Oakland Symphony delivers special ‘Lean on Me’
“Lean on Me” is one of those rare songs that seems to make the world a better place. An uplifting anthem of unity and understanding, encouraging us to take turns picking each other up when we’re “not strong,” “Lean on Me” was originally released in 1972 as the first single to Bill Withers’ great second album, “Still Bill.” The song made an immediate impact, skyrocketing to No. 1 on the soul charts as well as a multiweek run atop the overall Billboard Hot 100. In 1987, R&B group Club Nouveau released its own version of this gem and it charged right to the top of the singles charts as well, making “Lean on Me” one of the incredibly rare songs to hit No. 1 for two different artists. Of course, it’s been covered countless other times, by everyone from Glen Campbell and Anne Murray to DC Talk and the cast of “Glee.” And now we can add to that list the Oakland Symphony, which recently released an amazing version of the classic on its website (oaklandsymphony.org) and social media channels. This stirring rendition of “Lean on Me” features 130 participants hailing from the symphony’s family of ensembles — the orchestra, chorus and youth orchestra — as well as its MUSE education program. The age range runs from 8 to 86 in this joyous project featuring artists of all different skill levels — from beginner to, well, very advanced. It’s a great example of one of those increasingly popular quarantine-style videos — such as the recent “Bay Area Blessing” offering that brought together 50plus churches from different locations in song — where people record their own parts that are then all stitched together in amazingly seamless fashion. Organizers were looking to do a video that would allow maximum participation from the symphony’s different ensembles and decided that the right tune for the project was “Lean on Me” — “a timeless song with powerful lyrics that continues to influence generations of listeners,” according to a news release. “With Withers’ passing on March 30 (2020), the Oakland Symphony is paying tribute to his contributions to music and his continuing impact on the world,” the news release reads. “The video is also celebrating the breadth and scope of the Oakland Symphony’s ongoing music education activities and community outreach.” The project was led by Oakland Symphony Chorus director Lynne Morrow, symphony cellist and MUSE mentor Elizabeth Vandervennet, symphony oboist Andrea Plesnarski, symphony French horn player Alicia Telford and symphony flutist Amy Likar. The video was edited by Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra conductor Omid Zoufonoun, “who was guided by the technical challenges of producing a video with 130 musicians trying to perform the same song but not at the same time,” the news release says. “The final song arrangement was determined in the post production so it could be inclusive and complimentary of all musicians and chorus members,” Zoufonoun says. “This performance reflects the symphony’s culture of inclusiveness, education, and community.” Indie rockers fighting racism Indie music artists are joining in the chorus of voices decrying police brutality on the black community. Phantogram, Jesse Malin, Jay Watts, Matthew Caws of Nada Surf, Bartees Strange, Lonemoon, Oakland acts Rogue Wave and Lateef the Truthspeaker, Crashing Hotels, Nick Andre, the Worriers, Sulene, Superchunk and Damon & Naomi are among the acts who have contributed to “Talk — Action = Zero,” a compilation album of previously unreleased music, demos, live recordings and other material now available on bandcamp.com. Organizers said the album features some 90 songs from more than 90 artists, most of whom work with Bank Robber Music and Rough Trade Publishing, the two organizations that curated the project. It was “created in reaction to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the countless other acts of violence against Black people that happen every day due to systemic racism, white supremacy and police brutality,” according to a news release. “We as a small company have always been committed to our artist community, but it would be a disservice to not recognize that the music we love and the roster of artists we represent are influenced by Black culture,” says Emily Roman of Bank Robber Music. “The artist and the Black community are in the midst of changing times. We wanted to use our platform to amplify the two communities that allow us to do what we love every day in this industry.” Buyers are asked to pay what they can for the album; there is a suggested price of $20.20. The release benefits Black Visions Collective, a “Black run organization based in Minnesota that aims to develop Minnesota’s emerging Black leadership, heal the Black community through justice, support the local LGBTQA community, organize powerful, strategic campaigns and build movements from the ground up,” according to the news release. Go to blackvisionsmn.org for more information. The whole project took less than a week to come together, “based on the eagerness of so many artists to contribute to take action by making a unified statement against white supremacy, racism and police brutality while actively raising funds for a pro-Black organization,” according to a news release.