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The Shell's
fortunes changed in 2005 with the involvement of the Mortimer Levitt
Foundation. The Los Angeles-based family charity has dedicated itself
to reviving band shells throughout the United States. Its stated goal
is to provide the "opportunity for individuals and families,
regardless of their ethnicity, background, culture or economic and
social situation, to enjoy a wide selection of great music in a
beautiful, close-up, personal and memorable setting." So far the
Levitt Foundation has launched shells in Los Angeles, Westport, Conn.,
and Pasadena, Calif.
Elizabeth
Levitt Hirsch, the foundation's vice president, got a tip about
Memphis as a potential site for expansion and came to the South to
investigate.
"Memphis,
for me, was a cold call," says Hirsch. "But when I saw that Shell, my
heart skipped a beat. It was perfect for what we do. We knew we had to
be part of it. ... We saw the Shell as a beauty that had been ignored.
It needed a lot of love, and we wanted to provide that love."
Supported
by the foundation, Friends of the Levitt Shell was formed. Under terms
of a contract with the city of Memphis, the foundation provides
financing to help renovate and program the Shell for five years. The
city is to match renovation costs up to $500,000, while offering a
25-year lease with a 25-year option to the Friends of the Levitt
Shell.
Additional
funding was secured through philanthropic groups including the Assisi
Foundation, the Plough Foundation and the Community Foundation of
Greater Memphis as well as several individual donations and the help
of the Memphis College of Art. Roughly $1million will be spent on
cosmetic repairs and equipment purchases as part of the Shell's
re-launch.
In January,
Chip Pankey -- a native Memphian with a background in arts and
cultural affairs and most recently head of his own commercial
photography studio -- was hired to head Friends of the Levitt Shell,
handling day-to-day operations and booking.
Pankey's
vision for the Shell stresses the local component.
"We want
to be a community venue as opposed to a tourist venue," says Pankey.
"We've
had to navigate that issue of Memphis music. We're not here just to
promote Stax or Elvis -- though that's a part of our legacy and
history. But really we want to focus on contemporary music and the
diversity of that music."
Pankey has
put together a music calendar that encompasses five general
categories: R&B/soul/gospel, Americana (which includes folk, bluegrass
and jazz), children's concerts, musica Latina and world
rhythms.
"In a given
50-concert season, 25 of our acts will be local, another 25 will be
national," says Pankey.
Among
the confirmed performers are well-regarded acts like Chicago's folk
troupe Sonos De Mexico, French gypsy combo Samarabalouf, Latin
orchestra Grupo Fantasma, and Grammy-winning polka band Brave Combo.
Additionally, Memphis notables such as LaVere, folk artist Sid
Selvidge and soul legend William Bell are slated to appear. This
diverse group of performers will be playing a facility, which,
according to Pankey, can comfortably accommodate 2,500, "blanket to
blanket."
With just
10 weeks out of the year committed, Pankey says, outside concert and
event promoters will be able to fill the calendar and the
organization's coffers with money from rentals.
"We're
talking loosely with some people who would love to do a film festival,
or do Shakespeare in the park, as well as weddings, private functions,
all kinds of things," says Pankey.
Pankey says
the venue won't allow any performances that aren't "family friendly,"
or that might unsettle the Shell's residential neighbors. "Being a
good neighbor is the first and foremost priority, so we're not just
going to rent it out to anybody," says Pankey.
The Shell
hopes to develop an individual donor program and enlist further
sponsorships from local businesses and corporations. "We're a
long-distance runner. We've got to look at five years out, 10 years
out," says Pankey, "and how can we slowly, but surely, build the
program and build the trust within the community."
Coming attractions
The Levitt
Shell concert season starts Sept. 4. The free shows will take place
each week, Thursday through Sunday, until Oct. 5. Performances start
at 7p.m., except for children's concerts, which begin at 5 p.m.
Saturdays.
Here are
some highlights:
Sept. 4:
Roots songstress Amy LaVere
Sept. 5:
Jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum and New Olivet Baptist Church Choir
Sept. 11:
Grammy winner Bill Evans' Soulgrass, a mix of jazz, bluegrass and funk
Sept. 18:
Memphis folk-bluesman Sid Selvidge
Sept. 20:
Progressive Latin orchestra Grupo Fantasma
Sept. 27:
New Ballet Ensemble and Memphis Youth Symphony present "Peter and the
Wolf"
Sept. 28:
French gypsy swing trio Samarabalouf
Oct. 3:
Local R&B group The Bo-Keys with soul legend William Bell
Oct. 5:
Grammy-winning polka outfit Brave Combo
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