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September 3, 2020
Hello all and welcome to the strangest times of our lives! I am writing to you with so much gratitude that we have survived this pandemic and that we still have each other. As you know, New York has been hit very hard by the fight against covid-19 and yet we have remained diligent. "Maybe", as the amazing keyboardist Mara Rosenbloom said to me the other day, "we can still create a better world!".
In the face of the pandemic some amazing things have happened and also some horrific things. The fight for the equal value of Black Lives continues and we must not let up against those who want to perceive our efforts as domestic terror. It is so disappointing that every action that the Civil rights movement makes in this country is fought against by those who staunchly want to deny that great change towards more equal justice and away from the historic institutions that support systemic racism still needs to happen. It is as if we as citizens in the US are living in two different worlds: The Trump-supporters and everyone else. That being said, Protesting is still important and voting and getting involved in the political process is as important as ever.
In light of these circumstances is where live music has come into play in New York. We have been playing to uplift our communities, shed light on issues and amplify the voices that need to be heard that call for a re-investment in Black youth and historically underserved communities and reform against over policing and police brutality as well as the existing criminal justice system of for-profit incarceration. Take a look at these epic photos from the Black Lives Matter Community Jam that happened on June 21, 2020:
On a whim I decided to host The Jam vis-a-vis the annual Make Music New York Outdoor Music Festival. Since no venues were open in New York I decided to register as a "venue for the day" on Saint Marks Avenue, Brooklyn and got a permit from the City to play in front of my apartment building on The Block!... and voilá! (since the origins for MMNY are actually from their annual Fête de la Musique in Paris, France!) We came, we saw, we jammed and It was uplifting, created good vibes and I dare say that Live Music Saves Lives. Some videos can be seen on my instagram page as well.
Along with our performance, community organizers spoke and urged others to get involved and let us just say that The movement continues and the need for the movement continues!
Do you want to support the community in their fight against corruption? Please sign this petition for Flower Lovers Against Corruption, a real grassroots organization doing good work against gentrification, overdevelopment and over policing right in our neighborhood.
The Black Lives Matter Community Jam was a groundbreaking success!
Here are some more live music events coming up on the block and around it that are being organized by like-minded folks focused on community, not capitalism that are lifting us up with all forms of expression welcome and encouraged! We need live experiences and we need each other! Please check them out:
Saturday September 19th
7:30 pm-10:00 ish
Dawn Drake & ZapOte
Live at the Boathouse
Outdoors
Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Hosted by Alegba Jahyile, a groundbreaking community artist who has commited to live music EVERYDAY of the pandemic. Support this Haitian artist who has been a trailblazer during this pandemic! This "Boathouse Jam" was featured in the NY Times here.
Featuring Rosa Avila: drums, Jackie Coleman: trumpet, Dawn Drake: bass and vocals, Noah Dreiblatt: tenor sax, Jerome Harris: guitar, and Paula Winter: percussion and vocals.
Every Saturday or Sunday
(Weather-Permitting)
3-6 pm
Musicians' Community Jam
Hosted by Viva Deconcini and Amanda Ruzza
588 Vanderbilt Avenue
Outdoors
Brooklyn, NY 11238
In other news I am still selling my album "Nightshade" on Bandcamp and I do have some hard copies for sale as well so please just email me at pmxrecords@gmail.com if you would like an autographed copy sent personally to you through snail mail! It is an album that calls attention to the past with an eye for the future. If you'd like to hear more about it please check out this podcast here as well as this interview here with Bass Musician Magazine.
I want to leave you with a classic pandemic DIY video that we did at the Ibeam in Brooklyn thanks to Mara Rosenbloom. I have had to get better at making and editing videos for online CONTENT for schools and educational institutions during these weird times. What a challenge for this non-technical and old school gal! This is one of them that we had a good time recording though featuring Jackie Coleman, Mara Rosenbloom and Rosa Avila that is a chant for Obatalá, the Yoruba deity of wisdom and peace: something we desperately need in our leadership right now. I hope you enjoy it!
Alls else I can tell you is to VOTE Biden Harris and just vote in general. We need the winds of change in our leadership to get us out of these trying times!!
Love to all of you,
Dawn
DawnDrake.com
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