I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free
“I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” is a jazz song written by Billy Taylor and Dick Dallas.
Taylor’s original version (“I Wish I Knew”) was recorded as an instrumental with a 19-piece big band in 1963, and released on his Right Here, Right Now! album.
The instrumental version was later used as the theme music for the Film… review programme series on BBC TV.
Lyrics were later added with the help of Dick Dallas.
This song has been covered by many artists over the years, but the most famous rendition is that of Nina Simone who recorded a version for her Silk & Soul album, released in 1967.
Simone’s artistry and passion took the song to another level, one that resonated not only with the civil rights movement but with issues of identity and individualism.
The Fusion Music Cover
We have gained permission to arrange our own version of this song.
The arrangement will be created by Kakou CIC; however there will be room for experimenting and improvisation within the parts.
Don’t worry – you’ll be in the safe hands of our inspiring music practitioners who will lead the rehearsal sessions.
Our Musical Leads
Vocals
Ines Sampaio
Ines is an actor, musician, composer, musical director, theatre maker and community theatre practitioner based in Nottingham. Ines works in various capacities within the theatre industry for companies such as Parrabbola, Hubbub, Nonsuch, Mashi Theatre, StoneCrabs and Troupe Concerts. Born and raised in Portugal, Ines studied for 10 years at the Classical Music Conservatoire in Palmela, where she completed grade 8 in piano, music theory and analysis and techniques of music composition.
Percussion
James Gorman
A 2011 graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). James is now a professional drummer and percussionist based in Northampton. Specialising in theatre, James has many West End and UK tour credits to his name including: Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Sound of Music, West Side Story, The Wizard of Oz, White Christmas and, Most recently, On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan. James will be making his West End return later next month at the London Palladium with Songs For a New World and later next year with Sister Act at the Eventim Apollo.
James is currently on the teaching staff at Northampton School for Boys as well as running his own successful teaching studio in Northampton. He is a visiting tutor at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Trinity College London.
Instruments
Chithrinie Naripuma
Chithrinie is a Sri Lankan Sitarist and a Composer currently based in Derby. She has been classically trained from a young age and graduated from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with a Masters in Music Technology. There she became interested in blending acoustic sitar and electronic sound effects to create new soundscapes where she organised a concert ‘Sitarscapes’ and performed 6 of her own compositions for Sitar, Electronics blended with a variety of Genre accompanied by an ensemble of western musicians.
Chithrinie loves to fuse Indian classical music with various genre such as western music, jazz and Sri Lankan Folk music along with electronic sound effects.
BSL Signsong
Rebecca Anne Withey
A professional sign singer, Rebecca has performed at theatres across the country and for musical artists. She starred in Tom The Lion’s music video for Silent Partner as well as appearing on stage with Gypsy Hill. She worked for Sky 1 on their show Sing It: Ultimate Acappella, providing sign songs for artists The Vamps, Midge Ure, Gregory Porter, JP Cooper, Imelda May and more.