As the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's successful first season under the baton of music director Marin Alsop comes to a close, Artworks had an opportunity to drop in on a rehearsal and speak with Ms. Alsop. In a wide-ranging conversation with host Rhea Feikin, Ms. Alsop discusses how she forges a relationship with an orchestra and talks about what's ahead for the orchestra in the 2008-9 season.

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Whether they're performing at a local book festival or getting national notoriety for their nomination on Soultracks' website contestant poll for Best New Soul Artists, it looks like Marcell and the Truth are here to take those that are interested in real music, played by real musicians, on a journey. At the Baltimore Book Festival, they took command of the stage and made the crowd sway and feel what they had to say. Whether it's about relationships, religion or just plain old feelings, Marcell and the Truth bring the emotions to the surface with their live stage performances. Their music seems to be a mixture of soul, blues, jazz and a dash of funk. This 10+ member band has all the right sounds and moves and Marcell Russell, the lead singer, has a phenomenally huge voice. Original songs are mostly composed by Marcell and the core squad: William (Bags) Bagwell, Charles (C.J) Bennett, and Gerald (Fingas) Richardson. They're all captured on their new cd, Hopes Too High, available online at cdbaby.com. If you would like to hear Marcell and the Truth, you really should see them perform live. They have an upcoming performance on May 17th, 7:00pm at Milton's Grill, 336 N. Charles Street in Baltimore, MD. For more information, check out their website below.

Marcell and the Truth Myspace page

The Artist's Way at Work is a book that shows how everyone—yes, everyone—has innate creativity that can be used in the workplace for greater success and satisfaction. Co-author Mark Bryan joins us to talk about his television special on the topic, which features people like former pro football player Ernie Banks—now a painter—Graham Nash, and others who use creativity in new ways to stay successful. The Artist's Way at Work will air on MPT at 9pm on Wednesday, May 7th.

The Artist's Way at Work website

They were America's Tour de Force. The vanguard of the Jazz genre had the task of introducing the nuances of its art to the world. They accomplished this feat with finesse and amazing longevity. In the 1950s, the US State Department began a program to send Jazz and Big Band greats around the world to familiarize other cultures with our indigenous music forms and thus familiarize them with our way of life. It ended up becoming a successful program that lasted until the late seventies. Greats such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman are immortalized in this photographic exhibition that chronicles the international tours of these legendary ambassadors. It is aptly named Jam Sessions: America's Jazz Ambassadors Embrace the World. The exhibition is on display through July 13, at the Meridian's Cafritz Galleries, White-Meyer House, 1624 Crescent Place, NW in Washington D.C. The exhibition hours are Wednesday – Sunday, 2:00 pm – 5:00pm. Free admission. For more information, call 202-483-0429.

The Meridian International Center

This week's Salon Art celebrates the tradition of screen painting in Baltimore. A true folk art that has been around since the early 1900s, painted screens were used to beautify the landscape of Baltimore while providing privacy for its inhabitants. It quickly caught on as paintings became much more elaborate than anyone could have imagined. Our set is adorned with painted screens to kickoff this weekend's unique folk art event entitled Rowhouse Rembrandts. The event begins Friday, May 9, with a buffet and silent auction at the American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key Highway. It ends Sunday, May 11 at the Fells Point Visitors Center on 1732 Thames Street. For more detailed information, visit the website listed below.

The Painted Screen Society of Baltimore
American Visionary Art Museum
The Creative Alliance

On ArtChat This Week, Nate and Rhea discuss two great musicals with a Baltimore connection, Cry Baby and The Color Purple.