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Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman no longer plays a musical instrument. But he is instrumental in bringing a fresh style of music to Toledo.
“I appreciate it and I’m glad to have my part in it,” Freeman told Toledo City Paper. Freeman and his co-executive producer Erie Meier are fusing Delta Blues with the sounds of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, bringing “Morgan Freeman’s Blues Experience” to the Peristyle at the Toledo Museum of Art Oct. 30.
Freeman admits the idea of merging blues with a symphonic orchestra “doesn’t sound like a good mix but it turns out to be an excellent mix.” The combination has drawn “can’t-be-
missed” reviews and standing ovations at performances in cities from San Francisco to New York. Freeman played saxophone in his high school band and later picked up the guitar. His mother introduced him to music when she played piano at religious services.
Freeman’s role at the concert is to provide narration and stirring storytelling, as one of the show’s executive producers. Featuring blues artists performing with the symphony, who are “Delta born, Delta raised, and Delta taught” said Freeman with pride, “so they are authentic.”
Freeman’s Role
Freeman’s commentary, paired with film visuals and blues music from the southern U.S., provides the soundtrack. “It’s bringing the Mississippi Delta blues to Toledo.” Morgan adds, “I like music. People say, what kind of music do you like? I like any of it except opera, maybe. I can’t get a handle on opera.”
Inspiration from the project came from the Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Freeman is one of its owners and refers to it as a shrine. “I love the musicians there.” When they started, young artists learning the blues had “no venue and that’s ridiculous. So that was the inception. We found a building, created this juke joint and the rest, as they say, is history.” Meier emphasized that news programs including 60 Minutes and the BBC have produced stories about Ground Zero. “Morgan has really articulated the criticality of keeping this place authentic. Someone asked me, how do you not turn this into Disneyland? And I said, walk into the men’s room.”
Freeman has appeared in more than 100 films and won an Oscar for his role in the movie Million Dollar Baby. “I did three movies with Clint Eastwood. Those are my favorites.” Meier’s favorite Freeman flick is Ted 2 and joked, “Morgan isn’t going to like my answer,” which they both laughed.
Inspiring with Blues
The vision behind taking the blues on tour is to “encourage youngsters to carry on this style of music, this soul music,” according to Freeman.
Freeman “is looking forward to his stay in Toledo” and has not previously visited the city. Meier was here years ago and acknowledged “growing up as a young kid watching M*A*S*H and hearing about the Mudhens, I do look for- ward to getting a chance to see the city.”
Tickets for the performance are available at symphonicblues.com. Meier believes music “is a way to connect people. If we do our job, my hope is that after the concert, you’ve got a better understanding of the cultural impact of music and hopefully you will have a great time!”
