THE SHOW

In a landmark move for Berklee College of Music, Numark/Alesis/Akai brought in some of music's most technologically proficient musicians, particularly focused on Hip-Hop pioneers to light in the first Milestones awards for musical innovation. Amid the 2006 nominees were Hip-Hop legends Jazzy Jay, Jazzy Joyce, the late Jam Master Jay, Grand Wizzard Theodore, DJ Marley Marl, DJ Premier, Grandmixer DXT, Alchemist, and The Xecutioners. The show was hosted by Yo! MTV Raps icon, and jazz musician, Fab 5 Freddy. Many of Boston's most prominent Hip-Hop leaders made their way to the show to witness a first for Berklee and a first for Boston.

Also among the honorees were production giant Bruce Swedien, Al Kooper, and saxophone prodigy Michael Brecker. What do all of these people have in common? A direct connection in using Numark/Alesis/Akai gear and instruments and a legacy for incredible music-making.

In a gleaming show, from which ticket sales helped support Berklee's City Music program, these legends were honored with headphones shaped statuette. The show opened with celebrated Berklee alumnus Raydar Ellis backed by The Berklee Turntable Ensemble and some of Berklee's faculty. Boston success story 7L and Esoteric were also on deck, as was well-known DJ duo Special K and Teddy Ted AKA The Awesome Two, the latter of whom presented awards.

All of the performance segments were radiant as each award recipient lit up the stage with time-honored favorites. As award recipients doubled as presenters in many cases, there was a very touching element in that Alchemist stated he felt inspired by DJ Premier, Premier by Marley Marl, Marley Marl by Grand Wizzard Theodore, and so on. This not only lent itself to the true community of Hip-Hop but also a sense of heritage and unmistakable lineage.

Mike Phillips' moving tribute to Michael Brecker, who has been battling a longstanding illness, not only conveyed a heartfelt homage, but some of the most radically incredible vocal and saxophone performance technique we have seen from anyone in a very long time. The level of respect shown for Al Kooper's work and that of Bruce Swedien radiated from the stage at all times. (Side note: Bruce Swedien is as riotously funny as he is a production mastermind.) This was a show of respect to everyone present and by everyone present.

As the evening progressed, a surprise guest came to present the Lifetime Achievement award to the late DJ at the backbone of Run DMC, Jam Master Jay. DMC presented a moving and touching tribute to his late friend, and the house filled with a sense of loss as the story of Jay's work ethic, contributions, and untimely death were brought forward. To accept the award on Jay's behalf was his entire family, who also made very poignant, and at times challenging, statements about Jay and the importance of faith, family, friendship, and care of one another.

The show ended on an up note, with a boisterous live band performance of Herbie Hancock's "Rockit," on which Grandmixer DXT provided the infamous scratches. In a true show of innovation for its time, the footage of DXT on The Grammy's as the first Hip-Hop artist to be on the famous show, was inspiring. At that time imagine - a TURNTABLE in a band. In Herbie Hancock's band!

The only real drawback to the show was perhaps the video presentation, which included only a few people and only one or two persons of African-American descent. This, to us, seemed like a wasted opportunity because Numark had been on site all day long at the Peace Boston Hip-Hop Festival filming different eventgoers for feedback about Hip-Hop history, music, artists, and culture. We personally would have liked to see more of the footage from that and more inclusion about Hip-Hop history, community, and culture than the show allotted space for in the lineup.

Despite that, for those of us who stride along with Hip-Hop since its 1970s inception, this event was magnificent. This especially felt long overdue to those of us who attended Berklee at a time when Hip- Hop was not on the College's radar. And while Numark/Alesis/Akai were the common instrumental gear thread that unified these artists, and the gear got deserving applause and attention, the audience's true focus was on the legendary people in their midst. The speeches and demonstrations of musicianship at the genius level would have shaken any Hip-Hop naysayer out of their position. This show was a milestone and was at its core about music.

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