“ON THE CORNER OF WESS AND ASHBY”: DESTINY MUHAMMAD HONORS DOROTHY ASHBY AND FRANK WESS (June 21, 2014)

Photo by Joey Brite, 2014

Jazz harpist, sound sculptress, and singer Destiny Muhammad has been inspired by the music of harpist Dorothy Ashby and reed master Frank Wess for a long time — and last Saturday, at Oakland’s Musically Minded Academy (where she teaches) she paid tribute to these improvisers in her own way — with a trio of Leon Joyce, Jr., drums; Ken Noriyuki Okada, string bass; Melvin Butts, flute.

Here is the evocative and spirited music Destiny and friends performed that evening, remembering the Ancestors and expressing themselves simultaneously.

BACK TALK and JOLLITY:

Oscar Pettiford’s BOHEMIA AFTER DARK:

RASCALITY:

LITTLE SUNFLOWER:

Destiny’s solo turn on IF IT’S MAGIC:

SPICY and TOMORROW WILL COME:

Musically Minded Academy is located at 5776 Broadway, Oakland, California — a beautiful place offering musical instruction as well as inspiration.

May your happiness increase!

MEET DESTINY MUHAMMAD, SOUND SCULPTRESS

After the recent screening of THE GIRLS IN THE BAND in San Rafael, Calfornia, a panel discussion took place, featuring the director, producer, and women jazz musicians.  It was engrossing, but everyone was entranced by a woman who spoke with great gentle feeling — the jazz harpist Destiny Muhammad.  I’d like you to meet her, too.  Here are videos from our get-together a few days ago in her Oakland, California studio.

I expected her to be a winning musician and a melodic improviser, but she is so much more, as you will quickly find out.

In the first video, Destiny plays modern jazz classics — by Coltrane, Ellington, and Davis — and explains herself a bit:

Here, she sings and plays a medley of a folk song and a Gershwin lullaby:

And here she speaks about one of her inspirations, Dorothy Ashby, and a tribute concert that will take place in June 2014:

Destiny has a warm spirit, and it comes out in her playing and her point of view. Her sincerity, energy, and humility are evident from the start.

You can see why she’s a busy creator of beautiful melodies!  To learn more about her, visit her site.

May your happiness increase!