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To stream Soul Serenade, visit rashodollison.com.
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Claire Loring’s Melody Lingers On Adam Flores Arts & Entertainment Editor
Rashad Ollison at ODU speaking about his new book, “Soul Serenade: Rhythm, Blues & Coming of Age Through Vinyl” on January 27. Photo by Adam Flores
Music Critic Rashod Ollison Brings His ‘Soul Serenade’ to ODU Morgan Engelhardt Contributing Writer Throughout our lives, music defines our memories, both past and present, whether as a comfort or a catalyst. Music and culture critic Rashod Ollison used soul music as an escape from a childhood with separated parents, being an outcast and living in a broken home. Ollison, author of a recent memoir, “Soul Serenade: Rhythm, Blues & Coming of Age Through Vinyl,” came to ODU on the evening of Jan. 27 for a book reading, to share his reflections on writing the memoir and a book signing. Rashod’s success started at the Virginian-Pilot and took four years to get published. His memoir deals with the challenges he faced as a child with divorced parents and not feeling able to “fit” into his community. Ollison discussed how it felt to put his own personal stories down on paper for readers to see and how he got through having to relive all the happy and painful memories.
“There were times that it was difficult. Certain memories had to show who these people [his family] were and who I was. Sometimes it was too real for me, and I would take a break and go to therapy to relax,” Ollison said. Ollison shared one particular moment in his life that was difficult for him to write down and even harder to remember. The moment when his mother took his father to court over child support made Ollison change the way he saw his father early in his life. When having to remember the painful memories, however, he came to a realization that some people seem to understand later in life. “It made me see my family as actual people, and not just as my parents,” he said. “The big takeaway after writing this all down was that families do the best with what they’ve got.” One of the biggest impressions on Ollison’s life were his father’s old records that were left to him after his parent’s divorce. He listened to these records, and they influenced the mu-
sic he came to love, despite not being what most children his age listened to during that time. This left Ollison feeling outcasted. While other children his age listened to Biggie Smalls, N.W.A. and Ice Cube, Ollison listened to soul music from artists like Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson and Rick James. This shaped his musical tastes and even led to his collecting vinyl records to this day. “I still listen to my dad’s records, but I’ve also made a collection of my own,” Ollison said. “Some days I just go out to find vinyls and just sit and listen to them at home. I’ll get in moods where I’ll listen to a certain artist for a straight week.” His music binges led to the title of his memoir, “Soul Serenade”– the title of a song by King Curtis, which Ollison frequently listened to as a child. Ollison will be on a tour of the East Coast in support of his new book. All of the songs that inspired him during the writing of “Soul Serenade” can be found in a Spotify playlist he created on his website.
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Claire Cucchiari-Loring is remembered by her mother, Kate, as a fiercely independent woman, yet compassionate and kind. Though many remember her for her quick wit and sarcasm, her gift of music and singing touched the hearts of all around her. Claire used her talent as a jazz vocalist with ODU’s jazz choir and madrigal singers. She was a vocal soloist with the jazz band and part of the close-knit ODU music family. Singing jazz was Claire’s passion and she had hopes to make it her career. As Claire was working toward graduating magna cum laude in May 2007, her life and senior year at Old Dominion University came to an abrupt, tragic end. On Friday, Dec. 8, 2006, Claire fell victim to fatal gunshots from her estranged ex-boyfriend. Claire’s voice, forced to taciturnity, also silenced Claire’s family, friends and her vibrant music community. Since Claire’s passing, Kate Loring has made every effort to keep her daughter’s memory and voice alive for all to hear and remember. Loring created the Claire Cucchiari-Loring Memorial Scholarship, which supports music students in the jazz program at ODU and is administered through the ODU Educational Foundation. Since 2007, the scholarship has helped 15 student recipients, while “Her Melody Lingers On” scholarship concert has raised nearly $30,000. Loring desires the evening to first and foremost remember Claire and her love of music. It is also Loring’s way to share her daughter’s story and addressing the manner of Claire’s death. She has spoken on college campuses and in public forums about Claire, healthy and unhealthy relationships, intimate partner violence and victimization. “Helping to raise awareness is the way I am honoring Claire’s death and dealing with my own ‘if onlys.’ If only I had known more than I did. If only she had. If only we had realized how truly serious it was near the end, and that the period when a person leaves a relationship can be the most dangerous time,” Loring said. Loring’s life is focused on helping
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Claire Cucchiari-Loring on the day of her last concert performance 10 days before she was tragically killed. Photo provided by Kate Loring, Claire’s mother. others avoid the tragedy of intimate partner violence. “If only I had memorized that list of “red flags” for abuse. If only she had realized earlier that the subtle verbal abuse and control issues he displayed were warning signs, and that he would explode into physical violence at the end. If only her friends and I had found other ways to speak to her earlier about the signs that troubled us,” Loring said. Over the years, the event has had volunteer assistance from many ODU women student members of Sigma Alpha Iota and the ODU chapter of the international music fraternity. “They will be helping us again this year,” Loring said. The seventh memorial “Her Melody Lingers On,” a benefit event in ODU’s Diehn Hall, will also feature a concert of jazz piano duos featuring ODU music professor John Toomey and international touring artist Justin Kauflin. The concert will begin at 8:00 p.m. A silent auction, light refreshments and a cash bar beginning at 7:15 p.m. will precede the concert. Admission is $15 (students $10). Tickets can be purchased through ODU Box Office (757-683-5305), online at oduartstix.com or at the door. All proceeds benefit ODU’s Claire Cucchiari-Loring Memorial Scholarship in music. For more information, call 757-619-4093.