Charlotte is Creative
  • About Us
  • Programs
    • HUGs – Helpful Unfettered Gifts
    • PROGRAMA DE MICRO-BECAS (HUG)
    • Creative Project Management
    • Creative Content Development
    • Community Engagement / Employee Engagement
    • Queen City Quiz Show
    • Creative Mornings/Charlotte
    • Bolts of Inspiration
  • The Biscuit
    • YOUR QUEEN CITY
      • Exploring Charlotte
      • Where Are We in CLT?
    • CONNECT
      • Creative News
      • CLT Creatives
      • CLT Nonprofits
      • Editorials
    • SIGHTS & SOUNDS
      • Videos
      • Podcasts
      • Photography
    • GET OUT THERE
      • How To/Resources
  • Contact
Support CiC
Image

JazzArts Charlotte Charts the Beat of the Future with Songs of the Past

JazzArts Charlotte Charts the Beat of the Future with Songs of the Past

  • By Tim Miner on February 12, 2021
    /
  1. Home>>
  2. Articles>>
  3. JazzArts Charlotte Charts the Beat of the Future with Songs of the Past

“Whisper, listen, whisper, listen. Whispers say we’re free
Rumors flyin’, must be lyin’. Can it really be?
Can’t conceive it, don’t believe it. But that’s what they say
Slave no longer, slave no longer, this is Freedom Day.”
– Lyrics from Freedom Day, the second track on Max Roach’s We Insist


North Carolina composer and drummer Max Roach and lyricist Oscar Brown put the words above — and the lustrous jazz music in which they swim — into the world in 1960. They were part of a groundbreaking, six-track album, “We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite.”

Some said the world wasn’t ready for We Insist! and its ideas about civil rights when it was released by Candid Records. But, this was how Roach and his collaborators chose to combat the inequities and injustices around them.

“[The album] was not acclaimed by critics when it was first released,” said Lonnie Davis, president, CEO and co-founder of JazzArts Charlotte. “Many thought the content and album cover were too controversial for the times. In the middle of the civil rights movement, jazz critics did not think that this method of protest was acceptable.” 

“Today, its relevance grows,” Davis continued, “and it continues to resonate as we tackle the ongoing struggles for social justice and equality.”

The Past Informs the Future

Whether the world was ready or not, the music and the words expressed in We Insist! were powerful and prescient 60 years ago. They remain just as powerful and, sadly, just as relevant today.

The album “continues to resonate as we tackle the ongoing struggles for social justice and equality,” said Davis.

That’s why JazzArts Charlotte chose to play a live, outdoor concert at the site of the Black Lives Mural in Uptown Charlotte on Oct. 15, 2020. The group assembled a 12-piece jazz ensemble, featuring internationally recognized trumpeter Sean Jones.  

Dancers, spoken word artists and Dr. Willie Griffin, speaker and historian at the Levine Museum of the New South, also contributed their talents to the performance.

The performance of We Inist! was sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and U.S. Bank, with Charlotte Center City Partners and Levine Museum of the New South as program partners.

Persisting in a Pandemic

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, JazzArts Charlotte could not invite an audience to watch the Tryon Street performance in October. But, they recorded the event and are making it available to everyone online in celebration of Black History Month. 

The film of the event premieres tonight on Facebook Live or YouTube Live at 8 p.m. It will be available online for the next six months.

“I acquired the transcribed We Insist! album scores from a music colleague,” Davis said. “Once these rare scores were in our possession, I felt that JazzArts Charlotte had the responsibility to present the music in a meaningful way. With our current restrictions, we wanted to make sure that the community still had access to this live performance.”

To keep crowds to a minimum, the performance was not promoted in advance. But, it still drew a crowd.

“I think passersby were quite shocked to see a grand piano in the middle of Tryon Street,” said Davis. “You can hear them cheering and applauding after each piece during the program. I’m sure the concert was a welcome surprise in the absence of most live performances and events.”

Full Line-Up of Musicians and Performers 

Musicians

  • Dawn Anthony, vocalist
  • Rajuma Bey, djembe
  • Lovell Bradford, piano
  • Ocie Davis, drums
  • Elijah Freeman, tenor saxophone
  • Shannon Hoover, bass
  • Tyrone Jefferson, trombone
  • Sean Jones, trumpet
  • Gary Munford, djembe
  • Noah Munford, djembe
  • Johnny Vegara, congas

Performers

  • Dr. Willie Griffin, speaker and historian at the Levine Museum of the New South
  • Quentin Talley, poet and program director at Hayti Heritage Center in Durham, N.C.
  • Tamara Williams, choreographer
  • Dinora Ramirez, Lydia Heidt and Raquelah Conyers, dancers

More Bars of Jazz Arts Charlotte

INSTAGRAM | WEB | WE INSIST! VIDEO

A Photo Gallery by Ernesto Moreno

Like what we write?

Do you think you have what it takes to write for the Biscuit?

Well, let us know!!
Image

"*" indicates required fields

Signup for The Biscuit Newsletter
Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 10 MB.
If you would like to submit an article for review, you may upload it here. PLEASE NOTE: We only accept articles that are 100% spell-checked, grammar-checked, and written in active tense with proper attributions.

Get Creative AND JOIN THE COMMUNITY!


  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Us! @CLTisCreative | Tag Us! #CharlotteIsCreative

Proudly Sponsored By:

Image
North Carolina Arts Council
Foundation for the Carolinas
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Charlotte is Creative is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. EIN: 47-5329696

Copyright © 2015 - 2023 Charlotte Is Creative.

site by four eyes

  • About Us
  • Programs
    • ← Back
    • HUGs – Helpful Unfettered Gifts
    • PROGRAMA DE MICRO-BECAS (HUG)
    • Creative Project Management
    • Creative Content Development
    • Community Engagement / Employee Engagement
    • Queen City Quiz Show
    • Creative Mornings/Charlotte
    • Bolts of Inspiration
  • The Biscuit
    • ← Back
    • YOUR QUEEN CITY
      • ← Back
      • Exploring Charlotte
      • Where Are We in CLT?
    • CONNECT
      • ← Back
      • Creative News
      • CLT Creatives
      • CLT Nonprofits
      • Editorials
    • SIGHTS & SOUNDS
      • ← Back
      • Videos
      • Podcasts
      • Photography
    • GET OUT THERE
      • ← Back
      • How To/Resources
  • Contact
Enjoy what you are reading? Get THE BISCUIT in your inbox!
Subscribe
close-image