VocalEssence – Philip Brunelle, artistic director

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Larry Sims was brought up under the guiding eyes of musicians behind the great Motown acts, producer Barrett Strong, producers Holland, Dozier and Holland, and his mentor, trumpeter Marcus Belgrave. Larry co-founded the disco group Brainstorm, in Detroit, Michigan in 1976. In 1980, he moved to the Twin Cities and is currently the trumpeter for the two-time Grammy award winning group The Sounds of Blackness. Larry volunteered with an organization based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin which re-enacts and educates the public about the story of Company F 29th Infantry, an African American unit that fought in the Civil War.

Workshop Description
Friends, family and fellow musicians all inspired Duke Ellington and shaped the type of person he became. In this workshop Larry will use his trumpet and personal anecdotes to help students explore Duke's influences as well as influential people in their own lives. He will also creatively engage students using simple materials such as construction paper so that they too realize how they are "blessed," each having their own unique talents and potential for success.

To Prepare Your Students 

• Read The Piano Prince by Andrea Davis Pinkney
• Listen to Take the ‘A' Train (track 3) and Mood Indigo (track 14) on the companion CD
• Do the You Are Blessed Activity in the Teacher's Guide