Port Chicago by Marcus Shelby

Port Chicago is an original 14 part musical suite composed by Marcus Shelby that is inspired by the Port Chicago black naval soldiers who were charged with mutiny for causing a work stoppage during World War 2. The musical suite evokes the World War 2 era when swing, ballads, and blues music were the soundtrack of American life. For "Port Chicago", Marcus Shelby composed music that captures war time, dance clubs, black women working in factories (ala Rosie the Riveter), work routines loading ammunition unto naval ships, black romance and letters home during war time, and the explosion that destroyed 2 Liberty Ships and took the lives of over 300 men, plus the aftermath. The suite is composed for a 15 piece big band orchestra and was commissioned by the Equal Justice Society in 2004.

Tracklist

1.	Introduction	1:54

2.	Opening Dance	5:52

3.	Call to War	4:16

4.	Training Day	3:40

5.	Mechanized Women	4:34

6.	Work Routine 1	7:11

7.	Barracks Life	4:56

8.	Black in Blue	6:50

9.	Work Routine 2	10:44

10.	Big Liberty Blues	7:26

11.	Sweet Browness (Letters Home)	4:30

12.	Explosion	2:27

13.	After	2:55

14.	Exhoneration	9:41

Credits

released September 1, 2006

Alto 1: Gabe Eaton
Alto 2: Marcus Stephens
Tenor 1/Clarinet: Rob Barics
Tenor 2/Flute: Evan Francis
Baritone: Tom Griesser
Trombone 1: Danny Grewen
Trombone 2: Scott Larson
Trombone 3: Marc Bolin
Trumpet 1: Dave Scott
Trumpet 2: Erik Jacobsen
Trumpet 3: Darren Johnson
Trumpet 4: Joel Ryan
Piano: Adam Shulman
Drums: Jeff Marrs
Bass: Marcus Shelby

Produced by Eric Moffat and Marcus Shelby
All music arranged and orchestrated by Marcus Shelby

License