Renee Baker - THE GREAT BLACK MUSIC PROJECT
Renee' Baker- violinist/violist, composer, leader, painter, poet
Ms. Baker is the founder/leader of FAQ (Faith Action Quorum), Mantra Blue Free Orchestra, Red Chai, Wrinkled Linen, Connoisseur Musica String Ensemble (classical), Poemusici (spoken word group), Blanche (experimental orchestra), and the Renee Baker Trio. In addition, she has created eclectic chamber festivals for Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, Norris Cultural Arts Center, and Classical Symphony Hall. Ms. Baker has composed over 200 compositions ranging from string quartets to much larger ensembles as a composer.
Renee Baker's official entrée into the creative music arena came through an invitation to join Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Strings. As a proud new member of the venerable AACM, her musical affiliations have to include Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Orchestra, David Boykin Expanse, Orbert Davis w/Strings Attached, Doug Carn, Karl Siegfried's Galaxy String Quartet, Great Black Music Ensemble (AACM), Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, and Chicago Jazz Orchestra.
Ms. Baker has appeared at many venues, including Woodland Patterns (WI), Kerrytown Concert House (Mi), Velvet Lounge ( Chicago), Elastic Arts Foundation, Myopic Improv Music Series, Adler Planetarium, Hyde Park Arts Center, MAC (College of DuPage), Hungry Brain, Empty Bottle, Hideout, Heaven Gallery, Jazz Showcase, Green Mill, Columbia College, Gallery 37, Millennium Park, Chicago Cultural Center, Scottish, Spareroom, Cheney Mansion, and the South Shore Cultural Center. Ms. Baker was also instrumental in the Feb 2008 opening of the new Arts /Music space Brown Rice which presents cutting-edge, creative music performances and experimental artists of vast disciplines, looking to develop and hone their specialties.
Her creative/ music influences include Kurt Schwitters, Nicole Mitchell, Terry Riley, David Boykin, Orbert Davis, Josh Abrams, Anthony Braxton, May Sarton, Anne Truitt, Steve Reich, Jackson Pollock, Tony Conrad, Mark Rothko, Coleridge- Taylor Perkinson, and Dr. Paul Freeman.
Ms. Baker is a published poet and a painter/conceptual artist of found objects with pieces in private collections through the US.
"Art is Business" Re-posted by Alpha Bruton by Renee Baker:
Good morning- to each of you that are true friends, I share this tidbit of information. When you ain't about nothing, nothing bothers you much...When you are about the mission given to you by the
Creator, watch out!!! I thank each of you for your support all the way around.
Renee Baker
.. that's all. Karma, God, the Creator, etc., will take care of the nasty ones...you know them well. I also want each of you to not be affected by any negativity from me
.. I'm
AN OPTIMIST ALWAYS AND WON’T WEIGH MYSELF OR YOU DOWN WITH THE NONSENSE ANYMORE
..We can all get caught up in the swirl, and that's what they want..to be able to separate, confuse, divide and conquer. It's a big lovely world out there, and we each have to claim our piece in it.
This country is full of the bitter ones..let them eat each other
..... I'm MOVING FORWARD/WHATEVER THAT MEANS/I'VE GOT A LIFE THAT IS DESTINED TO CREATE PEACE HARMONY AND LOVE...
About keeping strong...Scripture first (whatever your Holy book is), then all these hints can be helpful.
Negative self-talk and negative energy can affect you in many ways and cause you additional stress. Because of this, developing more positive self-talk is a critical way to reduce stress in your life. You can help yourself maintain a positive frame of mind—which will help with positive self-talk—by surrounding yourself with positive energy in your life. You can get that by adding the following elements to your life:
Uplifting Music: Listening to music with a soothing melody and an uplifting message can be great for developing positive self-talk. Have you ever had a song 'stuck in your head' for a few hours or days, the lyrics repeating themselves in your mind? If those lyrics were positive and inspirational, that would be a good thing. It's a much better mental soundtrack to have than a running stream of complaints, criticisms, self-limiting thoughts, or even songs that had more depressing or sad lyrics. (When times get tough, I often think of Wilson Phillips' classic, "Hold On," but there are dozens of good ones out there.)
Inspirational Books: Books on strength, personal power, enlightenment, or self-help can be good resources to help you change your outlook and the things you say to yourself. Rather than triggering habitual, self-defeating thoughts, you can find yourself thinking of new can-do concepts when times get tough. (For shifting your paradigm, I love Gary Zukav's "The Heart of the Soul" or Sarah Ban Breathnach's classic "Simple Abundance.")
Positive People: One of the most important ways you can get (and keep) positive energy in your life is with the company you keep. Do your friends uplift you or bring you down? Are they critical or complementary? Perfect friendships provide support when you're down, fun when you're up, wisdom when you're lost, and positive regard. Good friends can inspire you to reach greater heights and see your strengths even when you don't always. Pay attention to how your friends make you feel, and if they're less than supportive, start putting your energy and time toward people who are better suited to be your friend. (For more on social support and friendships, see the Relationship Section.)
Practice Affirmations: Positive affirmations can subtly but pervasively change your self-talk from negative to positive. See this article for some creative ways to begin working positive affirmations into your life.
LOVE Y'ALL- Renee'
