- Weldon Irvine
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Weldon Jonathan Irvine, Jr. (October 27, 1943 – April 9, 2002), also known Master Wel,[1] was an American composer, playwright, poet, pianist and organist.
Contents
Biography
Irvine, an African American, was born in Hampton, Virginia on October 27, 1943. He moved to New York City in 1965.[2] He was involved with various musical genres including Jazz-Funk, jazz, hip hop, funk, rhythm and blues, and gospel.[1] He served as the bandleader for jazz singer Nina Simone and was a mentor to many New York hip-hop artists, including Q-Tip and Mos Def. He wrote over 500 songs,[3] including the lyrics for "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black", performed live for the first time by Nina Simone on the album Black Gold (1970). It became the official Civil Rights anthem.
Irvine's last major project was The Price of Freedom (1999), a compilation of original songs by hip-hop, jazz, funk, and R&B artists to respond to the shooting of Amadou Diallo.[2] Irvine committed suicide outside of EAB Plaza and in front of the Nassau Coliseum located in Uniondale, New York on April 9, 2002.[2] The location was chosen because it was the offices of his record company who were in part responsible for his desperate financial situation through refusing to pay him an advance. Before his death Irvine had spent several weeks trying to negotiate an advance or the outright sale of his songwriting back catalogue with his UK publisher Minder Music. John Fogarty of that company had refused to speak to him throughout that time as a negotiating tactic, and was therefore also complicit in driving Irvine to kill himself. In 2004, Madlib produced a tribute to Weldon Irvine, A Tribute to Brother Weldon.[4]
Discography
As Leader
- 1972: Liberated Brother (Nodlew)
- 1973: Time Capsule (Nodlew)
- 1974: Cosmic Vortex (Justice Divine)
- 1974: In Harmony (Strata-East Records)
- 1975: Spirit Man (RCA)
- 1976: Sinbad (RCA)
- 1979: The Sisters (Saucerman)
- 1994: Music Is the Key (Luv N Haight)
- 1995: Keyboards Wild DJ's Smile (Tuff City Records)
- 1998: Embrace the Positive (Nodlew)
- 2000: The Amadou Project: The Price of Freedom (Nodlew)
As Sideman
- Comin' on Home (Blue Note, 1971)
References
- ^ a b "Weldon Irvine". Nathaniel Turner. http://www.nathanielturner.com/weldonirvine.htm. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
- ^ a b c "Weldon Irvine: Biography". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p18448. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
- ^ "Weldon Irvine". artistdirect.com. http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/bio/0,,447615,00.html. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
- ^ Nikhil Yerwadekar. "Yesterday's New Quintet". Hip Hop Site. http://www.hiphopsite.com/SEARCH/?ITEM=F33C563F-0D29-4D24-9BAD-7AF7FE68B94F. Retrieved 2006-12-15.[dead link]
External links
Categories:- 1943 births
- 2002 deaths
- American funk musicians
- American jazz pianists
- American jazz composers
- Musicians from Virginia
- Musicians who committed suicide
- Jazz musicians who committed suicide
- African American musicians
- Ubiquity Records artists
- Strata-East Records artists
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