Monday, December 6, 2021

Streetwise Radio One on One with David Sanchez

 



 

Grammy-Winning Saxophonist Leads 2021-2022 SFJAZZ Season

By Shelah Moody

Photo Courtesy of SFJAZZ


On Oct. 28, the SFJAZZ Collective performed original compositions highlighting social justice, addressing political upheaval sparked by the police murders of George Floyd and Breona Taylor in 2020 and the right-wing-inspired raid on the United States Capitol complex in Washington, DC in 2021.

Acclaimed San Francisco musician Martin Luther McCoy opened the performance, singing lead vocals on James Weldon Johnson’s “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the Negro National Anthem. (One person in the small, fully vaccinated audience at Miner Auditorium stood up during the song, which many in the “woke” community believe should replace the “Star-Spangled Banner” as America’s national anthem).

The Collective segued into introspective and vibrant pieces composed by members: “8’46: A Tribute to George Floyd” (Edward Simon, piano), “Joya” and “The Sower,” (Matt Brewer, bass), “Can You See/Mutuality” (Chris Potter, saxophone), “All There Inside,” (Gretchen Parlato, vocals), “Unity,” (Warren Wolf, vibraphone) and a cover of Marvin Gaye’s anti-war anthem, “What’s going On,” masterfully arranged by Trinidadian trumpet player Etienne Charles.

Grammy-winning saxophonist David Sanchez, a longtime member of SFJAZZ Collective, delivered his vibrant instrumental, “Ay Bendito, “ on tenor.

Prior to his performance with SFJAZZ, I met with Sanchez via Zoom to speak with him about the non-profit art organization’s 2021-2022 season, the state of live music in the age of COVID-19, and his global influences.

Although he was born and raised in Puerto Rico and heavily influenced by Afro-Latino roots music, percussion, in particular, Sanchez would hardly categorize himself as a Latin jazz artist. Listening to his stellar, 2019 album, “Carib,” you are transported to several countries within the African and Latin Diaspora.

The music that I write and how I play is just a recollection of different experiences throughout my life,” said Sanchez. “Obviously, it’s going to bring in my experiences growing up in Puerto Rico, especially the roots influences. I spent 16 years in New York, 13 in Atlanta. I’ve been traveling the world constantly since I was 19.”

Sanchez, who has collaborated with music icons and influencers such as Dizzy Gillespie and Branford Marsalis, said he feels blessed to be reunited with the SFJAZZ Collective.

The fact that we have the opportunity to come together and make music is amazing,” said Sanchez. “Finally, after this crazy pandemic, which is unreal, we are coming together after almost two years. I now see things a bit differently, I’m so appreciative of the opportunity that we have of coming together this year. Not only because we are coming together after a long time of layoffs; of not playing, but also because of our theme. This year, because of the circumstances and the adversities that most of us have faced, we decided to dedicate it to our experiences during this challenging time and to social justice. The pandemic really exposed a lot of situations that were right in our faces that were covered or consciously ignored because we were busy or moving around.”


To watch Streetwise Radio’s full interview with David Sanchez, go to:

https://youtu.be/rUmVFRiCgcI.


Also, hear the music of David Sanchez here on Streetwise Radio.

Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Ethio-American Singer Meklit Illuminates SFJAZZ 2021-2022 Season

 Ethio-American Singer Meklit Illuminates SFJAZZ 2021-2022 Season

By Shelah Moody





  Ethiopian American artist Meklit Hadero, who goes by the stage name, Meklit, is just one example of the wealth of diverse musical talent in the Bay Area.  Meklit became known for embracing the genres of world music and jazz and often fusing the two. Meklit gained worldwide popularity via her vibrant videos such as “Kemekem: I Like Your Afro” (https://youtu.be/qC8feW4gomo) and her TED Talk on the unexpected beauty of everyday sounds (https://youtu.be/NAkkckxE9i8). The vibrant singer/songwriter is also a community organizer, activist, and Chief of Program at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.  Meklit performs Saturday, October 16 at SFJazz Center. https://www.sfjazz.org/tickets/productions/meklit-2122/


Streetwise Radio: What challenges have you faced as a new mother and working artist living in a pandemic?


Meklit: This time is all things. It’s been amazing, it’s been challenging, it’s been a learning experience; a growth experience. It’s everything all at once. My son is two years old. He was about six months old when the pandemic started. It’s been quite a ride. On the other hand, it’s been a blessing, because if I hadn’t been working from home during the pandemic, I would have been going to work everyday and missing so many moments with my son. We are coming out of an incredibly challenging experience, even though we’re not out of it yet. I’m grateful for the ability to return to music; for the fact that performances are happening, the fact that our vaccination rates are high and our (COVID-19) infection rates are falling. I’m grateful to be living in the Bay Area, where we have been able to care for each other through mask-wearing and so many collective care measures that were put into place. SFJAZZ Center has a new ventilation system; and masks are required indoors. There are a lot of protocols that they are putting together to make sure that folks stay safe. That’s how we can have live music right now; so I’m grateful.


Streetwise Radio: I love your video,“Kemekem: I Like Your Afro.” What inspired that song? 


Meklit: Yes! So, that’s a traditional song from Ethiopia, and “kemekem”  is a slang term for the perfect Afro. It literally means, freshly mowed grass, you know, when that Afro is just perfect, done just so. I learned the song in 2010. I knew it was a traditional song that could have real Pan-African resonance. African Diaspora resonance. The video went viral in Ethiopia and ended up being played on TV every day. The last time I was in Ethiopia in 2019, people would recognize me everywhere and sing that song to me back on the street! It was really special. It was a super fun video to shoot, and we did it in an Oakland space. It was recorded in Oakland. 


Streetwise Radio: Describe the Ethiopian aesthetic and how you incorporate it into your music.


Meklit: I use a lot of traditional elements in the music I make, whether I’m singing in Amharic, one of the languages in Ethiopia, or working with the pentatonic melodies, the five-tone scales, or whether I’m working with the traditional rhythms.

I use them as jumping-off points, as foundational points, but I’m always bringing them together in conversation with jazz and singer/songwriter music as well. 


Streetwise Radio: How did you first connect with SFJAZZ? 


Meklit: I did my first show with SFJAZZ in 2010. I have a long relationship with them. We started working together before they had a space. I’m very excited to be performing on Saturday, October 16 at SFJAZZ. It’s my first live performance in almost two years since the pandemic began, so this is really my return to the stage. It’s beautiful to do it in a space that I know so well; a space that’s held me so beautifully as an artist in the Bay Area. 


Streetwise Radio. What can we expect at your upcoming SFJAZZ performance? 


Meklit: I’m actually bringing in an amazing Ethiopian pianist from Los Angeles, Kibrom Birhane. He’s a special musician who’s able to add so much color and power. We will be a seven-piece band; it’s my full ensemble; the band I’ve been playing with and singing with for years. They’re my people; my family. It’s going to be a 90-minute show, and we’ll be singing our hearts out for the people. 


Streetwise Radio: Tell us about some of the songs you’ll be performing. 


Meklit: We’ll be doing traditional songs like “Kemekem.” We’ll be doing traditional songs that really bring in Ethiopian scales, like the song, “Ethio Blue,” which is forthcoming off a new record called “Antidote,” which will be coming out next year. We’ll also be doing songs from my last full-length album, “When the People Move, the Music Moves, Too.” I play guitar and I play krar, an Ethiopian harp. Sometimes I don’t have an instrument in my hand, so I can also move around the stage and be free. My band is Kibrom Birhane, keyboards, Howard Wiley, tenor saxophone, Prasant Radhakrishnan, tenor saxophone, Marco Paris Coppola, percussion, and Sam Bevan, bass.


Streetwise Radio: Tell us about your leadership role at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts? 


Meklit: I’m the Chief of Program at YBCA. It’s a role that I started about two months before the pandemic began. It’s been a beautiful time of transition though; being able to move in a role of supporting artists who work in service of their communities— artists of all disciplines. Throughout my career; I’ve always been involved in projects and initiatives that promote community building and culture power into the questions of: what kind of world do we want to build, and how do we do it together? How are music and the arts and culture at the center of those questions?  My role as Chief of Program has allowed me to be of service in a time when it’s a challenge to be a working musician. It’s a blessing to be able to support other artists in this role.


Streetwise Radio: What is the key to getting heard and noticed as a world music/jazz artist living and working in San Francisco?


Meklit: I’m very grateful for the success that I’ve had; I think staying humble is important. You have to be grateful for every audience and every listener. The purpose of music is to bring us together; and so every time that we can build community with music, we have to be grateful. For me; it’s about being a songwriter and having a perspective that is a unique sound. And, that sound has come through learning. A lot of times, people ask me who my biggest influences are. There are so many traditional artists, like Mulatu Astatke; and jazz singers like Billie Holiday, who have been a great inspiration. I also recognize that my community has been my biggest teacher. That’s part of why I don’t see my work as an organizer as different from the work that I do as a musician. There’s no difference between building yourself as a musician and working for the health and well-being of your community. I think that working towards both of those goals simultaneously has helped me build an audience, and it’s helped me to grow the space for my music to blossom in the world.


For more information on Meklit and to hear her music, go to: https://www.meklitmusic.com/.


Wednesday, February 17, 2021

The Passing Of A Jazz Great. Chick Corea.





                                          June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021







Return To Forever - Duel of the Jester & the Tryant (Live)