Cutting, scratching, punch-phrasing, the double-back, the slipmat: In the early and mid-1970s, Bronx teenager Joseph Saddler invented many of the techniques that would define the rise of hip-hop. “Damn Flash,” a friend remarked after a show, “you handle those turntables like a grandmaster!”
Next month, Grandmaster Flash, the “Toscanini of the turntables” himself, will return to St. Louis as part of Music at the Intersection, the annual festival held in midtown’s Grand Center Arts District.
Featuring more than 50 acts performing across four stages, this year’s festival — which takes place Sept. 9 and 10 — pays special homage to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. The lineup ranges from iconic artists such as Flash, Arrested Development, Cameo, Herbie Hancock and Taj Mahal to rising stars Smino, Masego, Phony PPL, Ravyn Lenae and Thundercat to celebrated funk collective Snarky Puppy, groove trio Tank and the Bangas, and St. Louis jazz legends such as Denise Thimes and the Kendrick Smith Quartet.
Launched in 2021, Music at the Intersection celebrates St. Louis’ imprint on the American songbook, shining a spotlight on national acts and local musicians across blues, jazz, soul, R&B, hip-hop and rock-and-roll. The event is organized by the Kranzberg Arts Foundation in partnership with the Steward Family Foundation and The Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis, and with major sponsorship from Washington University and others.
In conjunction with the festival, Webster University and the Kranzberg Arts Foundation will present Intersessions, a two-day micro-conference featuring development workshops and panels for emerging artists and arts professionals. Participants will include entrepreneurs, creative practitioners and thought leaders across the recording, live music, technology and media industries.
Intersessions will take place Sept. 7 and 8 at Webster University and at .ZACK, 3224 Locust St. WashU students interested in attending are invited to apply for one of 25 free tickets. The deadline is Aug. 31. Applications should include a short response about why they wish to attend. Acceptance to Intersessions also includes tickets to the full Music at the Intersection festival. For more information, visit wustl.joinhandshake.com.
All WashU students are eligible for discounted festival tickets. Tickets can be be purchased in person for $40 (a 60% savings) in the Danforth University Center (DUC) between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday, Aug. 28-31, or on Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 5 and 6. WashU faculty and staff will be able to purchase tickets for a discounted rate of $90 during these times.
On Sept. 9 and 10, WashU shuttles will run continuously between the DUC and Grand Center from 1-11 p.m. For more information about the artists or a complete concert schedule, visit musicattheintersection.org.
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