SONIC PORTRAITS JAZZ

In Association with partners: Bronzeville Diva & Boyd Entertainment Group LLC

PRESENTS

ART OF PROTEST

Enjoy our video sampler:

"The reflective... softer side of Protest"

Art Of Protest is a high level compiliation of Various Artists. We are pround to announce that the album released on August 13, 2021 entered the prestigious Roots Music Top 50 Contemporary Jazz Chart at # 5, moved to number #1 on 10/23/21 and re-migrated again to the Number One Position an amazing Three Times! The album moved from Number 9 back up to #4 on Memorial Day Weekend 2022 and we are excited for a possible 4th return to #1. The project explores the softer side of protest. Each song poignantly approaches protest through a philosophical lens without sacrificing the heart and soul of the artist. This project is an eclectic mix of jazz, world music, hip hop, classical and Neo-soul gospel. Robert Irving III & Senabella Gill serve as producers for our phenomenal musicians such as the multi-award winning actress, Laura Walls, jazz diva Dee Alexander, singer, songwriter, dancer, Mia Rebel

acclaimed electronic music producer and spoken-word artist, Jeremiah Jae (also the project’s graphic designer).Other artists include, “America’s Got Talent” semi-finalist, Sharon Irving, and classical piano prodigy, Joshua Mhoon. The world music aggregation “Diasporic Progeny”, is led by cultural historian Bikbaye Inejnema and popular television actor, Aaron D. Spears. Both gentlemen perform spoken word together. Gill’s collaborations with Robert Irving III, “Strange Fruit (That Bitter Crop)” and “Dream a Dream” are said to “transverse disparity juxtaposed with hope”; enhancing the complexity of the experience of African Americans. It is the former of the two compositions that inspired the creation of this compilation.

The core musicians include Chicago Al l -Stars Charles “Rick” Heath IV on drums, Josh Ramos on bass, James Perkins Jr. on woodwinds and Corey Wilkes on trumpet with Irving as pianist/ arranger and musical director. I Remember The Future also features Vince Wilburn Jr. (nephew of Miles Davis) on drums with Andre Lassalle (of the band Burnt Sugar) on guitar and Frank Russell (Ladysmith Black Mambazo) playing electric bass.

The album opens with War & Insufficient Peace, a melodic guitar- led instrumental tune composed by Jeanne Ricks, a Chicago born and currently New York based singer/songwriter and music produ-cer whose compositions have permeated “The Weather Channel” sound-scape for two decades. This track has enjoyed more than two-months at the Number One Position on Roots Music Top 50 Songs Chart.

ART OF PROTEST ASCENDED TO #1 ON THE CHART

Inspiration for Art of Protest
Being pleasantly surprised by the compelling outcome of their collaboration on Strange Fruit (This Bitter Crop), Robert Irving III and Senabella Gill sought to find a larger format for its presentation. Strange Fruit is the seminal protest song of all protest songs. Long before the civil rights movement took flight, it spoke of the darkest aspect of race relations in the south during 1939. Irving observes, “When we think about these events today, we realize that time has healed many of the wounds inflicted by those hateful crimes of terrorism. Yet, from an objective viewpoint, the motives are based more in fear than in hate. As we start to unpack the true feelings behind fear, we uncover layers of softer feelings revealing perpetrators as victims (child abuse for example) and today victims have become perpetrators of black on black crime. The premise behind the music curated for this project is the exploration of the “softer side of protest”, the ‘reflections after the infractions’, the ‘philosophical reckoning with the irreconcilable’, and the ‘wrestling with humanity’s shadow’, realizing that we all cast a shawdow by virtue of being human. The take away, we hope, is a small glimmer of inner-light that obliterates our shadow selves, restoring tolerance and renewal of the human spirit with an understanding that in truth, “We the People are All The People.” We can only be saved from ourselves and that can only begin with one… the one in the mirror, without judgment.

ROBERT IRVING III WEBSITE

Michael Boyd Founder/CEO Boyd Entertainment Group

Executive Producer

Art of Protest

Michael Boyd’s biological father was prominent jazz pianist, Don Bennett who took him on trips to Europe at a young age, exposing him to diverse cultural perspectives. These travels gave Boyd a profound appreciation of music and an empirical understanding of the viability and global reach of the music and entertainment industry. Years later, Boyd was drawn to the business side of the record industry. He was fortunate to be mentored by some of the most successful executives in the business. His initial position in the record industry was executive producer, and led to him being hired by former Vice President of A&M Records, Jun Mhoon, to work for the Chicago based I AM Records (one of the most successful Gospel Music labels in the country) and later for A&M Records. These assignments gave Boyd the experience and confidence he needed in music production, promotion and marketing to land his own distribution deal with the legendary Dick Griffey at Solar Records. Boyd later migrated to music video production with Don Woodson, the CEO of Woodson Redman Productions, a film company. Completing a full circle, Michael Boyd has formed Chi WorldView Studios LLC with nine-year Miles Davis collaborator/producer, Robert Irving III, and the duo are working on a documentary film about his father, Don Bennett and other seminal Chicago jazz pianists.

Art & Artists

Jeanne Ricks guitar/whistle, (feat. Robert Irving III piano solo, & Charles “Rick” Heath IV drums)

This instrumental piece opens the album and is not only a protest against war, but is also an homage to the soldiers who serve with dignity and must endure undignified circumstances when they return home. Ricks states that the title speaks to “The brutality perpetrated against African descendants while building the literal foundations and economic wealth which made the US a world power. But, when justly seeking remuneration for creating this bounty, (through sacrifices of flesh, blood, sweat & tears), they are treated as interlopers, thieves & beggars. While ‘War’ is always overtly destructive, an ‘Insufficient Peace’ is subtle ~ like walking a never-ending journey with a small but, sharp rock in your shoe ~ unrelenting, injurious and ultimately debilitating.” Ricks’ reflective melody and dark brooding harmonies evoke both irony and resolve to find answers and solutions toward reconciliation.

JEANNE RICKS WEBSITE

Jeremiah Jae spoken-word (feat. Robert Irving III piano/keys, Corey Wilkes, trumpet, Geof Bradfield saxophone, Edwin Velasquez trombone, Larry Gray bass & Perry Wilson drums)

Musically, this is Robert Irving III’s interpolation of the Herbie Hancock composition, Riot, that appears on the Miles Davis, Nefertiti album released in January 1968, less than four months before the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. The core recording is from Irving’s sextet performance at the 2010 “Hyde Park Jazz Festival” in Chicago and features Indie and Hip-Hop artist, Jeremiah Jae, (Irving’s son). The curious nature of riots, often accompanied by arson, is filtered through the philosophical lens of the words spoken by Jae (shown above in the collage) ending with the words “Now justice for us brings justice for all, because We The People Are All the People; Enjoy the Fire.”

The maternal grandfather of Jeremiah Jae, Dr. Morris H. Tynes (who worked closely with MLK) is known for the aphorism, “The same fire that melts butter, makes steel stronger and gold more pure.” These words bring a higher perspective to the meaning of “going through the fire” with the inference that, if we persevere and don’t ‘melt’, we emerge with more strength of character and purity of heart.

JEREMIAH JAE WEBSITE

Sharon Irving vocals, spoken word, (feat. Robert Irving III, piano and keys, Miles Davis, trumpet (Courtesy of the Miles Davis Estate)

This music is the theme from the movie Street Smart (1987 starring Christopher Reeve and Morgan Freeman and scored by Robert Irving III. At the time of the film’s release, Miles Davis’ recording agreement with Columbia Records had ended and he had not yet signed with Warner Bros. As such, there was no sound track album. Miles Davis appeared as the primary featured soloist on Irving’s score. Irving’s daughter, Sharon Irving, has created a spoken word and vocal treatment that, combined with the haunting trumpet of Miles Davis and her dad’s electronic enhancement, gives two essential strategies for survival in contemporary urban ghetto streets: “Don’t look down” and “Relax,” because “these streets paved with blood-cold, these streets have stories untold, these streets are crying out….” She also invokes the voice of wisdom, “crying out on a busy street corner,” asking the questions “How long, oh naive ones will you love being simple minded and undiscerning?” Her father, Robert Irving III recalls, “Miles loved crawling on the floor to play with Sharon when she was about two-years old. I’m sure he would be proud of her artistic prowess today.”

SHARON IRVING MUSIC on INSTAGRAM

Senabella Gill vocals (feat. Robert Irving III, piano, Josh Ramos, bass, Charles “Rick” Heath, drums & James Perkins, flute)

Kai El Zabar, Executive Director of the ETA Creative Arts Foundation in Chicago, curated this Senabella Gill/Robert Irving III collaboration for a James Baldwin poetry program without any preconceived notions about the outcome. She writes, “The music is, of course, so beautiful, sensually haunting and soulfully touching in a way that you cannot ignore even if you try. It sinks itself hook, line into the deepest sanctuary of your soul. The imagery is so incredulous…” Billie Holiday sang Strange Fruit in 1939 as a protest against lynchings, twenty years prior to Dr. King’s foray into the civil rights movement. The stark imagery of Holiday’s haunting interpretation of the lyrics originally from a 1937 poem written by Jewish writer, Abel Meeropol under the pseudonym Lewis Allan. It is significant and ironically that Meeropol actually taught iconic black poet/author James Baldwin. Holiday’s performance of this song placed her under investigation by the FBI and created pushback from groups who were concerned that retaliation against whites would be kindled throughout the black populace. This is further depicted in the 2020 film, ‘The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” With the composition now in the public domain, Gill and Irving have reimagined and refocused the piece melodically and harmonically with poignant contemporary classical and jazz elements. Gill repetitively sings, “That Bitter Crop” to transform the words into a new ‘hook’ and refrain. As Strange Fruit is possibly the first such stringent protest poem when written in 1937, Gill likewise interjects a poetic spoken word passage interpreted by Irving on piano.

SENABELLA GILL WEBSITE

Disaporic Progeny led by Bikbaye consists of Molinea Maria and Mia Rebel on lead vocals, Aaron D. Spears, spoken word, Robert Irving III, piano and keys, Andre Andy Lassalle, guitar, Frank Russell, bass, Vince Wilburn, drummer, Corey Wilkes, trumpet. Conceptualized by Robert Irving III, the spoken-word themes and verses were created and performed by international cultural activist and teacher, Bikbaye Inejnema and actor, Aaron D. Spears, who plays the role of Justin Barber on ‘The Bold and Beautiful’ television series and snuggles up with Oprah Winfrey on the OWN network’s drama series, ‘Greenleaf’. The featured vocalists are Chicago-based singer/actress, Molinea Maria on lead and Mia Rebel on the chorus.

Notable musicians featured are drummer Vince Wilburn Jr., the nephew of Miles Davis and leader of the Miles Electric Band, the official alumni group. (Photo is courtesy Earl Gibson III)

Also featured is bassist Frank Russell, who played with Freddy Hubbard and spent a decade touring with Ladysmith Black Mombanzo.

Featured on guitar is André Lassalle, a New York based member of the Black Rock Coalition who played on the soundtrack of the Motion Picture “Street Smart,” which featured the trumpet of Miles Davis. He has collaborated with Buddy Guy, Vernon Reid and is a member of the band Burnt Sugar.

Laura Walls vocals, (feat. Robert Irving III, piano, Josh Ramos, bass, Charles “Rick” Heath, drums and James Perkins, flute)

Laura Walls is a celebrated performance artist, writer, cultural scholar and educator, whose engagement with the Jazz narrative travels across disciplines and is clear, expansive and concise. ‘Ode To Dark Men’ is a composition in which the song title is not mentioned. Conversely, the scenario surrounding the plight of George Floyd is poetically referenced by Walls without an explicit mention of his name. The first name of Ahmuad Arbery, (an innocent, black American citizen who was hunted and slain in Georgia), is mentioned in the first verse: “Did Ahmuad get out of bed on the wrong side that day? Was he too naive? Did he forget to pray? How many times did he make that same jog; in the light of day, running while being dark? If his people had known that he would not be coming back, would they have shown, more love, more kindness? But they could not imagine the hate filled reactions, the passions, how tragic: their sadness—this madness.” The chorus makes it clear that these victims of hate crimes could be any “dark man”, and may be even someone you might know and love: “If he were your man, your son, your brother, whose only sin was his dark color, tell me could you be strong? How long could your hold on?” The saxophone of James Perkins echos each phrase sung by Walls as a musical witness, reflecting the emotional weight being unpacked through the writers’ probing philosophical lens.

LAURA WALLS VIDEO

Mia Rebel vocals (feat. Marques Durieux) Produced by Mia Rebel & Marques Durieux

Mia Rebel, multi-disciplinary singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and entrepreneur, has composed and performed a contemporary anthem for international human rights. In her poignant, yet infectious, declaration of independence she sings, “Its about the right, to walk around this whole wide world anytime I want to.” Rebel ingeniously repeats this phrase over and over, making it sound fresh each time she sings it. She never crosses the same river twice. With soulful inflections and nuance, she implores us to sing along and join that walk around the world, in lock-step with her groove. Her ability to pen and deliver a song in this way points to her work with the legendary godfather of funk, George Clinton, legendary jazz guitarist, Les Paul, and her family relationship to the legendary songstress, Victoria Spivey. The synergy of the music and vocals in the powerful video for this track is a nod to Mia Rebel’s high level work as a dancer. Her training with the Alvin Ailey Dance Academy, the Bernice Johnson Dance Academy, acclaimed dancers, Ben Vereen and Michael Peters, is quite apparent.

MIA REBEL WEBSITE

Dee Alexander vocals and Sonic Portraits Orchestra

This composition features Robert Irving III’s Sonic Portraits Orchestra and Chicago vocal diva, Dee Alexander. Irving composed this as part of a commissioned suite occasioning the 100th birthday of celebrated historian, Professor Timuel D. Black, who worked closely with Dr. King, mentored Harold Washington, (the first black mayor of Chicago) and later, a young community organizer named Barack Obama. The premise of this piece is based on the aftermath of Professor Black’s experience as a soldier during the Battle of the Bulge at Normandy which ended World War II. “The freeing of the Buchenwald concentration camp in April, 1945”, Black reflects, “made me resolve to make this a better world.” When the Buchenwald residents blamed the Nazi regime for the holocaust, Professor Black asked the rhetorical question that comprises the title of the composition: “If no one’s to blame, then how did this happen and if people don’t change, then this could happen again.” This marks both Black’s coming of age and his call to activism which included boycotts in Chicago years before the civil rights movement took shape. In the song’s transition, Irving chooses to highlight the long list of countries where genocide has occurred as a reminder that atrocities are not isolated and that “… tyranny has a name and an address, and a face, but no place—if we stay awake.”

DEE ALEXANDER WEBSITE

Epihffony (feat. vocals Ajene Cooks, the late Chris Murrell and Laura Walls, Robert Irving III keys, Joshua Mhoon piano, Josh Ramos bass, Charles “Rick” Heath drums, Kahil El Zabar percussion, Nathelie Joachim woodwinds, Jordan Thomas harp

This track appears courtesy of Neo Gospel Music Group. It is from a three-song collection entitled, South Side Nativity that interrelates epic stories of mothers who endured mistreatment of their sons: one nailed to a cross, one kidnapped into slavery, one hung as strange fruit on Southern trees and/or— more sadly perplexing— killed as a result of Chicago gang violence. The creators, social scientist Dwight McKee and Robert Irving III, explore unique cultural perspectives, moral conflicts, spiritual resolutions, and existential issues related to the meaning of human existence. The piece wrestles with the confusion surrounding the question, “how does our relationship play out with a God who allows such human suffering to occur?” A major part of this exploration is a cathartic spoken word exchange between Irving and Chicago pastor and Rainbow Push leader/activist, the Reverend Marshall Hatch, that is intended to be an imagined debate between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King. Irving recorded the rap for the demo with the intention that it would be replaced by “a real rapper.” McKee insisted that his performance remain and so Irving reluctantly took on the persona of ‘B3 Rap Maestro.’ One of the featured vocalists, the late Chris Murrell, was a longtime vocalist with The Count Basie Orchestra.

EPHIFFONY WEBSITE

Senabella Gill vocals, (feat. Robert Irving III piano/arranger, Josh Ramos bass, Charles “Rick” Heath IV drums & James Perkins, soprano saxaphone)

Senabella conceptualized this song for Dr. C. Sidah Webber’s mural of the same name which is located on 38th & Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood. Webber’s mural gives life to the neighborhood with full color figures that include Dr. Leon Finney, an influential community organizer and Barack Obama. Gill says, “I imagined the world of possibilities; if we embrace our hopes and dreams themselves as being literally, potentiality, as seeds for fulfillment of the same.” The song, originally sung acappella at the unveiling of the mural, now takes on a broader perspective and audience as we all seek to heal, rebound and recover the dreams that were paused by the global pandemic and the resultant social pandemonium. The rousing, reaffirming, melodious sonority of Senabella’s voice and lyrical content, is a clarion call to restoration of hope, and also an affirmation of the human spirit’s resilience as it rises from the ashes, like the mythical phoenix bird. In the words of the song, “… Is there a march you should have marched in? Is there a place you should have been in? Have you lost your step trying to find your way? Its time to dream a dream… live a dream…” Gill implores us that life is not a spectator sport and that there is an immediate need for all to actively participate and make a difference.

SENABELLA GILL WEBSITE

Joshua Mhoon piano

Piano prodigy, Joshua Mhoon, has been embraced by the likes of young Chinese classical pianist, Lang Lang, and he considers Riccardo Muti, director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a close friend. Mhoon graduated from high school in June, 2021 and has been accepted at The Juilliard School of Music. Robert Irving III began mentoring Mhoon a few years ago in the areas of the spontaneous creation approach to composition. Mhoon lost friends and relatives during the pandemic, both from the virus and from suicide–four from his high school. He states, “I wanted to do something to show love and support to everyone who has lost loved ones, and to those who stand on the front lines. If you read the words to ‘Lift Every Voice & Sing’, it’s about transcending difficulties. It’s a song of hope. Robert Irving III, (aka Baabe), arranged this version of “Lift Every Voice & Sing” for me. He wanted it to be a combination of a classical and jazz feel. This song is a universal piece about all people coming together, and we are definitely in this together.”

JOSHUA MHOON WEBISTE

Sharon Irving vocals/rap
(feat. Robert Irving III, piano and keys/remix arranger, Josh Ramos bass, Charles “Rick” Heath drums, & James Perkins flute)

The original version of Vapors, composed and performed by Sharon Irving, appears on her 2017 album Bennett Ave, released through her “Rose of Sharon” label imprint, and was produced by her brother, Jeremiah Jae (who was mentored by Flying Lotus, nephew of John and Alice Coltrane). Her dad, Robert Irving III, selected this song to close out The Art of Protest, because, as he explains, “Vapors is a profound indictment or protest against frivolity as it relates to the lack of integral intentionality, authenticity and purpose in life that is lacking today… because— in the end, life is but a fleeting moment.” This is a sobering thought that will either cause us to give up, because nothing really matters or to give all because every moment counts.” Irving’s remix is reminiscent of Marvin Gaye’s, ‘What’s Going On’ or a Donald Byrd/Roy Ayers summertime anthem. It is perpetuated by the solo flute of James Perkins, supported by the Ramsey Lewis rhythm section drummer, Charles “Rick” Heath IV and bassist Josh Ramos with Irving on both ambient Fender Rhodes and solo acoustic piano.

SHARON IRVING on INSTAGRAM

Tracks 4, 6,9, 10,11 & 12
recorded, mixed, and project Mastered at
Uptown Recording by
Rob Ruccia

Track 5 vocals recorded by Greg Spero- at
Tiny Room Studio-LA
Live Drums and percussion recorded by
Wolfgang Aichholz- at Dot’s Way Studio for MilesLike Productions-LLC
Bikbaye Inejnema Co-Executive Producer
w/Robert Irving III

Track 7 Licensed by
Rebel Royal Music
Mia Rebel
Executive Producer

Track 9 Courtesy of Neo Gospel Music Group
Dwight McKee
Executive Producer

Copy Editor
Morrisine Tynes Irving

Jerimiah Jae: Artwork/Graphic Design/Layout

Additional Proof Reading: Jeanne Ricks

Very Special Thanks to:

Michael Boyd, Executive Producer of this project, Rob Ruccia of Uptown Recording for believing in this project, Senabella Gill aka The Bronzeville Diva co-producer, Kate Smith of Kate Smith Promotions and her staff including Richard Anton, Jeremy Irving (aka Jeremiah Jae) for extraordinary Art and Graphic Design, Morrisine Tynes Irving for copy editing, Linda Mensch Esq. for valuable legal counsel, Earl Gibson III for photo, Tony Smith for photos, Aisha Mays for SPJ logo, Vince Wilburn Jr. of MilesLike Inc. and the Miles Davis Estate, Dwight McKee of Neo Gospel Music Group LLC, Tahjma Hall Mhoon, Jun Mhoon, Herbie Hancock Music Company,

Terri Lyne Carrington, Jim Igo; Horward Mandel, Lauren Deutsch, Dianne Heather Ireland Robinson, Diane Chandler Marshall, Trace Lawrence and family, Deborah Gray Artist Management, Greg Spero; and to all the phenomenally gifted and talented primary artists for your creative input and patience; and to all the incredible session musicians for bringing this music to life and to the Radio Programmers, Music Directors and DJ’s that extend it live across the airwares and throughtout cyberspace.