ORLANDO, Fla. -- In an old building along Parramore Avenue, young voices are teaming up to create.

  • Parramore program lets kids make music
  • Program organizer says he wants to keep kids from crime
  • Benefit concert June 30: more info, poster

Three teens between 14 and 16 are preparing to make and record music.

Myenn LaMotta is on piano, Myell LaMotta is playing his saxophone, and Seth Lewis is working the recording board.

The song they are playing is not hard to recognize -- it is ‘Easy’ by the Commodores.

“It’s a way to express feelings, I guess,” Myell said.

The LaMotta brothers both love music, which made the brand new and free summer program they are a part of perfect for them.

“Usually I have just been bored over the summer lately because I have nothing to do, but now I play music,” Myenn said.

For the organizer, Jack Williams Jr., this program has been a dream in the making for many years. He runs the anti-violence group called Stop the Violence and Embrace, and over the years has seen too many young teens get pulled away from hobbies and into lives of crime.

“I’d rather have them in here, learning how to record music, learn how to get into the business and stuff, then to be out there selling drugs on the streets,” said Williams Jr.  

He has spent years in Parramore talking to kids and has noticed a trend.

“Some of the kids want to be basketball players, some want to be football players … most of them want to be a rap artist. I want to rap,” he said.

So Williams’s organization bought the mixing board, drums, a recording mic and one of the two key boards for these teens to learn on.

The three-day a week program started June 11, and in just two weeks, music is already being recorded.

More importantly, confidence is being built.

“When I play the recording back and I am like, ‘oh, ok.’ It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was, you know? The recording makes it seem, makes it seem better,” Myenn said.

The LaMottas are happy playing other people’s music as a start, but know that soon, the music they will be recording will be their own.

‘Stop the Violence and Embrace’ is having a benefit concert coming up soon to help with the program. It’s June 30 at 6 p.m. at 5200 West South Street in Orlando.

To learn more about Stop the Violence and Embrace, click here.