Hill-Freedman Records launched the making of its 6th album by exploring and celebrating the music of artists and producers from diverse genres from Pop to Reggae and Country. These artists and producers, who included Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Bob Marley, and Charlie Pride spanned decades and represented a range of musical genres and cultures. As part of Hill-Freedman World Academy’s Music Technology course (an integral part of the school’s International Baccalaureate curriculum), and under the leadership of teacher Ezechial Thurman and WHYY Media Lab’s Lisa Wilk, 10th graders at Hill-Freedman created video documentaries about these artists, and researched their music to find inspiration for their own songwriting. From this research, and from the students’ own experiences and stories, the theme of “Growing Up Black” emerged as a theme for the album.

In the second half of the school year, Mr. Thurman and the students, were joined by a team of teaching artists from Hill-Freedman’s long-time lead partner, Philadelphia independent, non profit music organization World Cafe Live. WCL teaching artists Kristal Oliver, Bethlehem the Vocussionist and Andrew Lipke collaborated with Mr. Thurman, joined by a group of student producers–veterans of past Hill-Freedman Records albums. Working in the Music Technology Lab and the school's recording studio, this collective nurtured the creation of the 34 songs that make up this album.

Growing Up Black

Hill-Freedman Records launched the making of its 6th album by exploring and celebrating the music of artists and producers from diverse genres from Pop to Reggae and Country. These artists and producers, who included Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Bob Marley, and Charlie Pride spanned decades and represented a range of musical genres and cultures. As part of Hill-Freedman World Academy’s Music Technology course (an integral part of the school’s International Baccalaureate curriculum), and under the leadership of teacher Ezechial Thurman and WHYY Media Lab’s Lisa Wilk, 10th graders at Hill-Freedman created video documentaries about these artists, and researched their music to find inspiration for their own songwriting. From this research, and from the students’ own experiences and stories, the theme of “Growing Up Black” emerged as a theme for the album.

In the second half of the school year, Mr. Thurman, the students, were joined by a team of teaching artists from Hill-Freedman’s long-time lead partner, Philadelphia independent, non profit music organization World Cafe Live. WCL teaching artists Kristal Oliver, Bethlehem the Vocussionist and Andrew Lipke collaborated with Mr. Thurman, joined by a group of student producers–veterans of past Hill-Freedman Records albums. Working in the Music Technology Lab and the school's recording studio, this collective nurtured the creation of the 34 songs that make up this album.

Summertime

Snowy Night

Tres Amor

The Forever That Didn't Last

Easy

Talk To Me

Heaven

Be My Girl

Old Soul

Casino Dreams

Rising Above It All

Somebody Else

Hizzy

El Jinete

Stand Up And Shout

Missing You

Hey Lord

Empathy

Hill-Freedman Records is an outgrowth of the Hill-Freedman World Academy's International Baccalaureate Programme. "Our music technology program is encouraging students to be creators, producers and self-starters," said music technology teacher Ezechial Thurman. "We are seeing students learn how to take an idea from the design stage to the finished stage using songwriting and computer-based music creating. They have things to say and we want to encourage that."