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Website: http://www.briarrabbit.net/
Chicago, IL - January 26, 2012. According to the Chinese calendar, 2011 was the year of the rabbit. In Chicago, it was no different. Emerging in February, Briar Rabbit released an acclaimed debut album and music video, performed at Taste of Chicago and on ABC's Windy City Live, raised over $6,000 for a short bus to be converted to run on vegetable oil and hit the road all before Christmas.
Now Briar Rabbit (AKA musician Phillip-Michael Scales) is taking on his most ambitious project to date: The Great Routine is a suite of songs that examines the black minstrel shows of the late 1800s from a contemporary African American perspective.
As a songwriter, Scales was compelled to write The Great Routine after taking an African American Music History class a few years back. In his own words:
"The idea [behind black minstrel shows was] that in order to pursue your passion to its fullest extent, you have to degrade yourself. Once you degrade yourself, you make a lot of money which may or may not be worth something (depending where you go). You are virtually given a pass through society when you're in character. So how do you decide to make that choice? How much can you endure? What difference are you really making? Don't forget your adoring audience, they love you like Mickey Mouse but are simultaneously setting mouse traps at home. There are two separate worlds that rest on your shoulders. Our Minstrel elects to collide those worlds in one event. I didn't write The Great Routine because it was a black story, I wrote it because it was a good story. A story about American entertainment."
In preparation for February's observation of Black History Month, Briar Rabbit has posted an introductory video on his official Website. Every Thursday of the month he will be offering a new track from The Great Routine as a free download in exchange for a post on Twitter.
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