The large and humanistic ensemble Black Lives , led by bassist Reggie Washington (brother of drummer Kenny Washington) and his wife Stefany Calembert, is working to fulfil a dream - some would say a utopia - that is as much musical as it is social. Musicians from the U.S., Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe are united by a common language in their fight for equality and justice. It's about the future of our societies, which are lost in the excesses of all-consuming materialism and mistrust of others. A natural convergence of musical and cultural aesthetics - jazz, soul, funk, hip hop, blues - is shaping a declaration of love and an act of resistance. Hearts beat fast and fists are raised high! The watchwords call for a world of unity, peace, and freedom. It's a strong belief in tomorrow. 'If you unite and struggle, it's possible to change.'
Although People of Earth is similar in intent to their first album, From Generation to Generation, it shows a significant evolution. Most of its repertoire was composed during the Black Lives tours of Europe in 2022 and 2023.
The strength of Black Lives lies in its ability to unite and transcend the energies of experienced artists, allowing them to use their talents and personalities to serve the group. Each one takes on the role of a leader, offering the collective a personal story fuelled by encounters with other artists (Miles Davis, Meshell Ndegeocello, Salif Keita, Roy Hargrove, Cassandra Wilson, Steve Coleman, Wayne Shorter, Esperanza Spalding...) The collective of musicians, ranging from 30 to 70 years old, offers a rare and beautiful intergenerational constructive collaboration. All of them are devoted to a cause that is more fundamental than ever in these troubled times. Words of hate and racism spread at high speed, threatening to leave indelible marks on people's minds. Their message is clear: 'One love, one world, one dream, all together.'
Reggie Washington - basses, vocals, Christie Dashiell, Tutu Puoane - vocals, Sharrif Simmons - spoken word, Jacques Schwarz-Bart - tenor saxophone, Pierrick Pedro - alto saxophone, Marcus Strickland - clarinet bass, soprano sax, tenor sax, Gregory Privat, Federico Gonzalez Pena - piano, keyboards, Andy Milne - piano, Jean-Paul Bourelly, Adam Falcon - guitar, vocals, David Gilmore - guitar, Gene Lake - drums, Marque Gilmore - drums, percussion, samples, Sonny Troupe - drums, Ka, Slam T Wig, DJ Grazzhoppa - drums, Elom 20ce - African Ewe vocals, Joaquim Tivoukou - African Lingala vocals, Ezra Schwarz-Bart, Stephanie McKay - vocals, Dart Mortis - keyboards, Mars Milton - guitar, Julian Singh - drums, Miles Karlin - bass.
Press:
"The large assemblage of players create rhythms that reflect the vast richness of the black diaspora, so that the music is by turns soulful, funky and African Caribbean, there is always the attention to detail, composer's integrity and improvisatory verve that are fundamental in the jazz aesthetic. The songs are at a very high creative level...the results are outstanding." - **** Jazzwise (Editor's Choice)
