Toast to Freedom
British lawyer Peter Benenson claimed that his inspiration for Amnesty came while reading about two Portuguese students sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for raising their glasses in a toast to freedom at a Lisbon bar.
Wilms also contacted producer/engineer Bob Clearmountain (The Who, Paul McCartney, Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen), who was impressed by the studio's sound and moved by the spirit and passion of the sessions.
With the initial track completed, Wilms, Carlton and Campbell called together a diverse collection of voices from all corners of the globe, including Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull, Carly Simon, Kris Kristofferson and the actor Ewan McGregor to name but a few.
All stages of the international production of "Toast to Freedom" were captured by filmmaker Natalie Johns of Dig for Fire[3] who is known for her work with such artists as Jay-Z, Peter Gabriel, and The Rolling Stones.
Amy Helm, Angelique Kidjo, Arno, Axelle Red, Blind Boys of Alabama, Carl Carlton, Carly Simon, Christine & The Queens, Christophe Willem, David D'Or, Donald Fagen, Emmanuel Jal, Eric Burdon, Essie Jain, Ewan McGregor, Florent Pagny, Gentleman, Jane Birkin, Jerry "Wyzard" Seay, Jimmy Barnes, John Leventhal, JP Nataf, Keb Mo, Kris Kristofferson, Larry Campbell, Levon Helm, Mahalia Barnes, Marianne Faithfull, Matthew Houck, Max Buskohl, Moses Mo, Nacho Campillo, Pascal Kravetz, Rosanne Cash, Sari Schorr, Shawn Mullins, Sir Samuel, Sonny Landreth, Sussan Deyhim, Taj Mahal, Teresa Williams, Vida Simon, Warren Haynes, Wayne P. Sheehy, Zackary Alford Executive Producers: Bill Shipsey, Jochen Wilms Produced by Bob Clearmountain Co-Produced and Written by Carl Carlton, Larry Campbell Engineer: Justin Guip The single’s release date saw unprecedented dual performances of the song on both Russian and American television.
The performance featured bandleaders Carlton and Campbell teaming up with Kris Kristofferson, Shawn Mullins, Theresa Williams, Essie Jain, and Jonny Lang among others.
"Toast To Freedom" has received loud applause from some of the world's top artists, including such longtime Amnesty International supporters as U2, Peter Gabriel, Sting, and R.E.M., all of whom endorsed the track on their official websites.
Artists from all corners of the globe were on hand for "Electric Burma: A Concert for Aung San Suu Kyi", on Monday, June 18 at Dublin's Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.
Organized and promoted by Art for Amnesty's Bill Shipsey, the extraordinary event was a celebration of Nobel Peace Prize recipient and leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi.
The unique multi-artist rendition featured an all-star band led by the song’s writer and Electric Burma's Co-Musical-Director Carl Carlton, who said: "It will be a great honor perform 'Toast To Freedom' for Aung Saan Su Kyi.
The nom de hip hop of popular Russian singer/composer/poet Vasilii Vakulenko, Basta created "Svoboda" by melting potent new lyrics with samples from the original "Toast To Freedom" track.
"Svoboda" was executive produced by renowned Russian music journalist Boris Barabanov in collaboration with Bill Shipsey, who noted: "There is a hunger for freedom and human rights in Russia that is palpable, more urgent and 'real' than anything we can know or feel."
The students arranged their version of "Toast To Freedom" as a contemporary dance song with a faster disco beat, a sampled and looped guitar hookline and with a wide array of local musicians.
City mayor Boris Pistorius noted that the song fits in perfectly with the history of Osnabrueck, whose town hall famously hosted the "Peace of Westphalia" in 1648.
Accompanied only by sister Maria on cello and by unadorned acoustic guitar and fragmentary bass, Luca's "Toast to Freedom – The Berlin Mix" delivers equal parts reality and rapture.
This is a young voice coming forward to make the point that the fight for freedom and human rights takes place in our very own back yards every day."
