Hakim, Talib Rasul, 1974 - 1984
Scope and Contents
Composer Talib Rasul Hakim (birth name Stephen Alexander Chambers) delivered 10 lectures, from 1974 t0 1984. He spoke on 4/9/1974 (2015-0002/RR165), 11/4/1975 (2015-0002/RR166), 9/21/1976 (2015-0002/RR167), 11/29/1977 (2015-0002/RR168), 11/28/1978 (2015-0002/RR169), 11/13/1979 (2015-0002/RR170), 9/9/1980 (2015-0002/RR171), 11/16/1982 (2015-0002/RR172), 11/8/1983 (2015-0002/RR173), and lastly on 11/13/1984 (2015-0002/RR174).
RR 165 Hale Smith makes several class related announcements and takes class participants to task for actions and disrespect at the previous lecture. Smith then introduces the evening's speaker, Black composer, educator Talib Rasul Hakim. Hakim begins his presentation with a little music, a piece titled "Welcome." He lecture is composed of two parts: a few ideas and concepts of the role of the Black composer/artist and Black music and American society.
RR 166 Hale Smith introduces a brilliant composer of symphonic music who recently received a glowing review of his "Visions of Ishwara," Talib Rasul Hakim. Hakim speaks about the religious ethic that is present in most, if not all, forms of Afro American music.
RR 167 Hale Smith remarks on the difficulties with the class text book before introducing composer Talib Rasul Hakim. Hakim has been recognized for the power in his music generated by its foundation in highly evolved spiritual and philosophical content. The presentation includes a performance on the piano as well as a lecture on Black music and the religious ethic.
RR 168 [Mislabeled--Ear training test created by the music department for students.]
RR 169 Hale Smith introduces well regarded composer Talib Rasul Hakim. Mr. Hakim's topic is mysticism, music and the Black composer.
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RR 170 Hale Smith introduces Talib Rasul Hakim. Mr. Hakim plays "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" by Charles Mingus and follows with a sharing of his thoughts that are codified in a presentation entitled, "The process of creativity: Music and the religious ethic."
RR 171 Opens with Hale Smith discussing and reads from a book by Albert Murray titled "Train Whistle Guitar", the first of a triology in which Murray is developing his own mythology. Smith is using this long reading to illustrate the point of the closeness of the musical expression to the Black American people, it is so much a part of life that there is a personal identification between the person and the instrument and leads into Mr. Hakim's presentation [introduction begins about timestamp 0:23:20]. Mr. Hakim [0:24:25] begins with the significance of sound to composers and in particular in the correct pronunciation of his name; sound and the . He shares some ideas in reference to the process of creativity in his talk and plays some original compositions followed by questions and/or comentary from the audience.
RR 172 Hale Smith begins class with a few announcements and then introduces composer Talib Rasul Hakim. Mr. Hakim topic for the evening is "Art, Religion and Politics: Their impact on the process of creativity from a Black composer's perspective."
RR 173 Hale Smith introduces composer Talib Rasul Hakim. Mr. Hakim's presentation topic is based around the theme "A composer who is Black or a Black composer, and does it matter?" followed by a recording of his compositions.
RR 174 The recording begins with class announcements by an unknown individual. Mr. Hakim's presentation focuses on his current endeavors.
Dates
- 1974 - 1984
Conditions Governing Access
Links to digitized content are included in the finding aid.
Biographical / Historical
Talib Rasul Hakim was an American composer. Born Stephen Alexander Chambers on February 8, 1940, brother to noted jazz drummer and composer Joe Chambers in Asheville, North Carolina, he grew up playing music in school, studying clarinet, piano, and singing in church choir. He later studied music at the Manhattan School of Music (1958-1959), New York College of Music (1959-1963), and the New School for Social Research, New York (1963-1965). His teachers include Morton Feldman, Ornette Coleman, Margaret Bonds, Robert Starer, Hall Overton, Chou Wen-Chung, William Sydeman, Hale Smith, and Charles Whittenberg. After converting to Sufism in 1973, Hakim changed his name.
Hakim first came to attention in the wider music community through appearances of his works on the "Music in Our Time" concert series in New York in the mid-1960s. He received awards and residencies from the Bennington Composers Conference (1964–90) and the Connecticut Commission on the Arts (1981–2), as well as ASCAP, grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Creative Artist Public Service Program. In addition to composing, Hakim taught at Pace University (1970-1972), Adelphi University (1972-1979), Nassau Community College (1971-1981), and Morgan State University, as well as working as a radio and television producer.
Hakim’s compositions are known for their use of unusual instrumental combinations as seen in his piece commissioned in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Birmingham Reflections (1985). Hakim’s piece, Ramadhan-Meditations, written for winds and piano, utilizes free improvisation on a set of given pitches accompanied by a repetitive piano drone to create a meditative feeling.
He died on March 31, 1988, in New Haven, Connecticut.
[http://bmrcsurvey.uchicago.edu/collections/2533-1 / http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.48282 /
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talib_Rasul_Hakim]
Extent
10 Reels (Magnetic tape audio recordings ) : RR 165 1 reel, 01:04:40; tape speed 3¾ IPS; track position ½-Track Mono; Substrate: Polyester. RR 166 1 reel, 00:58:12; tape speed 3¾ IPS; track position ½-Track Mono; Substrate: Polyester. RR 167 1 reel, Side A-01:04:25, Side B-00:14:34; tape speed 3¾ IPS; track position ½-Track Mono; Substrate: Polyester. The combined run time of the digital recording is 01:18:55. RR 168 1 reel, 00:41:38; tape speed 3¾ IPS; track position ½-Track Mono; Substrate: Polyester. Mislabeled. RR 169 1 reel, Side A-01:04:30, Side B-00:02:42; tape speed 3¾ IPS; track position ½-Track Mono; Substrate: Polyester. The combined run time of the digital recording is 01:07:08. RR 170 1 reel, 01:09:20; tape speed 3¾ IPS; track position ½-Track Mono; Substrate: Polyester. RR 171 1 reel, Side A-00:48:53, Side B-00:27:17; tape speed 3¾ IPS; track position ½-Track Mono; Substrate: Polyester. The combined run time of the digital recording is 01:16:06. RR 172 1 reel, 00:58:21; tape speed 3¾ IPS; track position ½-Track Mono; Substrate: Polyester. RR 173 1 reel, 01:03:48; tape speed 3¾ IPS; track position ½-Track Mono; Substrate: Polyester. RR 174 1 reel, 00:59:15; tape speed 3¾ IPS; track position ½-Track Mono; Substrate: Polyester.
Language of Materials
From the Series: English
- African American composers Subject Source: Fast
- African American educators Subject Source: Fast
- African Americans Subject Source: Fast
- African Americans in popular culture Subject Source: Fast
- Black Experience in the Arts Course (University of Connecticut) -- Sound recordings Subject Source: Local sources
Repository Details
Part of the Archives and Special Collections, University of Connecticut Library Repository
University of Connecticut Library
405 Babbidge Road Unit 1205
Storrs Connecticut 06269-1205 USA US
860-486-2524
archives@uconn.edu