SOLIDARITY EPK 

“2016 debut The Beast, album was primarily about realizing my vision as a bandleader. I wanted my next artistic statement, SOLIDARITY to be a bolder, more personal one.”

THE THEORY OF DIFFERENCE

Audre Lorde (February 18, 1934-November 17, 1992). Her life and work moved me to compose a tune entitled "The Theory Of Difference."

MARIELLE (FOR MARIELLE FRANCO)

Marielle Franco was a black woman from the favela in Rio de Janeiro. She was an outspoken, powerful political activist. Marielle was elected council woman and spoke out against sexual exploitation and violence, LBGTQ injustices as well as police brutality against blacks, and injustices against the poor. She was assassinated in 2018.

CONVO WITH SENATOR FLOWERS

March 6, 2019 Arkansas Senator Stephanie Flowers gave a passionate speech regarding a proposed 'Stand your ground' bill. Arkansas law requires residents outside of their homes to retreat before using deadly force in self defense. The proposed bill would have removed that requirement. Senator Flowers erupted after state senators tried to curb debate on the bill.

I LOVE YOUR SMILE

This is my arrangement of the R&B classic “I Love Your Smile” originally recorded by Shanice in 1991. It reminds me of my childhood—summertime, growing up in Cleveland Ohio, watching music videos or just cooling out with family and friends.

HEART

This composition is a solo drum piece. The piece is based off of the West African bembe groove. It develops within the hands all while an ostinato pattern is played in my feet. The idea is for the family of drums to carry on a conversation through emotional cycles as the heart beats.

PAY IT NO MIND

This piece was composed in dedication to Marsh P. Johnson, a transgender activist who played a vital role in the Stonewall riots and the gay rights movement it launched. She, along with Sylvia Rivera, opened a house to shelter homeless LGBT youth — the first shelter of its kind in the country. The “P.” in Marsha P. Johnson stood for “Pay it no mind” — and when people got too nosy about her, that is what she would tell them. “Pay it no mind.”

BEBOP

Bebop was more than a subgenre of Black American music. It was a social movement that represented a new way of phrasing. Its creators changed the rhythmic and harmonic structure of jazz music. “BeBop” is one of the many tunes Dizzy wrote that remains fresh, modern, and a challenge to play. I wanted to think about how it might feel to engage with the spirit of bebop in today’s social context.