Performed by:
Clayton Rosati, drums
Benji Katz, vocals
Kim Watson, percussion
Alan Albrecht, bass
Ellen Messner, keyboard

Engineer: Nick Kiekenapp

"Something In The Way Of Things," The Roots and Amiri Baraka

“Ittus” by the Tuareg group Tinariwen is an example of the Desert Blues from Sahelian West Africa. “Ittus” is from their seventh album, Elwan. The lyrics, translated from Tamashek, are: I ask you, what is our goal/ It is the unity of our nation/ And to carry our standard high. In “Ittus,” we hear the plaintive guitar strains accompanied by guttural poetry that characterizes much of the band’s work. This song is remarkably paired down, the sparse texture creating space for the sweet prayer-like ode to the Tuareg people. Over the past several decades much of Tinariwen’s lyrics have brought attention to the struggles of the Tuareg, the longing for self-determination, and achieving equality and citizenship within the West African nations they inhabit. In recent years, the political turmoil in Northern Mali has been woven more specifically into their lyrics, in which they address the brutality, bitterness, and pain of war and conflict. “Ittus” is a respite in this landscape, a gentle and kind reminder of the possibilities and hope of brighter days.

Performed by:
Nick Kiekenapp, guitar
Adesina Odiduro, voice

Engineer: Nick Kiekenapp

"Ittus" by Tinariwen

Performed by:
Anthony Afful, trombone and baritone sax
Alan Albrecht, bass
Caden Bateman, backup vocals
Kelly Cole, backup vocals
Jane Kelly, trumpet
Nick Kiekenapp, guitar
Ellen Messner, keys
Adesina Odiduro, lead voice and percussion
Charles Saenz, trumpet
Garrett Tanner, sax 
Kimberley Watson, percussion 
Ian Weil, drums and backup vocals

Engineer: Nick Kiekenapp

"Water No Get Enemy" by Fela Kuti

Performed by:
Humay Gasimzadeh, piano 
Sidra Lawrence, voice 
Ellen Messner, toy piano 

Engineer: Nick Kiekenapp

"Return To Innocence Lost" The Roots with Ursula Rucker

Performed by:
Alan Albrecht, bass 
Humay Gasimzadeh, piano
Nick Kiekenapp, guitar
Adesina Odiduro, percussion
Clayton Rosati, drums
Garrett Tanner, sax
Kimberley Watson, percussion
Ian Weil, percussion

Engineer: Nick Kiekenapp

"Darling Doria," The John Betsch Society

This tune, from Asher Gamedze's album Dialectic Soul, reflects the spiritual nature of political and social resistance. Gamedze writes of the album, “free drums representing autonomous African motion, the saxophone reflecting deeply & honestly on the violence of colonialism. The teachings of Coltrane, Biko, Makeba, Malcom & others inspire the music's positive manifestation of resistance. Fundamentally, it is about the reclamation of the historical imperative. It is about the dialect of the soul & the spirit while it moves through history. The soul is dialectic. Motion is imperative. We keep moving." Music journalist Marcus J. Moore calls “Siyabulela” “an emotive gospel composition meant to guide ancestors to eternal peace.” He continues, “It feels funereal, a light dusting of drum cymbals and sullen horns meant to celebrate life. And despite its slow pace and overcast aura, "siyabulela" trades sorrow for gratitude, honoring the past through a placid smile.” Historian Robin D.G. Kelley describes it as “the most joyful proclamation of world revolution.”

Performed by:
Alan Albrecht, bass 
Ehn Jey, voice
Nick Kiekenapp, guitar, organ
Humay Gasimzadeh, piano 
Dan Piccolo, drums
Garrett Tanner, sax 
Anthony Stout, trumpet

Engineer: Nick Kiekenapp

"Siyabulela" Asher Gamedze

Performed by:
Paige Carter, clarinet 
Kyler Decker, saxophone 
Stephanie Decroix, horn 
Will Edwards, alto saxophone 
Ayanna Grant, violin 
Julian Green, horn 
Thomas Johnston, bass guitar 
Nicholas Kiekenapp, guitar 
Hayden Mesnick, keyboard
Clayton Rosati, drums 
Bonnibel Walker, violin

"Part of a Whole," Hugh Masekela

Performed by:
Giovanni Castiglione, voice 
Kyler Decker, saxophone 
Stephanie Decroix, horn 
Will Edwards, saxophone 
Julian Green, horn 
Thomas Johnston, bass guitar 
Nicholas Kiekenapp, guitar 
Hayden Mesnick, keyboard 
Clayton Rosati, drums 
Bonnibel Walker, percussion

"Morning Glory," Cha Wa

Performed by:
Cameron Brosius, guitar
Tajj Crowder, voice
Will Edwards, saxophone
Ayanna Grant, violin
Colin Hochstetler, trombone
Riley Kramer, drums
Rachel Krueger, bass clarinet
Allan Landgraf, saxophone
Hayden Mesnick, keybaords
Carl Ng, saxohpone
Angela Schwartz, clarinet
Elijah Stewart, guitar
Daniel Yang, bass

"In Tune," Robert Glasper

Performed by: 
Riley Kramer, drumset
Giovanni Castiglione, voice

“Triptych: Prayer, Protest, Peace,” Max Roach

Performed by:

Katelen Brown, percussion 
Morgan Decker, voice
Nadine Foley, percussion
Nick Fox, berimbau
Henrique Medeiros Batista, percussion 
Elias Simon, percussion

"Escrava Anastácia," Tupi Nagô

Performed by:
Alan Albrecht, bass
Joseph Craig, keyboard
Richard Hopkins, drums
Jake Smith, sax

"Alabama," John Coltrane

Written in 1964 by Wardell Quezergue and Smokey Johnson, “It Ain’t my Fault” is now a Mardi Gras and brass band standard in New Orleans. Like other black American musical traditions, the history of New Orleans brass band music reveals the socio-political life of the city. From second lines to the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Thursday nights at the iconic 9th ward club, Vaughn’s, the cultural heritage of New Orleans is intimately bound to sonic creation. Classic songs like “Ain’t my Fault” have been re-interpreted across genres and are recast in new historiographic interpretive framing in such ways that allow them to speak to the ever-changing political circumstances in the city. Such is the case with the version of “Ain’t my Fault” that we present tonight. This version was written by Preservation Hall Jazz Band creative director Ben Jaffe and rap icon Mos Def in 2010 in response to the BP’s disastrous Gulf oil spill off the Louisiana Coast. Mos Def framed his lyrics around the slippery political maneuvering post-spill that attempted to avoid blame for the environmental and social hazards that the massive amount of spiltplit oil caused to marine life, human communities, and the coastline. In an all-night recording session, Mos Def was joined by Lenny Kravitz, Trombone Shorty, Tim Robbins, and the Preservation Hall Band; the proceeds from the recording went to the Gulf Relief Foundation. In the song, Mos Def raps: “from the Gulf of Mexico to the broke levee wall/something’s going wrong and its somebody fault.” In doing so, he ties the Gulf spill to the political circumstances surrounding Hurricane Katrina, and the devastating human-made disaster of the broken levees.

Performed by:
Henrique Batista, voice
Katelen Brown, percussion
Brandon Collins, clarinet
Morgan Decker, trombone
Richard Hopkins, voice
Ashli Hunter, voice
Madeline Hutchinson, trumpet
Leah Knecht, tuba
Wonseok Lee, percussion
Adesina Odiduro, voice
Clayton Rosati, drums
Jake Smith, sax
Camden Sondergeld, guitar
Joseph Starks, bass
Stephen Strouse,trumpet
Garrett Tanner, sax

"Ain't My Fault," Ben Jaffe and Mos Def

Performed by:

Henrique Batista, percussion
Katelen Brown, percussion
Brandon Collins, clarinet
Morgan Decker, trombone
Richard Hopkins, drums
Madeline Hutchinson, trumpet
Leah Knecht, tuba
Wonseok Lee, percussion
Clayton Rosati, percussion
Jake Smith,sax
Camden Sondergeld, guitar
Joseph Starks, bass
Stephen Strouse, trumpet
Garrett Tanner, sax

"Grazing in the Grass," Hugh Masekela

Performed by:
Henrique Batista, percussion
Katelen Brown, percussion
Brandon Collins, clarinet
Morgan Decker, trombone
Richard Hopkins, percussion
Ashli Hunter, voice
Madeline Hutchinson, trumpet
Leah Knecht, tuba
Wonseok Lee, drums
Adesina Odiduro, voice
Clayton Rosati, percussion
Jake Smith, sax
Camden Sondergeld, guitar
Joseph Starks, bass
Stephen Strouse,trumpet
Garrett Tanner, voice

"Strawberry Letter 23," Shuggie Otis

Performed by:
Humay Gasimzadeh, piano
Garrett Tanner, sax
Clayton Rosati, drums
Nick Kiekenapp, guitar and bass

Engineer: Nick Kiekenapp

"Mannenberg," Abdullah Ibrahim

Performed by:
Alan Albrecht, bass
Eunice Ayodele, voice
Kevin Bill, percussion
Kelly Cole, voice
Nadine Foley, percussion
Billy Gruber, percussion
Richard Hopkins, percussion
Henrique Medeiros Batista, percussion
Eddie Melikian, guitar
Adesina Odiduro, voice
Clayton Rosati, percussion
Eli Simon, percussion

"Kanou," Fatoumata Diawara

Performed by: 
Alan Albrecht, bass
Eunice Ayodele, voice
Kevin Bill, percussion
Kelly Cole, voice
Joseph Craig, keyboard
Tajj Crowder, voice
Nadine Foley, percussion
Elai Freed, sax
Billy Gruber, percussion
Richard Hopkins, percussion
Madeline Hutchinson, trumpet
Allan Landgraf, sax
Henrique Medeiros Batista, percussion
Eddie Melikian, guitar
Adesina Odiduro, voice
Jhane Perdue, voice
Clayton Rosati, percussion
Charleigh Scaggs, trumpet
Eli Simon, sax
Jake Smith, sax
Garrett Tanner, sax

"Mama Don't Want No Gun,"Kokolo Afrobeat Orchestra

Performed by:
Alan Albrecht, bass 
Kelly Cole, voice
Tajj Crowder, drums
Nick Kiekenapp, guitar, mandolin, accordion, synth
Adesina Odiduro, voice
Jhané Perdue, voice
Kim Watson, percussion
Alexa Woloshyn, voice

Engineer: Nick Kiekenapp

"Yehlisan’ Umoya Ma Africa" by Busi Mhlongo

Performed by:
Alan Albrecht, bass
Eunice Ayodele, voice
Kelly Cole, voice
Jonathon Duranleau, trumpet
Nadine Foley, percussion
Elai Freed, sax
Billy Gruber, percussion
Richard Hopkins, drums
Andrew Kelly, percussion
Emily McPherson, keys
Henrique Medeiros Batista, percussion
Eddie Melikian, guitar
Adesina Odiduro, voice
Jake Smith, sax
Garrett Tanner, sax
Anna Vogelgesang, voice

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