Afrofuturism has been “a cultural force since the mid-20th century when jazz visionary Sun Ra and his Arkestra first touched down on Planet Earth” and let us know that space is the place. Then there’s the speculative fiction of Octavia Butler, and the writing of N.K. Jemisin, as well as the apocalyptic Afrofuturism in the music of Jake Blount, the “R&B cyborg Janelle Monáe, and dystopian noise-rappers Death Grips”, (FPE Records Bandcamp). For this New Sounds show, hear some of the Afrofuturism of the 21st century from spoken word artist, poet, musician, producer Moor Mother, bandleader/flutist Nicole Mitchell, percussionist/composer Michael Wimberly, and other artists.
Composer, producer, poet and musician Moor Mother has been a part of the Philadelphia hip hop scene; her roots are in jazz, and her work sometimes blends poetry, jazz, ambient music, Afrofuturism, and soul - and can sometimes incorporate in dance, electronics, and science-fiction. Listen to music from Moor Mother’s 2022 record, Jazz Codes, featuring a wide range of collaborators and guest artists.
Also, hear work in which Moor Mother features prominently, as on the Sons of Kemet record, Black to the Future, a record of dance music, instrumental jazz, and poetry, AND…spoken word, Afrofuturism, electronic music, hip hop, grime, dub, and Caribbean rhythms. Then listen to music by percussionist, composer, collaborator and professor Michael Wimberly from his record, Afrofuturism, which reaches far beyond his jazz roots, embracing ‘the total music vision coined by the Art Ensemble of Chicago, “ancient to the future”’ (from the liner notes by Peter Margasak.)
There’s also music by flutist, musician, composer and educator Nicole Mitchell, whose music has been deeply influenced by Afrofuturist author Octavia E. Butler. From her record, Mandorla Awakening II Emerging Worlds, listen to music featuring Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth Ensemble. Then, hear dragonchild, the new project by sax player DA (or Danny) Mekonnen, who used to lead the Debo Band, and who now takes the exploration of Ethiopian music and explodes it into three-dimensional space. Listen to some of dragonchild’s music, and more. - Caryn Havlik
Program #4744, Afrofuturism (First aired 4/26/23)
ARTIST: Sun Ra Arkestra
WORK: Door of the Cosmos [1:01]
RECORDING: Sleeping Beauty
SOURCE: Enterplanetry Koncepts
INFO: sunramusic.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Moor Mother feat Black Quantum Futurism / Mary Lattimore
WORK: Umzanzi [2:41]
RECORDING: Jazz Codes
SOURCE: Anti/Epitaph
INFO: https://moormother.ffm.to/jazzcodes
ARTIST: Moor Mother, feat. Keir Neuringer
WORK: APRIL 7th [2:10]
RECORDING: Jazz Codes
SOURCE: Anti/Epitaph
INFO: https://moormother.ffm.to/jazzcodes
ARTIST: Moor Mother, feat. Melanie Charles
WORK: WOODY SHAW [1:53]
RECORDING: Jazz Codes
SOURCE: Anti/Epitaph
INFO: https://moormother.ffm.to/jazzcodes
ARTIST: Sons of Kemet ft. Moor Mother
WORK: Pick Up Your Burning Cross [3:44]
RECORDING: Black to the Future
SOURCE: Impulse!
INFO: https://sonsofkemet.lnk.to/blacktothefutureIB
ARTIST: Michael Wimberly
WORK: DDK Groove [5:15]
RECORDING: Afrofuturism
SOURCE: Temple Mountain Records
INFO: michaelwimberly.bandcamp.com | michaelcwimberly.com
ARTIST: Moor Mother, feat. Lojii
WORK: Shekere [2:11]
RECORDING: Black Encyclopedia of the Air
SOURCE: ANTI- Records
INFO: moormother.ffm.to/beota
ARTIST: dragonchild
WORK: Above All [4:25]
RECORDING: dragonchild
SOURCE: FPE Records
INFO: https://fperecs.bandcamp.com/album/dragonchild
ARTIST: Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth Ensemble
WORK: Nicole Mitchell: Mandorla Island [10:23]
RECORDING: Mandorla Awakening II Emerging Worlds
SOURCE: FPE Records
INFO: fperecs.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Amina Claudine Myers, Nicole Mitchell, Irreversible Entanglements (with Moor Mother)
WORK: Ecstatic Suite, excerpt [10:23]
RECORDING: Live, Ecstatic Music Fest 2019 in Kaufman Music Center
SOURCE: This performance not commercially available
INFO: aminaclaudinemyers.com | nicolemitchell.com | irreversibleentanglements.com
ARTIST: dragonchild
WORK: Meditation (Reprise) [8:34]
RECORDING: dragonchild
SOURCE: FPE Records
INFO: https://fperecs.bandcamp.com/album/dragonchild