander was honored to be asked to direct, cast, and conduct a project with

renowned baritone Lester Lynch. The gospel and spiritual album was recorded at the

prestigious Skywalker Sound studio, and included a 16-person adult choir and 10-person

children’s choir. Other special appearances include studying opera in Germany with

accomplished tenor Dr. Henry Price III.

Alexander also spent 4 years as a member of the Vocal Faculty at Oakland School for

the Arts, teaching music theory and classical performance. He led master classes, directed

several choirs, and helped to develop two curricula for the high school: a senior recital

program, and a music theory placement exam for vocal and instrumental students. Soon

thereafter, he spent 7 years directing the graduate level chorus at the San Francisco Boys

Chorus.

He was a finalist in the James Toland Vocal Arts competition in both 2014 and 2016, and

was a finalist in the East Bay Opera League vocal scholarship program. He was also

selected as a piano finalist in the Young Performers Concert series in San Francisco.

Mr. Taite is thrilled and honored to fill the role of Director for Chorus Eclectic.

Currently, he is a vocal and choral coach with the Nova youth choir at Cantare Con Vivo,

and Music Director for the Piccola Carolers. He is also accepting bookings of his one

man show – Deep River: the flow of negro spirituals through time – where he plays and

sings his own arrangements of Negro Spirituals. This lecture recital explores the

evolution and influence of the Negro Spiritual on American culture and society, told

through story and song.

Join us in person, by live-stream, OR on-demand! (For on-demand viewing, simply purchase a live-stream only ticket, and then watch the recording at your leisure anytime in the following two weeks.)

WE GUARANTEE ALL OF OUR PERFORMERS A MINIMUM FAIR WAGE – thanks to support from people like you!

COVID Safety Protocols:

• Masking is encouraged as an individual choice; this protects everyone from the spread of viruses. Masks will be readily available to those who want one.
• Up-to-date immunizations (including flu, COVID, pneumonia and RSV) are strongly encouraged.
• Hand sanitizer will be available, and is encouraged.
• Whenever weather permits, we will ventilate our spaces to the maximum degree possible, and employ the use of air purifiers.
• If you have tested positive for COVID, or feel at all unwell, we urge you in the strongest possible way to stay home.

Very best,

Calliope: East Bay Music & Arts Board of Directors