Artist bio

Morrisania Band Project (also known as MBP) is an award-winning R&B soul collective founded in September 2016. Their mission is to add vibrancy to the Bronx through music, community engagement, and social initiatives. With creative energy and loads of talent, MBP delivers the sounds of legendary soul, pop, and funk artists, while promoting awareness for issues like racism, gun violence, and sickle cell disease. Kevin Belle is a NYC-based keyboardist, composer, and producer. A graduate of Music & Art High School, he honed his saxophone skills in the 1970’s and became proficient in guitar, bass, and all woodwind instruments. Belle has worked with legendary artists The Drifters, Sam and Dave, The Intruders, and Lonnie Younblood. Presently producing his second gospel CD, Belle performs regularly around NYC with local artists, Harlem Soul, La’de Bah’kuya, and Kreation. Elissa Carmona is an Air Force veteran and NYC-based singer. Trained at Music & Art High School, she’s the winner of the 2020 Arts Fund, Community Arts, and SU-CASA awards, and founder of Morrisania Band Project, an award-winning musical collective. Carmona presently celebrates the history of soul music with tributes to Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, and more. Gregory Daffin is a veteran of the Army National Guard and NYC-based bassist for over 30 years. Mostly self-taught, his earliest influences include James Jamerson, Jaco Pastorius and Louis Johnson. He honed his skills from live performances throughout NYC, and is also an experienced guitarist and songwriter with a focus on R&B soul, funk, rock and jazz music. Since 2017, Daffin has performed with EZ Soul, a Bronx-based funk band, and is a founding member of Morrisania Band Project. Warren “Wasi” Moodie is a NYC-based drummer and performer for over 25 years. Raised in the church, he developed his talent from playing gospel music and training with professional musicians. His artistic flair has made him a showstopper. Moodie presently performs with bands throughout NYC, including Kreation and UpFront Live. He joined Morrisania Band Project in 2019.

Title

Put On Your Armor

Artist Statement

“Put On Your Armor” describes challenges in life which are compounded by feelings of powerlessness, invisibility, and uncertainty. It encourages listeners to stand within their truth, don the necessary armor, and fight the good fight to win. For the video, our primary focuses were to highlight major 2020 challenges with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic and protests taking place worldwide in response to the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Elijah McClain, and more.

The lyrics and music were created remotely by our team of four musicians beginning in mid-March 2020. We frequently create and perform original material, but mostly operate as a cover band in the soul/funk genre. “Put On Your Armor” fits into our canon of work as creators of original material and as Believers, which we all are. Our initial plan was to create an empowerment piece describing basic challenges of life, and then film a video in a public setting which showcased the same. The early stages of the pandemic threw us a curve because we couldn’t meet together to brainstorm and rehearse, and filming a video seemed out of the question. We continued to develop the song using YouTube, audio software, and emails, but with no specific expectation or sense of direction.

As time progressed, “Put On Your Armor” took on a personalized meaning for each of us individually, as two members became essential workers, two lost primary income while still heading households, two lost close family members from COVID-19, and one was diagnosed with and treated for the virus. While making sense of these issues, the deaths of multiple Black/African-American people, with little or no recourse or accountability, resonated with us deeply, both on a human level and also as musicians that identify as Black/African-American.

“Put On Your Armor” is our battle cry that urges people to prepare for the battle they’re facing. Recorded and filmed on June 21st, it’s a reunion for us after three months of uncertainty and despair. Still in the throes of the pandemic and civil unrest, our video promotes social distancing and the use of face masks and shields. The Black Lives Matter movement and peaceful protests are frequently shown, as these are values we stand for. We highlight members of our team that served in the armed forces, where the “armor” used were uniforms and equipment, whereas essential workers and protesters presented different types of "armor", i.e. protective gear, signs, etc.

Our team doesn’t condone violence and/or excessive force on any level. We support peaceful protests, demonstrations, and movements that stand against racism and white supremacy. We embrace inclusion and equality and hope that our song pays tribute to these causes.

How it fits into contest

“Put On Your Armor” fits into the contest topic because we use our specific art form to describe Spiritual or unknown warfare. Verses 1 and 2 describe our feelings of powerlessness and uncertainty, and validates our pain and struggle. For the change in the song (which follows the verses), we use quotes from Ephesians 6 verses 10 through 14 to urge listeners to stand within their truth and righteousness. Our chorus tells them to don the necessary armor, get ready, and take the lead. These lyrics come directly from verses 16 and 20.

The Spiritual battle described in Ephesians 6:10-20 can apply to the earthly battles we now face as a nation. We believe that “Put On Your Armor” embodies these challenges as we move forward towards healing. The COVID-19 pandemic hit us hard, and many of us are still “picking up the pieces”. States and various businesses have reopened and many of us may soon return to work. Our message in “Put On Your Armor” is to continue to maintain safety precautions like wearing face masks and social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus.

Protests have always been a part of the fabric of this country, but nearly sixty years after the Civil Rights Movement, we’re still fighting against some of the same injustices. While this may seem disheartening to some, the force of billions of people around the world standing together in truth and righteousness has already propelled change in a positive direction. From a Spiritual standpoint, putting on armor includes standing firm and strong and behaving as a leader (“ambassador in chains”). “Put On Your Armor” is a battle cry song that encourages listeners to prepare to win the fight for justice.

Credits

Kevin Belle - composer, keyboardist, arranger, producer, performer.

Elissa Carmona - lyricist, vocalist, bandleader, arranger, producer, performer.

Gregory Daffin - composer, bassist, guitarist, arranger, performer.

Warren Moodie - composer, drummer, performer.

Joel Stephen - videographer, video director/editor, audio and technical support.

How to Purchase this Artwork

"Put On Your Armor" was created specifically for Engage Art 2020. We included it as part of the set list for our 2020 Concert Series (The Quarantine Edition), and first performed it on June 21st for Make Music Day, a virtual concert.

We plan to release the song digitally in July 2020, and will post details on our Instagram and Facebook pages within the coming weeks.

Other Goods & Services Available from this Artist

Live musical performances (including virtual)

Transcript / Lyrics

Verse 1 - Nobody knows
What tomorrow holds
As time keeps moving along
Only God
Knows everything
And very soon this day will be gone

Nobody knows
What the future holds
I know it’s hard to get away
From all the pain
And the suffering
The world puts on us everyday

Change - Stand firm
With the belt of truth
Buckled around your waist

Stand firm
With the breastplate
Of righteousness in place

Chorus - Put on your armor
Be strong
Take up the shield of faith

Put on your armor
Take your stand
An ambassador in chains

Verse 2 - Nobody cares
What you’re going through
As long as they can take what they can
Only God
Sees everything
And now it’s time to take your stand

Nobody cares
How you feel inside
You got to find the truth on your own
Be on alert
Don’t ignore the signs
You got the power from your heavenly home

Change - Stand firm
With the belt of truth
Buckled around your waist

Stand firm
With the breastplate
Of righteousness in place

Chorus - Put on your armor
Be strong
Take up the shield of faith

Put on your armor
Take your stand
An ambassador in chains

Guitar Solo

Change (see above)

Bridge - Say Lord, this can't be our destiny. So much pain, so much pain and misery
I need the armor of the Lord to cover me

Change (see above)

End

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