MARCH IN LA + MIDWEST
Hello community,
It's been a brutally rough start to this year, especially for those who are most vulnerable. In the overwhelm of constant attacks on communities and dismantling of the most basic systems (some of which were barely working for us to begin with), I've been asking myself daily, what is my role? It's become almost a mantra and upon reflection I’ve realized that it is not really a matter of individual roles or responsibilities, but building up the strength of our communities together, in solidarity that transcends the identity politics, which has been co-opted by the ruling class to divide us.
As I continue to meditate on this question, of how to build, even with people who don't want to build with us; whose grievances from their own exploitation turns on the most marginalized people, I look to ancestors such as Huey P. Newton who said: "I could not understand why people were blind to what I saw so clearly. Then I realized that their understanding had to be developed."
A lot of my work as a musician, improviser and community member right now is focused on developing understanding. I'm mostly in the research phase for a lot of my work in the Pioneer Works fellowship, reading, exploring and planting the seeds to write. In February, I played a lot of wonderful NYC improv gigs, many with folks I've never played with. We were surprised with a review from DownBeat magazine of an intimate house show I curated and played on in a duo with saxophonist Maria Grand. The thread running through all the sets from a solo set by Justine Lee Hooper and duo with Kwami Winfield and Adam Turay, was grappling with our current moment, looking to our elders who have passed down survival strategies, and trying to understand how we, especially as artists, can imagine collective liberation moving forward.
This month, I head to Los Angeles where so much of my community is still reeling from the aftermath of the wildfires. I'm so glad to be reunited in a group with Jeff Parker, Max Jaffe and Patrick Shiroishi, for a rescheduled gig from January at Venice Townhouse on March 8th. Toward the end of the month, Elder Ones heads to New Music Circle in St. Louis to debut some new material, and then I'll meet my dear friend/comrade/sister Angel Bat Dawid for a show/gathering in Chicago.
Hope to see you out there somewhere.
Love and solidarity,
Amirtha
Dates + Details
Friday, March 28th @ New Music Circle, St. Louis with Elder Ones
Saturday, March 29th @ The Blk Room, Chicago with Angel Bat Dawid