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In previous shows we have explored how Afrikan (“Black”) History Month (AHM), without reference to its founders or objectives, has often been reduced to a narrow definition of culture (e.g. music, dance, food, storytelling), at variance with its activist origins (USA and UK). However, even within these constraints, the culture does have the capacity to move and inspire. As host ShakaRa emphasised at the Rise Of The Griots launch on October 21st at North London’s Maa Ma’at Cultural Centre:
“That’s why we have a Rise Of The Griots. Because if the Movement can inspire the arts of that generation, the Movement can inspire the arts of this generation and in turn, the art can inspire the movement. What you call a symbiotic relationship…” (1)
Art can indeed be a crucial site of self-determination as well as being a central facet of social movements. For example, we can identify a trajectory from the Garvey Movement to the Harlem Renaissance to the Afrikan Independence Movement to Pan-Afrikan music forms (cross fertilization of jazz with local forms in Afrika and the Caribbean) to Carlos Cooks and ANPM to the Black Arts Movement to Black Power to Cultural Nationalism.
Consistent with Claudia Jones’ assertion that “A people’s art is the genesis of their freedom” (2), musician Mtume, then a Cultural Nationalist philosophy of Kawaida, encapsulates this lineage thusly:
“the continuing process of nationalist consciousness manifesting its message in one of our strongest natural resources – Black Music. What is represented on these jams is the crystallization of the role of Black Music as a functional organ in the struggle for national liberation… we must begin to view our musical compositions as vessels through which concerts become conscious conversations and our records, repositories of positive black images.” (2)
In the USA this impulse lent itself most tellingly to the genre of music called “jazz,” although Mtume regards this as an “irrelevant term… we allow others to use in defining our creation.” (3) Nevertheless this impulse was manifested in works such as Randy Weston’s Uhuru Afrika (1960), Max Roach – We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite (1960), Abbey Lincoln – Straight Ahead (1961), John Coltrane – Africa / Brass (1961), Philip Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble – The Malcolm X Memorial (A Tribute In Music) (1968) and Mtume’s Umoja Ensemble – Alkebu-Lan – Land Of The Blacks. (1972). The latter two are notable for being released on Afrikan owned labels and with Alkebu-Lan.. being put out on the legendary musician run Strata East label. As co-founder Stanley Cowell explained:
“The ’60s Black Power movement in the United States had an effect on many black artists toward self-reliance, entrepreneurship and self-determination.” (4)
Jazz music was less prominent in the UK, compared to other forms such as roots, spoken word and drama. A central meeting point for these forms was the Keskidee Centre in Islington, founded in 1971 by the late Oscar Abrams. The centre’s motto was “A community discovering itself creates its own future.” (5)
Dub Poet Linton Kwesi Johnson developed his craft while employed as library resources and education officer at the centre. Another connected group that came to fruition in the 1980s was Ras Messengers, described as an “Afrocentric” “Reggae-Jazz Band” (6) and featuring Galaxy Radio’s very own Elder Heru Khuti. This esteemed Elder also took on production duties for Anum Iyapo’s landmark 1985 set Songs Of The Motherland. This LP also featured Sis Fyna, who alongside Sis. Nefertiti constituted spoken word pioneers Lioness Chant. (7) In terms of legacy, Sis. Nefertiti’s daughter, Golden Blue, is now active on spoken word circuit and performed at the Rise Of The Griots event.
This artistic confluence during the 1980s also saw the emergence of “Jazz,” most notably through the Jazz Warriors. As founder Courtney Pine revealed:
“Many of the bands in the reggae scene had their own horn sections. Many of these guys were desperate to play jazz. In a short space of time I had enough players to form a jazz collective, The Jazz Warriors. This grouping of musicians was like a university for musical experimentation” (8)
The Jazz Warriors and their 1987 debut LP, Out Of Many, One People, was notable for showcasing many up and coming musicians who are now staples of the scene including Julian Joseph, Steve Williamson, Gail Thompson, Cleveland Watkiss, Orphy Robinson, Phil Bent, Gary Crosby, Tony Remy and Ray Carless. Out Of Many.. is also significant for its inclusion of percussionist Mamadi Kamara who played on Songs Of The Motherland and The Black History Man Robin Walker on trombone.
Although not (yet) to the extent of creating an autonomous economic base like Strata East, the Jazz Warriors did engender a viability in the art form for that and successive generations of artists. This can be seen in Steve Williamson building on the legacy through his work with Abbey Lincoln on A Waltz For Grace (1990); or Bukky Leo referencing Mtume’s Umoja Ensemble’s type territory with Rejoice in Righteousness/Inheritance (1988) and Alke Bu Lan (1990), Quite Sane’s This Won’t Work (1994) and The Child of Troubled Times (2002) or Denys Baptiste with his 2003 offering Let Freedom Ring!
As artistically challenging as this music maybe, it arguably does not have mass appeal and affect its impact. It has been suggested that a twist on the co-operative approach, also regarded as popular can be seen in the example of garage collective So Solid Crew. The south London collective came onto the scene more or less as one group and a number individual members (Romeo, Lisa Maffia, Asher D, Swiss, JD, Harvey) have since managed to forge solo careers. However, the extent to which So Solid engaged in the aforementioned “conscious conversations” has need been questioned. (9)
(1) ShakaRa Mbandaka (21/10/16) The History of Black History Month. Presentation at the Rise Of The Griots event, Maa Ma’at Cultural Centre.
(2) Gary Younge (17/08/02) The politics of partying.https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2002/aug/17/nottinghillcarnival2002.nottinghillcarnival
(3) Mtume (1972) Invocation from the LP Alkebu-Lan – Land Of The Blacks. Strata East
(4) Ibid.
(5) Andy Thomas (11/06/14) A Guide to Strata-East.http://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2014/06/strata-east-guide
(6) Islington Local History Centre (2009) The Keskidee – a community that discovered itself.https://www.islington.gov.uk//~/media/sharepoint-lists/public-records/leisureandculture/information/factsheets/20112012/20120303lhcexhibkeskidee
(6) Robbie Shilliam (2011) Keskidee Aroha: Translation on the Colonial Stage in Journal of Historical Sociology Vol. 24 No. 1. https://robbieshilliam.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/shilliam-keskidee-aroha.pdf and Robbie Shilliam (2013) Pacific Redemption Songs.https://thedisorderofthings.com/tag/ras-messengers/
(8) Fyna & Nefertiti (1989) Lioness Chant. Karia Press
(9) Martin Smith (2006) Playing jazz is a form of resistance. Socialist Review. http://www.socialistreview.org.uk/article.php?articlenumber=9679
(10) AfricansArise (06/01/11) The Rise and Fall of So Solid: A Cautionary Tale.http://africansariseuk.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/rise-and-fall-of-so-solid-cautionary.html
So tonight we ask the question:
Can our art inspire the Movement?
1. Have any AHM events you’ve been to this year mentioned Carter G Woodson, Akyaaba Addai-Sebo or Liberation Movements?
2. To what extent has Black Music been, or is now, “a functional organ in the struggle for national liberation”?
3. Do the means of production have to Afrikan owned or is that irrelevant as long as the output is positive?
4. Has the thread that has linked different generations of cultural artists?
5. Where is the legacy of “conscious conversations” at today?
Our very special guests:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and UNIA-ACL Ambassador for the UK and national co-Chair of the interim National Afrikan People’s Parliament. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of over 30 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Guide To Excellence.
Bro. Robin Walker: Known as The Black History Man, Bro. Robin is an internationally renowned historian, author, teacher, publisher as well as a trained economist and form Jazz Warrior. He is best known for his epic When We Ruled (2006 – 2nd edition 2014) which established his reputation as the leading Black History educational service provider Prior to his first book 1999’s, Classical Splendour: Roots of Black History, published by Bogle L’Ouverture Publications, he had co-edited The Black Community Report (1996) and the Black Child Report (1997) and also contributed to The Alarm magazine.
Other works by Bro. Robin include editing the Black Community Report (2000), the Black Child Report (2001) and the Asian Community Report (2001). He has been especially prolific in the last three years writing several volumes including: the second edition of When We Ruled (2014), Blacks and Religion Volume I, Blacks and Science Volumes I, II &III, The Rise and Fall of Black Wall $Treet and the Seven Key Empowerment Principles and African Mathematics: History, Textbook and Classroom Lessons.