Weldon Irvine

{{Short description|American composer, playwright, poet, and keyboardist}}

Weldon Jonathan Irvine Jr. (October 27, 1943 – April 9, 2002), also known as Master Wel,{{cite web|url=http://www.nathanielturner.com/weldonirvine.htm |title=Weldon Irvine |publisher=Nathaniel Turner |access-date=December 15, 2006}} was an American composer, playwright, poet, pianist, organist, and keyboardist.

Biography

Irvine, an African American, was born in Hampton, Virginia, on October 27, 1943. He moved to New York City in 1965, settling in the St. Albans, Queens neighborhood.{{cite web|title=Digging For Weldon Irvine|url=https://www.docnrollfestival.com/films/digging-for-weldon-irvine/|website=docnrollfestival.com|access-date=August 10, 2020}} He was involved with various musical genres including Jazz-Funk, hip hop, jazz, funk, rhythm and blues, and gospel. He served as the bandleader for jazz singer Nina Simone and was a mentor to many New York hip-hop artists, including Q-Tip and Mos Def. He wrote more than 500 songs,{{cite web |url=http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/bio/0,,447615,00.html |title=Weldon Irvine |publisher=artistdirect.com |access-date=December 15, 2006}} including the lyrics for "To Be Young, Gifted and Black", performed live for the first time by Simone on the album Black Gold (1970). It has been dubbed the "official" Civil Rights anthem.

In 1998, he performed the keys for "Astronomy (8th Light)" on Black Star's album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star. In 1999, Irvine contributed on Mos Def's debut solo album Black On Both Sides.{{cite web|publisher=Discogs|url=http://www.discogs.com/Mos-Def-Black-On-Both-Sides/release/157592|access-date=December 28, 2015|title=Mos Def - Black On Both Sides (Vinyl, LP, Album)|date=October 1999 }} Irvine's last major project was The Price of Freedom (1999), a compilation of original songs by hip-hop, jazz, funk, and R&B artists to respond to the shooting of Amadou Diallo. In 2000, Irvine provided the vocal introductions to tracks on the first CD of the album Late Night Blues{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Big-Bud-Late-Night-Blues/release/9591|title=Big Bud - Late Night Blues (CD, Album)|date=May 2000 |access-date=December 28, 2015|publisher=Discogs}} by UK Drum & Bass producer Big Bud. He co-wrote and performed vocals and played the Fender Rhodes on the first track entitled "Return of Spiritman". He also played the Fender Rhodes on closing track "Persian Blues". He later performed vocals, Fender Rhodes and Hammond organ on the track "Amigo Mio" (also by Big Bud), which appeared on the compilation Earth Volume 5.

Irvine committed suicide by shooting himself outside of EAB Plaza and in front of the Nassau Coliseum located in Uniondale, New York, on April 9, 2002.{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p18448|pure_url=yes}} |title=Weldon Irvine: Biography |publisher=allmusic.com |access-date=December 15, 2006}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bet.com/photo-gallery/4mwugc/music-and-suicide-a-tragic-history/1p8mws|title=Music and Suicide: A Tragic History|work=BET|access-date=July 10, 2015}}

Legacy

In 1976, Weldon's childhood friend Collis Davis produced a documentary The Edification of Weldon Irvine. It was originally Davis' Thesis Film during his time at NYU Film School.

In 2003, Madlib, Mr. Dibbs and Breakestra produced a tribute to Weldon Irvine, "Suite for Weldon". The following year, Madlib released the full-length album A Tribute to Brother Weldon.{{cite web|url=http://www.hiphopsite.com/SEARCH/?ITEM=F33C563F-0D29-4D24-9BAD-7AF7FE68B94F |title=Yesterday's New Quintet |author=Nikhil Yerwadekar |publisher=Hip Hop Site |access-date=December 15, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160116061801/http://www.hiphopsite.com/SEARCH/?ITEM=F33C563F-0D29-4D24-9BAD-7AF7FE68B94F |archive-date=January 16, 2016 }}

In 2008, Q-Tip mentions Weldon in his song "Shaka", a tribute to the people who have helped him throughout the years and those who have died.

In 2019, a feature-length documentary, Digging for Weldon Irvine, was released by director Victorious De Costa.{{Cite web|title=Digging for Weldon Irvine|url=https://www.weldonirvinefilm.com/|access-date=June 9, 2020|website=Digging for Weldon Irvine|language=en-US}}

In 2023, P-VINE acquired the catalog and associated copyrights owned by the estate of Weldon Irvine, for a worldwide territory, including works released from Nodlew Music, hitherto unreleased works, the copyright to "To Be Young, Gifted and Black", and other master recording rights and copyrights owned by the manager of the estate and Irvine’s widow Pauline Cole.{{cite web | url=https://p-vine.jp/news/20230202-170000-2 | title=Notice of Agreement Concerning the Acquisition of WELDON IRVINE's Master Rights and Copyrights - ニュース - P-VINE, Inc }}

Discography

=As leader=

1972: Liberated Brother (Nodlew Music)
1973: Time Capsule (Nodlew Music)
1974: Cosmic Vortex - Justice Divine (RCA)
1974: In Harmony (Strata-East)
1975: Spirit Man (RCA)
1976: Sinbad (RCA)
1989: Weldon & The Kats (Nodlew Music)
1994: Music is the Key (Luv N Haight)
1995: Keyboards Wild DJ's Smile (Tuff City)
1997: Embrace the Positive (Nodlew Music)
1998: The Sisters (Saucerman)
1999: The Amadou Project: The Price of Freedom (Nodlew Music)
2012: Young, Gifted and Broke (Shout! Productions)
2015: Live at Dean Street (Squatty Roo)

=As sideman=

With Richard Groove Holmes

Comin' on Home (Blue Note, 1971)

With Freddie Hubbard

Straight Life (CTI, 1971)

With Big Bud

Late Night Blues (Good Looking Records, 2000)
[http://www.discogs.com/Various-Earth-Volume-5/release/9717 Earth Volume 5] (Track: Amigo Mio) (Good Looking Records, 2001)

With Donald Blackman

Listen (Expansion Records, 2002)

=Charted singles=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" \|+List of singles, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"\| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"\| Year ! scope="col" colspan="1"\| Peak chart positions
scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"\| AUS {{cite web\|url=https://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Master+Wel\|title=Discography Master Wel\|website=australian-charts.com\|access-date=August 25, 2022}}
scope="row"\| "When I Was a Sperm" \| 1995 \| 26

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+List of singles, with selected chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year

! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions

scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUS
{{cite web|url=https://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Master+Wel|title=Discography Master Wel|website=australian-charts.com|access-date=August 25, 2022}}

scope="row"| "When I Was a Sperm"

| 1995

| 26