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Motown gets Stax Academy stamp

By Jon W. Sparks

When the best meets the best, this is what happens: "At the Corner of Soulsville and Hitsville: Stax Celebrates Motown."

This is the title of Saturday night’s grand finale of the Stax Music Academy’s SNAP! Summer Music Camp for 30 high school students who have spent the month of June immersed in the savvy of music experts.

The show will feature the music of Motown legends such as Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, The Jackson 5, The Temptations, and Martha & the Vandellas.

Guest artist is Terron Brooks, who appeared as Simba in "The Lion King" on Broadway and played Eddie Kendricks in the TV miniseries "The Temptations," a role he will reprise -- falsetto and all -- for the grand finale.

Among the tunes he will do with the students are "Get Ready," "Just My Imagination," "Keep on Trucking’" and "The Way You Do the Things You Do."

"Because this year is the 50th anniversary of Motown, we thought it fitting to pay tribute to the world’s other great soul music label," said Tim Sampson, communications director of Stax Music Academy.

"There has been so much comparison over the years and to this day of Motown’s slickness and Stax’s grittier sound, it’s fun to experience the students putting their own Stax Music Academy touch on all these Motown classics they will be playing Saturday night."

The evening celebrates not only the rich music that came out of Detroit, but also the monthlong effort by local youngsters to learn about the music industry beyond playing, singing, and performing.

Local experts have been teaching the students aspects of the music business, including writing, composing, conducting, production, image consulting and radio.

The Stax Music Academy is a program of the Soulsville Foundation, which also operates the Stax Museum of American Soul Music and The Soulsville Charter School.

"At the Corner of Soulsville and Hitsville: Stax Celebrates Motown"

Saturday, 7 p.m. at Buckman Performing Arts Center at St. Mary’s Episcopal School, 60 Perkins Ext. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Call 946-2535.

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